The Washington times., 1912-04-01

aid of the chemical agents which ] have
brought along, and l have no fear that
II could. not, In few weeks, make even
| the top of Everest fertile.
| Il anticipate, in fact, that II will he
on that very summit that we shall begin
the re-esta blishment of the race. Then.
| face. we can gradually descend and en-
| large the field of our operations"
: suppose Everest should be turn ed
| into a volcano?"
That cannot happen" said Cosmo. "A
| volcano is built up by the eXtrusion OF
lava and cinders from below, and these
cannot break forth at the top of a
| mountain already formed. especially
when that mountain has no volcanic
had neither"
IF the lowering Of the food that
caused our stranding on a mountain
top in Sicily was due to the absorption
of water into the interior of the crust.
why may not that occur again, and
thus bring the lIimalayas into view,
without any rins.nS on their part?"
II think. said Cosmo. that all the
water that could enter tho crust has al
| ready done so, during the time that the
depression of level which so surprised
us was going on. Now we must wait
for geologic changes. resulting from the
gradual yielding of the internal mass to
the new forces brought to bear upon It.
AS the whole earth has gained in
weight by the condensation of the
nebula upon II, its plastic crust WIN
proportionately gain in girth by internal
expansion. which will finally bring all
the old continents to the surface, but
Asia first of ALL"
Whether Cosmo Versars hypotheses
were right or wrong, he always had a
reply 10 any objection, and the prestige
! which he had gained b. his dIsastrously
correct theory about the watery nebula
gave him an advantage so enormous
that nobody felt enough confidence in
himself to stand long against anything
that he might advance.
Accordingly, everybody in the A rk
| found himself looking forward to the
re-emergence of Mt. Everest almost as
| confidently as did Cosmo Versal
They began their waiting voyage by
sailing across the plateau of Tibet and
the lofty chain OF the Yung-llng noun
! tains out over China.
1T was by this way that I intende ed
10 get into Tibet" said Cosmo. III the
| uneXpec tedly rapid rise of the food had
! not offered us a shorter and quicker
! route"
The interest OF all aboard was excited
| to the highest degree when they found
! themselves sailing over the mighty do
mains Of the Chinese Emperor. who had
| developed an enormous power. making
MIN. the ruler of the whole eastern
| world
He, with his half billion or more OF
subjects. now reposed at the bottom OF
an ocean varving from three to tive oI
six miles in depth. Deep beneath then
! lay the broad and once populous val,
| leys of the Ysng-tse-K Kiang and the
! HOang-Ho, the "Scourge Of China"
| Then they swung round northwarc
| and re-entered the region Of Tibet. seek,
| ing once more tine drowned crown of the
world In the meantim" Cosmo had l7aC
| the theatrical exhibitions and the con.
| certs resumed I'm the evenings. and
! sometimes there was music, and ever
dancing on the long promenades oper
| to The outer air.
| Let not that he a matter Of/surprise OI
blame. for the spirit Nf ioy In life Is un.
! Conduerable, as II should be n life is
| worth while. So it happened that not
| infrSquently, and not with any blame,
worthy intention, or In any spirit oi
heartless fGrgetfulness. this remarkable
company Of world wanderers drifted. j.
the moonlight above the universal
watery grave of the drowned millions
| with tho harmOnies of' stringed instru
ments stealing out upon the ripDlins
| waves. and the soft sound of SWIFTLY
shuffling feet tripping over the smooth
| decks.
Costake Theriade and Sir WilfreC
| Athelstone resumed their stormy efforts
to talk each other down. but now ever
! CoSmo was seldom a listener. eXcep
WIN he had to interfere to keep the
peace.
King Richard and Amos Blank, how
| ever. usually heard them out, but II was
| evident from their expressions that they
enjoyed the prospective hstiCuffs rather
more than the exposition OF strange sci
| entihC doctrines.