The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1900-03-03

brought back to life. Had we left them
in the cavern, as we found them all
their trouble would have been at an
end. They had nothing to subsist on
during the long winter that was just
opening, and no means of procuring
the necessaries of life. 1t was plain to
us what their fate must soon be were
we to abandon them in their pitiable
plight and we finally decided to take
them with us until some way was
opened for them to gain a livelihood
Later on. Wahkena informed us
through the professor. that the large
trees In the forest at the base of the
CLIFF We're not the same kind of trees
that were growing there when they left
nome, though the original forest had
been composed Of trees nearly as large.
There had been a large stream at the
base of the cliff where now only a bed
or sand remained, over which little
| water flowed. The whole surface of the
| country over which they had journeyer Y
mere seemed so strange and changed
| that they We're sometimes in doubt
whether they were pursuing the right
course to reach their old home or not
1t did not seem to him more than a
Few days at most since they had been
mere, but now everything was 50
| changed he scarcely knew the place.
| Still. it must be the old home, for there
| stood the towering cliff, but what had
wrought such a change over the face
of the surrounding country? What had
become of his people, who were SO
numerous, but now had disappeared
leaving no trace Of their destination or
fate?
Wahkena having finished, the pro-
fessor said Gentlemen, the story of
Wahkena seems strange to me; yes,
stranger than fiction, yet the indis-
putable evidence at hand corroborates
1t. and proves beyond a doubt that
Zoheka and his family have had a most
wonderful experience. My curiosity and
| interest in this family has been aroused
by certain actions and expressions Of
theirs for a number Of days, and have
surmised for some time that they would
find nobody here to greet them on their
arrival. You remember the abject fear
that they manifested on seeing our
horses for the first time. That proves
to my mind that they had never seen
one before. Probably, a human being
that had arrived to manhood has not
lived within the limits of the United
States in one hundred and fifty years
but that was more or less familiar with
a horse. Their fear of the animal
showed that their animation must have
been suspended previous to the time
when horses were introduced into this
section of the country.
"The covering that concealed the
fountain at which we had camped
might have been destroyed by the ac-
tion of the elements in very few
years. But when Wahkena declares
that the forest which once stood here
has been replaced during their absence
by another of a different variety, some
of the trees of which must have taken
more than one hundred and fifty years
to grow. one can readily see that a
longer time must have intervened to
have brought about the change that
has taken place.
From this mode of reasoning l would
say that Zoheka's age must border on
three hundred years. and he may be
much older, while the ages of Wah-
kena and Karina, whom we have pre-
viously thought We're about twenty and
twenty-five, must be two hundred and
seventy-five years at least"
How wonderful it all seems" said
Charles, and after moments thought
added, but then it must be true"
II would not mind living to be two
hundred and seventy-tive years old to
note the changes In the world, if
could retain my youth like Wahkena
and Karina have" thoughtfully re-
marked Billy.
Perhaps you may If you drink the
water from the fountain OF perpetual
youth" added Everett.
II certainly will do that, seeing the
great change that it has made in the
Professor"
We set up the machine to test for
gold and found traces Of the precious
metal in : number Of places. The sand
in the bed of the stream showed the
largest quantities, but thinking that
we might discover 1t In better paying
quantities by further search, we de-
cided to advance into the wilderness.
We interrogated Wahkena as to
where the gold came from that COM
posed the bracelet on Karina's wrist.
and was informed that it was found
about two days travel to the north
west in quite large quantities, being
frequently picked up in small Jumps,
and soft rock on the side of noun
tain showed the glttering particles.
Under his guidance we eagerly set out
for the promised FL Dorado and ad-
vanced quite rapidly. About the middle
of the afternoon of the second DAVIS
travel we came to a small stream flow
ing to the southeast, the water OF
which flowed quite rapidly, owing to
the descending ground. Advancing up
the stream for some distance, Wah-
kena came to "a halt and. pointing to a
rock in an abrupt ledge, exclaimed:
''There gold"
We examined the strata of rock for
some distance and went wild with ex-
citement at natures display of the