Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1891-07-03
CHAPTER VIII.

EXPLORING THE WESTERN SHORE OF THE
LAKE-A GLIMPSE OF SOME OSTRICHEs-
AN OUTLET TO THE LARA QUIET NIGHT
THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE CLIFF-A
WHARF gHE REMAINS OF A BOAT-THB
INSCRIP TIuN-A CAVE.
So he t"suciaut question upon which
the fate G. go suHthfulC .#taways depend
ed was sti. Husaiycd llyre could be no
doubt that tue supposed sra was lake:
but was il not more than likely thai this
lake was on an island. by prolonging
their search might they not discover a sea
beyond sea they would have no means
OF crossing? Still, Judging from the size
of this lake, which extended on three sides
as far as the eye could reach, it seemed
more than probable that they must be on
a continent, not on an island.
''ln that case, it must have been on the
American continent that we were ship
wrecked, remarked Brian.
Il have always thought So" replied
Donovan, land it seems | was right"
AT all events it was water that | saw
to the east of US" retorted Brian.
Yes, but not a sea"
And this retort seemed to afford Dono.
van satisfaction that proved him to be
the possessor Of more vanity than heart.
that it would be better for all if he were
mistaken. On q continent, they would not
be virtually prisoners, as upon an island:
and even then it would be necessary to
wait for more favorable weather before
undertaking a longer journey eastward.
The difficulties they had encountered on
this short trip to the lake would become
much greater in case an attempt was made
to . Iaa /
the beginning of April, and the Antarctic
winter comes even earlier than that OF
the Arctic zone, so they could not think OF
starting until the approach of spring.
Still, upon that exposed bay on the west
coast existence would be fraught with
many hardships. Before the end of the
month they might be obliged to leave the
schooner; and as they had been unable to
discover any cave on the west side of the
cliff, it seemed advisable TO see If they
could not establish themselves more com.
fortably on the shores of this lake.
n careful examination of this locality
was therefore necessary, even if this should
delay their return to the yacht for day
or two. This delay would doubtless cause
Gordon intense anxiety; but Brian aud
Donovan did not hesitate Their provis-
ions would last them forty-eight hours
longer; and rs no change in the weather
seemed imminent, it was decided that they
should take short trip southwark along
the shors of the lake.
One fact which made them doubly anx.
ious to extend their search further was the
incoutestS6le fact that this part of the
territory had once been inhabited. The
rough bridge across the creek and the hut
hgTs- Nv.aI hnr II
ture at more or less recent date; and
perhaps other proofs would soon be added
TO those already discovered. If the former
inmate of the hut was not a native, might
it not be that some shipwrecked sailor had
resided there until he had finally sue coed
ed in reaching one OF the cities of this con-
tineut' 1t would surely be well worth
their while to prolong their exploration of
the country in the immediate vicinity Of
the lake.
The only question was this: Should they
direct their course northward or south
ward2 As 70 travel southwark would take
them nearer to the "Sloughi' they resolved
to move in that direction.
By following the shore OF the lake the
lads were able to make about ten miles
that day without much fatigue; but no
where did they see anything to indicate
that the country was inhabited No
wreath OF smoke curled upward from
among the trees; no footprint was visible
on the sand. If this region had ever been
inhabited it was certainly inhabited no
longer. Nor did they see single wild or
herbivorous animal Two or three times
during the afternoon some large birds ap-
peared on the edge of the forest, but though
it was impossible TO get more than
glimpse of them. this did not prevent Ser
vice from shouting
'.rk@-s arc ostrichesr'