South was a nearly level plain, and to the west I thought I could dimly see a range of mountains that held a little snow upon their summits, but on the main range to the south there was none.

It seemed to me the dim snowy mountains must be as far as 200 miles away, but of course I could not judge accurately.

After looking at this grand, but worthless landscape long enough to take in its principal features we asked each other what we supposed the people we left behind would think to see mountains so far ahead.

We knew that they had an idea that the coast range was not very far ahead, but we saw at once to go over all these mountains and return within the limits of fifteen days which had been agreed upon between us, would probably be impossible, but we must try as best we could, so down the rocky steep we clambered and hurried on our way.

In places the way was so steep that we had to help each other down, and the hard work made us perspire freely so that the water was a prime necessity.