The Fire Caves
Type
Cave System
Climate
temperate
Economy
Subsistence hunting and herding.
Secrets
One specific forked cave (seventeen from the right) contains a tunnel that leads entirely through the cliff to the outside world.
Mood Tags
- •mysterious
- •distant
- •human
Government
Led by a chief with patriarchal powers.
Size Scale
numerous cave mouths
Description
Caves located in the basalt cliffs of the plateau inhabited by a race of humans.
Inhabitants
A troglodytic race of humans (Accala).
Accessibility
Visible from the central lake; reached via weed-covered steps.
Plot Relevance
Confirms the presence of human beings on the plateau and contains the secret passage used for the expedition's escape.
Culture Customs
- •Use of fire
- •Cave painting with charred sticks
- •Herding iguanodons as meat-stores
- •Using caves as barns and store-houses
First Appearance
Malone's observation from the lava block
Geography Layout
Located along the base of the red basalt cliffs on the inner side of the plateau's funnel shape; eighteen cave openings in a row.
Languages Spoken
- •Accala
- •Sign language
Notable Features
- •ruddy patches of light
- •dark holes in red cliffs
- •smooth gray walls
- •native symbols
- •white glistening sand
Timeline
Discovery of the Fires
Malone observes ruddy lights in the cliff caves, confirming human habitation.
The Great Battle
The Accala Indians launch a successful war of extermination against the ape-men from their cave base.
The Stoa Attack
Two giant carnivorous dinosaurs attack the Indians outside the caves and are slain by poisoned arrows.
The Secret Map
The young Indian chief provides Malone with a bark map showing the secret exit through the caves.
The Escape
The expedition navigates the forked cave and exits through a window-like rift onto the outer cliffs.
