Cerro de
Pasco--along the shore of Lake Chinchaycocha to Ayacucho and Cuzco, and
thence on to Santa Rosa, the distance being some four hundred and
seventy miles as the crow flies, while the difficulties of the route
might possibly increase that distance by nearly one-third. But Escombe
was by no means dismayed by the formidable character of the obstacles
that lay before him; he had come to realise that, to the man who would
achieve success, obstacles exist only that they may be overcome, and he
was gaining experience daily in the overcoming of obstacles. He
therefore attacked this third and very formidable section, not only
without any anxiety or fear, but with a keen zest that instantly
communicated itself to his little band of followers, welding them
together into a perfectly harmonious, smooth-working whole.

It must not be thought, however, that Escombe allowed himself to become
so completely absorbed in his work that he could think of nothing else.
On the contrary, he understood perfectly the meaning of the word
"recreation" and the value of the thing itself. He knew that no man can
work for ever without wearing himself out, and he looked upon recreation
as--what its name implied--a re-creation or rebuilding of those forces,
mental and physical, which labour wears away, and valued it accordingly,
taking it whenever he felt that he really needed it, even as he took
food or medicine.

Now it chanced that fishing was one of Escombe's favourite recreations;
and no sooner had he started the third section of the survey--which
began by skirting the eastern shore of Lake Chinchaycocha--than he made
a practice of indulging in an hour or two's fishing whenever the
opportunity offered. It was this practice that led to an occurrence
which was destined to culminate in an adventure so startling and
extraordinary as to be scarcely credible in these prosaic twentieth-
century days.

It happened on a Saturday afternoon.

On the day in question, the survey party being then encamped on the
shore of Lake Chinchaycocha, as soon as he had squared up his week's
work, and snatched a hasty luncheon, the young Englishman brought forth
his fishing tackle, and, getting aboard a balsa, or light raft, which
Arima had constructed for him, proceeded to paddle some distance out
from the shore to a spot which he had already ascertained afforded him a
fair prospect of sport. Arrived there he dropped his keeleg--a large
stone serving the p