END OF THE JOURNEY

An hour later the party began the ascent of the wall of rock, which
proved to be an even more difficult business than they had anticipated.
There was no path, for those who lived beyond this natural barrier never
came down it, and few of the dwellers in the plains had ever ventured
to go up. It was possible, for Soa herself had descended here in bygone
years, and this was all that could be said for it.

In default of a better road they followed the course of the river,
which thundered down the face of the precipice in four great waterfalls,
connected by as many sullen pools, whose cavities had been hollowed out
in the course of centuries from the rock. The second of these ledges
proved so insurmountable that at one time Leonard thought that they
would be obliged to abandon their attempt, and follow the foot of the
cliff till they found some easier route. But at last Otter, who could
climb like a cat, succeeded in passing the most dangerous part at the
risk of his life, bearing a rope with him by means of which the rest
of the party and the loads of goods were hauled up one by one. It was
evening before the height was scaled, and they proceeded to encamp upon
its summit, making a scanty meal of some meat which they had brought
with them.

That night they passed in great discomfort, for it was mid-winter and
here the climate proved to be very cold. Bitter winds swept across the
vast plain before them and searched them through, all the clothing and
blankets they had scarcely sufficing to keep them warm; indeed, the
Settlement men and Francisco, who had been bred in a southern clime,
suffered severely. Nor were matters improved when, on the breaking of
the light, they woke from a troubled sleep to find the plain hidden in
a dense mist. However, they rose, made a fire with reeds and dead wood
which they gathered on the banks of the river, and ate, waiting for the
fog to vanish.

But it did not vanish, so about nine o'clock they continued their
journey under Soa's guidance, following the east bank of the river
northwards. The ground proved easy to travel over, for, with the
exception of isolated water-worn boulders of granite, the plain was
perfectly smooth and covered with turf as fine as any that grows in
northern lands.

All that day they marched on, wandering like ghosts through the mist,
and guided in their path by the murmuring sound of the river. They met
no man, but once or twice great herds