Хребты безумия
III
Itwasthefactthatonlyaradicallylightenedplanecouldpossiblycrossarangeofsuchheight,whichmercifullylimitedthatscoutingtourtothetwoofus. OnourreturnatoneA.M.,Danforthwasclosetohysterics,butkeptanadmirablystiffupperlip. Ittooknopersuasiontomakehimpromisenottoshowoursketchesandtheotherthingswebroughtawayinourpockets,nottosayanythingmoretotheothersthanwhatwehadagreedtorelayoutside,andtohideourcamerafilmsforprivatedevelopmentlateron; sothatpartofmypresentstorywillbeasnewtoPabodie,McTighe,Ropes,Sherman,andtherestasitwillbetotheworldingeneral. Indeed,DanforthisclosermouthedthanI:forhesaw,orthinkshesaw,onethinghewillnottellevenme.
Asallknow,ourreportincludedataleofahardascent—aconfirmationofLake’sopinionthatthegreatpeaksareofArchaeanslateandotherveryprimalcrumpledstrataunchangedsinceatleastmiddleComanchiantimes;aconventionalcommentontheregularityoftheclingingcubeandrampartformations; adecisionthatthecavemouthsindicatedissolvedcalcaerousveins;aconjecturethatcertainslopesandpasseswouldpermitofthescalingandcrossingoftheentirerangebyseasonedmountaineers; andaremarkthatthemysteriousothersideholdsaloftyandimmensesuperplateauasancientandunchangingasthemountainsthemselves—twentythousandfeetinelevation,withgrotesquerockformationsprotrudingthroughathinglaciallayerandwithlowgradualfoothillsbetweenthegeneralplateausurfaceandthesheerprecipicesofthehighestpeaks.
Thisbodyofdataisineveryrespecttruesofarasitgoes,anditcompletelysatisfiedthemenatthecamp.
