The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1896-02-21
MYSTERY OF A MOUNTAIN.
Vast Tract in South America Which Has
Never Been Explored.

AIlOlR llkC many CDJCCtc VI AAoC4 %
that have been brought to light by tE'
Anglo Venezuelan dispute. there is
perhaps, none that claims quite 81
much attention from the scientific
world as the so-called mountain o.
Roraiua- Situated in the southwest
ern corner OF Sir Robert Schomburgl'
alleged boundary between British
Guiana and Venezuela, this wonderful
geographical phenomenon, although
long konwn, has ELECTED but little inter,
est. In point of fact, however, it is G
veritable scientific sphinx. the message
of whose riddle has come down intact
end unread from far geological epoch.
TO the present time.
This stupendous mountain, or $50
lated table-land. which the native In.
dams call "Roraima," or the myste
rious, rises high in solitary grandeur
above the surrounding mountain sys
TEN, its perpendicular, rocky sides
rendering it absolutely inaccessible
TO the foot of man or beast, Crown.
ing this impregnable fortress of IA,
ture is a tract OF territory estimated
TO contain upward of 40 square miles
Unlike other inaccessible mountain
SUBMITS OF the world, this elevated TO
gion is no mere wilderness OF snow.
capped ridges. On the contrary, al
the indications, including the positive
evidence of the telescope, point TO its
being covered with forests, intersectec
with rivers, led from lakes, and to pos
sess a climate that must. in the nature
of things, he temperate - that Is
neither wintry, despite its altitude, moi
tropical, despite its equatorial posi-
ton.
Geology teaches us the past history
of this singular freak of nature with
no uncertain voice. For as il is no,
of volcanic origin it must have beer
thus isolated from the rest of the con
tinent-from the submerged world
ut some distant geological period. IL
q word, it was formed by the action Of
water at the time when the whole
southern continent was slowly emery
ing from the ocean. Through success.
sive ages RoFaima's smooth perpen.
dicular sides must have grown up un-
Ill height of some 1000 feet was at,
tanned ere even the summit Of what are
now its neighbor mountains arose
from the deep. AS the geological ages
slowly rolled by the mountains grew
and the valleys became dry land, and
the ancestral vegetation appeared, fol-
lowing which came animal life. But
meanwhile Roraima was already old
and must be supposed TO have by that
time possessed well-developed fora
and fauna Of its own. Isolated as these
were from hat remote beginning, they
have continued TO develop along their
individual lines unaffected by those
modifying influences which intercom-
munication affects under normal con,
ditions.
Roraima, therefore. must form a liz
tie world in itself, full OF mysterious
interest 10 the modern scientist and tc
tie world ut large. What marvellous
treasures must there await the eye OF
the botanist and the naturalist All
that is now known Of this isolated re,
gion is that it is thickly wooded and
wei watered; the telescope reveals the
while numerous stupendous
waterfalls come plunging down the
sides, one having a clear leap of 2,o0c
feet, and such an enormous volun,e
that it is plainly visible from point
30 miles off. That strange forms Of
plants and beasts and even fishes
abound in this wonderful lone island Ia
Speculation even surmises that ii
may be inhabited by human beings;
but whether this be so or not, the re.
gion Is well worthy of being explored
and the wonder is that no serious at
tempt at doing so has yet been made
If, as asserted. it is only accessible &c
a balloon. even that means Of scaling
the heights may be resorted TO with
success.
In the neighborhood OF Roraims
proper are two or three other masscs
VI similar formation, which are be.
heved to be equally inaccessible, al.
though their lower forms have not
been explored. One of these, called
by the natives Kenkenham, is much
larger than Roraima, but not nearly SC
striking in the uncomPromising aspect
II IT'S accessibility. This and its fer /
lows may prove 20 70 equally as lao
lated and interesting "a Roraima itself !
bit so far is now 1T, II Is & I
Roraima that science must look II /
,olve tho mighty riddle that she herssh !
of the pressrvation in IN. !
broken line Of descent Of the earliest /
ioTms OF fora and fauna that appeared .
N this half of our globe when "the /
waters were gathered together in one 1
olace and the dry land appeared"
Whether the possession o. this South /
american geological sphinx ultimatr-
y falls to England or Venezuela, it il
o be hoped that science will not much
oncer delay in Wrestling from IL the
ecret IL has Enclosed and been wait
ng 20 divulge through many ages.
he possible results would Justify al
most any cost that may be incurred
n pursuance of this obtect-S. \.
INES.
A Pfseatzquis HerEnlf.
N.---.ss - II. Nr-efsa