The idea that had occurred to them--of making the cave their home--was
no longer deemed worthy of being entertained. The dangerous proximity
of the elephant had alone suggested it; and this no longer existed. It
was not likely that there was another _rogue_ in the valley. Indeed,
Ossaroo was able to set their minds at rest on this point--assuring them
that two animals of the kind are never found occupying the same
district: since two creatures of such malignant dispositions would
certainly enact the tragedy of the Kilkenny cats--though Ossaroo did not
illustrate his meaning by quoting this celebrated expression.
Possibly there might be other animals in the neighbourhood as much to be
dreaded as the elephant had been. There might be panthers, or leopards,
or tigers, or even another bear; but against any of these the cave would
be no safe asylum--not safer than their old hut. They could reconstruct
it more strongly than ever; and put a stout door upon it to keep out any
midnight intruder; and to this work did they apply themselves as soon as
they had eaten dinner, and dried their garments--so thoroughly saturated
by the colossal syringe of the defunct elephant.
Several days were spent in restoring the hovel--this time with
considerable improvements. The winter weather had now fairly set in;
and household warmth had become an important object: so that not only
did they fill up the chinks with a thick coating of clay, but a
fireplace and chimney were constructed, and a strong door was added.
They knew that it would take them a long time to make the ladders--more
than a dozen long ladders--each of which must be light as a reed and
straight as an arrow.
During the milder days of winter they might work in the open air;
indeed, the greater part of their work they must needs do outside the
hut. Still it would be necessary to have shelter not only during the
nights, but in times of storm and severe weather.
Prudence therefore counselled them to providence; and before proceeding
farther with their design of scaling the cliff, they made all snug
within doors.
They had no fear of suffering from the winter's cold--either for want of
clothing by day, or covering by night. Some of the yak-skins were still
in good preservation--with the pelts of several other animals that had
fallen before the double-barrel of Caspar--and these would suffice for
warm clothing by day and bed-covering by night.
About their winter's food they were a little more anxious. The elephant
had succeeded not only in destroying their means of obtaining
provisions, but had also damaged the stock which was on hand, by
trampling it in the mud. Those portions of the dried venison and
yak-beef that the brute had not succeeded in completely spoiling, were
once more collected, and stored in a safe place; while it was resolved,
in the event of their not being able to procure more, that they should
go on rations proportioned to the time which they might have to continue
in their rock-bound prison. Of course, though their ammunition was
exhausted, they were not without hopes of being able to add to their
store of provisions. The arrows of Ossaroo still existed, independent
of either powder or lead. Snares and traps would enable them to capture
many of the wild creatures that, like themselves, appeared to have found
a prison in that secluded and singular valley.
When all the arrangements regarding their winter residence were
completed, they returned once more to the survey of the cliffs, which
had been interrupted by the elephant.
After a prolonged examination of the ledges, that had been discovered on
that eventful day, they continued on until they had made the circuit of
the valley. Not a foot of the precipice was passed without the most
elaborate inspection being bestowed upon it; and of course the twin
cliffs which hemmed in the gorge of the glacier were examined with the
rest.
There proved to be no place offering such advantages for an ascent by
ladders as that already discovered; and although there was no positive
certainty that they might be able to accomplish their formidable task,
they determined to make a trial, and without further delay set about
preparing the ladders.
The preliminary step was to select and cut down a sufficient quantity of
timber of the right length. They were about to have recourse to the
beautiful Thibet pine--the sort which had served them for bridging the
crevasse--when a new tree was discovered by them, equally beautiful, and
more suitable for their purpose. It was the cedar (_Pinus deodara_).
Ossaroo once more lamented the absence of his beloved bamboos--alleging
that with a sufficient number of these he could have made ladders enough
for scaling the cliff, in less than a quarter of the time it would take
to construct them out of the pines. This was no exaggeration: for the
culm of the great bamboo, just as it is cut out of the brake, serves for
the side of a ladder, without any pains taken with it, further than to
notch out the holes in which to insert the rounds. Moreover, the bamboo
being light, would have served better than any other timber for such
ladders as they required--enabling them with less trouble to get them
hoisted up to the ledges--an operation in which they apprehended no
little difficulty. But although there was a species of cane growing in
the valley--that known to the hill people as the "ringall"--its culms
were neither of sufficient length nor thickness for their purpose. It
was the great bamboo of the tropical jungles that Ossaroo sighed for;
and which on their way up through the lower ranges of the Himalayas they
had seen growing in vast brakes, its tall stems often rising to the
height of a hundred feet.
The deodar, under favourable circumstances, attains to vast dimensions,
trunks being often met with in the mountains upwards of ten feet in
diameter, and rising to the height of one hundred feet. A few sticks of
this description would have made their labour both short and easy.
Failing the bamboo, therefore, they selected the second best material
which the forest afforded them--the tall "deodar." This tree, which is
known to the Anglo-Indian residents of the Himalayan countries as the
"cedar," has long since been introduced into English parks and
arboretums, under the name of _deodara_--its specific botanical
appellation. It is a true pine and is found in most of the hills and
valleys of the Himalayan chain, growing at almost any elevation and on
any kind of ground--in the low warm valleys, as well as near the line of
everlasting snow. Its favourite habitat, however, is on the lower
hills, and though by no means a beautiful tree, it is valuable on
account of the great quantity of tar which can be extracted from its
sap.
Where many deodar trees are growing together, they shoot up in long
tapering shafts, with short branches, and present the acute conical form
characteristic of the pines. When individual trees stand singly, or at
some considerable distance apart, their habit is different. They then
stretch out long massive arms in a horizontal direction; and as the
separate twigs and leaves also extend horizontally, each branch thus
presents a surface as level as a table. The deodar often reaches the
height of one hundred feet.
The wood of the deodar is everywhere esteemed throughout the countries
where it is found. It is excellent for building purposes, easily
worked, almost imperishable, and can be readily split into planks--an
indispensable requisite in a country where saws are almost unknown. In
Cashmere, bridges are built of it: and the long time that some of these
have been standing, affords a proof of its great durability. A portion
of these bridges are under water for more than half the year; and
although there are some of them nearly a hundred years old, they are
still in good preservation, and safe enough to be crossed.
When the deodar is subjected to the process by which tar is extracted
from other pines, it yields a much thinner liquid than tar--of a dark
red colour, and very pungent smell. This liquid is known as "cedar
oil;" and is used by the hill people as a remedy for skin diseases--as
also for all scrofulous complaints in cattle.
The deodar is of very slow growth; and this unfits it for being
introduced into European countries--except as an ornamental timber for
parks and pleasure grounds.
It was chiefly on account of its property of being easily split into
planks, or pieces of light scantling, that the deodar was selected for
making the sides of the ladders. To have cut down the trunks of heavy
trees to the proper thickness for light ladders--with such imperfect
implements as they were possessed of--would have been an interminable
work for our inexperienced carpenters. The little axe of Ossaroo and
the knives were the only tools they possessed available for the work.
As the deodar could be split with wedges, it was just the timber wanted
under these circumstances.
While engaged in "prospecting" among the deodar trees, a pine of another
species came under the observation of our adventurers. It was that
known as the "cheel."
It might have been seen by them without attracting any particular
notice, but for Karl; who, upon examining its leaves, and submitting
them to a botanical test, discovered that within the body of the "cheel"
there existed qualities that, in the circumstances in which they were
placed, would be of great value to them. Karl knew that the "cheel" was
one of those pines, the wood of which, being full of turpentine, make
most excellent torches; and he had read, that for this very purpose it
is used by all classes of people who dwell among the Himalaya mountains,
and who find in these torches a very capital substitute for candles or
lamps. Karl could also have told his companions, that the turpentine
itself--which oozes out of the living tree--is used by the people as an
ointment for sores--and that for chapped hands it is a speedy and
effectual cure. The "cheel" pine is nearly always found side by side
with the deodar--especially where the latter forms the chief growth of
the forest.
Karl could also have informed them that the deodar and the cheel are
not, the only pines indigenous to the Himalayas. He could have
mentioned several other species, as the "morenda," a large and handsome
tree, with very dark foliage, and one of the tallest of the
_coniferae_--often rising to the stupendous height of two hundred feet;
the "rye" pine, of almost equal height with the morenda, and perhaps
even more ornamental; and the "Kolin," or common pine, which forms
extensive forests, upon the ridges that rise from six to nine thousand
feet above sea-level. The last thrives best in a dry, rocky soil and it
is surprising in what places it will take root and grow. In the
perpendicular face of a smooth granite rock, large trees of this species
may be seen. In the rock there exists a little crevice. Into this a
seed in some manner finds its way, vegetates, and in time becomes a
great tree--flourishing perhaps for centuries, where, to all appearance,
there is not a particle of soil to nourish it, and probably deriving
sustenance from the rock itself!
It was with no slight gratification that Karl beheld the "cheel" growing
so near. He knew that from it they would obtain brilliant torches--as
many as they might stand in need of; so that during the dark nights,
instead of sitting idle for the want of light, they could occupy
themselves till a late hour within the hovel, in making the "rounds" of
the ladders, and doing such other little "chores" as the occasion might
require.