Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1916-06-10
u venture 70 drink Sol"

| And WhereE
For answer he pointed TO the spire-
like pinnacle upon our right.
Our faces, or mine at least, fell as
we surveyed it. That 1t could be
climbed we had our companions as
surance, but horrible abyss lay be-
tween it and the plateau.
I'VE can never get across!' I gasped.
1--WE can at least all reach the sum-
NIT" said he. "When we are up I
may be able to show you that the re-
sources Of an inventive mind are not
yet exhausted"
After breakfast we unpacked the
bundle in which our leader had brought
his climbing accessories. From 1t he
took a coil of the strongest and
ightest rope, which was 150 feet in
length, with climbing irons, clamps
and other devices. Lord John was an
experienced mountaineer, and Summer
lee had done some rough climbing at
various times, so that l was really the
novice Mt rock work of the party. But
my strength and activity may have
made up for my want of experience
1t was not in reality a very stiff
task, though there were moments
which made my hair brlstle upon my
head. The first half was perfectly
easy, but from there upward it became
continually sleeper until for the last
fifty feet we were literally clinging
with our fingers and toes to tiny
lodges and crevices in the rock.
could not have accomplished it nor
could Summerlee if Challenger had
not gained the summit Gt was extraor-
dinary to see such activity In so un-
wieldy creature) and there fixed the
rope round the trunk of the consider
able tree which grew there. With this
as our support we were soon able to
scramble up the jagged wall until we
found ourselves upon the small grassy
platform, some twenty-five feet each
way, which formed the summit.
| The first impression which l received
when l had recovered my breath was
of the extraordinary view over the
country which we had traversed. The
whole Brazilian plain seemed to lie be-
meath us, extending away and away
until it ended in dim blue mists upon
the farthest sky line. In the fore.
ground was the long slope, strewn with
rocks and dotted with tree ferns. Far
ther off in the middle distance, looking
over the saddleback hill, l could Just
see the yellow and green mass of bam-
bOos through which we had passed.
and then gradually the vegetation in.
creased until it formed the huge for
est which extended as far as the eyes
could reach and for good 1000 miles
| beyond.
! l was still drinking in this wonderful
panorama when the heavy hand of the
professor fell upon my shoulder.
"This way, my young friend" said
he. "Yestgia nulla retrorsum. Never
tlOok rearward, but always to our glo.
rlOus goal"
The level of the plateau when l turn
ed was exactly that on which we stood,
and the green bank of bushes, with oc-
caslonal trees, was so near that it was
difficult to realize how inaccessible it
remained. At rough guess the gulf
was forty feet across; but, so far as
could see, it might as well have been
forty miles. 1 placed one arm round
the trunk Of the tree and leaned over
the abyss. Far down were the small
dark figures of our servants looking up
at US. The wall was absolutely pre-.
cipitous, as was that which faced me.
"This is indeed curious" said the
creaklng voice of Professor Summerlee.
turned and found that he was ex,
amlning with great interest the tree to
which clung. That smooth bark and
those small, ribbed leaves seemed fa.
miliar to my eyes. "Why," I cried.
'it's beechr
Exactly" said Summerlee-"a fel,
low countryman in far land"
"Not only fellow countryman, my
good sir" said Challenger, "but also,
if may be allowed to enlarge your
smile, an ally Of the first value. This
beech tree will be our savior"
"By George" cried Lord John, "a
bridger'
"Exactly, my friends, a bridget 1t
is not for nothing that | expended an
hour last night in focusing my mind
upon the situation. have some recol.
lection Of once remarking to our young
friend here that G. Il. c. is at his best
when his back is to the wall. Last
night you will admit that all our backs
were to the wall. But where will pow.
er and intellect go together there is al.
ways way out. A drawbridge had to
be found which could he dropped
across the abyss. Behold it,
1t was certainly brilliant idea. The
tree was a good sixty feet in height.
and II It fell only the right way 1t
would easily cross the chasm. Chal.
lenger had slung the camp AK over his
shoulder when he ascended. Now he
handed II to me
"Our young friend has the thewS and
sinews," said he 81 think he will be
the ost~usefu at this task | must
beg, however, that you will kindly re.
frain from thinking Tor yourself and
that you will do exactly what you are
| fold"