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.