The Delta independent., 1916-06-23

Wo Held q Council Of War.
veyed about six miles of the cli6 to
the east OF us. finding no possible way
up. What, then, shall we now dor
There seems to be only one reason
able course" said Professor Summer
lee. III you have explored the east
we should travel along the base Of the
elf TO the west and seek for a prac-
ticable point for our ascent"
That's it, said Lord Joh1i. The
odds are that this plateau Is of great
size, and we shall travel round It until
we either find an easy way up 1t or
come back TO the point from which
We started
The ground at the foot OF the cliff
was rocky and broken. so that the TO
ing was slow and difficult. Suddenly
we came. however. upon something
which cheered our hearts. 1t was the
site OF an old encnmpment. with sew
ernl empty Chicago meat tins. n bottle
labeled Brandy" n broken tin opener
and a quantity OF other travellers de-
bris. crumpled. disintegrated news
paper revealed itself as the Chicago
Democrat. though the date had been
obliterated.
mot mine" said Challenger. 1T
must be Maple Whites"
Lord John had been gazing curiously
at n great tree fern which ovcrshad-
owed the encampment. II say, look At
this" said he. II believe It II meant
for signpost"
ull - t..- a..
to the tree In such way NJ TO point
to the westward.
"Most certainly a signpost." said
Challenger. what elsef Finding him.
self upon n dangerous errand. our pio-
neer has left this sign so that any
party which follows him may know
the way he has taken. Perhaps we
shall come upon some other indica~
tions ms we proceed"
We did indeed. but they were of q
terrible and most unexpected nature.
Immediately beneath the cliff there
grew considerable patch OF high
bamboo, like that which we had trny.
crsed In our journey. Many OF these
stems were twenty feet high. with
sharp. strong tops so that even MS they
stood they made formidn BILE spears.
We were passing along the edge OF
this cover when my eye was caught
by the glenm OF something white with
IN IT, Thrustlng In my head between
the stems. found myself gazing Mt
fcshless skull. The whole skeleton
was there. but the skull had detached
Itself and lay some feet nearer TO the
open.
90. l.
OF our Indians we cleared the spot and
were able 10 study the details OF this
old tragedy. Only n few shreds OF
clothes could still be distinguished. but
there were the remains OF boots upon
the bony feet and II was very clear
that the dead man wns European A
gold wntch and q chain, which held a
styiogrnphic pen. lay among the bones.
There WAS also silver cigarette case.
with u. c.. from A. Il. s." upon the
lid. The state OF the metal seemed to
show that the catastrophe had occur
red no great time before
who Gun he bef'' asked Lord John
''Poor devil. every bone in his body
seems to be broken
And the bamboo grows through his
smashed ribs" said SummerIee. at is
fast growing plnnt, but 1t In surely
inconceivnble thnt this body could have
been here while the canes grew to 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 ut the fazendn instituted very
particular inquiries about Maple White
At Para they knew nothing. Fortu.
nntely. had n definite ciew, for there
was particular picture in his sketch
book which showed him taking lunch
with certain ecclesiastic at Rosario.
This priest was able to nnd. and
though he proved a very argumenta.
tive fellow, who took It absurdly amiss
that should point out to him the cor.
rosive effect which modern science
must have upon his beliefs, he none the
less gave me some positive informa.
ton. Maple White passed Rosario four
years ago. or two years before I saw
his dead body. He was not alone nj
the time. but there was a friend. an
American named James Coiver, who
remained In the bont and did not meet
this ccclesinstic. ] think. therefore.
shnt there cnn be no doubt that we are
now looking upon the remains Of this
james Colver."
xv~u4