Tarzan and the Golden Lion · Chapter
An Escape and a Capture explained
Esteban Miranda flees in terror from the true Tarzan, losing the leopard skin map but retaining a bag of diamonds.
What happens
Esteban Miranda flees in terror from the true Tarzan, losing the leopard skin map but retaining a bag of diamonds. He escapes by river on a fallen tree, only to be captured by Obebe the cannibal chief, who mistakes him for Tarzan. Meanwhile, Owaza retrieves the hidden gold and is lured by a neighboring chief to sell it to a mysterious white man.
Themes in this chapter
Identity and Deception
Esteban is mistaken for Tarzan by Obebe, leading to his imprisonment; the witch doctor argues he may be a river devil.
Loyalty and Betrayal
Owaza betrays Esteban by stealing the gold and conspiring with a neighboring chief.
Savagery and Civilization
Obebe's cannibal village and the witch doctor's superstitions contrast with Esteban's civilized greed and cunning.
Characters to notice
- Esteban Miranda
Flees Tarzan, loses the leopard skin, escapes downriver, captured by Obebe's warriors, and imprisoned in the village.
- Tarzan
Appears briefly, causing Esteban to flee; later searches for the gold with his Waziri.
- Jad-bal-ja
Pursues Esteban to the river, retrieves the abandoned leopard skin, and lays it at Tarzan's feet.
- Obebe
Cannibal chief who captures Esteban, mistaking him for Tarzan, and decides to keep him prisoner indefinitely.
- Owaza
Betrays Esteban, recruits men, digs up the hidden gold, and is tricked by a chief into selling it to a white man.
Key passages
“At sight of the true Tarzan, Esteban Miranda turned and fled blindly into the jungle.”
Seeing the real Tarzan, Esteban panicked and ran without direction into the wilderness.
Esteban's terror at encountering Tarzan.
“With a stifled cry of terror the Spaniard relinquished his hold upon the leopard skin and, wheeling, dived into the river.”
Esteban let go of the leopard skin and jumped into the river to escape.
Esteban abandons the map to save himself.
“It is Tarzan of the Apes, and he is in trouble. Perhaps it is our chance to capture him.”
Obebe identifies the floating man as Tarzan and sees an opportunity to capture him.
Obebe's mistaken belief leads to Esteban's capture.
“If he is the river devil he can escape our bonds. If he is Tarzan of the Apes he cannot.”
Obebe decides to test whether the prisoner is a supernatural being or a mortal man.
Obebe's superstitious reasoning for keeping Esteban alive.
“That night Owaza made camp just outside a tiny village of a minor chief, who was weak in warriors.”
Owaza stopped for the night near a small village ruled by a chief with few fighters.
Owaza's vulnerability to the chief's scheme.