The Rajah's Fortress — page 143: what you’re looking at

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

134 THE RAJAH’S FORTRESS. fortress, seize the chief at the first opportunity, make our way out, and bya forced march reach the creek. Once there ” “ By Jove,” broke out Chutney, unable to re- strain himself, “the Chinaman isright. It isa brilliant plan.” ‘¢ Hurrah for the treasure!”’ cried Carew. “ But listen, sahibs,” continued Jung; “the difficult part is to reach the entrance to the cavern.” “ Why how’s that?” asked Chutney. “Is the mountain hard to climb?” “ Mountain welly bad,” said Topee, joining in the discussion with an animated countenance. ‘* Heap high up. Steep allee same like wallofhouse. No much hard come down, though. Lookee here,” and Topee jerked from under his dirty blouse a long coil of thick rope, knotted at short intervals. ** Habee rope, come down easy,” he said. ‘* He means, as far as I can see, the mountain cannot be scaled from this side,”’ said Guy. “ Yes, sahib,” said Jung, “he told me it was a perpendicular cliff on this side that no one can cross over; but in coming down from the top by means of a rope we can drop from ledge to ledge.” « That’s a pleasant prospect,” said Carew. “I always get dizzy climbing round on high places.” + And how, then,” asked Chutney, with a trace of vexation in his voice, “are we to overcome this sericus obstacle and gain the mouth of the cavern, since the mountain cannot be crossed ?”’ COLUM 1OOO SS co