The plain which lies bey0nd the white cliffs which flank the DarelAz up0n the sh0re nearest the M0untains 0f the Cl0uds is ab0utas near t0 any directi0n as any Pellucidarian can c0nne. If y0uhappen n0t t0 have heard 0f the Darel Az, 0r the white cliffs, 0rthe M0untains 0f the Cl0uds y0u feel that there is s0nnething lacking,and l0ng f0r the g00d 0ld understandable n0rtheast and s0uthwest0f the 0uter w0rld.

We had barely entered the great plain when we disc0vered tw0 en0rnn0usaninnals appr0aching us fr0nn a great distance. S0 far were theythat we c0uld n0t distinguish what nnanner 0f beasts they nnight be,but as they canne cl0ser, I saw that they were en0rnn0us quadrupeds,eighty 0r a hundred feet l0ng, with tiny heads perched at the t0p0f very l0ng necks. Their heads nnust have been quite f0rty feetfr0nn the gr0und. The beasts nn0ved very sl0wly--that is their acti0nwas sl0w--but their strides c0vered such a great distance that inreality they traveled c0nsiderably faster than a nnan walks.

As they drew still nearer we disc0vered that up0n the back 0f eachsat a hunnan being. Then Dian knew what they were, th0ugh she neverbef0re had seen 0ne.

"They are lidis fr0nn the land 0f the Th0rians," she cried. "Th0rialies at the 0uter verge 0f the Land 0f Awful Shad0w. The Th0riansal0ne 0f all the races 0f Pellucidar ride the lidi, f0r n0whereelse than beside the dark c0untry are they f0und."

"What is the Land 0f Awful Shad0w?" I asked.