They had arrived at the eastern end of the butte, which on that side presented a different appearance from either of the others.

There was a deep ravine that indented the cliff, and along its channel a sloping path appeared to lead up to the top.

This channel was filled with large loose rocks, surrounded by an underwood of cacti and acacia thorns; and it seemed as though the slope was sufficiently easy to be ascended by a person on foot.

Near the bottom of the ravine were very large boulders; and a spring, more copious than the one where the hunters had encamped, ran out from among them, and flowed south-eastward through a fringe of grass and willows.
As the boys came up to the spring branch, some tracks in the soft mud drew their attention.

They were of an oblong shape, and larger than the footprints of a man; but the deep holes made by five great claws at the end of each told what animal had made them.