The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1925-05-09
CHAPTER N.-Contlnucd


II was midday before VIC had made
ourselves secure. but tho heat was
not oppressive. and tho general char.
actcr OF the plateau, both In it's tenn.
pcrature and i'm SIS vegetation. was
almost temperate, The beech the
oak. and even the birch Voc 90 be
found among the tangio OF trees
which girt us I'm, ono huge singko
tree, topping an the others, shot It's
Ercat limbs and maidenh8lr foliage
over the fort which We had con.
structcd, In its shade VIC continued
our discussion, while Lord john
who had quickly taken command ia
the hour OF action, gave us his views
$50 long as neither man nor beast
has seen or heard Us, we arc safe, 3"
said he From the time thcy know
we arc here our troubles begin
There are no signs that they have
found US out as yet So our game
surely is 10 lie low FOR a time and
SOY out the land. We want TO have
good look az our neighbors before
We get on Visitin' terms
But VIC must advance" / vcnturcd
10 remark.
BY an means, sonny my boy, We
will advance. But with common
sense we must never 80 so lar that
we can't get hack 20 our base. Above
ALI we must never unless Il Is life
or death. fire off our guns
But you fired yesterday" said
Summarize.
We'll, it couldn't be helped. How
ever, the wind was strong and blew
outwards, II \ not likely that the
sound could have Travelled FAR into
the plateau By tho way, what shall
VIC call this place? suppose Il is
UP 10 US TO give Il a nameg"
There were several suggestions.
moro or less happy. but Chailenger's
was final.
1T can only have one name" said
ne. 1T is called after the pioneer
who discovered L. II is Maple White
Land"
Maple White Land Il became. and
so it is named In that chart which
has become my special task. So II
will. trust, appear In the atlas Of
the future.
The peaceful penetration OF Maple
White Land was the pressing subject
before US. We had the evidence Of
our own eyes that the place was In,
habited by some unknown creatures.
and there was that Of Maple Whites
sketch hook to show that more
dreadful and more dangerous mon
sters might still appear That there
might also prove to be human oecu,
pants and that thcy were OF
malevolent character was suggested
by the skeleton impalcd upon the
hamboos. which could not ilavs got
there had II not been dropped from
above. Our situation, stranded with.
out possibility OF escape In such
land, was clearly fun OF danger. and
our reasons endorsed every measure
Of caution which Lord Johns expert
ence could suggest. Yet Il was
surely impossible that we should halt
on the edge OF this world OF mystery
when our very souls were tingling
with Impotence to push forward and
10 pluck the heart from Il.
We therefore blocked the entrance
10 our zareba by filling it up with
several thorny bushes. and left our
camp with the stores entirely sur
rounded by this protecting hedge.
We then slowly and cautiously set
forth into the unknown. following
the course Of the little stream which
flowed from our spring. as II should
always serve US as q guide on our
return.
Hardly had We started when We
came across signs that there were
indeed wonders awaiting US. After
few hundred yards Of this forest
containing many trees which we're
quite unknown 10 me, but which
ummerlee. who was the
botanist OF the party. rec.
ognized as forms OF couifera and OF
cycadaceous plants which have long
passed away in the world below. we
entered a region where the stream
widened out and formed n consider
able bog. High reeds Of a peculiar
type grew thickIy before us, which
were pronounced to be equisetacea.
or mare's-tails. with tree-ferns scat.
tered amongst them. all OF them
swaying in a brisk wind. Suddenly
Lord John who was walking first,
halted with upIifted hand
Look at thisT' said he. by