, 1916-08-10

hAes AhN II " thc huCldi C0GlCQ ~
show that the catastrophe had occur
red no great time before.
who can he be?' asked Lord John
Poor devil. every bone In his body
SEEM to be broken"
And the bamboo grows through his
smashed ribs said Summerlee. 1T Is
a fast growing plant, but 1t is surely
inconceivable that this body could have
been here while the canes grew 10 be
twenty feet in length"
AS to the mans identity" said Pro
fessor Challenger. II have no doubt
whatever upon that point. As I made
my way up the river before I reached
you at the fazenda I instituted very
particular inquiries about Maple White.
At Para they knew nothing. Fortu-
nately, I had a definite clew. for there
was a particular picture in his sketch
book which showed him taking lunch
with a certain ecclestastfc at Rosario.
This priest | was able to find. and
though he proved a very argumenta-
tive fellow. who took 1t absurdly amiss
that I should point out to him the cor
rosive effect which modern science
u ave upon his beliefs. he none the
less gave me some positive Informal
ton. Maple White passed Rosario four
years ago. or W years before l saw
his dead body. He was not alone at
the time. but there was q friend, an
American named James Colver, who
remained In the boat and did not meet
this ecclesiast1c. I think. therefore.
that there can be nc doubt that we are
now looking upon the remains of this
James Colver."
Nor" said Lord John. 'ts there much
doubt as to how he met his death. He
has fallen or been chucked from the
top and SO been impaled. How else
could he come by his broken bones and
how could he have been stuck through
by these canes with their points so
high above our heads?"
We moved Off in silence and contin-
ued to coast round the line Of cliffs,
which were as even and unbroken as
some of those monstrous Antarctic ice
fields which I have seen depicted as
stretching from horizon to horizon and
towering high above the mastheads of
the exploring vessel.
In five miles we saw no rift or break.
And then suddenly we perceived some
thing which filed us with new hope.
In a hollow Of the rock, protected from
rain, there was drawn a rough arrow
in chalk. pointing still to the west
ward.
Maple White again." said Professor
Challenger. Fl had some PRESENT.
ment that worthy footsteps would fol-
low close behind him"
HE had chalk. Them
"a box of colored chalks was among
the effects I found in his knapsack. I
remember that the white one was
worn to a stump"
THAT is certainly good evidence"
said Summarize. I'VE can only ac-
cept his guidance and follow on TO the
westward"
We had proceeded some FIVE more
miles when again we saw a white ar
row upon the rocks. It was at a point
where the face of the cliff was for the
first time split int a narrow cleft. In
side the cleft was a second guidance
mark. which pointed right up It with
the tip somewhat elevated. as II the
spot indicated were above the level of
the ground.
1t was a solemn place. for the walls
were 80 gigantic and the slit OF blue
sky 30 narrow and so obscured by a
double fringe Of verdure that only a
dim and shadowy light penetrated to
the bottom. We had had no food for
many hours and were very weary with
the stony and irregular journey, but
our nerves were too strung to allow
us to halt. We ordered the camp to
be pitched, however. and, leaving the
Indians to arrange It, we four. with
the two half breeds, proceeded up the
narrow gorge.
1t vas not over forty feet across
at the mouth. but It rapidly closed I'M
til II ended in an acute angle. too
straight and smooth for an ascent.
Certainly 1t was not this which our
pioneer had attempted to indicate.
We made our way back-the whole
gorge was not more than a quarter of
q mile deep-and then suddenly b
quick eyes of Lord John fell upon
what we were seeking. High up above
our heads amid the dark shadows there
vas one circle OF deeper gloom. Sure
ly It could only be the opening of q
The base of the cliff was heaped
with loose stones at the spot. and 1t
WIS not difficult to Chamber up. When
we reached 1t all doubt was removed.
Not only was 1t an opening into the
rock. but on the side of 1t there was
marked once again the sign Of the ar
row.
Here was the point and this was the