Gunnison news-champion., 1917-04-20
CHAPTER *.
VINO Could Have Foreseen I.7-

~ ID 10 Us. Who could have fore,
IN seen ~ I cunnot foresce any
end to our troubles. IL may
be that We are condemned TO spend
our whole lives In this strange mac.
cessiDIc plnre. am still 50 confused
that | can hardly think clearly OF the
facts OF the present or OF the chances
OF the future. To my astoundci senses
the one seems most terrible and the
other us black as night.
When | finished my last letter stnt.
ed that We were within seven miles
from an enormous line Of ruddy cliffs
which cncirCled. beyond all doubt. the
plateau OF which Professor Challenger
spoke. Their height. as we approach
ed them, seemed to the In some places
to be greater than he had stated. run
ming up In parts to at least II thousand
feet, and they were curiously striated
IN manner which is. ! believe. char
actcristic of basaltic uphcavals. Some
thing of the sort il to be seen In Sails.
bury crags, mt Edinburgh. The sum
init showed every sign OF a Iuxuriant
vegetation. with bushes near the edge
and farther back many high trees.
There was no indication OF any life
that we could see.
That night we pitched our camp Inn
mediately under the clifr-a most wild
and dcsolatc spot. The crags above
US were bot merely perpendicular. but
curved outward ut the top. so that as
cent was out Of the question.
tn, no
fast OF coffee and manioc-we had to
be economical OF our storcs-we held n
council OF war as to the best method
OF ascending to the plateau above us.
Challenger presided with soIemnity
as II he were the lord chief justice on
the bench. Picture him seated upon
rock, his absurd bOylsh straw hat tilt
ed on the back OF his head. his super
cilious eyes dominating us from under
his droorinG lids. his great black beard
warging as he slowly defined our pres
ent situation and our future move
ments.
II need not say" said our leader.
that on the occasion of my last visit
exhausted every means OF climbing
the cliff. and where | failed | do not
think any one else Is likely to succeed.
for | am something OF mountaineer.
! had none OF the appliances OF rock
climber with me. but have taken the
precaution to bring them now. With
their aid | am positive | could climb
that detached pinnacle to the summit.
But so long as the main cliff overhangs
II Is vain TO attempt ascending that
] was hurried upon my last visit by
the approach of the rainy season and
by the exhaustion OF my supplies.
These considerations limited my time
and ! can only claim that | have sur
yeyed about six miles Of the cliff to
the east OF Us, finding no possible way
up. What. then, shall we now do:'
There seems to be only one reason
able course" said Professor Summer
lee. If you have explored the east
We should travel along the base of the
cliff 10 the west and seek for prac-
dcable point for our ascent
That's II" said Lord John 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 go
ing was slow and difficult Suddenly
We came. however. upon something |
which cheered our hearts. II was the !
site of an old encampment. with sew.
4 (shfepun H.