Previous - Next

it were, an open path between two glaciers, from which an inconsiderable
stream came tumbling down over rough but very possible hillsides, till it
got down to the level of the great river, and formed a flat where there
was grass and a small bush of stunted timber.

Almost before I could believe my eyes, a cloud had come up from the
valley on the other side, and the plains were hidden. What wonderful
luck was mine! Had I arrived five minutes later, the cloud would have
been over the pass, and I should not have known of its existence. Now
that the cloud was there, I began to doubt my memory, and to be uncertain
whether it had been more than a blue line of distant vapour that had
filled up the opening. I could only be certain of this much, namely,
that the river in the valley below must be the one next to the northward
of that which flowed past my master's station; of this there could be no
doubt. Could I, however, imagine that my luck should have led me up a
wrong river in search of a pass, and yet brought me to the spot where I
could detect the one weak place in the fortifications of a more northern
basin? This was too improbable. But even as I doubted there came a rent
in the cloud opposite, and a second time I saw blue lines of heaving
downs, growing gradually fainter, and retiring into a far space of plain.
It was substantial; there had been no mistake whatsoever. I had hardly
made myself perfectly sure of this, ere the rent in the clouds joined up
again and I could see nothing more.

What, then, should I do? The night would be upon me shortly, and I was
already chilled with standing still after the exertion of climbing. To
stay where I was would be impossible; I must either go backwards or
forwards. I found a rock which gave me shelter from the evening wind,
and took a good pull at the brandy flask, which immediately warmed and
encouraged me.

I asked myself, Could I descend upon the river-bed beneath me? It was
impossible to say what precipices might prevent my doing so. If I were
on the river-bed, dare I cross the river? I am an excellent swimmer,
yet, once in that frightful rush of waters, I should be hurled
whithersoever it willed, absolutely powerless. Moreover, there was my
swag; I should perish of cold and hunger if I left it, but I should
certainly be drowned if I attempted to carry it across the river. These
were serious considerations, but the hope of finding an immense tract of
available sheep country (which I was determined that I would monopolise
as far as I possibly could) sufficed to outweigh them; and, in a few
minutes, I felt resolved that, having made so important a discovery as a
pass into a country which was probably as valuable as that on our own
side of the ranges, I would follow it up and ascertain its value, even
though I should pay the penalty of failure with life itself. The more I
thought, the more determined I became either to win fame and perhaps

Previous - Next