Ensign Merrill — page 204: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

«We Ronee examine the ee ey vee ne ‘once. I “a mean the one mentioned by Chow Tow as existing over ’ there. It may be possible for our boats to pass through. In that case we will send a party of men over the cliffs y to signal Miller to come around on the other side with — the junk, and then embark on her at the outlet of the new channel. i *‘[ fear the journey will have an adverse effect me Ned Gage,’ he continued gravely; ‘‘but we ought to get him to Shanghai at once. The question is, can he be moved without great danger.’ “Tf this channel is found clear enough for small boais, : think the transfer will not result in much ex- — posure,’’ replied Watson. Ii required several hours to locate the entrance they were seeking, but, at last, after utilizing the whale- boat to skirt the coast, a party under Mark founda watercourse almost entirely hidden beneath a rank mass of undergrowth. | They could see where it passed through a narrow eulch in the high lands some distance from the edge — of the basin® By using axes brought for the purpose they were enabled to. penetrate almost a mile, fortunately _ finding that the vegetation was thinner and offered less _ resistance the farther they went. Mark was delighted at the result of his scatel and set about arranging their departure immedintee : Thirty of the crew were left in three of the boats under the boatswain’s directions to clear the passageway, with instructions to try and have it in readiness before night- — fall. Then, re-embarking, Mark returned to the stronghold. On the way over, he advised Dr. Agnew ~ of his plans, receiving that young surgeon’s assurance that the -middy” s transfer could be made, if conan Ghats ; carefully. e | comicbooks.com,