m us, bringing with him a fleet of
about a hundred large war-canoes, loaded to capacity with javelin-armed
warriors. It was pitiful, and I told Ja as much. It seemed a shame to
massacre these poor fellows if there was any way out of it.

To my surprise Ja felt much as I did. He said he had always hated to
war with other Mezops when there were so many alien races to fight
against. I suggested that we hail the chief and request a parley; but
when Ja did so the old fool thought that we were afraid, and with loud
cries of exultation urged his warriors upon us.

So we opened up on them, but at my suggestion centered our fire upon
the chief's canoe. The result was that in about thirty seconds there
was nothing left of that war dugout but a handful of splinters, while
its crew--those who were not killed--were struggling in the water,
battling with the myriad terrible creatures that had risen to devour
them.

We saved some of them, but the majority died just as had Hooja and the
crew of his canoe that time our second shot capsized them.

Again we called to the remaining warriors to enter into a parley with
us; but the chief's son was there and he would not, now that he had
seen his father killed. He was all for revenge. So we had to open up
on the brave fellows with all our guns; but it didn't last long at
that, for there chanced to be wiser heads among the Luanians than their
chief or his son had possessed. Presently, an old warrior who
commanded one of the dugouts surrendered. After that they came in one
by one until all had laid their weapons upon our decks.

Then we called together upon the flag-ship all our captains, to give
the affair greater weight and dignity, and all the principal men of
Luana. We had conquered them, and they expected either death or
slavery; but they deserved neither, and I told them so. It is always
my habit here in Pellucidar to impress upon these savage people that
mercy is as noble a quality as physical bravery, and that next to the
men who fight shoulder to shoulder with one, we should honor the brave
men who fight against us, and if we are victorious, award them both the
mercy and honor that are their due.

By adhering to this policy I have won to the federation many great and
noble peoples, who under the ancient traditions of the inner world
would have been massacred or enslaved after we had conquered them; and
thus I won the Luanians. I gave them their freedom, and returned t