The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1925-03-10

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troubles. 1t may be that we are
condemned to spend our whole lives
in this strange, inaccessible place.
We are, In truth, as far from any
human aid as If we were in the
moon. If we are to win through, it
is only our own qualities which can
save us.
Let me give you, with as much de-
tail as / can, the sequence OF events
which have led us to this catastro-
phe.
When I finished my last letter
stated that we were within seven
miles from an enormous line of
rudy cliffs, which encircled, beyond
all doubt, the plateau of which Pro
lessor Challenger spoke. Their
height, as we approached them,
seemed to me in some places to be
greater than he had stated-running
up in parts to at least thousand
feet. The summit showed every
sign of luxuriant vegetation. There
was no indication of any life that we
could see.
That night we pitched our camp
Immediately under the cliff-a most
wild and desolate spot. The crags
above us were not merely perpen-
dicular. but curved outwards at the
top, so that ascent was out of the
question. Close &c us was the high
|
thin pinnacle of rock which / be-
lieve mentioned earlier in this
narrative. 1t is like a broad red
church spire, the top Of it being level
with the plateau, but a great chasm
gaping between. On the summit of
It there grew one high tree. Both
pinnacle and cliff were comparatively
low-some 500 or 600 feet, l should
think.
1T was on that" said Professor
Challenger, pointing to this tree,
that the pterodactyl was perched
climbed halfway up the rock be-
fore 1 shot him. 1 am inclined to
think that a good mountaineer like
myself could ascend the rock to the
top. though he would. of course, be
no nearer to the plateau when he
had done So"
"Of course" said he. with his
clumsy and ponderous sarcasm.
Professor Summerlee will under.
stand that when a speak of ptero-
dactyl l mean stork-only 1t is the
kind of stork which has no feathers
a leathery skin, membranous wings
and teeth in its jaws" He grinned
and blinked and bowed until his
colleagues turned and walked away
In the morning, after a frugal
breakfast Of coffee and manioc-we
had to be economical of our stores
we held council of war as to the
best method of ascending to the
plateau above us.
ity as If he were the Lord Chief
Justice on the Bench.
Behind us ware grouped two
swarthy helf-breeds and the little
knot of Indians, while in front and
above us lowered those huge, rud
dy ribs of rocks which kept US from
our goal.
"I need not say" said our lead
4 err, that on the occasion Of my last
visit I exhausted every means o.
climbing the cliff, and where faiIet
! do not think that any one else Il
likely to succeed. for am something
Of mauntaineer& I had none o.
80
the appliances Of a rock-climber Will
me, but / have taken the precau
ton to bring them now. With thei'
aid am positive I could climb tina
detached pinnacle to the summit
but so long as the main cliff over
hangs 1t. it Is vain to attempt as
cending that. I have surveyed aSou
six miles Of the cliff to the east o.
us finding no possible way UP
What. then, shall we now dor"
There seems to be only one rea
sonable course" said Professor Sum
merlee. II you have explored tn,
east, we should travel along the
base Of the cliff to the wet, anC
seek for a practicable point for our
ascent"
That's it," said Lord John. "The
odds are that this plateau Is of nc
great size, and we shall travel round
1t until we either find an easy way
up 1t. or come back to the point
from which we started"
(To Be Continued)
Copyright, 1912, by A. Coz an Doyle