track had been made from one end of the gorge to the other。
He was hospitably entertained at the shepherd's hut just mentioned；
which he reached on Monday； December 1。 He told the shepherd in
charge of it that he had come to see if he could find traces of a
large wingless bird； whose existence had been reported as having
been discovered among the extreme head waters of the river。
〃Be careful； sir； said the shepherd； 〃the river is very dangerous；
several peopleone only about a year agohave left this hut； and
though their horses and their camps have been found； their bodies
have not。 When a great fresh comes down； it would carry a body out
to sea in twenty…four hours。〃
He evidently had no idea that there was a pass through the ranges
up the river； which might explain the disappearance of an explorer。
Next day my father began to ascend the river。 There was so much
tangled growth still unburnt wherever there was room for it to
grow； and so much swamp； that my father had to keep almost entirely
to the river…bedand here there was a good deal of quicksand。 The
stones also were often large for some distance together； and he had
to cross and recross streams of the river more than once； so that
though he travelled all day with the exception of a couple of hours
for dinner； he had not made more than some five and twenty miles
when he reached a suitable camping ground； where he unsaddled his
horse； hobbled him； and turned him out to feed。 The grass was
beginning to seed； so that though it was none too plentiful； what
there was of it made excellent feed。
He lit his fire； made himself some tea； ate his cold mutton and
biscuits； and lit his pipe； exactly as he had done twenty years
before。 There was the clear starlit sky； the rushing river； and
the stunted trees on the mountain…side； the woodhens cried； and the
〃more…pork〃 hooted out her two monotonous notes exactly as they had
done years since； one moment； and time had so flown backwards that
youth came bounding back to him with the return of his youth's
surroundings； the next； and the intervening twenty yearsmost of
them grim onesrose up mockingly before him； and the buoyancy of
hope yielded to the despondency of admitted failure。 By and by
buoyancy reasserted itself； and； soothed by the peace and beauty of
the night； he wrapped himself up in his blanket and dropped off
into a dreamless slumber。
Next morning； i。e。 December 3； he rose soon after dawn； bathed in a
backwater of the river； got his breakfast； found his horse on the
river…bed； and started as soon as he had duly packed and loaded。
He had now to cross streams of the river and recross them more
often than on the preceding day； and this； though his horse took
well to the water； required care； for he was anxious not to wet his
saddle…bags； and it was only by crossing at the wide； smooth； water
above a rapid； and by picking places where the river ran in two or
three streams； that he could find fords where his practised eye
told him that the water would not be above his horse's bellyfor
the river was of great volume。 Fortunately； there had been a late
fall of snow on the higher ranges； and the river was； for the
summer season； low。
Towards evening； having travelled； so far as he could guess； some
twenty or five and twenty miles （for he had made another mid day
halt）； he reached the place； which he easily recognised； as that
where he had camped before crossing to the pass that led into
Erewhon。 It was the last piece of ground that could be called a
flat （though it was in reality only the sloping delta of a stream
that descended from the pass） before reaching a large glacier that
had encroached on the river…bed； which it traversed at right angles
for a considerable distance。
Here he again camped； hobbled his horse； and turned him adrift；
hoping that he might again find him some two or three months hence；
for there was a good deal of sweet grass here and there； with sow…
thistle and anise； and the coarse tussock grass would be in full
seed shortly； which alone would keep him going for as long a time
as my father expected to be away。 Little did he think that he
should want him again so shortly。
Having attended to his horse； he got his supper； and while smoking
his pipe congratulated himself on the way in which something had
smoothed away all the obstacles that had so nearly baffled him on
his earlier journey。 Was he being lured on to his destruction by
some malicious fiend； or befriended by one who had compassion on
him and wished him well？ His naturally sanguine temperament
inclined him to adopt the friendly spirit theory； in the peace of
which he again laid himself down to rest； and slept soundly from
dark till dawn。
In the morning； though the water was somewhat icy； he again bathed；
and then put on his Erewhonian boots and dress。 He stowed his
European clothes； with some difficulty； into his saddle…bags。
Herein also he left his case full of English sovereigns； his spare
pipes； his purse； which contained two pounds in gold and seven or
eight shillings； part of his stock of tobacco； and whatever
provision was left him； except the meatwhich he left for sundry
hawks and parrots that were eyeing his proceedings apparently
without fear of man。 His nuggets he concealed in the secret
pockets of which I have already spoken； keeping one bag alone
accessible。
He had had his hair and beard cut short on shipboard the day before
he landed。 These he now dyed with a dye that he had brought from
England； and which in a few minutes turned them very nearly black。
He also stained his face and hands deep brown。 He hung his saddle
and bridle； his English boots； and his saddle…bags on the highest
bough that he could reach； and made them fairly fast with strips of
flax leaf； for there was some stunted flax growing on the ground
where he had camped。 He feared that； do what he might； they would
not escape the inquisitive thievishness of the parrots； whose
strong beaks could easily cut leather； but he could do nothing
more。 It occurs to me； though my father never told me so； that it
was perhaps with a view to these birds that he had chosen to put
his English sovereigns into a metal box； with a clasp to it which
would defy them。
He made a roll of his blanket； and slung it over his shoulder； he
also took his pipe； tobacco； a little tea； a few ship's biscuits；
and his billy and pannikin； matches and salt go without saying。
When he had thus ordered everything as nearly to his satisfaction
as he could； he looked at his watch for the last time； as he
believed； till many weeks should have gone by； and found it to be
about seven o'clock。 Remembering what trouble it had got him into
years before； he took down his saddle…bags； reopened them； and put
the watch inside。 He then set himself to climb the mountain side；
towards the saddle on which he had seen the statues。
CHAPTER III： MY FATHER WHILE CAMPING IS ACCOSTED BY PROFESSORS
HANKY AND PANKY
My father found the ascent more fatiguing than he remembered it to
have been。 The climb； he said； was steady； and took him between
four and five hours； as near as he could guess； now that he had no
watch； but it offered nothing that could be called a difficulty；
and the watercourse that came down from the saddle was a sufficient
guide； once or twice there were waterfalls； but they did not
seriously delay him。
After he had climbed some three thousand feet； he began to be on
the alert for some sound of ghostly chanting from the statues； but
he heard nothing； and toiled on till he came to a sprinkling of
fresh snowpart of the fall which he had observed on the preceding
day as having whitened the higher mountains； he knew； therefore；
that he must now be nearing the saddle。 The snow grew rapidly
deeper； and by the time he reached the statues the ground was
covered to a depth of two or three inches。
He found the statues smaller than he had expected。 He had said in
his bookwritten many months after he had seen themthat they
were about six times the size of life； but he now thought that four
or five times would have been enough to say。 Their mouths were
much clogged with snow； so that even though there had been a strong
wind （which there was not） they would not have chanted。 In other
respects he found them not less mysteriously impressive than at
first。 He walked two or three times all round them； and then went
on。
The snow did not continue far down； but before long my father
entered a thick bank of cloud； and had to feel his way cautiously
along the stream that descended from the pass。 It was some two
hours before he emerged into clear air； and found himself on the
level bed of an old lake now grassed over。 He had quite forgotten
this feature of the descentperhaps the clouds had hung over it；
he was overjoyed； however； to find that the flat ground abounded
with a kind of quail； larger than ours； and hardly； if at all；
smaller than a partridge。 The abundance of these quails surprised
him； for he did not remember them as plentiful anywhere on the
Erewhonian side of the mountains。
The Erewhonian quail； like its now nearly； if not quite； extinct
New Zealand congener； can take three successive flights of a few
yards each； but then becomes exhausted； hence quails are only found
on ground that is never burned； and where there are no wild animals
to molest them； the cats and dogs that accompany European
civilisation soon exterminate them； my father； therefore； felt safe
in concluding that he was still far from any village。 Moreover he
could see no sheep or goat's dung； and this surprised him； for he
thought he had found signs of pasturage much higher than this。
Doubtless； he said to himself； when he wrote his book he had
forgotten how long the descent had been。 But it was odd； for the
grass was good feed enough； and ought； he considered； to have been
well stocked。
Tired with his climb； during which he had not rested to take food；
but had eaten biscuits； as he walked； he gave himself a good long
rest； and when refreshed； he ran down a couple of dozen quails；
some of which he meant to eat when he camped for the night； while
the