The San Francisco call., 1906-08-12
hps OF Dutch
Gul NpA

7 The gorge Is q very marrow enA
with great mountain walls, and . rush
ing torrent flows through u 20 meet
the Mambari River. one OF the great
head streams OF the Amazon
Tho trail which IS wonderful
feat In construction. Is blasted out OF
the rock walls high above ths river.
and many times crosses from one side
OF the canyon to the other By way oe
bridges swung on cables.
II was unable to dismount. as Z had
been advised to DO. when crossing
these bridges. as I was using . side
saddle. which. with thu narrow trail
made remounting only inconven-
lent. but dangerous.
In fact. my feet were ovsT tAs
precipios most OF the time. a. The path
in many places In less than . yard
wide and at one point II 1900 feet
above the river. We made slow
progress that day. as our animals.
were exhausted. and when storSA
overlook US at o'clock In tho after-I
noon were stiu far from Santo Do
mingo.
We had been warned OF q landsifds
on the trail. q new road having BEEN
built below IN this particular spot.
but at o'clock that night In the pitch
darkness and pelting rain we stumb-
led on to the old trail by mistake
Mr.. Adams was first. on foot. fol-
lowing, our horses behind me. and We
well on the way with no hope OF re-
tracing our steps when we discovered
our danger. You can imagine ths SIT
uation- The path became so narrow
that as we faced the canyon. with our
backs to the wall, the width OF the
| ground underneath was not the length
| OF my feet. and. IN fact, Il wasn'e
ground at all. but loose stones, ana
from above rocks came down ana
struck Us. their scars remaining with
me for some time.
Above the noise OF ths storm We
could hear the rivers roar far below
| US, but there seemed nothing to do
but TO creep on. taking each step very
carefully, for we felt death very near.
The wonderful part OF Il was that
the horses realized II and were more
intelligent than mules would havs
been. for they, too. moved slowly, feel
ing their way, the one behind me not
crowding me over into the chasnn, al
7 am sure mule would have dona
I'VE reached the new trail at last
and pressed on. hoping for shelter, al
most losing our lives again at the
river, as the bridge which we gropsd
| for IN the darkness had been swept
| away.
There was no choice but 10 STE on
the trail all night. our poor animals
near Us, but we dared not sleep. fearing
II
and when the storm ceased about mid
night the tropical insects made life
doubly miserable for Us, the dredies
| lighting the way,
I'VE had imagined the mine to DO
Just over the river and had shot or a
pistol many times as a signal. but dawn
revealed no signs OF life, only the great
silent forest.
'Retracing our steps to the foot OF
1 the old trail where we had 50 nearly
II -
cape. for It seemed incredible that even
a mountain goat could have scrambled
down N safety.
"Of the bridge over the stream q log
remained. and. leaving our faithful an
| fmals. saddlebagS and all. behind. We
crossed on this log, one by one. LYNX
nat and pulling ourselves over It's slip
perry surface inch by inch. realizing that
| to lose nerve and let go meant sure
death IN the angry torrent below.
with a safe footing once more Wa
went on. our tired feet nearly falling
US, and the last adventure IN the series
was In a brook which Joined the river
and was to be forded.
1T was deeper than we had sntici-
pated and. getting in over my depth I
was being carried downstream--also to
1cin the Amazon-when Mr.. Adams
managed to pull me out.
Two very wet. hungry and worn
out travellers kept on over the trail,
and Whens turning curve SOnfo miles
farther on, we met our friend with tSo
/ other Americans coming out to find us.
you can imagine our delight and their
relief. as they had searched for Us all
night and had dreaded our fate out
alone In that hazardous road N the
darkness and the storm"
Mrs Adams has returned TO Caiffor-
MIA, her health seeming in no way In
paired by such hardships and fun ok
tenthusiasm over natures wonderlanaL