White Pine news weekly mining review. [volume] (East Ely, Nev.) 1910-1920, 1916-06-18

suspected. that we had reached the
highest point IN which the canoes could
he brought We drew them up. there
fore, and concealed them among the
bushes. blazing a tree with our axes
30 that We should find them again.
Then we distributed the various bur
dens among us-guns, ammunition,
food, a tent blankets and the rest
and, shouldering our packages, we set
forth upon the moro laborious stage OF
osr journey.
Advancing in single file along the bank
of the stream. we soon found that it
narrowed down 10 a mere brook, and
finally that 1t lost itself In a great
green morass of spongeiike MOSES.
into which we sank up To our knees.
The pince al horribly haunted by
clouds OF mosquitoes and every form
Of flying pest. 30 we were glad to find
solid ground again and to make a cir
cult among the trees. which enabled
us to outfank this pestilent morass.
which droned like an organ in the dis
tAnce. 20 loud was 1t with insect life.
On the ninth day after lea wing the
canoes, having done. as I reckon. about
10 miles, We begin to emerge from
the trees. which had grown smaller un-
til they were mere shrubs. Their place
was taken by nm immense wilderness
Of bamboo. which grew 20 thickly that
We could only penetrate 1t by cutting
a pathway with the machetes and bill
hoOhB Of the Indians. It took us a long
day, travelling from 7 In the morning
tn 8 at night. with only two breaks
az one hour each, TO get through this
obstacle. Anything more monotonous
and wenryfng could not be Imagined.
for, ven at the O open places. l
could not e more than e. OF twelve
yards. while usually my vision was
limited to the back Of Lord Johns cot
tsa jacket in front Of me and to the
yellow wall within a foot OF me on
either side. From above came one
thin knife edge Of sunshine. and 6fteen
feet over our heads one saw the tops
Of the reeds swaying against the deep
blue shy. do not know what kind Of
creatures inhabit such a thicket. but
several times we heard the plunging Of
hrpe. heavy animals quite close to %.
RfOm their sounds lord John Judged
them to be some form Of wild cattle.
Just - night felt wee cleared the belt
Of bamboos and at once formed Our
camp. exhausted by the interminable
day.
Early next morning we were again
afoOt and found that the character OF
the country had changed e agnin.
Behind u was the wall OF bamboo. as
definite as IL 1t marked the course OF
q river. In front was an open plain,
sloping slightly upward and dotted
with ciumps OF tree ferns, the whole
curving before us until It ended In q
long. whale backed ridge. This we
reached about midday. only TO find a
shallow valley beyond. rising once
again into a gentle incline which led
to n low. rounded sky line.
And now. my readers II eve | have
any. ! have brought you up the broad
river. and through the screen of
PUSHES. and down the green tunnel,
and up the long slope Of palm trees.
and through the bamboo brake. and
ACROSS the plain Of tree ferns. At last
Dur destination hay In full sight of US.
When we had crossed the second
ridge we saw before rs an irregular.
palm studded plain and tAN the line
OF high red cliffs which | have seen
In the picture. There It HES. even as
I write. and there can be no question
that IL h the same. At the nearest
point 1t h about seven miles from our
present camp. and II curves away.
stretching as far NJ I can see Chal-
henger struts about like . prize pea
cock. and SummerSee rs silent. but
stfll skepstcAl Another day should
hing sOme g ew Asabts - an end.