CHAPTER VIII "The Outlying Pickets of the New World"

d,andonlythevegetableivorytreeremained,withagreatprofusionofwonderfulorchids,amongwhichIlearnedtorecognizetherareNuttoniaVexillariaandthegloriouspinkandscarletblossomsofCattleyaandodontoglossum.Occasionalbrookswithpebblybottomsandfern-drapedbanksgurgleddowntheshallowgorgesinthehill,andofferedgoodcamping-groundseveryeveningonthebanksofsomerock-studdedpool,whereswarmsoflittleblue-backedfish,aboutthesizeandshapeofEnglishtrout,gaveusadelicioussupper. Ontheninthdayafterleavingthecanoes,havingdone,asIreckon,aboutahundredandtwentymiles,webegantoemergefromthetrees,whichhadgrownsmalleruntiltheyweremereshrubs.Theirplacewastakenbyanimmensewildernessofbamboo,whichgrewsothicklythatwecouldonlypenetrateitbycuttingapathwaywiththemachetesandbillhooksoftheIndians.Ittookusalongday,travelingfromseveninthemorningtilleightatnight,withonlytwobreaksofonehoureach,togetthroughthisobstacle.Anythingmoremonotonousandwearyingcouldnotbeimagined,for,evenatthemostopenplaces,Icouldnotseemorethantenortwelveyards,whileusuallymyvisionwaslimitedtothebackofLordJohn'scottonjacketinfrontofme,andtotheyellowwallwithinafootofmeoneitherside.Fromabovecameonethinknife-edgeofsunshine,andfifteenfeetoverourheadsonesawthetopsofthereedsswayingagainstthedeepbluesky.Idonotknowwhatkindofcreaturesinhabitsuchathicket,butseveraltimesweheardtheplungingoflarge,heavyanimalsquiteclosetous.FromtheirsoundsLordJohnjudgedthemtobesomeformofwildcattle.Justasnightfellweclearedthebeltofbamboos,andatonceformedourcamp,exhaustedbytheinterminableday. Earlynextmorningwewereagainafoot,andfoundthatthecharacterofthecountryhadchangedonceagain.Behinduswasthewallofbamboo,asdefiniteasifitmarkedthecourseofariver.Infrontwasanopenplain,slopingslightlyupwardsanddottedwithclumpsoftree-ferns,thewholecurvingbeforeusuntilitendedinalong,whale-backedridge.Thiswereachedaboutmidday,onlytofindashallowvalleybeyond,risingonceagainintoagentleinclinewhichledtoalow,roundedsky-line.Itwashere,whilewecrossedthefirstofthesehills,thatanincidentoccurredwhichmayormaynothavebeenimportant. ProfessorChallenger,whowiththetwolocalIndianswasinthevanoftheparty,stoppedsuddenlyandpointedexcitedlytotheright.Ashedidsowesaw,atthedistanceofamileorso,somethingwhichappearedtobeahugegraybirdflapslowlyupfromthegroundandskimsmoothlyoff,flyingverylowandstraight,untilitwaslostamongthetree-ferns. "Didyouseeit?"criedChallenger,inexultation."Summerlee,didyouseeit?" Hiscolleaguewasstaringatthespotwherethecreaturehaddisappeared. "Whatdoyouclaimthatitwas?"heasked. "Tothebestofmybelief,apterodactyl." Summerleeburstintoderisivelaughter"Apter-fiddlestick!"saidhe."Itwasastork,ifeverIsawone." Challengerwastoofurioustospeak.Hesimplyswunghispackuponhisbackandcontinueduponhismarch.LordJohncameabreastofme,however,andhisfacewasmoregravethanwashiswont.HehadhisZeissglassesinhishand. "Ifocuseditbeforeitgotoverthetrees,"saidhe."Iwon'tundertaketosaywhatitwas,butI'llriskmyreputationasasportsmanthatitwasn'tanybirdthateverIclappedeyesoninmylife." Sotherethematterstands.Arewereallyjustattheedgeoftheunknown,encounteringtheoutlyingpicketsofthislostworldofwhichourleaderspeaks?IgiveyoutheincidentasitoccurredandyouwillknowasmuchasIdo.Itstandsalone,forwesawnothingmorewhichcouldbecalledremarkable. Andnow,myreaders,ifeverIhaveany,Ihavebroughtyouupthebroadriver,andthroughthescreenofrushes,anddownthegreentunnel,andupthelongslopeofpalmtrees,andthroughthebamboobrake,andacrosstheplainoftree-ferns.Atlastourdestinationlayinfullsightofus.Whenwehadcrossedthesecondridgewesawbeforeusanirregular,palm-studdedplain,andthenthelineofhighredcliffswhichIhaveseeninthepicture.Thereitlies,evenasIwrite,andtherecanbenoquestionthatitisthesame.Atthenearestpointitisaboutsevenmilesfromourpresentcamp,anditcurvesaway,stretchingasfarasIcansee.Challengerstrutsaboutlikeaprizepeacock,andSummerleeissilent,butstillsceptical.Anotherdayshouldbringsomeofourdoubtstoanend.Meanwhile,asJose,whosearmwaspiercedbyabrokenbamboo,insistsuponreturning,Isendthisletterbackinhischarge,andonlyhopethatitmayeventuallycometohand.Iwillwriteagainastheoccasionserves.Ihaveenclosedwiththisaroughchartofourjourney,whichmayhavetheeffectofmakingtheaccountrathereasiertounderstand.