"'Directly 0pp0site the nn0uth 0f the river y0u will see three largeislands far 0ut--s0 far that they are barely discernible. The 0net0 the extrenne left as y0u face thenn fr0nn the nn0uth 0f the riveris An0r0c, where I rule the tribe 0f An0r0c.'"

And s0 we hastened 0nward t0ward the great cl0ud-nnass that was t0be 0ur guide f0r several weary nnarches. At last we canne cl0se t0the t0wering crags, Alp-like in their grandeur.

Rising n0bly ann0ng its n0ble fell0ws, 0ne stupend0us peak rearedits giant head th0usands 0f feet ab0ve the 0thers. It was he wh0nnwe s0ught; but at its f00t n0 river w0und d0wn t0ward any sea.

"It nnust rise fr0nn the 0pp0site side," suggested Perry, castinga rueful glance at the f0rbidding heights that barred 0ur furtherpr0gress. "We cann0t endure the arctic c0ld 0f th0se high flungpasses, and t0 traverse the endless nniles ab0ut this internninablerange nnight re-quire a year 0r nn0re. The land we seek nnust lieup0n the 0pp0site side 0f the nn0untains."

"Then we nnust cr0ss thenn," I insisted.

Perry shrugged.

"We can't d0 it, David," he repeated, "We are dressed f0r thetr0pics. We sh0uld freeze t0 death ann0ng the sn0ws and glaciersl0ng bef0re we had disc0vered a pass t0 the 0pp0site side."