Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1916-06-24

quickly slipped out. My last glance
showed me the unconscious Summer
lee, most futile of sentinels, still nod
ding away like a queer mechanical toy
in front OF the smOlderlng fire. He was
fast asleep.
The night had been exceedingly still,
but as / advanced became conscious
Of a low, rumbling sound, a continu-
GUS murmur, somewhere in front Of
me. This grew louder as proceeded,
until at last 1t was clearly quite close
to me. When 1 stood still the sound
( was constant, so that It seemed to
como from some stationary cause. 1t
was like q boiling kettle or the bub-
bling Of some great pot. Soon l came
upon the source of 1t, for in the center
of a small clearing l found lake-Or
pool, rather, for 1t was not larger than
the basin Of the Trafalgar square foun.
tain-Of some black, pitchlike stun, the
surface of which rose and fell in great
blisters OF bursting gas. The air above
1t was shimmerlng with heat, and the
ground round was so hot that l could
hardly bear to lay my hand on it. 1t
was clear that the great volcanic out
burst which had raised the strange
plateau so many years ago had not yet
entirely spent its forces. Blackened
rocks and mounds Of lava had al
ready seen everywhere peeping out
from amid the luxuriant vegetation
which draped them, but this asphalt
pool in the Jungle was the first sign
that we had OF actual existing activity
I on the slopes of the ancient crater. 1
had no time to examine 1t further, for
/ had peed to hurry IL l were to be
back In camp in the morning.
1t was fearsOme walk and one
which win he with me so long as mem.
Ory holds. In the great moonlight
clearings l skunk along among the
shadows on the margin. In the jungle
crept forward, stopping with beat
Ing heart whenever | heard, as | Of
ten did, the crash Of breaking branches
as some wild beast went past. Now
and then great shadows lOomed up for
an instant and were gOne-great, 81.
lent shadows which seemed to prowl
upon padded feet. How often | stop
ped with the intention OF returning,
and yet every time my pride conquer
ed nay fear aud sent me on again until
my object should be attained,
At last (my watch showed that 1t
was In the morning. saw the CLEAN
OF water amid the openings Of the jun
gle aud ten minutes later l was among
the reeds upon the borders of the cen.
tral lake was exceedingly dry, so
lay down ana took a long draft OF Its
waters, which were fresh and cold
There was broad pathway with
many tracks upon 1t at the spot which
had found, so that 1t was clearly one
OF the drinking places of the animals
Close to the waters edge there was a
huge isolated block of lava. Up this
climbed and, lying on the top OF
this block, had an excellent view in
every direction.
Luke Gladys-my own lake-lay like
4 sheet OF quicksilver before nue., with
reflected moon shining brightly In
the center of 1t. 1t was shallow, for
IN many places | saw low sand banks
protrudlng above the water. Every.
where upon the still surface | could
see signs OF life, sometimes the CLEAN
OF a great silver sided Ash IN the air,
sometimes the arched, slate colOred
back Of some passing monster, Once
upon yellow sand bank saw a crea.
ture like huge swan, with clumsy
body aud a high, flexible neck, shutiilng
about upon the margin. Presently 1t
plunged In, and for some time could
see the arched neck and dartlng head
undulatlng over the water. Then 1t
dlyed, and saw II no more.
My attention was soon drawn away
from these distant sights and brought
back to what was going on at my very
feet. Two creatures like large arma-
dillos had come down to the drinking
place and were squattlng at the edge
OF the water their long, flexible
tongues, like red ribbons, shooting In
and out AZ they Tapped. A huge deer,
with branching horns, magnificent
creature, which carried itself Ike a
king, came down with It's doe and two
fawus and drank beside the armadll-
los. No such deer exist anywhere else
upon earth, for the moose or elks
which have seen would hardly have
reached It's shoulders Presently It
gave warning snort and was on
with lts family among the reeds, while
the armQdllos also scuttled for shell.
ter. A newcomer most monstrous
animal was coming down the path,
For moment / wondered where |
could have seen that ungalnly shape,
that arched back with triangular
rringes along Il, that strange blrdlike
head held close to the ground Then
II came back TO me II was the stego.
saurus the very creature which Maple
white had preserved IN his sketch.
book aud which had been the first ob.
ject which arrested the attention Of
Challenger There he was, perhaps
the very specimen which the American
artist had encountered The ground
shook beneath his tremendous weight,
aud hls gulplngs OF water resounded
through the still night For i've min.
uteg ho yyag go clOsp 10 NV rock that