Rocky Ford enterprise., 1899-07-27

f. FH's7g o. - - =
to It's base by the way OF the river
bank, and to where the cascade pour
e'i over the rocks. waking the solemn
efhoes Of the otherwise silent rayine.
Their Instructions were to station
themselves near the rocks which bore
the spanish lesend-to keep a sharp
lookout on the face OF the eiih and all
the way up to the grove of banana
trees That grew on its summit.
hiiiy the cabin boy was left in charge
OF inc hu. and boat. while Hisiop.
WIN the rest OF us advanced toward
'ho ei'h' up the slopins bank OF which
"s only accessible point-we pro-
eeeded To climb.
~ was. or IL twelve months can
MAKE no change) a hundred and nifty
ieet IN height. as | have stated, ris-
ing sharply up from the side of the
s'eat mountain. and Is covered by
jungle OF wild shrubs that must have
nseh srowing Shsre since the days OF
the deluge.
inc efeepers with gummy branches.
the sharp serrated grass. the yellow
sourd vines, the wild tendr!is and
plants OF which we knew neither the
names nor the nature, were there In
terwoveh as closely as a herring net,
10 IN. depth OF seven or eight feet
from their roots.
Amid this jungle the hum Of the
myriads OF great insects which va
reused and dislodsed was deafening:
while the black clouds of cad files and
coekroaehes were very bewIiderIng,
and. to say the least. annoying.
We noundered and fell aH We waded
through this sea OF leaves and verdi
urc: bu, rose and scrambled on again.
pausins ever and anon. breathlcsS and
exhausted. to sit and fan ourselves, or
TO aid In pulling each other out OF this
Junsly network. for II rcsembled that
which Sprang by magic spell around
tho palace OF tho sleeping beauty In
the old fairy tale to battle all in,rud-
crS for n hundred years.
HiSlop. who had no, yet recovered
his strength. was among tho frst to
give In. and declare. when half way up,
that he could climb no fur,herr'
TWO or three took advantage OF this
admission to remain with him for a
time; but ]. refreshed by a ripe ba-
mana which had fallen from the trees
nj the top. and which I found lust
at hand. pushed on. and being lighter
than any of my companions. 20, ahead
OF them all.
After half m hours severe toll. dur
ins which my hands and knees were
laccTaicd and torn by sharp blades Of
gigantic grass. and by the gummy
crccpcrS to which ones very flesh ad-
hcrcd at times. reached ut last the
banana trees. tho foliage of which
waved like gigantic plume on the
summit, OF this isolated rock.
The banana rises with n stem which
Is about six or seven inches In diam
ctcr ut the root. and from thence
tapcrs upward to the height o. eighteen
or twenty feet. to where the leaves
spring like bright green tu.t, broad.
wavy. foathcry. and dropping. US those
Of the palm do.
l uttered n shout-an 10 pocanr'-
TO my companions. announcing that I
had gained the summit before them.
and armed with my only weapon. the
;cak-wood spear. pushed my way for
ward between the smooth stems OF the
bananas. TIL I reached the abrupt
brow Of the elf. from the verge OF
which ] saw. far down below, the
bright blue stream that rose on the
slopes Of the great mountain. running
through the heart OF the Isle and gilt.
,cring In the setting sun among groves
and ravines. to where II poured In
foam upon the white sandy beach. and
mingled with tho mighty Southern sea.
saw also the figures OF Chute and
Carlton. ns they stood near the rock
which bore tho inscription. but they
could neither distinguish mc nor hear
my shout, which gave fresh arIor to
those whom | had left halfway do an.
and who now resumed their accent.