Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1910-05-13
CHAPTER XIII.

1t was about s o'clock when they
commenced their difficult ascent; the
sky was splendid. and the thermometer
stood at 81 degrees.
Hatteras and his dog went first,
closely followed by the others.
But as they got higher, the ascent
became more and more difficult, for the
tanks of the mountain were almost
perpendicular, and it required the ut
most care to keep from falling. Clouds
Of ashes whirled round them repeated
ly. and torrents of lava barred their
passage.
Hatteras. however, climbed up the
steepest ascents with surprising agil-
ity, disdaining the help of his staff
He arrived before long at circular
rock. a sort of plateau about ten feet
wide. A river of boiling lava sur
rounded 1t, except In one part, where
1t forked away to higher rock. leav-
Ing a narrow passage. through which
Hatteras fearlessly passed.
Here he stopped, and his compan-
Ions managed to rejoin him. He SEEM
ed to be measuring with his eye the
distance he had yet to get over. Hori-
Eontally. he was not more than 200
yards from the top of the crater, but
vertically he had nearly three times
that distance to traverse
"Hatteras." said the doctor, "it Is
enough; we cannot 60 further!"
Stop. then." he replied. in a
strangely altered voice; Il am going
higher"
He had hardly uttered the words be-
fore Hatteras, by superhuman effort,
sprang over the boiling lava, and was
beyond the reach Of his companions.
A cry Of horror burst from every
lip, for they thought the poor captain
must have perished in that fiery gulf;
but there he was safe on the other
'side, accompanied by his faithful Duke,
who would not leave him.
He speedily disappeared behind a
curtain Of smoke, and they heard his
voice growing fainter In the distance,
shouting:
ITO the north! to the north; to the
top of Mount Hatteras! Remember,
Mount Hatterasi"
All pursuit of him was out Of the
question.
At intervals. however, a glimpse of
him could be caught Through the
clouds of smoke and showers Of ashes
Hatteras did not even turn once to
look back, but marched straight on,
carrying his country's flag attached to
his staff
At last he reached the summit of the
mountain, the mouth of the crater.
Here the doctor hoped the infatuated
man would stop. at any rate, and
would, perhaps. recover his senses, and
expose himself to no more danger than
he descent involved.
Once more he shouted:
"Hatteras! Hatteras!"
There was such pathos Of entrea-
~ ir>his tone that Altamont felt moved
to his inmost soul.
I'll save him yeti" he exclaimed:
and before Clawbonny could hinder
him. he had cleared with a bound the
torrent Of fire, and was out Of sight
among the rocks.
Meantime, Hatteras had mounted a
rock which overhung the crater, and
stood waving his flag amidst showers
OF stones which rained down on him.
Duke was By his side; but the poor
boast was growing dizzy in such close
proximity to the abyss.
Hatteras balanced his staff with one
hand, and with the other sought to find
the precise mathematical point where
all the meridians Of the globe meet, the
point on which 1t was his sublime pur-
pose to plant his foot.
All at once the rock gave way, and
ne disappeared. A cry of horror broke
from his companions, and rang to the
TOP Of the mountain. Clawbonny
tnousht his friend had perished. and