White Pine news weekly mining review. [volume] (East Ely, Nev.) 1910-1920, 1916-07-09

INVASION OF this new country. Birds
were calling among the foliage. espe-
claily n with a peculiar Welcoming
cry which was new to us, but beyond
these sounds there were no signs Of
life.
Our first are vas to make some sort
of list of W own stores, so that we
might know what we had to rely upon.
What with the things We had
selves brought up and those which
Zambo had sen across on the rope we
were fairly well supplied. Most i'm
portant of all, In view of the dangers
which might surround us, we had our
four rifles and 1900 rounds; also a
shotgun, but not more than $50 medi
UNI pellet cartridges. In the matter of
several weeks, with a sufiiciency of
tobacco and a few scientific imple-
ments, including "A large telescope and
a good ieldglass. All these things we
collected together in the clearing, and
as a first %preeaution we cut down with
u Ratchet and knives a number of
thorny bushes. which we piled round
eter. This was to be u headquarters
for the time-our place of refuge
against sudden danger and the guard
house for our stores. Fort Challenger
we called it.
The peaceful penetration of Maple
White Land, which we called the new
country, was the pressing subject be-
fore us. We had the evidence of our
own eyes that the place was inhabited
by some unknown creatures, and there
was that Of Maple Whites sketchbook
to show that more dreadful and dan
gerous monsters might still appear.
That there might also prove to be
Of a m~alevolent character was sug.
gested by the skeleton impaled upon
the bamboos, which could not have got
there had it not been dropped from
above. Our situation, stranded with
out possibility of escape In such a
land, was clearly full Of danger, and
N reasons indorsed every easur
Of caution which Lord Johns expert
ence could suggest. Yet It was surely
impossible that we should halt on the
edge Of this world Of mystery when
MI very souls were tingling with I'M
patience to push forward and to pluck
the heart from II.
We therefore blocked the entrance
to our zareba by filling It up with sew
eral thorny bushes and left our camp
with the stores entirely surrounded by
this protecting hedge. We then slowly
and cautiously set forth into the un-
known, following the course of the lit
tie stream which flowed from our
spring. as It should always serve us
as a guide on our return.
Hardly had we started when we
came across signs that there In
deed wonders awaiting us. After a
few hundred yards OF thick forest con-
tanning many trees which were quite
unknown to me, but which Summer
lee, who was the botanist of the par
ty. recognized as forms of conifera
and Of ~cycadaceous plants which have
long passed away in the world below,
we entered a region where the stream
widened out and formed a considerable
bog. Suddenly Lord John, who was
walking first, halted with upliftsd
hand.
Look at thtsr' said he. by George.
this must be the trail Of the father Of
all birdsr'
An enormous three toed track was
imprinted in the soft mud before N.
The creature, whatever It was. had
crossed the swamp and had pa0ed ON
into the forest. We al stopped 70 ex-
anime that monstrous spoor. II Il
were indeed q bird-and what animal
could leave such q MARI Sits foot WAS
- much larger than an ostrichs that
Its height upon the zane scale must
b enormous. Lord John looked eager
II round him and slipped two car
tfidges Into his elephant grn.