The first impression which I received when I had recovered my breath was of the extraordinary view over the country which we had traversed.  The whole Brazilian plain seemed to lie beneath us, extending away and away until it ended in dim blue mists upon the farthest sky-line.  In the foreground was the long slope, strewn with rocks and dotted with tree-ferns; farther off in the middle distance, looking over the saddle-back hill, I could just see the yellow and green mass of bamboos through which we had passed; and then, gradually, the vegetation increased until it formed the huge forest which extended as far as the eyes could reach, and for a good two thousand miles beyond.

I was still drinking in this wonderful panorama when the heavy hand of the Professor fell upon my shoulder.

“This way, my young friend,” said he; “vestigia nulla retrorsum.  Never look rearwards, but always to our glorious goal.”

The level of the plateau, when I turned, was exactly that on which we stood, and the green bank of bushes, with occasional trees, was so near that it was difficult to realize how inaccessible it remained.  At a rough guess the gulf was forty feet across, but, so far as I could see, it might as well have been forty miles.  I placed one arm round the trunk of the tree and leaned over the abyss.  Far down were the small dark figures of our servants, looking up at us.  The wall was absolutely precipitous, as was that which faced me.

“This is indeed curious,” said the creaking voice of Professor Summerlee.

I turned, and found that he was examining with great interest the tree to which I clung.  That smooth bark and those small, ribbed leaves seemed familiar to my eyes.  “Why,” I cried, “it’s a beech!”

“Exactly,” said Summerlee.  “A fellow-countryman in a far land.”

“Not only a fellow-countryman, my good sir,” said Challenger, “but also, if I may be allowed to enlarge your simile, an ally of the first value.  This beech tree will be our saviour.”

“By George!” cried Lord John, “a bridge!”

“Exactly, my friends, a bridge!  It is not for nothing that I expended an hour last night in focusing my mind upon the situation.  I have some recollection of once remarking to our young friend here that G. E. C. is at his best when his back is to the wall.  Last night you will admit that all our backs were to the wall.  But where will-power and intellect go together, there is always a way out.  A drawbridge had to be found which could be dropped across the abyss.  Behold it!”

It was certainly a brilliant idea.  The tree was a good sixty feet in height, and if it only fell the right way it would easily cross the chasm.  Challenger had slung the camp axe over his shoulder when he ascended.  Now he handed it to me.

“Our young friend has the thews and sinews,” said he.  “I think he will be the most useful at this task.  I must beg, however, that you will kindly refrain from thinking for yourself, and that you will do exactly what you are told.”