Gunnison news-champion., 1917-06-01

DIlnG OF some great pot soon ! came
upon the source of IL. for in the center
Of small clearing found q lake-ora
pool. rather. for II was not larger than
the basin OF the Trafalgar square foun-
tain-of some black. pifchlike stun. the
surface OF which lose and fell In great
blisters Of bursting gas The air above
II was shimmering with heat and the
ground round was SO hot that I could
hardly bear to lay my hand on II. II
was clear that the great volcanic out
burst which had raised the strange
plateau 30 many years ago had not vet
entirely spent its forces. Blackened
rocks and mounds OF lava I had al.
ready seen everywhere peeping out
from amid the ,uxuriant vegetation
which draped them. but this asphalt
pool in the jungle was the first sign
that we had of actual existing activity
on the slopes OF the ancient crater. I
had no time to examine it further. for
I had need TO hurry II were to be
back in camp in the morning.
II was a fearsome walk and one
which will I've with me SO long as mem
ory holds In the great moonlight
clearings ] skunk along among the
shadows on the margin. In the jungle
| crept forward. stopping with beat
ing heart whenever I heard as l OF
ten did. the crash Of breaking branches
as some wild beast went past Now
and then great shadows loorned 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 my fear and sent me on again unit
my object should he attained.
At last ,my watch showed that II
was in the morning. I saw the CLEAN
Of water amid the openings of the Jun
gle. and ten minutes later ! WAS amnnr
the reeds upon the borders of the cen
trail lake. | was exceedingly dry. so
lay down and took long draft of it,
waters. which We're fresh and cold
There was broad pathway with
many tracks upon II ut the spot which
had found. SO that II was clearly one
of the drinking places Of the animals
Close to the waters edge there was n
/ huge Isolated block OF lava. Up this
climbed. and. lying ON the top of
this block. ! had an excellent view In
every direction.
Lake Gladys-my own lake-lay like
sheet Of quicksilver before me. with
reflected moon shining brightly In
! the center Of IL. II was shallow. for
I In many places saw low sand banks
! protruding above the water Every
where upon the still surface could
see signs of life. sometimes the gleam
Of great silver sided fish In the air
sometimes the arched. slate colored
| back of some passing monster. Once
upon n yellow sand bank saw u crea
| ture like huge swan. with clumsy
body and high flexible neck. shufilinc
about upon the margin. Presently II
plunged In. and for some time could
see the arched neck and darling head
undulating over the water Then II
dived. and saw 1t no more
My attention was soon drn WI away
| from these distant sights and brought
back TO what was going on at my very
feet. Two creatures like large arina-
dillos had come down to the drinking
place and were squatting at the edge
Of the water. their long. flexible
tongues. like red ribbons. shooting In
and out as they Tapped. A huge deer.
with branching horns. a magnificent
creature which carried itself like q
king. came down with Its doe and two
fawns and. drank beside the arr"adil-
los. No such deer exist anywhere else
1 upon earth. for the moose or elks
which have seen would hardly have
reached its shoulders. Presently II
| gave q warning snort and was OF
with Its family among the reeds. while
the armadilIos also scuttled for shel
ter. A newcomer. . most monstrOus
animal. was coming down the path.
For q moment wondered where
could have seen that ungainly shape.
| that arched hack with triangular
fringes along II. that strange. birdlike
head held close to the ground. Then
II came back to me. 1t was the steg0-
saurus-the very creature which Maple
White had preserved in his sketch
book and which had been the first OBJ
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
and his gulpings Of water resounded
through the still night For five min
utes he was NO close to my rock that
BY stretching out my hand could
have touched the hideous waving
| hackles upon his back. Then he lum-
bered away and was lost among the
bowlders.
Looking at my watch. saw that II
was half past O'Clock and high time.
therefore. that I started upon my
homeward journey. There was no diff
fculty about the direction in which
should return for all along had kept