Odyssey From Africa 5b 6a

They could hear the mighty felines Running in a line behind them Han and Kwona and the children  Knew that they were being herded   These great sabre-tooth cat hunters Were the rulers of the forest; Now they are no longer with us They would perish in the ice-age   Then our fleeing human quarry Reached a dense part of the jungle Where the forest floor was darkened By thick canopy above them   They were close now to exhaustion  Pure adrenaline sustained them Right ahead they heard the splashing  Of a stream of running water    And the sight that next they witnessed Caused all hope to be extinguished  Facing them across the streamlet Endboss sabertooths stood waiting   Then a cry went out from Lisa They all turned and she was missing! Han and Kwona felt a darkness Of despair encroach their spirits   It was Kwona next who cried out Briefly, and was seen no longer Spinning round in desperation  Han looked all around for Matto   Who was absent; all around him Pairs of pearly fangs came nearer Which of these, Han wondered, dreamlike, Would spring forward to impale him?   In an instant he was rising Saw the ground recede below him A huge hand, all black and hairy Swung him upward by the shoulder   Han was hoisted through the branches By a silverback gorilla; Saw around him other members  Of this troop of splendid primates   Not quite sure he still was living Han then sighted all his family  Sitting near him in the branches  Pure relief and gladness filled him   Down below the cats, frustrated  By their disappearing supper Lingered round with eyes turned upward Glinting gold in evening shadows   Then the sabertooths departed One by one into the darkness  Han and Kwona and the children  Laughed for joy at their deliverance    CHAPTER 6 Gorillas    Han was puzzled why gorillas  Would have intervened to save them Did they reckon us as brothers, Distantly related family?   He took care to make slow movements  And avoid direct eye contact  But their pongid hosts seemed friendly And untroubled by their presence    Now the rapid tropic evening Had descended into night-time Several of the female primates  Bade the visitors to follow    Climbing over thicker branches  They were led up to a tree nest Where the motherly gorillas  Laid them down to sleep like children   With adrenalin subsided Waves of tiredness came upon them Peacefully they watched and listened  To the forest night-time fauna