The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1925-05-01

I II b. like q broad rcd church fplrr
tho top ~ Il being level with tbs
! plateau but a great chasm gaping
between. on tho summit OF IL there
grew one high tree. Both pinnacl,
and cliff were comparatively low
SOME five or siN hundred feet,
should think.
1T was ON that said Professor
! Challenger pointing 90 this tree
that tho ptcrodaetyl was porchgd
/ climbed halfway up the rock be
fore shot him ! am inclined a.
think that good moun,ainccr like
myself could ascend the rock 10 the
/ top tho he would OF course be no
nearer to the plateau when he had
done So
As Challenger spoke OF his ptcro
dactyl. / glanced al Professor sum
mcrler, and Tor the first time
seemed 10 see some signs OF a dawn.
ing crcdullty aud repentance. There
was no snccr upon his thin lips but.
on tho coutrari a gray, drawn look
% excitement and amusement chal
/ lenger saw IL. too. and rcvelcd IN the
first taste OF victory
"Or course" said he. with his
clumsy and pondcrous sarcahm.
Professor Summerlce viii under
stand that when | speak Of ptoro.
dactyl / mean stork -only Il Is tho
kind or sturk which has no feathers,
a lcathcry skin. membrpnous wings,
and teeth To- 10, jaws lie griuned
and blnkcd aud bowed until his col.
seuguc turned aud walked away
I'm the morning. after a frugal
breakfast 90 coffee and mauioc=-we
had TO be economical ~ our stores
We held council Of war as TO tho
best method 81 ascending 10 the
plateau above us
Challenger presided with a solemn.
ity as n he were the Lord chief
Justice on the Bench Picture him
seated upon rock, his absurd hoyish
straw hat tilted on the back of his
head. his supercilious eyes dominst.
ing Us from under his dropping lids
his great black beard wagg,ng as he
slowly defined our present situation
and our future movements
Beneath him you might have seen
the three OF Us myself sunbrunt.
Young, VIGOROUS after our open air
tramp. summerice, solemn but still
critical. behind his eternal pipe Lord
John. as Keen as ruEor.edgc, with
his supple alert figure leaning upon
his rifle. aud his eager eyes fixed
eagerly upon the speaker. Behind Us
! were grouped two swBrthy half.
breeds and the little knot OF Indians,
while in front and above us lowered
those huge. rudy ribs OF tocks which
kept us from our goal
Il need not say. said our leader,
that on the oecasion Of my last visit
exhausted every means Of climbing
the cliff. and where failed | do not
thing that anyone elise is likely 10
succeed. for am something % a
mountainesr had none ~ the Ap.
pIiances OF rock.climbcr with me.
but have taken the precauiion 10
bring them now With their aid I
am positive could climb that dc.
tachsd pinnacle 10 the summit. bu,
so long as the main cliff overhangs,
It Is vain to attempt ascending that.
was hurried upon ms last visit by
the approach ~ the rainy season
and by the exhaustion uf ms sup
plies. These considerations limited
my time. and can only claim that
have surveyed about six miles OF
the cliff TO the east Of us. finding
/ no possible way UP, what then.
shall We now do7"
There seems 10 be only one rea,
sonable course. said Professor sum.
merlec III you have explored tho
east. We should travel along the base
OF the cliff TO the west. and seek for
a practicable point for our ascent"
That's II. raid Lord John The
odds arc that this plateau Is OF no
great size. and wo shall travel round
It until we either find an easy way
up It. or come back 10 the point
| from which We started"
Continued in Our Next ISSUE