Introduction
“Trail Led Through Dense Jungle” follows an expedition through an African jungle where the protagonist encounters mysterious villages, deserts, and unknown dangers. The narrative is presented as a series of journal entries documenting the perilous journey and the strange discoveries along the way. 1000 words, fragment. Dated November 10, 1922.
Summary
The story begins with the protagonist and his group navigating a dense African jungle, following elephant paths and hearing distant tom-toms. They arrive at a large village where the natives speak a mixed dialect. The village chief, M’Songa, is a one-eyed man who warns them about a desert beyond the jungle.
The protagonist decides to cross the desert despite M’Songa’s warnings. As they journey through the harsh desert, several porters desert, and the group’s water supply dwindles. The group suffers greatly, with one porter dying from sunstroke. Eventually, they spot a forest in the distance and reach a grassy veldt and later a forest with abundant water and wildlife.
While in the forest, the group is attacked by a huge black lion, which takes six bullets to kill. One porter is badly mauled. The next morning, the camp is attacked by a group of strange, white-skinned barbarians. Most of the porters and shikkaries (native hunters) are massacred, and the protagonist, Abdul, and a few others are captured. The attackers are tall, well-built, and armed with various weapons adorned with gold and precious stones. They are initially hostile but become cautious upon seeing the lion skin. They show particular interest in Mazota, the injured porter, and treat his wounds with a powdered herb. The group is forced to march through the forest, where they encounter another black lion that kills a warrior without resistance from the others.
Characters
- Unnamed Protagonist: The leader of the expedition, documenting the journey through his journal entries. Determined and curious, he decides to cross the desert despite warnings.
- M’Songa: The one-eyed chief of the village, who warns the protagonist about the dangers of the desert.
- Abdul Kader: A member of the expedition, suspicious of M’Songa and experienced in desert survival.
- Sharif Massar: A member of the expedition who shoots a gazelle and helps kill the black lion.
- Mazota: A porter mauled by the lion, later treated with care by the captors.
- The Barbarians: Tall, well-built, white-skinned warriors who attack the camp and capture the survivors.
Published in:
- THE LAST OF THE TRUNK OCH BREV I URVAL, Paradox Entertainment, March 2007
- THE LAST OF THE TRUNK, Robert E. Howard Foundation Press, November 2007
- SENTIMENT: AN OLIO OF RARER WORKS, REH Foundation Press, December 2009