The Return of Tarzan · Chapter
The Ivory Raiders explained
Tarzan orchestrates a guerrilla campaign against Arab ivory raiders who have attacked a native village.
What happens
Tarzan orchestrates a guerrilla campaign against Arab ivory raiders who have attacked a native village. He frees enslaved prisoners, leads the warriors in a strategy of silent attacks from the trees, and attempts to avoid a direct frontal assault. Despite his advice, the old chief Waziri orders a charge that ends in disaster, with Waziri killed. Tarzan later infiltrates the village alone, kills the sentry, and leads the chained prisoners to safety. He then devises a plan to harass the raiders and force them to flee, emphasizing stealth and psychological warfare over brute force.
Themes in this chapter
Survival and Physical Prowess
Tarzan's jungle skills—stealth, archery, tree travel, and hand-to-hand combat—are central to his guerrilla tactics and ability to outmaneuver the armed raiders.
Colonialism and Otherness
The Arab ivory raiders represent colonial exploitation, using advanced weapons to subjugate and enslave native Africans, whom Tarzan aids.
Revenge and Persecution
The Waziri seek revenge for the murder of their chief's wife and the enslavement of their people, driving the conflict and the tragic charge.
Characters to notice
- Tarzan
Leads the rescue of enslaved women, devises guerrilla tactics, kills sentries, and attempts to guide the Waziri warriors to a strategic victory.
- Waziri
The old chief who, enraged by his wife's murder, ignores Tarzan's advice and leads a fatal charge against the Arab village, resulting in his death.
Key passages
“Tarzan had wished that he might have taken some of the great store of ivory the village contained, solely for the purpose of still further augmenting the wrath of his enemies; but he knew that that was not necessary for its salvation, since he already had a plan mapped out which would effectually prevent the Arabs leaving the country with a single tusk.”
Tarzan considered stealing the ivory just to anger the raiders more, but decided against it because he already had a scheme to ensure the Arabs couldn't take any ivory out of the region.
Shows Tarzan's strategic thinking and focus on long-term victory over immediate spite.
“You cannot hope to pit your puny strength and simple weapons against the numbers and the guns of the Arabs and the Manyuema.”
Tarzan tells the warriors that their traditional weapons are no match for the Arabs' firearms and larger forces.
Highlights the technological disparity and Tarzan's pragmatic approach to warfare.