Part 12 (2/2)
On the second day after leaving our canoes we found that the whole character of the country changed Our road was persistently upwards, and as we ascended the woods becae trees of the alluvial Arowing in scattered clumps, with thick brushwood between In the daraceful drooping fronds We traveled entirely by compass, and once or twice there were differences of opinion between Challenger and the two Indians, when, to quote the Professor's indignant words, the whole party agreed to ”trust the fallacious instincts of undeveloped savages rather than the highest product of modern European culture”
That ere justified in doing so was shown upon the third day, when Challenger adnized several landmarks of his former journey, and in one spot we actually came upon four fire-blackened stones, which -place
The road still ascended, and we crossed a rock-studded slope which took two days to traverse The vegetation had again changed, and only the vegetable ivory tree re which I learned to recognize the rare Nuttonia Vexillaria and the glorious pink and scarlet blossolossum Occasional brooks with pebbly bottoes in the hill, and offered good ca on the banks of some rock-studded pool, where swarlish trout, gave us a delicious supper
On the ninth day after leaving the canoes, having done, as I reckon, about a hundred and twenty rown smaller until they were mere shrubs Their place was taken by an irew so thickly that we could only penetrate it by cutting a pathith theday, traveling froht, with only two breaks of one hour each, to get through this obstacle Anything ined, for, even at the most open places, I could not see more than ten or twelve yards, while usually my vision was limited to the back of Lord John's cotton jacket in front of me, and to the yelloithin a foot of e of sunshi+ne, and fifteen feet over our heads one saw the tops of the reeds swaying against the deep blue sky I do not knohat kind of creatures inhabit such a thicket, but several tie, heavy anied theht fell we cleared the belt of bamboos, and at once formed our camp, exhausted by the interain afoot, and found that the character of the country had changed once again Behind us was the wall of bamboo, as definite as if it marked the course of a river In front was an open plain, sloping slightly upwards and dotted with clu before us until it ended in a long, whale-backed ridge This we reached about ain into a gentle incline which led to a low, rounded sky-line It was here, while we crossed the first of these hills, that an incident occurred which er, ith the two local Indians was in the van of the party, stopped suddenly and pointed excitedly to the right As he did so , at the distance of a ray bird flap slowly up froht, until it was lost aer, in exultation ”Su at the spot where the creature had disappeared
”What do you claim that it was?” he asked
”To the best of my belief, a pterodactyl”
Suhter ”A pter-fiddlestick!” said he
”It was a stork, if ever I saw one”
Challenger was too furious to speak He si his pack upon his back and continued upon his march Lord John carave than was his wont He had his Zeiss glasses in his hand
”I focused it before it got over the trees,” said he ”I won't undertake to say what it was, but I'll risk my reputation as a sportsman that it wasn't any bird that ever I clapped eyes on in my life”
So there the e of the unknown, encountering the outlying pickets of this lost world of which our leader speaks? I give you the incident as it occurred and you will know asmore which could be called remarkable
And now, ht you up the broad river, and through the screen of rushes, and down the green tunnel, and up the long slope of palh the bamboo brake, and across the plain of tree-ferns At last our destination lay in full sight of us When we had crossed the second ridgebefore us an irregular, palh red cliffs which I have seen in the picture There it lies, even as I write, and there can be no question that it is the same At the nearest point it is about sevenas far as I can see Challenger struts about like a prize peacock, and Summerlee is silent, but still sceptical
Another day should bring some of our doubts to an end Meanwhile, as Jose, whose ar, I send this letter back in his charge, and only hope that it ain as the occasion serves I have enclosed with this a rough chart of our journey, whichthe account rather easier to understand
CHAPTER IX
”Who could have Foreseen it?”
A dreadful thing has happened to us Who could have foreseen it? I cannot foresee any end to our troubles It may be that we are condee, inaccessible place
I am still so confused that I can hardly think clearly of the facts of the present or of the chances of the future To my astounded senses the one seeht
No men have ever found themselves in a worse position; nor is there any use in disclosing to you our exact geographical situation and asking our friends for a relief party Even if they could send one, our fate will in all hu before it could arrive in South America
We are, in truth, as far from any human aid as if ere in the h, it is only our own qualities which can save us I have as coreat brain-power and of unshaken courage There lies our one and only hope
It is only when I look upon the untroubled faces of h the darkness Outwardly I trust that I appear as unconcerned as they Inwardly I aive you, with as much detail as I can, the sequence of events which have led us to this catastrophe
When I finished my last letter I stated that ithin seven miles from an enormous line of ruddy cliffs, which encircled, beyond all doubt, the plateau of which Professor Challenger spoke Their height, as we approached thereater than he had stated--running up in parts to at least a thousand feet--and they were curiously striated, in a manner which is, I believe, characteristic of basaltic upheavals Sos at Edinburgh The suetation, with bushes near the edge, and farther back h trees There was no indication of any life that we could see
That night we pitched our camp immediately under the cliff--a s above us were not merely perpendicular, but curved outwards at the top, so that ascent was out of the question