"Yes, and how magnificently we were talking about sailing through the
South Pole; treating the earth as if it were a mere ball to be jumped
about in at our pleasure. I feel as if I had suddenly fallen from the
powers of a god to those of a paralyzed caterpillar!"
But Torrence was up.
"I am dying of thirst," he said; "we must get to the hills or perish in
the sand. Do you know we shall be raving maniacs if we remain in this
temperature without water? Let us get to work and see what we can do.
I have brought all kinds of tools and materials, perhaps we can get her
afloat again."
And so we crawled back into the big machine and down into the lowest
compartment, where the great vibrators and delicate mechanism were
located. We worked hard for hours, under the most trying conditions,
where heat and thirst were maddening, and feeling that every moment's
delay brought us nearer the end of what we could stand. At last we
effected what Torrence believed would be a temporary adjustment of the
parts, for it was all we could do under the circumstances.
"With water and a cooler atmosphere I could make a perfect job," he
declared; "but I am exhausted, and this must answer for the present."
We climbed up on deck again and touched the button and shoved over the
lever. The glory of the next minute eclipsed every sensation of
exultant joy, for the air ship rose like a Phoenix from the ashes and
sailed. We dared not rise too high until better work should be done,
but at fifty feet above the ground we again pressed ahead at twenty
miles an hour. How long this would last we trembled to think, but more
than forty minutes had elapsed before we observed any lessening of the
speed; and then our hearts sank in proportion as we slowed down and
dipped earthward.
The temperature had materially fallen, but there was still no water in
sight, and our thirst was becoming unbearable, and at last the horrid
thud, as we again touched the earth sickened us.
"Can we not patch her up again?" I asked.
"As a matter of fact, we can," said Torrence, "but the bearings won't
hold as long as before, for the simple reason that I have not the
physical strength to adjust them properly."
"Let us try it at all events, and for God's sake be quick about it." I
felt that my thirst was overcoming me.
At the end of an hour we rose again, but this time not so high, nor
could we go so fast, and at the expiration of twenty minutes we were
again upon the ground.
And so all day long we repeated these terrible heart-breaking
experiments, each time rising a little less, and falling a little
sooner. I use the word day as a mere measure of time, as, of course,
there was no darkness; and all daylong the blue mountains hung like a
painting against the sky, and seemed to get no nearer. Our resources
were nearly exhausted. We could not speak above a whisper. My throat
ached, and the skin about my neck and cheeks felt like paper. But our
salvation lay in the air ship; by no other possible means could we hope
to escape the awful fate which threatened us.
* * * * *
*XXI.*
Desperate men will sometimes develop superhuman power, and I think when
Torrence next went to work upon the nerve-trying mechanism of the
vibrator, he must have made an abnormal effort. However this may have
been, the ship arose with renewed energy, and darted through the air
with a speed that astonished us both. This sudden accession of power
lasted for quite two hours, and when she sunk again to earth the rugged
hills were wonderfully near. Again he tried his hand upon the splendid
structure, but at last it was evident that neither nature nor art would
respond. He was too weak to adjust the vibrator, and without the
vibrator the vessel would not rise. We strained every nerve, and made
every shift imaginable, but she would not budge. Torrence was lying upon
the deck, unable to move after the terrific struggle below, for the
adjustment of the parts required not only physical force, but the
exercise of nearly every sense as well. The hearing, the sight, the
touch, must all be in perfect condition, and the strain of bringing
these up to par, when so far below their normal state, was terrible, and
now quite beyond his ability to achieve.
"How far are the hills?" he asked in a hoarse whisper.
"Hills," I answered, "my dear boy, they are towering cliffs of sheer
rock."
"And do you see no vegetation among them?"
"None. Indeed, so far as I can tell there is not a shovelful of soil in
the range!"
"But there must be water," he insisted, although I could see no sign of
any from where I stood, nor could I admit to myself that the prospect
was against it.
"There may be," was all I could answer.
"Gurt, old man, it is our only chance. You must go afoot."
"Alone?"
"Yes, alone, for I am not able to move. Do you think you can reach it?"
"I will try; but do not get out of heart. If there is any water to be
had I will find it. Yes, and I will bring it to you, dear boy. Don't
give up. I promise."
"God bless you. If I could go I would, but I can't!" was all he said.
I then staggered down the ladder and wandered off, hardly knowing how or
where, in search of water, for one drink of which I would have
sacrificed the entire wealth of our cargo.
Keeping the dark cliffs in view, I bent my steps toward them with a
strange misgiving.
The sand lay hot and deep in ridges, undulations, and depressions, like
the swell of the ocean; characteristics which had not been so pronounced
until I found myself crossing them afoot, and walking over waves into
which I sank shoe deep at every step. Full of pain, and exhausted I
plunged ahead, dazed and bewildered, conscious only that I was making
the last effort for our salvation. On and on I trudged toward those
terrible precipitous rocks ahead, at a rate which could not have carried
me more than a couple of miles in a single hour; and at last I sank down
exhausted to rest.
I looked about me. Where was the air ship? The vessel was nowhere in
sight, and I wondered if I had come farther than I thought. It was
impossible that the distance between us had made it invisible. The
machine had simply disappeared from the face of the earth, suddenly and
inexplicably.
In every direction the desert stretched, and above was the sky. It was
impossible that Torrence could have repaired the damage without me, and
sailed. I was bewildered, horrified. I felt that I was lost forever
and irredeemably, for even my footsteps had been obliterated by the
creeping of the sand, doubtless the effect of subterranean heat. I was
crushed; and as I sat there, burning and aching in every inch of my
body, and in mental agony as well, I cried.
Then I remembered the undulations of the plain, and was convinced that
the air ship was lying in one of the hollows between them, just out of
sight. Although this thought was comforting in one sense, it was not so
in another, inasmuch as it did not relieve the situation. The vessel was
as hopelessly lost as if she had sailed away without me. At least so I
felt about it. I shouted as loud as possible, but at best could not
have been heard a hundred yards, for my throat was parched and painful,
and its power gone. Death seemed close at hand, and closer, perhaps,
from a certain apathy which was stealing over me.
Stretching out at full length upon the sand, the cliffs beyond had an
ominous look. There was no appearance of life, neither was there tree
or bush to indicate the presence of water. Sheer cliffs, of unscalable
form, towered above me. Like the ruin of some vast Titanic home the
rocks were piled in huge masses, uncouth blocks and pinnacles, from the
sandy depths beneath to the vapory heights above. The wind whispered
through dark alleys and deserted passages, and at open casements; at
least these sounds appeared to reach me in that awful solitude, and I
was overpowered with the sense of a breathing, intelligent world around
me.
As I lay there staring stupidly up at the rugged forms of tower and
pinnacle surmounting this strange wall, I was struck with the appearance
of dark spots in the face of the cliff near the summit, which had a
peculiar regularity, as if they might be windows, cut or blasted out by
human hands. This interested and set me to examining the place more
carefully, when I became astounded at what I could no longer doubt was
an artificial design extending along the top of the precipice. Could it
be possible that this great natural wall was crowned with a castellated
structure built by men, and so closely resembling the cliff itself as to
be indistinguishable from it?
I raised my head and examined the place with growing curiosity. Yes,
there could be no question about it, the whole top of the wall was built
up artificially. Perhaps it was some great fortress, or decaying
monastery; for the singular blending of art and nature made it seem as
if the two had grown together through vast periods of time.
As I lay there, dreading the effort of rising, and indeed almost too
weak to proceed, there came a strange sound through the air, which grew
louder, and more inexplicable each minute. I listened, wondering if it
could be in my own ears, as signal of approaching death, and almost
wished it might be. Was it a rushing wind creeping down from the
heights above, or the portent of subterranean upheaval? It grew, and
while vaguely surmising the cause, I became suddenly aware of a fearful
object, hovering above. I started to my feet, staggered and fell, for
directly over me was one of those gigantic birds. It swooped earthward,
and I crouched in horror, as I saw that it was making directly for me.
The end was at hand. I should be pecked to pieces before I was dead,
and my flesh be consumed like carrion by this damnable, awe-inspiring
monster. Even had I the strength to resist, a dozen men could not have
coped with such a creature. I lay quietly waiting to feel that awful
beak pecking at my heart, my eyes, my brains, and suffered the agony of
a thousand deaths. Down it came; it was close above, and the stench
upon the air was overpowering. I could not move, for the paralysis of a
consuming fear devoured me. I looked straight up into those baleful
eyes, and my attention was attracted by a strange thing, for around the
bird's neck was suspended a gilded barrel of peculiar form. Now was I
alive, or was I dead? for at that moment a sight presented itself which
might well have made me doubt. When close above the ground, and within
fifty feet, the bird stopped and by some dextrous movement of beak and
claw, disengaged the barrel, which dropped quietly upon the ground,
leaving the animal free to fly away as quietly and mysteriously as it
had come. It disappeared among the rocks near the summit of the cliff.
Crawling toward the cask I examined it, and discovered to my unspeakable
joy that it was divided into two compartments, in one of which was about
five gallons of cold water, while in the other was a quantity of fruit.
Had this strange creature been sent from heaven? but I could not stop to
think until after I had drunk and eaten, and then falling down upon my
knees thanked God for his deliverance, for even here in this awful
desert I was watched and cared for.
I was a new man, but the thought of my brother dying in the air ship
came upon me with renewed force. Could I ever hope to find him? The
heights above offered the only chance of doing so, for there I could
overlook the inequalities of the sand hills, discover his position, and
with carefully established bearings reach the spot. It was a frightful
undertaking, but my only hope.
Hanging the cask with its remains of food and water across my back by
the cords attached, I again pushed forward, and after an hour's patient
trudging was relieved to find the sand less tenacious, and far more
shallow; in fact, the walking had become comparatively easy, but the
climb had not commenced. When it did I discovered what appeared to be a
natural rocky way leading above. Up this dangerous path I directed my
steps, and although the work was steep and laborious, it was a relief to
have solid ground once more beneath my feet.
At the end of two hours I had ascended to a great elevation, but to my
amazement the air ship was not yet visible. The atmosphere over the
plain was quivering with heat, and its dense gaseous condition may have
obscured the vessel, but I was greatly distressed that it had not come
in view. Another hour's climb and still the noble craft was hidden from
my sight.
It was growing cooler, but neither watercourse nor vegetation had been
encountered, yet the black, towering rocks closed in upon me on every
side. Whither was the path leading, and what would be the end? It
would be useless to return, to be lost in the drift. There was but one
object to steer by, and but one hope to which I could cling, and that
was the great barren rock that supported me. If once my back was turned
upon this single landmark, there was absolutely nothing to look to. And
so with aching heart, and the gravest misgivings, I struggled on,
stopping constantly to search the plain below.
So far the path had been narrow and tortuous, a mere rut, twisting in
and out among the irregularities of the wall, but suddenly I found
myself standing upon a horizontal ledge, like a natural piazza
overlooking the plain. On my right, at the back of this landing, the
cliff continued to rise in a sheer ascent of perhaps a hundred feet, and
here I again observed those dark openings, which I had seen from below.
It was a remarkable formation, and I walked along it with an uncanny
dread lest here was the abode of some unknown being which might resent
my intrusion.
The farther end of this extraordinary promenade was blocked by a mass of
rock, but upon examination I found a narrow alley which led to the rear,
and communicated with a vast internal passage, dimly illuminated with an
amber light coming from above, and falling about the walls in strange
scintillations of green, purple, blue, crimson and gold. I stood for a
moment staring in surprise, and then, overcome with curiosity, walked
into the interior. The corridor in which I found myself was at a right
angle to the esplanade, and ran directly into the mountain. It was of
vast height, although the peculiar configuration prevented my gaining
any accurate knowledge of its altitude, as the light filtered through
semi-transparent masses above, whose distance from the floor was
irregular and difficult to estimate.
The gloom of twilight reigned about me, but the coloring was of a
splendor indescribable. Above, below, around were these spark-like
points of illumination, shifting and changing like the twinkling of
stars, or the flash of precious stones, and of every conceivable color
and tone. I wandered on in stupid amazement, wondering whither it would
lead. The passage seemed interminable, and of ever increasing splendor.
The illumination from above would change from amber to erubescence, and
then it would fall upon my path in sudden rifts of green or gold, and
then return to its original amber tint again.
At last I came to what was undoubtedly an indication of life, and of
human life, too, for here at the end of the corridor was a door. Not a
common door, but a great cumbersome stone portal, which was made to
swing in a socket at the end. I stopped before this emblem of humanity
in awe. What was beyond it? I listened, but no sound came from within.
A massive chain of gold was hung from the point where with us a lock or
latch is affixed, and I could not doubt that it was intended as a handle
to pull upon. My curiosity was wrought to the highest pitch, and I
longed to grasp that chain and swing open the aperture. Twice my hand
was upon it, and twice I drew it away in terror; but at last, trembling
with excitement, and overcome with an unholy desire to solve the mystery
within, I seized it and pulled with all my might. The door swung open,
and I stood face to face with an extraordinary sight.
An apartment of magnificent proportions was before me. In size I should
say that it approximated a cube of a hundred feet. It was lighted from
above through a ceiling of transparent mosaics, arranged in superb
designs, apparently emblematic of historical events. The walls had been
carved out of the solid rock in pictorial cameos. These pictures
surrounded the room. They were perfect in delineation, and of
unparalleled workmanship. The floor was laid in rich mosaics, also
arranged in pictorial form, and the light from above was just strong
enough to add a mystery to the scene. Never had I dreamed of anything
so wonderful. In all this vast apartment, above, below, and upon every
hand, there was such lavish decoration that the eye was bewildered; it
was impossible to take it in.
As I stood there, marveling, gazing, I seemed to be the only living
creature in this great silent hall, and by degrees, as I gained courage,
I wandered on toward the center of the floor, trying to take in and
understand the marvelous scene, but as I have said, it was impossible to
comprehend it at a glance, or even to perceive the details of more than
a small part of what actually existed.
I had reached a point about halfway across the floor, my head strained
at every angle in reviewing the marvels around me, when suddenly I was
startled by a sight that made my heart give one great leap. Upon a
slightly raised dais, surrounding the room, I had observed not less than
a hundred richly decorated chairs. These were carved, gilded, bejeweled
and caparisoned in a manner that made it difficult to tell exactly what
they were, but I had decided that they were seats, and intended to
examine them a little later. Imagine, therefore, my horror to discover
that upon each chair sat a human being, so strange, so mysterious, and
of so awful an aspect, with gilded and painted faces, that I had not
recognized them before. Indeed these creatures were so richly robed,
and in that respect so closely resembled their surroundings that it was
only when one of them moved that I discovered my mistake. I had been
watched then from the moment of entering the room. There was nothing to
do but apologize for my intrusion; explain my errand, and retreat as
gracefully as possible.
I prostrated myself before this grave assembly; told how I was in search
of aid for my brother, who was perishing from thirst on the plain. I
asked if they would appoint a delegation to assist me in carrying water
and finding him. I said that he was exhausted with the heat, and that I
feared he would perish if not relieved immediately. Of course all this
I might as well have said in Choctaw; but what else could I do? Yes,
there was one other thing which I did. I pointed to the barrel of water
on my back, made a motion as if drinking, and then pointed out at the
plain, signifying that another was there who needed their aid. But
these strange, gaunt men neither smiled nor answered me. They sat
silently looking on with their dark, wonderful eyes, and did not even so
much as glance at one another. Had I been one of their own number I
would, apparently, have created as much surprise. Filled with chagrin
and horror at the extraordinary situation in which I found myself, I
began slowly to retreat, keeping my eyes fixed upon these unearthly
beings, and their environment. Indeed their recognition had been so
sudden and unexpected that I half looked for other developments in what
had appeared fixtures of the apartment. In doing this I observed that
the spaces between the pictorial cameos on the walls were filled from
floor to ceiling with what appeared to be stacks of metallic tablets.
It seemed possible that the place was a vast library, or depository of
historic records, some of the scenes of which were depicted upon the
walls. Could it be that these men composed a guard for their
preservation?
Slowly I retreated toward the door by which I had entered, stepping
backward, and never relaxing my eyes from a close and careful scrutiny
of the scene. Glancing at the farther end of the room, I was suddenly
electrified by one of the mural decorations I had not before observed.
It was a representation of a man and woman being driven through a great
natural gateway; but that was not all, for the portal through which they
were passing was an accurate delineation of Mount Horror and Mount
Gurthrie.
For a moment I stopped, and then overcome with the significance of the
picture and the horrible mystery of my surroundings, turned, and fled
toward the door. Seizing the chain which hung within I flung it open and
rushed out; but, alas, I had mistaken the entrance. There were other
doors, and I had taken the wrong one.
I was in a dark, narrow passage, with the door behind me closed, and as
I soon discovered with no chain to reopen it, nor would it yield to my
pressure. With my hand against the wall I groped forward, feeling
carefully with my feet at the same time. The passage was not straight,
and as it turned from side to side I realized that I was wandering
through a crevice in the earth.
On and on I crept, until at last, overcome with terror at the thought of
my position, and the probable fate which awaited me, I sank down upon
the floor, almost wishing that I had perished in the plain below. As I
sat there brooding over our misfortunes, a strange odor was wafted
through the passage, which I recognized at once as belonging to those
gigantic birds of the desert.
*XXII.*
The peculiar odor alluded to grew more intense, until it became almost
insupportable. I got up and stumbled on, hoping to escape it, and find
an outlet to the open air, wondering at the same time if the alley led
to a nest, or general rendezvous of these extraordinary creatures. The
passage I was following was not only crooked, but in places it inclined
upward, leading me to look for an opening above. The darkness was
intense, and perhaps I felt it the more from the fact that there had
been no night since the last great headland of Europe had faded from our
view.
I could form no idea of the distance I had groveled along this black,
noisome rift, when a flickering light greeted my eyes ahead which filled
me with joy, although it was evidently not the light of day; still it
relieved the awful sensation of having been trapped alive in a tomb of
solid rock. The light approached slowly; evidently it was a long way
off when first observed, and the reflection on the walls was all I was
able to see for quite a time, but at last I heard approaching footsteps.
There was a sharp angle ahead, and upon turning it, I found myself face
to face with a human being bearing a torch. We stood for a second
staring at each other. The man, if man it were, was tall, gaunt, with
copper-colored skin, painted and gilded in geometrical designs, and with
white hair that fell about his face and neck. He wore a crimson paletot
which hung from his shoulders without belt or girdle. He was nearly a
head the taller, and as I stood watching him in the flickering light of
the flambeau, I was chilled, subdued, humbled, realizing that I was in
the presence of a being whose powers I could not fathom. Without a word
he turned, and with majestic wave of firebrand, motioned me to follow.
I did as I was bid, knowing nothing else, and together we threaded the
subterranean passage in its upward trend.
We struggled on up the incline, which ended in a vaulted chamber, where
were standing vessels of water, and a quantity of peculiar-looking food
upon a marble slab. In a corner was a pile of mats, doubtless intended
for a bed. The walls were rough as if blasted from the living rock.
About forty feet above my head was an opening through which the blessed
daylight entered. My attendant left without a word, closing the heavy
stone portal behind him.
Finding myself alone, I began to investigate the surroundings with a
view of escape. It would have been useless to return as I had come, for
even had my chamber door been open, the other end of the passage was
closed against me; but the man had fastened the great stone portal after
him; it was immovable in its stone socket. I was sealed up alive in a
vault whose only opening was far above my head. How to reach that
outlet was now what most concerned me.
Here I again observed the peculiar odor of those gigantic birds; if it
became much stronger I thought it would stifle me. Examining the walls
of my prison I found them in many places rough enough to afford a
lodgment, huge blocks, projecting into the apartment; but the height was
great, and I dared not attempt climbing to the opening above unless sure
of finding a passable way to the top. The outlet was not directly in
the apex of the roof, but upon one side, near the spring of the arch.
The light was dim, and it was some time before I had fully mastered the
bearings, but after a careful search I discovered in a remote corner a
regular ledge of projecting rock, which appeared to go all the way to
the ceiling. Indeed it looked as if it might have been used as a
stairway to communicate with the roof. I lost no time in trying this,
feeling uncertain as to what fate awaited me. And so, with the little
barrel still upon my back, commenced the ascent immediately. As I had
thought, it led without difficulty to the aperture, and I begun to
congratulate myself with the thought that there was no intention of
making me a prisoner after all, when so easy a way had been provided for
my escape.
But this idea was quickly dispelled on finding myself upon the top of
this lofty formation, which fell away upon every side in great chasms,
and awful rifts, impossible to cross or descend with any means at my
disposal. It was clear enough why there had been no effort to prevent
my emerging here.
Far out over the desert the atmosphere still quivered in the dreadful
heat, but even at this tremendous elevation I could see nothing of the
air ship. Was it too small an object to be recognized so far away, or
was it hid by the undulations of the sand; or, could it be possible, no,
I could not believe it was possible, but still the thought would come to
me, that Torrence had repaired the damage, and sailed away alone to
continue the exploration by himself? I am sure such a conception would
never have entered my mind were it not for the awful strain I had been
subjected to.
Wandering across my prison roof I looked down into one of the great
abysses beneath, a kind of natural courtyard, and beheld there a scene
that interested me, and explained the presence of the odor, so often
observed. Half a dozen of these gigantic birds were stalking about in
this inclosure, and while I looked a man came among them bearing a
barrel, the counterpart of the one I possessed. Going to the nearest,
he fastened the vessel about its neck, and immediately after it flew up
directly past where I stood, and out over the desert. Suddenly it
flashed upon me that I might have fallen upon some strange monastery,
where the _Fathers_ dispatched birds instead of dogs to rescue those
lost upon the plain below. It was merely a thought; I had no way of
proving it, and give it for what it is worth. But even the thought was
a comfort to my harried soul.
Fortunately I had water and food with me, and had no desire to return to
the chamber, although momentarily dreading to be summoned before some
august power to account for myself. I spent hours in searching the
walls below, endeavoring to discover some rift or ledge by which I might
descend; but there was not the shadow of a chance upon any side.
Exhausted I lay down and slept, but my sleep was troubled, and I soon
found myself tramping the bard ground again. I could see nothing but
starvation ahead, and imagined the indwellers of the glittering cave
beneath quietly awaiting my end; although for what purpose I could not
guess.
I have not the slightest idea how long I remained upon this barren
mountain top, but after hours of mental torture I suddenly caught sight
of the air ship flying toward me high above the desert plain. My heart
gave one great leap of joy, and then I relapsed into a dreadful fear
lest Torrence should not see me. In an instant I had pulled off my
shirt and was waving it frantically. I watched for an answer, but no,
he was not on the lookout; still I would not relax my efforts until
every hope had passed. I shouted, I roared, I waved my shirt and coat
frantically. I ran as fast as possible about the rock to attract his
attention. I took off one of my boots and beat upon the water barrel;
but still he did not signal in reply. I was beside myself with horror
at the thought of being left alone in this mysterious world. Surely
though, even if he passed he would return to look for me. On and on came
the air ship, as magnificently as ever. He had managed then without me
to repair the damage, for never had she sailed more splendidly, more
superbly than now. Nearer and nearer she came. What if the terrible
noise I was making should arouse my captors below, and they should seize
and carry me down to their own mysterious regions again? The thought
sickened me, yet I dared not cease my bellowing and shouting for a
single instant. So near the mountain, and yet no signal. Oh, horror!
was he going to leave me? He had reached a point directly above my
head; and now he could not see me if he were on deck. It was my last
hope.
"Torrence! Torrence!" I cried, as if my heart would break.
Oh God! The agony of that minute as I saw the vessel quickly drift away
upon her course, leaving me lost and alone or in the companionship of
men whose methods of life were inscrutable. Once more I yelled. It was
my last and greatest effort--and--what did I see----? Yes, it had borne
fruit. The great machine paused in its flight, and Torrence looked over
the rail. I waved, my shirt frantically. He saw me--he heard me. The
motion was reversed; and then, like some majestic bird, she settled
earthward.
It would be useless to attempt a description of my feelings at that
moment. I cannot even realize them myself. I only know that when the
huge monster touched the mountain top I sprang upon her side like a
madman, and clutched wildly at the footboard before the ladder was
dropped. In a minute I was aboard; the rail snapped to behind me, and
we were sailing tranquilly away from the horrible scenes that had so
beset us. But before a hundred yards had been placed between us and
those awful cliffs, a body of men had ranged themselves in line to
witness our departure. I do not pretend to account for what I saw in
those rock-bound halls; if this were fiction I would doubtless do so;
but as it is, I can only offer the suggestions already made, be they
worth what they may.
We now flew rapidly away over rough and interminable ranges of
mountains. Pure chaotic masses of stone, without a trace of vegetation
in sight. Indeed there was no soil to support tree, bush, or herbage.
We crossed frightful chasms, hundreds of feet deep, we scaled terrific
heights, and looked down from the top of precipices into darkened
valleys. Crags were heaped upon crags. Dreadful gorges yawned beneath
us. Nothing in our own world can compare with this region, and when it
is remembered that not a drop of water, or shovelful of soil is to be
found, the terror of the place may be faintly pictured.
At intervals we caught sight of those gigantic birds, which resembled
the fabled roc, and which were apparently hatched in these desolations,
for they were at home here where no other creature could support life,
and what they found to live upon it was impossible to guess. They came
swooping up from out the black chasms beneath, and after circling about
us in curiosity, would descend again into the awful gulches from which
they sprang.
We were days in crossing these rugged ranges, which we called "the
mountains of death," and we feel sure that the distance across them was
more than a thousand miles. The heat throughout was intense, although
nowhere did it compare with what we had already experienced.
Torrence told me that one of those gigantic birds had come to his aid
with water, just as it had to me, and the remains of his cask and mine
furnished all our drink until we reached the Crystal River, a stream we
found and named from its clearness; but this was not until we had put
"the mountains of death" entirely behind us. The strange castellated
structure upon which I had fallen was the only human habitation we
discovered throughout our passage across these rugged ranges, and it
remains a mystery to both of us where the inhabitants procured their
food supplies, or even the water they drank and furnished to others.
How that extraordinary edifice was ever constructed, or how its inmates
communicated with the world beyond is likely to remain an unsolved
mystery to the end of time.
The air ship had behaved beautifully after leaving the "castle of the
dead hills," as we called it, and Torrence told me that he had succeeded
in making a perfect adjustment after getting the water, and that he
believed the vibrator would not trouble us again. It was fortunate it
had not, while crossing "the mountains of death," as there wore long
stretches where it would have been difficult to have found enough level
land for a resting place, and any misbehavior on the vessel's part might
have precipitated us into subterranean depths from which we could never
have risen.
Having decided to push through the opening at the South Pole, and
desirous of reaching our own world as early as possible, we put the
vessel to a high rate of speed, after having filled our water casks at
the Crystal River, and bathed in its cool, delicious current. The land
beneath us had again become green and beautiful, and the atmosphere of a
temperature which left nothing to be desired. Our haste was not because
we would reach the south polar regions at any pleasanter season, but
from terror lest the air ship should collapse. It was a kind of
homesickness, growing apace; a terror of pending disaster and ultimate
inability to reach the land of our birth.
For days after this we traveled at a rapid rate, over a varying country.
We crossed great forests, flowering plains of unparalleled beauty, and
trees whose fruits we stopped occasionally to test. And here we saw
animals, nearly as large as our elephants, but with heads like the wild
boar. We passed over thickly settled districts, where the inhabitants
rode upon animals of great speed and delicacy of build, although but
slightly resembling our horses. We hovered over magnificent cities
densely populated, and with temples and monuments of passing splendor;
but we did not stop at any of these, from our utter inability to
communicate with the inhabitants. There were rivers teeming with ships,
and loaded with passengers, but upon every hand was the evidence of rest
and recreation. No work; no commerce; no effort to live. But wherever
we were seen the ubiquitous trumpet announced our approach and departure
in an anthem of wonderful beauty.
At last my dread that we were approaching a great internal ocean was
realized, for we came to a halt on the summit of a lofty cliff, with a
splendid vision of the sea beyond. There was something in the
appearance of the water that made us both believe it was more than a
mere inland lake. The surf which rolled in upon the shore, the distant
white caps, and the raw, saline smell in the air, suggested a watery
waste of vast extent. It was a rugged coast, and we decided to overhaul
our machinery before venturing into the unknown beyond.
On this headland we cooked our dinner, just as we had done upon the
North Cape, indeed there was something so similar in the appearance of
the two places that we were reminded of our adventure there, and took
care that there should be no repetition of it.
A careful examination of the vibrator showed that Torrence had repaired
it perfectly, and there seemed no possibility of further trouble, but to
make assurance doubly sure, we applied extra bolts to secure the damaged
parts, and were then, as Torrence declared, in a better position than
when we left London.
The great light disk in the heavens had been slowly ascending toward the
zenith, with our advance upon the equator, and as it now stood about
ninety degrees from the vertical meridian, or halfway between the
horizon and overhead, we imagined we must be somewhere nearly under the
tropics of our own world. There had been no falling off in the light,
it being disseminated throughout the interior with equal purity and
force; and as Torrence explained, when the northern summer waned, with
the passage of the sun across the line, the south polar opening would
gradually supplant the deficiencies of the north. I wish we could have
remained in our new world long enough to have witnessed this change, but
we could not make up our minds to so long a stay.
"It does seem astounding," I said to Torrence, as we sat sipping our
coffee, "that the people of this world should never have discovered
their close proximity to our own outer sphere, which is indeed
equivalent to another planet!"
"No more astounding," he answered, "than that we, who so continually
boast of our superior powers, should through all these ages have failed
to even suspect their existence. We search the heavens for indications
of life upon our sister planets, and neglect this world beneath our
feet. That to me is more astounding than the other!"
The outlook ahead was melancholy; possibly due to the uncertainty of
when we should again see land. We continued our meal in silence, and
then with a final look at the machinery, re-embarked to cross this
unexplored sea.
The cliffs rapidly faded away in the distance, while the sky above, and
the water beneath, alone remained to us. We felt like the tenants of
some meteor traversing the regions of interplanetary space.
We now flew onward with tremendous velocity, for there were no pitfalls,
no mountains to avoid, and nothing of interest to see. Moreover,
Torrence had come to the conclusion that a rapid rate of transit was
less inclined to disorder the machinery than the reverse.
Hour after hour we swept ahead through this realm of mystery, constantly
scanning the horizon for speck, or sail, or life upon the sluggish
waves, and wondering if human eyes had ever looked upon the picture
flowing beneath us.
"I feel quite sure," said Torrence, "that this sea will not extend to
the Antarctic Ocean. For various scientific reasons I am convinced that
land predominates upon the interior, and we are much too far from the
southern opening to make it at all probable that no more land will be
met. This body of water may be a thousand miles across, or even more,
and there may be channels communicating with the South Pacific, although
this is mere conjecture; but land we shall have!"
As the geography of the interior was quite as familiar as that of the
opposite side of the moon, it seemed absurd to form any opinion
concerning it, but Torrence had decided views upon every subject.
About four hundred miles out upon this mysterious ocean we were
astonished by the sight of a ship. She was rigged and bedecked in the
same extraordinary style that the river boats had been; and it was
certainly in evidence of an equable climate, that these gaudily attired
vessels dared venture so far to seaward. She was moving diagonally
across our path, with her stern toward us. In the distance her singular
sails flashed in the light, and as we approached we saw a similar crowd
of gayly attired passengers upon her deck. We took them quite by
surprise, and as we hovered across their mastheads, a tremendous shout,
followed by the blare of trumpets, greeted us. Although wondering
whence they came, and to what distant shores they were bound, we knew it
would be useless to tarry, in the hope of gaining any information, and
after extending our blessing hurried on.
Strange thoughts crowded into our minds at the sight of this vessel, and
questions that could never be answered forced themselves upon us. Was
there any commerce in this mysterious world; and if so, how, and where
was it conducted? Through all the territory we had traversed there had
been no indication of trade. The people simply lived without effort or
want. But what had these vessels to do with their lives? Surely
pleasure excursions would hardly venture so far in such frail, ornate
contrivances, resembling the gilded craft of fairyland. Might not many
of our nursery rhymes have originated in old traditions, having their
fountain head in this forgotten land of our inner world? It was a
curious thought, and there were constant sights suggesting it.
Within twenty-four hours of our embarking upon this unfamiliar ocean a
hazy purple line appeared across the horizon, which indicated land. We
had come about twelve hundred miles over the water, but for aught we
knew might simply have crossed an arm of the sea itself, whose size, of
course, we were unable to estimate. We first reached land over a
promontory, upon either side of which the water trended in deep bays.
Far down upon the western coast we thought we caught the outline of a
gilded city, whose minarets and towers stood faintly against the misty
sky. But the world we had discovered was so vast we could not hope to
do more than gain the merest superficial suggestions of what it
contained.
Again the dry land was beneath us, picturesque and greener than ever.
Similar fruits and trees greeted us here as upon the other continent.
Indeed the climatic conditions appeared so equable throughout the
interior, with the exception of the desert and the country contiguous to
it, that there seemed no reason why the same food supplies should not be
raised throughout.
But we were rapidly approaching the southern gateway of this newly
discovered Eden, and I looked forward with horror to the darkness and
cold which were soon to envelope us. Beyond that, I had the most
pleasurable anticipations of returning to our paradise after acquainting
the outer world with the results of the voyage.
*XXIII.*
It took more than a week of rapid traveling to cross this last
continent, during which time we ate and slept alternately, one of us
constantly remaining on watch above. Many cities were passed of a
splendor exceeding anything known upon our side of the globe, and during
the transit we witnessed what we could not doubt were different
nationalities, if not different civilizations. These changes were,
however, not easy to estimate, from the fact that all we saw was so
strangely, so utterly foreign that differentiations which would be
marked and strongly apparent to a denizen of the inner sphere, were only
slightly in evidence to us. It was as if a native of darkest Africa
should journey abroad through Europe; it is not likely that he would
perceive much dissimilarity between German, French, English or Russian
citizens.
We halted only at long intervals, and generally in thinly settled
districts, to overhaul our machinery, or stretch our legs upon the
ground. The amount of territory covered during that week was vast, the
air ship being kept at her highest speed. We crossed rivers, great
lakes, or inland seas. We saw sights well worth recording, and marvels
which we longed to investigate, and would indeed have done so were it
not for our utter inability to communicate with the people; and perhaps
some day, even if we should not return, it will be worth to write a
fuller description of all the wonders we encountered in that strange
inner world; that world which, since the dawn of creation, has been so
close at hand, and yet whose existence we have never suspected.
Far to the south we crossed a body of water so closely studded with
mountain islets, that many were connected by bridges, and nowhere could
there have been a thousand yards between them, and this for a distance
of five hundred miles. And yet here were evidences of a past
civilization, in the deserted old castles, and rock carvings which
abounded among them. We hovered close above some of the largest of
these relics, without eliciting a response from a human being.
Manifestly they had been deserted for untold ages. The golden trumpet
had vanished from these desolate halls, neither was there any sign of
life within.
A change was coming over the air. There was a chill and the light was
fading from the sky.
"We must prepare for cold weather ahead!" said Torrence.
And then we went down into the cabin and made everything as taut and
snug as possible. The hatching to the upper deck was closed, and every
crevice carefully chinked. Our portholes were fastened and screwed
down. Our ventilators arranged, so that the outer air could only reach
us through coils of heated pipe; and if the air ship did not fail us, it
seemed impossible that we should suffer in our rapid flight across the
frozen sea of the Antarctic regions.
Gradually our disk of heavenly light receded toward the north; and it
was clear that we were rapidly approaching the south polar opening. At
last it sank entirely out of sight, leaving us in a chill, rapidly
closing twilight.
By the time our preparations were completed, it became necessary to
start the heaters, put on warmer clothing, and confine ourselves to the
cabin. We had bade a final adieu to the summer land, and the rigor of
the south polar regions was ahead. Darkness was coming down upon us, as
well as the cold, and occasional masses of floating ice were seen from
time to time.
At last the stars became visible, the first we had seen in more than a
month, and then there shot up into the sky a great pink light--the
_aurora australis_--to remind us of the bright and happy land behind.
At that minute I felt a yearning to return; for there was the world of
dreams, of poetry, rest, beauty and contentment.
"Torrence," I said, shuddering at the thought of what lay ahead, "how
long will it take us to cross this horrible sea of ice and darkness?"
"If we press her, we can do a thousand miles a day. You can figure for
yourself. But this region of cold and starlight need not disturb you,
for we can dash through it like a meteor. Indeed, were it not for the
danger of unlooked for eminences, we might sleep until reaching the land
of the sun. But that, of course, cannot be, as a constant lookout
through the forward port will be necessary."
The vessel had been furnished with a powerful headlight, which cast a
dazzling illumination among the mirror-like surfaces beneath; and as we
sat staring into the trembling path, constantly stretching away before
us, we felt indeed, as Torrence had suggested, like the parasites of an
earth-bound meteor, traversing these regions of ice and darkness in a
single night.
Our cabin lamp was lit, and we were stationed at the forward lookout
Torrence glanced at the speed indicator.
"Seventy miles an hour!"
I was startled. A mishap at such an awful rate of transit would smash
us into a thousand atoms, and the news of our discovery be lost to the
earth. But my brother was calm and unconcerned; he had no misgiving
while one or the other of us remained on watch.
"It beats the Erebus and the Terror," I answered nervously, peering into
the marvelous vista ahead, and the rapidly extending pathway dancing and
flickering in the wonderful headlight.
Fresh panoramas were constantly unrolled in the glimmering distance.
There were scenes that were strange and alarming. Pinnacles and ridges
of ice--autochthonous--awful--would compel us to rise to sudden and
terrible heights, to clear them. It was like a steeple chase on a
gigantic scale. We were leaping fences, and clearing ditches; only the
fences were ice masses hundreds of feet in height, and the ditches
horrible chasms whose depths could not be guessed. On and on we flew,
through these regions of mystery, which the most daring explorer had
never even approached, and without a flying machine it seemed likely he
would never penetrate. We did not suffer from the cold, wrapped up in
our cozy cabin, although our spirit thermometer, which was placed
directly outside one of the windows, where we could see it, marked a
temperature as low as -eighty degrees. It was an atmosphere of death,
and fortunately we were hermetically sealed against it.
"I propose," said Torrence, "that our next voyage into the interior of
our planet be made through the south polar opening at midsummer, about
January, to enable us to see what kind of country we are passing
through!"
"That is easy enough to see now," I answered; "ice mountains, ice
oceans, ice continents, icebergs, ice valleys of death; surely no living
creature could exist in such icy solitudes, in such unutterable cold!"
"But you must remember this ice belt is probably not nearly so wide
during the summer months. There is doubtless a change."
"Remember the Palaeocrystic Sea!" I suggested.
"True," he answered, "but remember it was narrow, and that we have never
seen it in the winter."
"Of all our experiences," I observed reflectively, "the present
situation strikes me as the most remarkable, skurrying through these
frozen regions like a comet, and spying out the land by the light of a
candle. It is surely not the method most in vogue among pioneers!"
"It has certainly not been done frequently before," he answered; "but
now that we know the way, a trip to the interior by either of the poles
may become a desirable pleasure excursion; in fact it may grow into a
fashionable fad, who can tell, and the future may develop----!"
He stopped suddenly, and we both became transfixed with horror at the
sight that confronted us.
Directly below, but standing on the very pinnacle of one of the ice
hummocks, was a human being, revealed by our headlight. The man was
facing us, and waving his arms furiously. Could anything be more
blood-curdling than such a sight in such a place? No ship or sled, nor
indication of life was visible, save this solitary, deserted creature.
The region was impenetrable to human beings; we knew it; it seemed
incredible, and yet there it was, a living man, and alone, in this
untraversed, and untraversable wilderness of ice.
Such solitude, such isolation, such an impossible fact, was like a
sudden vision of the supernatural.
We had been moving at tremendous speed, but before we had quite passed
this weird object Torrence had slowed down the air ship and a minute
later had brought it to a halt.
We quickly wrapped ourselves in the heaviest eiderdown and fur garments
we possessed, not daring to open a window for communication until
thoroughly protected, as, of course, we intended taking the poor
creature aboard, and to save his life, were it possible to do so. When
every precaution had been taken, we backed the vessel, and lowered
ourselves to a level with the ice. When the headlight had been brought
to shine against the ice mass, a great white bear lowered himself down
the side and leisurely walked away. He had been alarmed, and his
curiosity aroused at the sight of our light, hence the mistake! We had
a roaring laugh over the absurdity of our error, and then proceeded upon
our journey at the former rate of speed.
We passed three ranges of lofty mountains, which looked as if they must
forever bar the entrance to these regions of cold and darkness; for they
were flanked with terrible glaciers and precipices, thousands of feet
high, and sheathed in great ridges of glittering ice.
We rose to fearful altitudes in crossing the summits of these sublime
and awful crags, and wondered if there was no gap or opening at sea
level between them. Doubtless there must have been, but our shortest
course lay directly over their highest elevations, not being inclined to
take the time to explore their topography. By the light of day the view
from these heights must have been grand beyond description, but at the
time of year in which we crossed there was little to be seen. It is
worthy of record that at an altitude of eleven thousand two hundred and
eighty feet we encountered a temperature of ninety-one degrees below
zero Fahrenheit. I cannot conceive that there is a colder spot on
earth.
Dawn at last gladdened our eyes, and then the glorious sun became
visible, though not until we had passed far beyond these unknown regions
of Antarctic ice, but then our own world was about us, and we watched
the growing day with intense interest. As we sped northward over the
great Pacific, the air grew warmer, and life again became possible on
deck.
Opening the hatchway we went above, and aired ourselves in the pure
breeze of heaven, which blew gently across our bow, and was warm and
grateful.
Then on we flew for days at a more moderate rate, following a direct
line north over the South Pacific. We intended to make port in San
Francisco, and then cross the continent in easy stages to New York. But
man proposes and God disposes.
One afternoon, while smoking our cigars on deck, and enjoying the balmy
air of the tropics, Torrence was surprised in looking over the rail to
discover that we were much nearer the water than he had supposed. Going
down immediately to the lower controlling board, he examined the
apparatus and readjusted his screws and buttons, and tested the lever,
but the vessel did not respond as she ought to have done. We were
gradually sinking toward the surface of the water, and nothing we could
do would check the descent.
"I can't understand it," said Torrence in dismay, "unless the vibrators
have become deranged again, through exposure to the intense cold, and
the ensuing heat. Contraction and expansion must be the cause. It is
impossible to remedy it while in the air. We must seek some island
immediately. Even then I am afraid, before we shall be able to proceed,
that it will be necessary to duplicate some of her parts, which may
require the aid of a machine shop. But for the present we must look out
for our lives!"
We took an examination of the sun, and investigated our charts. We were
south of the tropic of Capricorn, and far removed from those island
groups that lay to the north and west of us. Indeed we were in a very
ticklish place, for to the best of our knowledge there was no land
anywhere in our vicinity. After so long and marvelous a voyage, after
having encountered such perils of air, water, fire, ice, and land, it
did seem doubly hard to perish in our own world, before even the news of
our discovery could be given to that world.
There were two things which it seemed important to do without delay; the
first was to throw overboard the rest of our gold quartz, and every
weighty object; the second was to seal up this record as quickly as
possible in some water-tight vessel, in the hope that it might be picked
up, and the result of our remarkable journey become known. I rushed
down into the galley to find a suitable cask for the purpose, but before
I had secured what I wanted, I heard Torrence calling me above. He had
discovered a blue line on the horizon which he believed was land. A
careful examination convinced me that he was right, and our efforts were
immediately directed to reaching it, and to saving our treasure as well.
Having a direct goal in sight we now put on all speed, and flew over the
water at the rate of seventy miles an hour, a thing we should have
hardly dared to do except under the circumstances, but our lives, our
news, and our cargo were at stake.
Lower and lower we sank toward the waves, but nearer and nearer came the
island. Would we reach it in time? It was a wild, frantic race between
distance and elevation. The air ship was screwed down to her utmost
capacity in speed, but she was also falling at a rate which made the
outcome doubtful. Having come so far with our treasure we naturally
felt averse to parting with it. Enough gold quartz to have had any
material effect upon the buoyancy of the vessel would probably have been
worth more than a million dollars, and with salvation so near ahead, we
were inclined to make every effort to save it all. Our jewels were
inestimable, and no serious burden, and would, of course, either be
saved entirely, or go to the bottom with us.
On we flew, now skimming so close against the waves that we could hear
the spray as it dashed against the bottom, but we were rushing upon the
island with terrific speed. We could see now that it was well clothed
with foliage, and that a clean, flat beach lay before us, where we could
land without difficulty, if we could only reach it. On and on we swept,
but each dash of the waves was more ominous. At last a great white
swell raised us bodily; would we sink with it? No, we were still a few
feet above the sea, but the water had retarded our progress, and the
vessel trembled violently in recovering herself. On again; but now
every wave was slamming against our bottom, and throwing us up and down
with a violence that seemed as if it must destroy us, if continued for
more than a minute. Slam, bang, crash, as we bounded from wave to wave,
and steadily settling between them, and yet how far away the island
looked. We were clinging to the rail for dear life, not daring to go
below for fear of being drowned, and holding on above lest we be knocked
overboard. Suddenly Torrence left me, and rushed down the ladder at the
risk of his life.
"Let's pour a barrel of oil over the water!" he shouted.
I was with him in a minute, and together we emptied the remains of our
oil cask over the water. The effect was instantaneous. The waves
subsided at once, and we found ourselves floating a few feet above the
surface. It now seemed possible to reach the shore. Another minute
decided the question, as we checked speed suddenly, and then dropped
gently upon the beach. We had conquered, but where had we landed at
last?
Examining our charts, with which we were amply provided, we discovered
that the island to which we had escaped was not mentioned among them.
It does not belong to any of the archipelagoes in this part of the
world, and is situated hundreds of miles from its nearest neighbor, in a
region clear out of the track of vessels, being in long. 113.40
west--lat. 26.30 south. It is uninhabited, and surrounded by a reef of
rocks, and exceedingly dangerous to approach by vessels.
We made a thorough examination of the machinery, and our fears were
confirmed. While the air ship is intact in every part save one, that
one is just beyond our power to repair. In a mechanical laboratory this
article could be replaced in a couple of hours, but here, alas, we have
not the necessary conditions.
"It is a trifle," said Torrence, "and I should have brought a duplicate,
but it is a trifle which has quite undone us!"
His words were ominous; more so than I appreciated at first, but as time
continues to pass without bringing relief, their real significance is
forced upon me.
We have been here now for more than a year, having landed upon the 8th
of August, 1894, while it is now the 20th of September, 1895.
Fortunately our island is well supplied with fruits and fish, or we
should be in even sadder plight than we are. It seems incredible that
we should have traversed so great a portion of the earth's surface, and
skimmed her interior from pole to pole, to find ourselves at last
stranded upon this lonely shore, where the sight of a sail has never
relieved the monotony of our solitude. It does indeed look as though
Providence guarded the knowledge of our wonderful secret from the world
at large, else why should we not have been permitted to carry it a
little further.
I have written this record of our adventures, and shall now seal it up
carefully in a cask and consign it to the waters when the wind blows off
shore, in the hope that it will be carried out to the track of vessels,
and picked up by some passing craft, and so be the means of bringing us
aid, and of conveying the news of our wonderful discovery to the world.
All day the wind has been blowing hard off shore, and the time has come
to start the cask upon its doubtful voyage. Everything is ready; and in
less than an hour earth's greatest secret will be cast upon the waters.
May it bring us relief.
TORRENCE ATTLEBRIDGE,
GURTHRIE ATTLEBRIDGE,