Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1916-05-27
CHAPTER vi.
A Call For Volunteers.
terrupttOn,


A LII this is from my hurried
"a notes taken at the time, which
give little notion of the absO-
Lutte chaos to which the as
sembly had by this time been reduced.
So terrific was the uproNr that several
ladies' had already beaten hurried re-
treat, Grave and reverend seniors
seemed to have caught the prevailing
spirit as badly as the students, and
saw white bearded men rising and
shaking their fists at the Obdurate pro-
fessOr. The whole great audience
seethed and simmered like a boiling
pot. The professor took step for
ward and raised both his hands. There
was something so big and arresting
and virile in the man that the clatter
and shouting died gradually away be-
fore his commanding gesture and his
masterful eyes. He seemed to have
definite message They hushed to
hear 1t.
81 will not detain you" he said, at
is not worth it. Truth is truth, and
the noise of a number of foolish young
men-and, L fear | must add, of their
equally foolish seniors-eannot affect
the matter. claim that have open
ed a new field Of science. You dispute
it," (Cheers) "Then put you to the
test. VIII you accredit one or more
Of your own number TO go out as your
representatives and test my statement
in your nameY
Mr., Summeree, the veteran professor
Of comparative anatomy, rose among
the audience a tall, thin, bitter man.
with the withered aspect of a theolo-
giun. He wished he said, to ask Pro
fessOr Challenger whether the results
to which he had alluded in his remarks
had been obtained during a journey to
the headwaters Of the Amazon made
by him two years before.
Professor Challenger answered that
they had
Mr.. Summerlee desired to know how
1t was that Professor Challenger claim
ed to have made discoveries in those
regions which had been overlooked by
Wallace, Bates and other previous ex-
plorers Of established scientific repute.
Professor Challenger answered that
Mr. Summerlee appeared to be confus-
ing the Amazon with the Thames, that
1t was in reality a somewhat larger
river, that Mr.. Summerlee might be in
terested to know that, with the Ori
noco, which communicated with it,
some 10000 miles Of country were
opened up, and that in so vast a space
ii was not impossible for one person to
find what another had missed
Mr.. Summerlee declared, with an acid
smile, that he fully appreciated the diff
ference between the Thames and thc
Amazon, which lay In the fact that any
assertion about the former could be
tested, while about the latter IT could
not He would be obliged IL Professor
Challenger would give the latitude and
the longitude of the country in which
prehistoric animals were to be found
Professor Challenger replied that he
,eserved such information for good rea-
'ous Of his own, but would be prepared
TO give It with proper precautions to q
committee chosen from the audience
Would Mr.. Summerlee serve ON such
committee and test his story in per
son?
Mr., Summeree Yes, will CGreat
cheeimg.l
Professor Challenger Then I guaran.
tee that will place in your hands such
material as will enable you TO find your
way. 1t is only right, however, since
Mr.. Summerlec goes to check my state
ment that l should have one or more
with him who may check him. l will
not disguise from YOU that there are
difficulties and dangers. Mr. summer
lee will need younger colleague, May
ask for yolunteersg
Il Is thus that the great crisis Of n
mans life springs out at him. Could