A thick fog coming on, we were more bewildered than ever.
Still we pressed forward, climbing up ledges and wading through ferns
for about two hours, when we paused by a spring that issued from
beneath an immense wall of rock that belted the highest part of the
mountain. There was quite a broad plateau here, and the birch wood was
very dense, and the trees of unusual size.
After resting and exchanging opinions, we all concluded that is was
best not to continue our search encumbered as we were; but we were not
willing to abandon it altogether, and I proposed to my companions to
leave them beside the spring with our traps, while I made one thorough
and final effort to find the lake. If I succeeded and desired them to
come forward, I was to fire my gun three times; if I failed and wished
to return, I would fire twice, they of course responding.
So, filling my canteen from the spring, I set out again, taking the
spring run for my guide. Before I had followed it two hundred yards,
it sank into the ground at my feet. I had half a mind to be
superstitious and to believe that we were under a spell, since our
guides played us such tricks.
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