Hutchinson gazette. [volume] (Hutchinson, Kan.) 1895-1902, 1899-05-25

10 Ito base, by the way Of the river
bank, and to where the cascade pour
cd over the rocks, waking the solemn
echoes OF the otherwise silent ravine.
Their instructions were TO station
themselves near the rocks which bore
tho Spanish legend--to keep a sharp
lookout on the face of the cliff and all
the way up to the grove Of banana
trees that grew on It's summit.
Billy the cabin boy was left In charge
OF the hut and boat, while Hlslop,
with the rest OF us advanced toward
the cliff, up tho sloping bank OF which
Its only accessible point-we pro-
ceeded 10 climb.
II was, or Ia twelve months can
make no change) a hundred and fifty
feet In height as have stated, rls-
Ing sharply up from the side OF the
great mountain, and ID covered by
Jungle OF wild shrubs that must have
been growing there since the days OF
the deluge,
The creepers with gummy branches.
the sharp serrated grass, the yellow
gourd vines, the wild tendrlls and
plants Of which we knew neither the
names nor the nature, we're there in
terwoven as closely as q herring net,
to the depth OF seven or eight feet
from their roots.
Amid this jungle the hum OF the
myriads Of great insects which we
reused and dlslodged was deafenlng;
while the black clouds OF gad-fles and
cockroaches were very bewllderlng,
and, to say the least, annoying,
We Houndered and fell as we waded
through this sea Of leaves and verdi
ure; but rose and scrambled on again,
pausing ever and anon, breathless and
exhausted, to sit and fan ourselves, OF
to aid In pulling each other out OF this
jungly network, for 1t resembled that
which sprang by magic spell around
the palace OF the sleeping beauty in
the old fairy tale to battle all intrud-
ers for q hundred years.
Hislop, who had not yet recovered
his strength, was among the Arst to
give In, and declare, when half way up,
that "he could climb no furtherl"
Two or three took advantage OF this
admission to remain with him for a
time; but I, refreshed by a ripe ba-
mana which had fallen from the trees
at the top, and which l found Just
at hand pushed on, and being lighter
than any Of my companions, got ahead
Of them all,
After half an hours severe toll, dur
ing which my hands and knees were
lacerated and torn by sharp blades of
gigantic grass, and by the gummy
creepers to which ones very flesh adj
hered at times, reached at last the
banana trees, the foliage of which
waved like u gigantic plume on the
summit Of this isolated rock.
The banana rises with n stem which
is about six or seven inches in diam.
eter at the root, and from thence
tapers upward to'the height OF eighteen
or twenty feet, to where the leaves
spring like a bright green tuft, broad,
wavy, feathery, and dropping, as those
Of the palm do.
uttered q shout--an 10 poeanv'--
to my companions, announcing that
had gained the summit before them,
and armed with my only weapon, tho
Lakewood spear, pushed my way for
ward between the smooth stems OF tina
bananas, till reached the abrupt
brow OF the cliff, 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
tering in the setting sun among groves
and ravlnes, to where 1t poured In
foam upon the white sandy beach, and
mingled with the mighty Southern sea-
saw also the figures OF Chute and
Carlton, as they stood near the rock
which bore the inscription, but they
could neither distinguish me nor hear
my shout, which gave fresh ardor to
those whom had left halfway down,
and who now resumed their ascent.
ITO be contlnued,)
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