But we could see the main
range. There was no mistake about this. The glaciers were tumbling down
the mountain sides like cataracts, and seemed actually to descend upon
the river-bed; there could be no serious difficulty in reaching them by
following up the river, which was wide and open; but it seemed rather an
objectless thing to do, for the main range looked hopeless, and my
curiosity about the nature of the country above the gorge was now quite
satisfied; there was no money in it whatever, unless there should be
minerals, of which I saw no more signs than lower down.
However, I resolved that I would follow the river up, and not return
until I was compelled to do so. I would go up every branch as far as I
could, and wash well for gold. Chowbok liked seeing me do this, but it
never came to anything, for we did not even find the colour. His dislike
of the main range appeared to have worn off, and he made no objections to
approaching it. I think he thought there was no danger of my trying to
cross it, and he was not afraid of anything on this side; besides, we
might find gold. But the fact was that he had made up his mind what to
do if he saw me getting too near it.
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