"
Certainly on this day the Great Eyrie looked tranquil enough. As we
gazed upon it, there rose from its heights neither smoke nor flame.
Toward five o'clock our expedition halted at the Wildon farm, where
the tenants warmly welcomed their landlord. The farmer assured us
that nothing notable had happened about the Great Eyrie for some
time. We supped at a common table with all the people of the farm;
and our sleep that night was sound and wholly untroubled by
premonitions of the future.
On the morrow, before break of day, we set out for the ascent of the
mountain. The height of the Great Eyrie scarce exceeds five thousand
feet. A modest altitude, often surpassed in this section of the
Alleghanies. As we were already more than three thousand feet above
sea level, the fatigue of the ascent could not be great. A few hours
should suffice to bring us to the crest of the crater. Of course,
difficulties might present themselves, precipices to scale, clefts
and breaks in the ridge might necessitate painful and even dangerous
detours. This was the unknown, the spur to our attempt. As I said,
our guides knew no more than we upon this point. What made me
anxious, was, of course, the common report that the Great Eyrie was
wholly inaccessible. But this remained unproven. And then there was
the new chance that a fallen block had left a breach in the rocky
wall.
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