
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
PREFACE
ILLUSTRATIONS
CHAPTER I KILLING THE LAST DRAGON
CHAPTER II THE MONSTERS THAT NEVER WERE
CHAPTER III PIRATES OF THE AIR
CHAPTER IV SEEING THE SEA-SERPENT
CHAPTER V THE MAD ARTIST AT THE SPHINX
CHAPTER VI ACROSS THE DESERT ON CAMEL-BACK
CHAPTER VII FINDING THE ELEPHANT’S GREAT-GRANDFATHER
Step into a world where the mysteries of ancient Earth are uncovered by intrepid explorers guided by leading scientists of the American Museum of Natural History. Using vivid illustrations and detailed descriptions, the book brings to life colossal creatures—dragons, sea serpents, towering mammals—that once roamed coal forests, swamps, and deserts. The narrative balances accurate paleontological facts with the excitement of a treasure hunt, inviting listeners to feel the thrill of a real‑time fossil expedition.
From a boy’s desperate wish to slay a dragon, to daring desert treks on camel‑back and battles with massive mastodons, each chapter offers a new tableau of discovery. Readers travel alongside field parties as they unearth the bones of prehistoric giants, reconstruct their habits, and imagine the colossal battles that shaped their extinction. The result is a vivid, educational adventure that makes the ancient past feel both tangible and awe‑inspiring.
Language
en
Duration
~7 hours (404K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Original publisher
United States: Lothrop, Lee & Shepard, 1916.
Credits
Bob Taylor, Tim Lindell and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images generously made available by The Internet Archive/American Libraries.)
Release date
2023-03-26
Rights
Public domain in the USA.

1876–1960
Best known for lively adventure books for young readers, he also led an unexpectedly wide-ranging life that took him from journalism and popular history into religion, astrology, and the occult. His career left behind a shelf of sea stories, war books, and curious later writings that feel very much of their era.
View all books
by Francis Rolt-Wheeler

by Francis Rolt-Wheeler

by Francis Rolt-Wheeler

by Francis Rolt-Wheeler

by Francis Rolt-Wheeler

by Francis Rolt-Wheeler

by Francis Rolt-Wheeler

by Francis Rolt-Wheeler