The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1925-05-04

I rowrst escape for ono or all OF us
! We could not ourselves see whence
the rock had come. but our half
breed servants, who were still at the
opening OF the cave. said that Il had
flown past them. and must there
fore have fallen from the summit,
Looking upwards, We could sco NO
sign OF movement above US amidst
tho green jungle which topped the
tho cliff There could bc little doubt,
however that the stone was aimed
az us, 80 the incident surely pointed
10 humanity malcvolent hui
mRnlty upon the plateau,
We withdrew hurricdly from the
chasm, our minds fun OF this new
development and its bearing upon
our plans, The situation was diff
cult enough before. but u the OBJ
structions OF Nature were increased
by the deliberate opposition Of man,
then our case was indeed hopeless
one, And yet, os wc looked up at
that beautiful fringe OF verdure only
few hundreds OF feet above our
heads. there was not one OF us who
could conceive the idea OF returning
TO London until we had explored Il
10 It's depths,
ON discussing the situation. we de.
termlncd that our best course was
TO continue 20 coast round the pla,
tcau In the hope OF finding some
other means OF reaching the top. The
line OF cliffs, which had decreased
considerably Ia height, had already
begun 10 trend from west 10 north,
and II we could take this as repre-,
senting the arc OF a circle, the whole
circumference could not DO very
great. At the worst. then. we should
DO back In the few days At our
starting point,
We made a march that day which
totaled some two,and-twenty miles,
without any change In our prospects
| may mention that our Nncroid
shows us that In the continual incline
which We have assembled since we
abandoned our canoes We have risen
TO no less than 5000 feet above the
sea level, Hence there Is a consider
able change both in the temperature
and In the vegetation. We have
shaken off some OF that horrible in
sect life which is tho hone OF tropical
travel. A few palms still survive,
and many tree.fcrns. but tho Anna.
sonlan trees have been all left be.
hind II was pleasant 10 sec tho
conyolvulus, the passion flower, and
the begonia. all reminding me OF
home. here among these inhospitablc
rocks. There was a red bcgonia just
the same color as ono that Is kept In
n pot in the window OF a certain
villa In Strcntham- but am drifting
into private "reminiscences.
That night am stiil speaking
OF tho first day Of our eircum.
navigation OF the plateau--a great
experience awaited US. and one
which forever set al rest any
doubt which We could have had as
10 tho wonders 80 near Us.
You viii realize as you read i.
my dear Mr.. McArdle. and possibly
for the first Time that tho paper
has not sent me on a Wild goose
chase. and that thsro is inconcciv.
ably fine copy waiting for the
world whenever We have tho pro.
lessor. leave TO make use OF Il. !
shail not dare 10 publish these ar.
tlcles unless / can bring back my
proofs 20 England. or shall be
hailed as the journalistic Muuchau.
sen OF all time have no doubt
that you feel the same way your.
self. and that you would not care
10 stake the whole credit Of the
Gazette upon this adventure until
we can meet TIT chorus OF criticism
ard scepticism which such articles
must OF necessity elicit. so this
wonderful incident. which would
make such n headline for the old
paper. must still wait it's turn In
the editorial drawer.
And yet Il was all over in
fash. and there was no sequel to
II, save in our owr. convictions.
Go BE Continued)