The Washington times., 1912-03-31
CHAPTER XIII (continued)

r ERE they were, on an almost
~ placid sea, with tepid airs blow
ing gently in their faces, and a
scorching sun overhead, whose
rays had to be shielded off, floating over
the highest pinnacles OF the roof or the
world. the traditional Abode of Snow"
All around them, beneath the rippled
blue surface. lined here and there with
nttle white windrows of foam, stood
snSmergsd 81 6GG g d. peaks. 1900, 5000 5000
not. - -
=, All began now to sympathize with
Cosmos desire to find Everest before it
should have disappeared with its giant
hrothers Its location was accurately
known from the Indian government sur
yeys; and CAPTAIN Arms had every
facility for finding the exact position
OF the Ark They advanced slowly to-
ward the northwest, a hundred glasses
eagerly scanning the horizon ahead.
beir sasrcS St no. noon on the third day Of
ho! came down from the cro'nest Cap
tain Arms Immediately set his course
,for the landfall and in the course of a
abeam. -
IT'S Everest without question: said
Cosmo It's the crown Of the world"
A reddish brown mass Of rock. rising
abruptly out of the blue water, really a
kind of crown In form, but not more
IHdn q couple OF square rO0S IN extent,
and about three feet high at its loftiest
point.
There was no snow, of course, for
that had long since disappeared. owing
to the rise OF temperature, and no snow
would have fallen in that latitude now.
even in mid-winter. because the whole
base of the atmosphere had been lifted
up nearly six miles. ....
Sea level pressures were prevailing
where the barometric column would
once have dropped almost to the bot
tom of its tube. 1t was all that was
left of the world!
North of them, under the all-conceal-
ing ocean. lay the mighty plateau of
Tibet: far toward the east was China,
deeply buried with it's $4,000 900 OF in
= habltants: toward the south lay India,
over which they had so long been sail
ing; northwest ward the tremendous
heights of the Pamir region and OF the
Hindu Kush were sunk beneath the sea-
When this enormous peak was COW
height was estimated at 2s,oo2 feet, or
The removal Of the snow has. OF course,
lowered it. but think 1t probable that
this point; being evidently steep on all
sides. and of very, small area. was so
never very deep upon it.
If we. allow ten or even twenty
feet tn,s for roth the osnpH; snow; the height leigh,
less than 10000 feet above the for
mer sea level But do not dare 10 ap-
proach closer because Everest had a
broad summit. and we might ground
And you are sure that the water is
still rising?'' asked De Beauxchamps
again.
Watch and you will see." Cosmo re-
sponded.
The Ark was kept circlng very slowly
within a furlong of the rocky. crown.
and everybody, who had a glass fixed
his eyes upon II,
'Srhe peak is certainly sinking" said
De BeauXChampS at last II believe II
has gone down three inches in the last
fifteen minutes"
Keep your eyes fixed on some def
mite point! said Cosmo to the others
who were looking. ''and you will easily
note the rise of the water?'
They watched it until nobody felt any
doubt Inch by inch the crown OF the
world was going under. In an hour
Cosmos instruments showed that the
highest point had settled to a height OF
but two feet above the sea.
But when will the elevation that yoU
have predicted begin?" asked one.
Its effects will not become evident
Immediately" Cosmo replied. 1T may
possibly already have begun, but II SO
II Is masked by the continued rise OF
And how long shall we have to wait
for the re-emergence OF Tibet?'
It cannot tell. but It will be Ions
time. But do not worry about that. W.
nave plenty or provisions: and th'
parture of the nebUla."
They cirCled about until only a foo
or so of the rock remained above thu
reach Of the gently washing waves
Suddenly De Beau&champs exclaimed:
IT must have a souvenir from th'
crown OF, the disappearing world. NJ
Nersal. will you permit me to land upoI
it with one OF your boats?'
De Beauchamps' suggestion wa
greeted with cheers, and twenty other
Immediately expressed a desire to go.
w n un
Cants lit is NJ. De BeauXchamps' idea
let him go alone. Yes" he continued
addressing the Frenchman, you cal
have a boat, and l will send two mel
with you to manage IT, You'd bette
hurry. or there will he nothing left I
land upon"
The necessary orders were duickl
given and in five minutes De BeauX
champs, watched by envious eyes, wa
rapidly approaching the disappearin
rock They saw him scramble out upo
it, and they gave a mighty cheer as !
waved his hand al. them.
He had taken a hammer with him
and with breathless interest the
watched him pounding and prying abou
the rock They could see that he 50
lected the very highest point for hi
operations.
ing his pockets, the interest OF the on
lockers became intense.
Look out!' they presently began
about at him, you will be caught b
the water"