The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1925-04-30

words. the whole party agreed 60
trust tho iallaciouy instincts OF mn.
developed stNHgcs uthcp. than the
highest product Of modern European
celture" That We were justified In
doing so WAS shown upon the third
day. when Challenger admitted that
he recognized several landmarks of
his former journey. and IN one spot
NO actually camr upon four fire
blackcncd stones, which must have
marked camping place,
The road still assembled, and we
crossed rock-studdcd slope which
took two days TO traverse The ves
citation had again changed, and only
the vegetable ivory tree remained
with a great profusion OF wonderful
orchids, among which / learned 10
recognize the rare Nuttonia NcNil
lara ana the glorious pink and scar
let blossoms OF CRttlcya and odopto,
EloaSum. Occasional brooks with
pcbbly bottoms and feru.draped
hanks gurglcd down tho shallow
Eorges In the hlll and offered good
camping grounds every evening on
the banks OF some roCkHtuddcd pool.
where swarms OF little blue backed
fish. about the size and shape Of
English trout. gave ms a delicious
supper
on the ninth day after leaving
tho canoes. having done. as ! rcek-
on, about 100 miles. vc began TO.
emerge from the trees. which had
grown smaller until they were mere
shrubs Their place was taken by
an immense wilderness of bamboo,
which grew 20 tmcklv that We could
only penetrate it hy cutting a path,
way with tho machrtrs and billhuolN
OF the Indians n took ~ Ions
duy. travelling FROM iu the morning
tim IN tho night. with only two
breaks OF ono hour each TO get thru
this obstacle, Anything more mouot.
ouous and wcaryius could not be
imagined. for. even az tho most open
places. I could not SEQ morn than 10
or u yards. while usually my vision
was limited 20 tho back Of lord
Johns cotton Jacket In front OF me,
and TO the yellow wall within foot
Of one on either side. From above
camc one thin knifc.edgc OF sun
shine. and I 8 feet over our heads ouc
saw the tops OF The reeds swaying
against the deep blue sky. do not
know what kind Of creatures lnhabit
such a thlekct. but several times VIC
heard the plunEinR % large. heavy
animals quite close 10 us From
their sounds Lord John Judged them
10 be some form OF wild cattle. Just
az night fail VIC cleared tho belt Of
bambooy, and at once formed cur
camp. exhausted by the iutermi,
uabc day
Early next morning we wrrr again
atoot, and found that the character
% the country had changed once
again Behind us was tho wall Of
bamboo. as definite as " It marked
the course OF a river In front was
an open plain. slopins slightly Up.
wards and dotted with clumrs OF
tree ferns. the whole cruvlpg before
us until IL ended IN a long. whale.
backed ridge This VIC reached abou,
midday. only TO find shallow valley
beyond, rising once again into gen.
tic incline which led to low.
rounded sly line. II was here. while
,sc crossed the first Of these hills.
than an incident occurred which
may or may not have been import
ant.
Professor Challenger. who with the
two local Indians WAS IN the van %
tho party. stopped suddenly and
pointed excitcdly 10 the right A.,
he did so We saw. at the distance Of
mile or 40. something which sp.
peared TO be huge gray bird flap
slowly up from the ground and skim
smoothly off flying very low and
straight. until Il was lost among the
ree,ferus.
Did YOU sec IT." cried Challenger
in cxuI,atiop. 'summerics. did you
see it?'
His colleague was staring al the
spot where tho creature had disap.
pcared.
what do you claim that it was."
he asked.
TO the best OF my belief. a ptsro.
daetyE"
Summarize burst in derisiyc
laughter. ~ fiddlcstick' said
he. 1T was a stork. IL ever I saw
one"
Challenger was too furious TO
speak. He simply swung his pack
upon his back and continued upon
his march. Lord John camo abreast
Of me. however. and his face was
more grave than was his wont He
had his Zeiss glasses In his hand.
II focused II before Il got over the
trees" said he. II won't undertake
to say what II was. but I'll risk my
reputation as sportsman that It
wasn't any bird that ever clnpped
/ eyes on in my life.
SO there the matter stands. Arc
we really Just at the edge OF tho
unknown. cncountering the outlying
/ pickets os this lost word OF which
our leader speaks? I give you tho
incident az II occurred and you will
know as much as do. II stands
| alone, for wo saw nothing more
which could be called remarkable.
Continued In Our Next issue