ALONE ON RORAIMA'S SUMMIT.
When Monella returned about two hours later, the two young men had much
to tell him of the wonderful flowers and plants they had found, of
strange fish in the water, and curious _perfumed_ butterflies that they
had mistaken for flowers.
There were many of these extraordinary insects flying about. In
colouring and shape they resembled some of the flowers; when resting
upon a spray or twig they looked exactly like blossoms, and upon
nearing them, one became conscious of a most exquisite scent. But just
when one leaned a little nearer to smell the supposed flower, it would
flutter quickly away, and insect and perfume disappeared altogether.
Many of the flowers that were scattered about the rocks were shaped
like exquisitely moulded wax bells of all sorts and kinds of colours
and patterns, white, red, yellow, blue, etc., striped, spotted,
speckled. So distinct were they from anything the explorers had before
seen, that they had picked some and brought them into the cavern to
show Monella; but he could not give them a name.
The stream from the waterfall, they found, disappeared into the ground
just before it reached the cavern. No doubt this was the stream they
had seen issuing from the rock upon the other side.
At the further end the valley began to rise, following the stream,
which came down in a series of small falls or cataracts. About this
part they had found some other caves; but had not entered them.
"And most remarkable of all," said Templemore, "we have not seen a
single snake, lizard, or reptile of any sort or kind. Yet this is just
the sort of place one would have expected to be full of them. Nor have
we seen either animals or birds."
Monella told them the Indians still refused to enter the cave. They
all three, therefore, went to the 'window,' and assisted to get their
camp equipage inside, the Indians bringing the things to the top of
the ladder and handing them through the opening. They preferred,
themselves, to camp outside, and had already made a fire to cook some
monkeys they had killed with bows and arrows.
When all their things were safe inside, Leonard and Jack took some
fishing nets and soon caught some fish in the pools of the stream in
the canyon. They then made a fire just outside the cavern entrance, and
cooked them for their evening meal. The fish seemed to be a kind of
trout, but of a species they had never seen before.
Monella expressed his regret that all attempts to persuade the Indians
out of their fear of 'the demon-haunted mountain' had failed.
"They will neither come inside nor remain outside by themselves;
that is, if we go away from here to explore farther. It seems to me,
therefore, that we ought to have all our stores brought here before we
start, and then let the Indians go back by themselves. We may be here
for months, so had better get them to fetch everything we can possibly
require from 'Monella Lodge.'"
Such was Monella's advice.
"It will take two or three days at least--possibly more," he continued,
"to transport all our stores here. During that time we must be content
to attend to nothing else, and postpone any further exploration of the
mountain. Besides, when we once start, none can tell how far we may be
led on. Better have our 'base of operations' settled and secure first.
How far away are those other caves that you saw?"
"About a quarter of a mile," Jack answered.
"We will have a look at them in the morning," Monella said
thoughtfully. "It may be wiser to hide some of our stores and
belongings in different places, so that, if any accident should happen
to one lot, the others may be all right. Eh, Templemore?"
"Just the very idea I had in my head when I spoke to you of those other
caves," Jack responded. "We can take half an hour or so to explore them
in the morning."
"Better take longer," observed Monella. "Better take the day, and do it
thoroughly. Much may depend upon it hereafter. Suppose, therefore, that
you remain here while Elwood and I return to 'Monella Lodge' and see
about packing and bringing some of the 'belongings'? Then, if we find
another journey necessary, you can go next time, and Elwood and I will
remain here on guard. But we cannot get back to-morrow night. Do you
mind staying here alone?"
"Not I!" said Jack, laughing.
"Very well then; we will arrange it so. We shall load up our two
animals, and perhaps one journey will suffice after all. Any way, you
hunt for the best and most secret hiding-places you can find. See that
they are dry, you know. There are the three casks of powder----"
"What! Will you bring them too?"
"Certainly. We may have blasting to do before we have done with what
we have in hand. The extra arms, too, we will divide, and secrete in
different places."
"I see the idea," Jack assented. "Rely on me to do the best that can be
done."
The three went back, after their meal, to where the Indians were
camping just outside the 'window.' Matava looked grave, and shook his
head dubiously, when Leonard told him of the arrangements come to.
"My heart is heavy, my master," he said in his own language, "at the
thought of leaving you to fight the demons of the mountain. It is
not good this thing that you are about to undertake. Doubtless the
demons have left this place open as a trap to tempt you to enter their
country. When you are well inside they will close it and have you
securely captured and we shall never see you more. Alas! that my mother
should ever have said aught to lead you on to this terrible enterprise.
Better had she died first. I feel sure, if you go inside there, we
shall never see you again!"
Elwood only smiled, and bid him be of good cheer.
"We shall return," he replied, "and, I trust, not empty-handed. And, if
so, you and my old nurse shall share in my good fortune. But, if you
think there is danger, why do you not come with us to help? It is not
like a brave Indian to be afraid!"
The Indian shook his head and sighed.
"Matava is no coward," he responded. "His master knows that well.
Against all earthly dangers Matava will help him to his last breath,
but to battle with the demons of Roraima is but madness--and it is
useless. No mortal man may brave them and live. _Some_ one must take
the tale to those left behind. It is not good that they should never
know."
"That is a nice way of getting out of it, Matava," said Templemore,
who had just come up and heard the last sentence. "But please don't
take intelligence of our fate till you have learned it. Above all," he
continued seriously, "do not alarm our friends in Georgetown by any
wild, preposterous----"
"Oh, don't trouble as to that," Elwood interrupted. "Our friends know
Matava and his superstitions about the mountain too well by this time.
Besides, we will leave letters with him, to deliver, in case he returns
before we get back."
It was now getting dark, and the three white men went back into the
cavern to prepare their sleeping arrangements. First, it was determined
to make a more thorough examination of the side-galleries, and this was
soon done, for they were found to be of very limited extent. In passing
the archway that led into the canyon, however, Leonard happened to
glance out, and uttered an exclamation which called the others to his
side. They also looked out into the valley, and were as much astonished
as at their first sight of it that morning. It seemed to be lighted up!
On all sides, high and low, small lights were seen. They were of
various colours, and hung, some singly, some in groups or clusters.
Many drooped over the water, and were reflected in the pools below. The
effect was extraordinary. The place seemed a veritable fairy land; and
exclamations of astonishment and admiration burst from each of them
while he stood and gazed upon the scene.
Then they went out to the nearest lights, and the marvel was explained.
The bell-shaped flowers that had excited their curiosity during the
afternoon all glowed with radiance. Inside each was a small projection
apparently of a fungoid character, that was phosphorescent. It sent
forth a light nearly as brilliant as that of a firefly; and this
illumined the bell-shaped blossom, which then appeared of different
hues according to its colouring by daylight. Even those that Elwood
had picked, and thrown down at the entrance of the cavern, glowed with
appreciable glimmer.
"I've heard of some kinds of toadstools and fungi being
phosphorescent," Templemore remarked, "but never of such a thing in
flowers."
"Yet," observed Monella, "if you come to consider the matter, there is
nothing more remarkable in the one case than in the other."
The night passed without incident, and all were astir before dawn,
making preparations for the day's work. After a light meal, all
except Templemore set out on their way to 'Monella Lodge,' while Jack
went out into the canyon to seek for caves and likely hiding-places
for their stores, and to look about generally. He took with him his
usual two-barrelled gun, a supply of cartridges, and some biscuits
and other provisions. Water he knew he could get in plenty. He also
took a lantern to enable him to explore the caves. Before leaving the
'window,' as he now always called the entrance by which they had found
their way into the first cavern, he drew up the ladder, and then, with
some difficulty, rolled the stone that had closed it into its place
again. Most likely he could not have given any reason for this action
if he had been asked; but probably a vague hatred of the gloomy forest,
and satisfaction in shutting it out of view, were what chiefly prompted
him.
"I will take all I want round to the other side," he said to himself.
"I like that side best. It's a more cheerful outlook."
He thoroughly explored the caves, and decided that they were fairly
suitable for the purpose they had in view. Then, quite accidentally,
he came upon another that was so hidden by a tangled mass of creepers
that its existence would never have been suspected. He fancied he had
seen a small animal disappear behind a bush, and trying with a stick
to see whether he could rout it out, he found what at first he thought
was a large hole; but, on pushing back the creepers, which hung like a
curtain across it, he found a large opening about eight or nine feet
high. Inside was a roomy cavern with many recesses here and there, like
high shelves in the rock, and many short side-galleries. Just the very
place they wanted, he decided. Neither here nor elsewhere did he meet
with any signs of his pet aversion--the serpent tribe.
He now began the ascent of the canyon, following always the course
of the stream that came down it. In some places the way was easy and
direct; indeed, as he could not but remark, there was every appearance
that a well-defined, wide pathway, with steps here and there, had at
one time existed. But in places it was broken away; the steps cut in
the rock had crumbled, or trees growing in the fissures had rent them
asunder. In other places masses of rock, fallen from heights above,
blocked the road; and, occasionally, the trunk of a fallen tree. Then
he came to a wayside cave, and was glad to rest in its shade from
the heat of the sun, which began to pour down into the canyon with
intolerable fierceness. He had proceeded so far that he imagined he
must be half way to the top; and he looked up the canyon still beyond
him and at the overhanging cliffs with curiosity, wondering how much
farther he would have to go to reach its head, and what he would see
when he arrived there.
While he sat quietly pondering this question, and enjoying a smoke
following upon a light lunch, the idea grew upon him to complete
the ascent that afternoon. He knew that, if he did so, it would be
impossible to return that night, and this meant passing it in the open
air. But that he did not at all mind; he was accustomed to it; and,
since he saw no signs of serpents anywhere, there was an absence of the
only thing that troubled him in such case. Monella and the others would
not return till the following evening; he had plenty of time to do it
in, and nothing else to occupy his time.
But would Monella like it? Why, however, should he object? He could do
no harm in going to the top and back. It was not as though the place
were inhabited and he might get involved in any adventures with the
'natives.'
The more he thus thought about it, the more strongly did the feeling
grow upon him to make the venture. True, he had not much with him in
the way of provisions; but he had enough for supper and breakfast if he
put himself upon short rations. In the end he resolved to risk it.
Accordingly, so soon as the sun had gone across sufficiently to shade
the path, he started off once more, and made his way still upwards. He
encountered many obstacles that delayed his journey, but eventually,
just when night was falling, he arrived at what he calculated must be
the top of the ascent. It was a grassy plateau of a few hundred yards
in extent, facing cliffs that rose still higher and shut out the view
and were inaccessible. Down these the stream still flowed, though much
smaller in volume than was the case below. What, however, caused him
dismay, was to find that he was shut in on the other side by a belt
of forest that seemed to be almost as dense and impenetrable as the
hated wood below. It was too late to think of going back; there he must
stay and pass the night. It was cold, too, up there, and he had no
rug in which to roll himself. In fact, he began to wish himself back
in the cavern, where he could have cooked himself a good supper and
then rested comfortably. There was not even a view; he had hoped to
have a glorious prospect and, having brought his field-glass, even that
he might be able to look across the forest and savanna and make out
'Monella Lodge'; possibly see his friends, who would now be nearing it.
Instead of that, he was shut in upon a narrow ledge beside an unknown
forest that might be full of wild animals of a dangerous kind.
Altogether Jack felt he had not acted wisely. He went a little way into
the wood; but, finding it very dense, and fearful of losing his way in
its dark recesses, he soon returned to the clearing. Finally, as it
grew dark, being tired and drowsy after his exertions in climbing the
canyon, he fell asleep.