Before us a long, deep, shadowy gorge cut into the heart of the mountain. It led upward toward a narrow pass that dented into the crown of the ridge. This gave hope of a moderately easy passage to the other side. About half-a-mile in front of us the cañon narrowed, and the cliffs grew together, nearly overhanging in parts.
The going, however, was better. At times the path was as smooth as a paved street. Here and there enormous blocks of granite were ranged alongside it. They were curiously square, having almost the finished look of building material.
Gerry was the first to remark upon these things.
“There never was a better imitation of an Edinburgh street,” said he wearily. “These cobbles are as hard and even as can be.”
They certainly were set together in regular fashion, and we examined them inquisitively, wondering what geological freak had brought about their ordered formation. Lessaution clapped his hands and shouted.
“Aha, my friends, aha! What have you to say now? A boulevard, is it not? Who made this road, my little Iscariots? Did it make itself out of nothing? Did the stones roll themselves together? Tell me that, my braves,” and he grunted triumphantly, waggling his hands at the rows of measured blocks.
“I think,” said I irritably, “that any people who put them here with a set purpose must have been of a race of engineering idiots. What in the name of wonder could a road be doing here, leading to nowhere in particular out of this chaos? It’s simply a geological freak. Some stratum has slipped.”
“It is a road, I tell you,” shrieked the savant, “a road, a road, a road! It has been begun to fetch stones upon—this stone that we see ready cut for moving. Is it that you are blind? Can you not see?”
I had no wish to delay the expedition further while he lectured us on this supposititious discovery. I answered him patiently.
“My dear Professor,” said I, “let us agree that it is a grand staircase, or anything else you like to think it. But for goodness’ sake let us get on. What we are looking for is not a highway, but a beach—unless you would like to stay and investigate the matter by yourself,” I added hopefully.