The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1913-09-25

and broken with many a crevice and
Granny. After we had made every
thing shipshape suggested to Mis-
tress Lucy that we start at once ex-
ploring. | proposed that we follow
the course Of the sandy strip and see il
there was not some break in the cliffs
whereby we could get to the top and
learn what was within the wall And
so refreshing ourselves and taking with
US some provisions. for we might have
to go clear around the island we pres
emily started out.
felt very easy In my mind regarding
any present peril from the ship. for l.
knew that no boat she possessed could
run the reef as | had done. and even IL
she had had another like the dinghy 1
was confident that there was no man
aboard her that had the strength and
skill, to say nothing Of the courage, to
bring her through. If there were no
natives or wild beasts to be feared we
were at least safe for the time being.
Think you, Master Hampton" said
my little mistress, this is the island Of
which my ancestor wrote?"
II am sure Of it," replied
He referred to it, If l remember
right, as the Island Of the Stairs did
he not?"
YES" was my answer. you remem-
Der he indicated stairway about the
middle Of the island"
Surely, if we are to get to the top
of yonder wall it must be by stairs Of
some sort"
1T would not be difficult to climb
It," l assented, for a man. that Is.
save for one thing"
And what is that?"
"These pinnacles Of rock are as sharp
as needles. 1t would be like climbing
broken glass. The climber would be cut
to pieces before he had gone half way"
Then if we find no stairs we are tn.
a bad fix" she said thoughtfully. e1-
aiming the towering wall.
There must be stairs" answered
There must be q way. The latitude
and longitude agree with your anco9-
tors description and I make no doubt
we shall chance upon them"
So we tramped along, searching the
shore and sea and finding nothing
After perhaps an hours monotonous
going. when we had traversed about
a third Of the distance Of the island,
we rounded projection of the cliff
and there before us rose the stairs!
What we saw was a gigantic stair
way, irregular, but made Of huge
blocks Of rough hewn stone, not coral
rock. but harder stone Of firmer tex
ture, like granite almost. was not
familiar with the stone either There
was no symmetry about it, some Of the
stones rose perhaps three feet and 9TH
ers not more than as many inches, but
stairs they certainly were and they
surely had been made by man, and the
stones were most carefully fitted, be-
ing laid up without mortar, the sur
faces so close that could scarce thrust
a knife blade between. The huge
blocks were Of monstrous size too.
much too great in bulk and weight to-
be handled by any primitive mechani-
cal means. l thought ! never could
conceive how natives or primitive men
could have shaped them, moved them
and finally laid them up in the form
Of stairs.
Nor did the stairs alone awaken oar
amazement and quicken our CURIOSITY.
They ended in circling belt Of sand,
here little wider than elsewhere. At
the bottom on either side, two gigan-
tic statues or busts Of stone had been
erected. Their bases were buried In
the sand, and they rose to quite twice
my height above and am good stx-
feet and more tall. These stones were
carved into the rough yet not unreal,
likenesses Of human faces.
Why we had not discovered these
stairs from seaward was because they
didn't come squarely down to the va
ter's edge at right angles to the wall.
but lay. as It were. parallel to a niche
within the wall so that they were
somewhat sheltered from observation
from the sea.
We broke upon them suddenly, there
fore Mistress Lucy clutched my arm
1.-THE giant stairway!' she cried In,
amazement.
1T is indeed" said. lust as it was
set forth in the parchment"
And the great stone faces" she add
ed in voice in which there was q,
touch of awe.
Let US go nearer and ascend the
stairs" | said. taking her hand and
leading the way. and she was so pre-
occupied that she did not notice.
observed as we approached tina
stairs that the rock had been worn
smooth by the wind and weather. or
maybe by the passing Of many feet.
and were quite practicable for ascent
The angle at which they rose was
steep too.
The ascent was easy enough for me,
but hard for her, and several times L
made bold to lift her up the higher.
steps, which she suffered without com.
planning She told me long afterward
that my manner toward her then and.
thereafter had been perfect.