Across these they were often whirled
through immense forests of varied character, here dense enough to
obscure the track, there swaying in the sweet sunlight and vocal with
joyous birds of bright and gorgeous plumage. Then tropical vegetation
would completely hide the trail, crystal lakes would obstruct it,
cascades shooting down from perpendicular rocks would obliterate it,
mountain passes barricaded by basaltic columns would render it
uncertain, and on one occasion it was completely covered up by a fall of
snow to a depth of more than twenty feet.
But nothing could oppose serious delay to our travellers. Their motto
was ever "onward!" and what they lost in one hour by some mishap they
endeavored to recover on the next by redoubled speed. They felt that
they would be no friends of Barbican's if they were discouraged by
impossibilities. Besides, what would have been real impossibilities at
another time, several concurrent circumstances now rendered
comparatively easy.
The surveys, the gradings, the cuttings, and the other preliminary
labors in the great Pacific Railroad, gave them incalculable aid.
Horses, help, carriages, provisions were always in abundance.
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