the walls are twenty feet apart, and for the remaining five miles they
do not at any place approach closer, but on the other hand very
gradually separate to about sixty feet at the extreme top. At five miles
from the bay the walls are fully ten thousand feet in altitude, and are
nowhere less in height from that point to the edge of Crater Lake.

"Our party started up the mountain on one side of this canyon, or giant
chasm, Diregus appearing in some way to know that this was the proper
course to pursue. When they were some three miles on their way, a young
man was seen approaching, but on the opposite side of the chasm. He was
a young fellow of prepossessing appearance, dressed in plain, coarse
loathing, and having the elastic movement and grace of the better
classes. Peters observed, when only the width of the chasm separated the
two, that the young Hili-lite had a laughing eye, full of latent
mischief, but also of intelligence.

"He was known to Diregus, and the two began a conversation. He was one
of the exiles, by name Medosus. Diregus soon ascertained that the exiles
had long known Ahpilus to be insane; that, three days before, his
condition had become much aggravated, and that on the preceding day he
had suffered from an attack of raving mania which lasted several hours.
Medosus did not know of the abduction of Lilama, but he had three hours
earlier seen Ahpilus a mile or two from Crater Lake.

"When the party heard this, they were anxious to proceed, but Medosus in
turn had a few questions to ask, and in common courtesy Diregus was
compelled to wait and reply to the poor exile's interrogatories.

"Whilst the two conversed, Medosus took from his pocket some dry, brown,
crumpled leaves, and put a wad of them into his mouth, much as would an