Tarzan and the Jewels of Opar · Chapter
The Flight of Werper explained
Werper and Mugambi are captured by Abyssinian soldiers under Abdul Mourak, who mistakes Werper for a French hunter.
What happens
Werper and Mugambi are captured by Abyssinian soldiers under Abdul Mourak, who mistakes Werper for a French hunter. Mugambi discovers Werper's hidden pouch of jewels from Opar but feigns indifference. Mugambi escapes during the night, while Werper remains a prisoner. Meanwhile, Jane Clayton escapes from the Arab village and evades a stalking beast. Werper, pursued by an Arab, hides and witnesses a lion attack the pursuer, seizing the opportunity to flee.
Themes in this chapter
Greed and Betrayal
Werper's theft of the jewels of Opar and his betrayal of Tarzan's hospitality drive his flight and capture; Mugambi's discovery of the jewels underscores the theme.
Survival and Adaptation
Jane Clayton uses her jungle skills to escape and evade predators; Werper hides from both Arab pursuers and a lion, adapting to survive.
Characters to notice
- Tarzan
Tarzan plans to search the Arab camp after darkness, moves south to hunt, and is absent from the main events of the chapter.
- Jane Clayton
Jane escapes from the Arab village, cuts through a brush wall, climbs the palisade, and follows a game trail south, taking refuge in a tree from a stalking beast.
- Albert Werper
Werper is captured by Abdul Mourak, pretends to be a French hunter, is taken prisoner, and later hides from an Arab pursuer, witnessing a lion attack the horseman.
- Mugambi
Mugambi searches for his mistress, is captured by Abyssinians, discovers Werper's jewel pouch, feigns indifference, and escapes during the night.
- Abdul Mourak
Abdul Mourak commands the Abyssinian detachment, captures Werper and Mugambi, decides to take Mugambi to Adis Abeba, and is enraged by Mugambi's escape.
- Achmet Zek
Achmet Zek is the Arab raider pursued by Abdul Mourak; his minions search for Werper, and he discovers Werper's betrayal.
Key passages
“Scarcely had he quitted the trail when a tall, black warrior, moving at a dogged trot, passed toward the east. It was Mugambi, searching for his mistress.”
Mugambi, searching for Jane, trots eastward along the trail shortly after Tarzan leaves.
Mugambi's loyal search for Jane is introduced.
“The first person the big black's eyes fell upon as he was hustled into the presence of the Abyssinian officer, was M. Jules Frecoult, the Frenchman who had been the guest of his master and whom he last had seen entering the village of Achmet Zek under circumstances which pointed to his familiarity and friendship for the raiders.”
Mugambi recognizes Werper (disguised as Frecoult) as the Frenchman who visited his master and later appeared friendly with the Arab raiders.
Mugambi connects Werper to the raid on Greystoke.
“The instant that the jewels of Opar rolled, scintillating, before his astonished eyes, he recognized them for what they were; but he recognized something else, too, that interested him far more deeply than the value of the stones.”
Mugambi immediately identifies the jewels from Opar and realizes their connection to Tarzan.
Mugambi's discovery of the stolen jewels.
“The knife which she had used to cut her way through the brush wall of the hut to freedom she had found sticking in the wall of her prison, doubtless left there by accident when a former tenant had vacated the premises.”
Jane finds a knife left in the hut wall and uses it to cut through the brush and escape.
Jane's resourceful escape from captivity.
“Werper crouched closer to the ground behind the leaves of his hiding place. Across the trail a vine moved. Werper's eyes instantly centered upon the spot. There was no wind to stir the foliage in the depths of the jungle.”
Werper hides and notices a vine moving without wind, signaling the presence of a hidden predator.
Werper's tense observation of the lion.
