After the second reading of the foregoing report, the first being in English, Percival requested his fellow explorers to verify the statements contained therein.

This they did promptly.

He then went on: "I am delegated by Captain Trigger and the officers of this vessel, after a conference just concluded,--and of which you are all well aware,--to put before you as briefly and as clearly as possible the decision that has been reached.

I may as well confess in the beginning that this decision is based on the recommendations of the party who went to the top of the mountain.

It is out of the question for the people on board this vessel to go ashore until further investigations have been made.