Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1899-11-23

first; little too near the perpen-
dicular at times, but as a rule quite
clear Of underground. As we climb
ed higher the aspect Of the woods
changed. We found ourselves in
tangle Of fine bamboo which was so
thick that one could hardly swing his
machete. !
The ridge became a series Of little
hills with deep valleys between them.
1t is awfully disheartening to climb
four or five hundred feet and then
have to 60 right down again. In
these little valleys we found thickets
Of wild blackberries. They were
just like the wild ones you find In the
states and were delicious--tasted like
home. l brought a few plants back
with me but they died on the way.
We finally left the last Of the heavy
timber and came to the part which
had looked so nice from Las Nubes.
In the lower attitudes there Is
parasitic growth on the trees which is
called a water plant. We found
forest of them covering the ground
and reaching higher than our heads.
These plants are so formed that they
will hold water in their leaves, the
larger ones containing a gallon or
more, and it was upon them that we
depended for our water supply while
on the mountain. The easiest way
to get through them is to crawl
under them on all tours. We did so
for q mile or two. The ground was
covered with moss foot deep and
every time we touched the stalk Of
plant we received bucketful Of ice
water down our backs.
We found the top Of the ridge COM
paratively clear. This was the high
est point which had ever been reach.
ed by other adventurous persons and
after consultation we would not 60
any farther ourselves, because we
soon discovered that we had drawn q
blank. What from Las Nubes had
appeared to be one continuous ridge
was, in fact, two ridges and the one
which we were on ended at the foot
Of precipice. 1t would have taken
a couple days to cut our way through
the water plants to the top, although
we were not much below 1t In per-
pendicular line. OF course it would
have been novel and fine to stand
we're no other man had ever been be-
fore US, but the view was our princi-
pal object and that could be had from
where we were just as well as from
the top. At this time Of the year the
clouds gather early in the day and
the only time it is clear is in the
early morning.
We found little ranch or hut
which some previous visitors had
made and our men built themselves
another. By the time breakfast was
cooked and eaten, it was raining and
we had nothing to do but to kill time
until the next meal. 1t rained near.
ly all the time during the day and
following night. Our hut leaked
badly and the wind was very cold so
we did not get much sleep. At mid
night the men made some coffee for
us because they were sure we "had
the cold." While we we're standing
around the fire we noticed a curious
phenomenon which believe Is rarely
seen. The fire gave very bright light
and behind us on the clouds, we could
see our shadows distinctly-great
giant forms extending from the hori.
zon nearly up to the zenith.
We were up before daylight so that
we would be ready for the view as
soon as it could be seen. And such a
view it was! No Imagination could
paint anything SO grand and beauti.
full and varied. One could not grasp
it as a whole and it was only after
studying it, detail by detail, that we
could realize its magnitude.
Before US with its horizon seeming.
ly high above our heads lay the sea
hundreds and hundreds Of miles Of
dark blue water bordered by a rocky
irregular coast. Below us were the
tropical low lands, the dark green Of
the forests occasionally broken by
squares Of lighter green which we're
immense banana plantations and cane
fields, while little brown spots show