The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1905-08-18
The MASTER OF APPLEbY|
BY Fr.nci. Lvnd..

would seem, and led the way in a sill
ent withdrawal from the dangerous
neighborhood OF the adjustment.
When we had pushed on somewhat
higher up the gorge and stood on the
confines of the upland valley for which
it served as the approach. there was q
halt for a council of war.
Since 1t was now evident that tho
powder convoy was encamped in some
hidden gorge or valley to which the
cavern Of the underground stream was
one Of the approaches, twas plain that
we must climb to some height whence
we could command q wider view.
We were all agreed that the yer
entrance could not have been used by
the entire company; this though the
conclusion left the vanishing trail an
unsolved riddle. For II the women
could have been dragged through the
low-springing arch of the waterway.
we knew the horses could not-to say
nothing of the certain destruction OF
the powder cargo in such a passage.
So we addressed ourselves to the as
cent Of the northern mountain; though
Richard and I would first beg q little
space in which to drain the water from
our boots. and to wiring some pounds
weight of it from u clothes. That
done, we fell in line once more: and
being 80 fortunate as to hit upon a
ravine which led to the c~liff-crowned
summit, the climb was shorn Of half
its toll and difficulty. Nevertheless, by
the sun height 1t was well on in the
forenoon before we came out, perspiring
like sappers in a steam bath, upon the
mountain top.
AS Yeates had guessed this northern
mountain proved to be a lofty table,
land. So far as could be seen, the
summit was an unGllating plain, less
densely forested than in the valley, but
with a thick sprinkling of pines to
make he still, hot air heavy with
their %resinous fragrance. AS it
CHANGED. u ravine of ascent headed
we'll back from the cliff edge, so we
must needs fetch a compass through
the pine o before we could win
out to any commanding point Of
view.
The old bordercr took his bearings
by the sur and laid the course quarter
Ing to bring us out as near as might
be on the heights above the gorge. But
when we had gone a little way, q thin
ming of the wood ahead warned us that
we were approaching some nearer
break in the table-land.
Five minutes later we four stood on
the brink of a precipice, looking abroad
upon one of natures most singular
caprices. Conceive If you can a seq
ment of table-land, in shape like a
broad-bilged man o. war, sunk to a
depth of. mayhap, six or seven hundred
feet below the general level of the
plateau. Give this ship-shaped chasm
a longer dimension Of two miles or
more. and a breadth of somewhat less
than half its length; bound it with a
wall-like line of cliffs falling sheer to
steep, forested slopes below; prick out
a silver ribbon of a stream winding
through grassy and well-set
groves Of lordly trees from end to end
of the sunken valley: and you will have
some picture Of the scene we looked
upon.
But what concerned us most was a
sight to max us crouch quickly lest
sharp eyes below should descry us on
the skyline OF the cliff. Pitched on one
Of h grassy savannas by the stream,
so fairly beneath us that the smallest
canno planted on our cliff could have
dropped a shot into 1t, vas the camp of
the powder train.