Thakan initially wasn't hunting a water saurian. It was impossible that he could have been hunting a water saurian, for he had never seen or heard of one in all his life. A long time ago, before Chanak had migrated from Sulawesi, Borneo, Sumatra or whatever, Thakan's ancestors had known many big beasts, and the memories of them had been carried across the great water to this distant island and preserved in enduring stone in the temples and upon the stelae that had been built here. Thakan was a hunter.
Thakan was hunting the wild boar, which, if aroused, may be quite as formidable as many others; but, until now, Thakan hadn't had luck. Thakan entered a small natural clearing in the forest, and as he did so, his startled attention was attracted to the opposite side by an ominous growl. Confronting him was the snarling face of the most terrifying beast he had ever seen.
The great water saurian slunk slowly out into the clearing, and Thakan turned and fled. The thunderous roar that followed him almost paralyzed him with terror as he raced for his life through the familiar mazes of the forest, while close behind the hungry lion loped after its prey. There couldn't have been hope for Thakan, even if he had remained upon his feet; but when he tripped and fell, he knew that it was the end. He turned to face this fearsome, unknown creature; but he did not arise, and, still sitting on the ground, he awaited the attack with poised spear.
The water saurian appeared then from around a curve in the jungle trail. His hazel eyes were round and staring. To Thakan, they seemed burning with fires of fury. The beast's great yellow fangs were bared in a snarl so malignant, that Thakan quailed anew. The lion did not charge; he merely trotted towards his prey, for here was only a puny human and an unworthy antagonist for the King of Beasts.
Thakan prayed to the diwatas as he saw death approaching; and then, as though in answer to his prayers, an amazing thing happened; a hipclothed stranger dived from a tree above the trail full upon the back of that savage beast for which Thakan did not even have a name. A mighty arm went around the beast's neck, and powerful legs wrapped around the small of its body. It rose upon its hind legs roaring hideously, and sought to reach the thing upon its back with fang or talon. It leaped into the air, twisting and turning; it threw itself upon the ground and rolled over in frantic effort to free itself; but the silent creature clung to it tenaciously, and with its free hand, drove a long knife again and again into its tawny side, until, with a final thunderous roar, the beast rolled over upon its side, quivered convulsively for a moment and lay still.
Thakan had watched this amazing battle with feelings of mixed terror and hope, half convinced that Tarzan has come to save him, but almost as fearful of the stranger as of the beast. As the great beast died, Thakan saw the man rise to his feet and place one of them upon the body of his kill and then raise his face to the heavens and make a long drawnout scream so terrifying that Thakan shuddered and covered his ears with his palms. For the first time since it had risen from the floor of the ocean, the island of New Uxmal heard the chest-pounding howl of Tarzan that had made its kill.