by H G Wells

Three hundred miles and more from Chimborazo, one hundred snows of Cotopaxi, wildest wastes of Ecuador's Andes, there lies that mysterious mountain valley, cut off world of men, the Country Blind Long that valley lay open world that men might come at last through frightful gorges and over an icy pass into its equable meadows; and thither indeed men came, family or so of Peruvian half-breeds fleeing lust and tyranny of an evil Spanish ruler Then came the stupendous outbreak of Mindobamba, when night in Quito for seventeen days, water was boiling at Yaguachi and all the fish floating dying even as far as Guayaquil; everywhere along the Pacific slopes there were land-slips and swift thawings and sudden floods, and one whole side old Arauca crest slipped and came down in thunder, and cut off the Country Blind for ever exploring feet of men But early settlers had chanced hither side gorges world had so terribly shaken itself, and he perforce had to forget his wife child and all the friends and possessions he had left up there, and start life over again lower world He started it again but ill, blindness overtook him, and he died of punishment mines; but the story begot legend that lingers along the length Cordilleras Andes day

reason for venturing back fastness, into which he had first been carried lashed to llama, beside vast bale of gear, when child The valley, , had all heart of man could desire--sweet water, pasture, and even climate, slopes of rich brown soil with tangles of shrub that bore an excellent fruit, and on one side great hanging forests of pine that held the avalanches high Far overhead, on three sides, vast cliffs of grey-green rock were capped by cliffs of ice; but the glacier stream came not but flowed away farther slopes, and only huge ice masses fell valley side valley it neither rained nor snowed, but the abundant springs gave rich green pasture, that irrigation would spread over all the valley space The settlers did well indeed there Their beasts did well and multiplied, and but marred their happiness Yet enough to mar it greatly strange disease had come upon them, and had made all the children born there--and indeed, several older children also--blind to seek some charm or antidote against this plague of blindness that he had with fatigue and danger and difficulty returned down the gorge In those days, cases, men think of germs and infections but of sins; and it seemed to him reason affliction must lie negligence priestless immigrants to set up shrine so soon entered the valley shrine--a handsome, cheap, effectual shrine-- erected valley; relics and such-like potent things of faith, blessed objects and mysterious medals and prayers wallet he had bar of native silver account; he insisted none valley with something insistence of an inexpert liar They had all clubbed their money and ornaments together, having little need for such treasure up there, , them holy help against their ill I figure this dim-eyed young mountaineer, sunburnt, gaunt, and anxious, hat-brim clutched feverishly, man all unused ways lower world, telling this story to some keen-eyed, attentive priest great convulsion; picture him presently seeking to return with pious and infallible remedies against that trouble, infinite dismay faced the tumbled vastness where the gorge had once come out But the rest story of mischances is lost , save that evil death after several years Poor stray remoteness ! The stream that had once made the gorge now bursts mouth of rocky cave, legend his poor, ill-told story set going developed legend of race of blind men somewhere "over there" one may still hear to-day

And amidst the little population now isolated and forgotten valley the disease ran its course The old became groping and purblind, the young saw but dimly, children that were born saw never at all But life was very easy snow-rimmed basin, lost to all the world, with neither thorns nor briars, with no evil insects nor any beasts save the gentle breed of llamas they had lugged and thrust and followed up the beds shrunken rivers gorges up which they had come The seeing had become purblind so gradually scarcely noted their loss They guided the sightless youngsters hither and thither until they knew the whole Valley marvellously, and when at last sight died out among them the race lived on They had even time to adapt themselves blind control of fire, which they made carefully in stoves of stone They were simple strain of people first, unlettered, only slightly touched Spanish civilisation, but with something of tradition arts of old Peru and lost philosophy Generation followed generation They forgot many things; they devised many things Their tradition greater world they came from became mythical in colour and uncertain In all things save sight they were strong and able, and presently the chance of birth and heredity sent one who had an original mind and talk and persuade among them, and then afterwards another These two passed, leaving their effects, little community grew in numbers and in understanding, and met and settled social and economic problems that arose Generation followed generation Generation followed generation There came time when child was born who was fifteen generations ancestor who went valley with bar of silver to seek God's aid, and who never returned Thereabouts it chanced that man came community outer world And story man

mountaineer country near Quito, man who down sea and had seen the world, reader of books in an original way, an acute and enterprising man, and taken on by party of Englishmen who had come out to Ecuador to climb mountains, to replace one three Swiss guides who had fallen ill He climbed here and he climbed there, and then came the attempt on Parascotopetl, the Matterhorn Andes, lost outer world The story accident written dozen times Pointer's narrative best He tells how the little party worked their difficult and almost vertical way very foot last and greatest precipice, and how they built night shelter amidst the snow upon little shelf of rock, and, with touch of real dramatic power, how presently they found Nunez had gone They shouted, and no reply; shouted and whistled, and rest night they slept no more

morning broke they saw the traces fall It seems impossible he uttered sound He had slipped eastward towards the unknown side mountain; far below he had struck steep slope of snow, and ploughed his way down it midst of snow avalanche His track went straight edge of frightful precipice, and beyond that everything was hidden Far, far below, and hazy with distance, see trees rising out of narrow, shut-in valley--the lost Country Blind But know it lost Country Blind, nor distinguish it in from narrow streak of upland valley Unnerved disaster, they abandoned their attempt afternoon, and Pointer was called away war before make another attack day Parascotopetl lifts an unconquered crest, and Pointer's shelter crumbles unvisited amidst the snows

man who fell survived

end slope he fell thousand feet, and came down midst of cloud of snow upon snow slope even steeper one above Down this whirled, stunned and insensible, but without bone broken body; and then at last came to gentler slopes, and at last rolled out and lay still, buried amidst softening heap white masses that had accompanied and saved him to himself with dim fancy that ill in bed; then realised his position with mountaineer's intelligence, and worked himself loose and, after rest or so, out until the stars He rested flat upon his chest for space, wondering where and what had happened to him He explored his limbs, and discovered that several buttons were gone coat turned over his head His knife had gone pocket hat was lost, though he had tied it under his chin He recalled that he looking for loose stones to raise his piece shelter wall His ice-axe had disappeared

He decided fallen, and looked up , exaggerated ghastly light rising moon, the tremendous flight he had taken For while he lay, gazing blankly vast pale cliff towering above, rising moment by moment out of subsiding tide of darkness Its phantasmal, mysterious beauty held him for space, and then seized with paroxysm of sobbing laughter .

After great interval he became aware that near the lower edge snow Below, down now moonlit and practicable slope, the dark and broken appearance of rock-strewn turf He struggled feet, aching in every joint and limb, got down painfully heaped loose snow about him, went downward until turf, and there dropped rather than lay beside boulder, drank deep flask inner pocket, and instantly fell asleep .

awakened singing of birds trees far below