XX

_I continue my travel, splendidly refreshed by a

good night’s sleep. I explain how I escaped from the

angry bears and from a host of hungry alligators;

how I charmed the deadly vipers, and how I ascended

a glistening granite precipice._

WHEN I awoke on the following morning, I descended and found a

magnificent repast awaiting me. So bounteous was the supply I was

astonished. As I could not tell how long it might be before I would be

again so fortunate, I ate heartily, and after thanking the old lady

sincerely, as she had refused, silently but positively, any

remuneration, I went my way.

I came to a round, clear opening, covered with grass, a meadow, out of

which were paths innumerable.

I lay down in such a position I could inspect each path in turn and

subjected each to a rigid inspection from that distance. Some were

narrow, some wide, some gravel, some sod, some lined with flowers, some

rocky, some dry, some wet and marshy, some straight, some crooked, some

overhung with foliage, and some on which the sun shone brilliantly.

On one side the hills came sharp down to the meadow. At one place there

appeared to be a small cave out of which a stream of water was flowing.

As I was very thirsty I thought there must be a spring in the cavern and

thither I bent my steps. The stream was of clear, sparkling water, of

which I partook freely. There was such a cool air coming from the cave,

and as it was becoming quite warm in the sun, I went in to sit down

during the heat of the day.

I had sat but a moment when my old spirit of investigation came on me

and I sought to learn how far into the earth the cave extended, knowing

well I could easily retrace my steps without using any unfair means.

I went in a great distance, and came to a branch. Along one course I

thought I could detect a point of light indicating another end to the

cave; the other passage was dark.

After a time I discovered that the first was filled with animals. It now

occurred to me that in all probability this was the true way to the

secret chamber, and the passage occupied by the beasts was the one I

should take. So, on I went, quite sure and confident. The snarling and

growling of the animals increased in volume as I approached, and when I

reached a swell in the tunnel I found this cavern contained a number of

large bears, which raised their heads and sniffed the air, evidently

scenting me.

How was I to pass them, as pass them I must, was the question I had to

answer.

They were ferocious in the extreme, for there were old and young ones,

and they were now engaged in quarreling over a very scanty meal which

they would undoubtedly take great pleasure in making larger and more

fitting to their number and size.

One old surly she-bear had concluded to look up the intruder, and

approached me, growling in a very menacing manner. I could not see her

all the time, for she would pass to one side or the other of the light,

and be in darkness most. This increased my difficulty.

I must not kill her, or any of them; but I must pass them, and would

pass them without killing them, for I had matured a plan for so doing.

I dare not use my voice, and it is doubtful I could have frightened them

by the use of it. Being very swift of foot I dodged the mother bear who

was searching for me, and came up to the snarling, snapping cubs. They

suddenly scented me and backed away a short distance from their meal,

prior to bounding on me.

This was what I had calculated they would do, and I grasped the

opportunity by rushing in and picking up their repast, which consisted

of a young deer, though I had feared I would find it to be another

suitor.

I backed away and they followed. As they increased their speed I

increased mine. I was leading them around the cavern away from the

tunnel with the light at the end. When we reached the farther end and

started toward the light, I began to run, and just as I got to the

entrance to the lighted passage I dropped the deer and fled, while they

pounced on their meal with renewed vengeance, the old she-bear alone

following. I soon left her behind and reached the sunlight, much to my

relief, which, however, was but temporary, for two enormous bears were

coming up the path. My flight had been so precipitate, and I was now

going at such speed it was impossible for me to stop my progress.

They arose on their hind legs to embrace me, and, being an athlete, I

took a flying leap, striking one of them in the stomach with such force

as to send it sprawling with a monstrous grunt of disapproval, and I

bounded over its prostrate form and disappeared before either could

recover from the astonishment that had so suddenly overwhelmed them.

I was so full of desire to complete my undertaking I did not ease up on

my pace for many miles, and only did so then because I had arrived at

the brink of a terrible precipice, at which the path ended. I stood on

the verge and looked into a deep lake one hundred and fifty feet below

me. The water was so clear I could see large bodies moving in all

directions in it, which turned out to be great crocodiles.

It would have been an easy matter to have taken a header into the water,

for I was an expert diver, but how was I to avoid the saurians? That was

the problem I set myself to solve, which I did in the following

comfortable manner.

The lake was fully half a mile long, and at the foot of the precipice

but a few yards wide. Now, I had prodigious strength of arm, and I took

advantage of those water cattle by selecting a lot of good-sized stones,

which I threw with all my might; and so great was the space traveled by

them before they struck, the crocodiles could not swim the space in

several minutes.

As the stones began to strike the water they were all excitement, and at

once proceeded to learn the cause of the disturbance, and away they

went.

When they had all reached the spot, I sprang head first into the water,

and rising easily to the surface swam to shore before they had fairly

got started back to investigate the new commotion.

While standing on the summit of the rock I had decided which of several

paths I should take, the one I had selected being through a grassy bit

of country.

Over this I went upwards of a mile, when I found my further progress

impeded by a swarm of deadly vipers, which so filled the way I could

scarcely see the ground. They were having a very quiet time, but on

becoming aware of my presence they set up such a rattling I thought for

a moment there was a shower of pebbles falling on the rocks.

Now, being possessed of a very strong pair of boots, which came high on

my legs, I could readily have stamped them all to death, but I dare not

harm them, and I knew that to attempt to pass them and leave them unhurt

was simple suicide. I therefore hit upon the following plan to evade

them and continue my way:

As I was passing through the water on my dive I had observed a beautiful

colored shell on the bottom of the lake, and had brought it with me. I

now looked it over. As the snakes had not yet determined to attack me

because I had not disturbed them, I stepped to a large boulder of

sandstone near by, and by dint of using it as a grinder I succeeded in

wearing away the end of the shell. Then, by the aid of a sharp stone, I

bored eight holes in it at proper intervals. When I had done, I put the

instrument to my lips and began to play on it, for, as I have stated

before, I believe, I am an accomplished musician.

I executed a low, plaintive air at first, which appeared to please my

audience and they uncoiled themselves and assumed a less warlike

attitude. Then I shortened the time and had them dancing for joy. When I

had them thus entranced I cautiously made my way through their numbers

and changed to a very slow and heavy measure, and in a very short time

had put them all soundly to sleep, in which condition I left them and

went onward.

[Illustration]

I was now approaching another mountain and was suddenly stopped by an

abrupt end to the path. There was no mistaking the fact, the path turned

neither to the right nor to the left, but that the way to the secret

chamber lay up a perpendicular wall a hundred feet high and as smooth as

glass.

This exceeded my wildest imaginings of difficulties. I was completely

nonplussed, and I reclined on the ground in absolute discouragement. It

was my first real discouragement. Never before had I met an

insurmountable barrier between me and my desires; but here seemed to be

one, without any shadow of doubt.

And I was decidedly fatigued, for I had come a great distance. I was

also positively aware my hearty breakfast had served its usefulness, and

my power would soon wane by virtue of hunger.

I saw all my castles in the air tumbling down most miserably. The dear

princess was fading in the distance. I was so put out, so tired, and so

hungry I must have fallen asleep, for I became conscious suddenly by

feeling something cold running over my face. “Snakes” of all sizes were

in my mind; but it was but a harmless lizard, though of good size, some

two feet long. There were hundreds of them, and how I envied them as

they scampered carelessly and, I thought, mockingly over the face of my

enemy, the granite precipice. They were hunting a species of large

insect which sometimes paused to rest on the rock, at such times a herd

endeavoring to effect a capture.

In one of these attacks the insect was wounded, but escaped their

tongues, fell at my feet, and died.

My spirits arose, and I quickly secured it, placing it in my pocket for

use at the proper time. I found in the grass a lot of dead, pliable

roots. Having secured the requisite number of these, I picked up some

dried switches and spliced the roots until I had a pole of the desired

length.

This brought me to the interesting part of my plan, which I had formed

from watching the lizards, bless them!

I then tied the bug to the end of the pole, and by handling my fishing

outfit adroitly I enticed a lizard close enough to capture him, and then

another, and still another, and yet another, until I had about twenty of

them. I was astonished at their strength. As I captured them I tied the

tail of one to the neck of another, so I was compelled to hold but one,

the last one, and that was enough, as they got stronger each time I

added one. At last my team was harnessed, and it was a goodly tandem,

the wheel horse being a magnificent specimen, with a tail of sufficient

size for me to grasp it firmly in my right hand.

I then held the bug in front of my leader in such a position they could

all see it, and after it they all went. I started the insect up the

surface of the rock, and they went at such speed they gave my arm quite

a wrench when they lifted me off my feet and started up the rock with me

dangling. Maybe I did not have the grip of my life on that tail! It is a

wonder I did not squeeze it square off.

When I was hanging midway between the top and bottom I really thought it

was all over and that they had come to the conclusion the bug wasn’t

worth it anyway. I put all my ingenuity into that insect, and made him

appear so entrancing that away they went after him, I always keeping him

just out of the reach of the leader. But this time I had to give each

one a sniff of it, and as I dipped it along in this way I thought my arm

would come out, for they literally humped themselves to get it.

As I neared the top I had, of course, to come at it on an angle, as I

could not lead them directly over the edge, and so I did, and when they

had dragged me over the edge onto some nice green grass, I tell you, I

heaved a monstrous sigh of victory.

But I was not out of my trouble. They had the bug, of course, and I had

to let go my hold, which was no easy matter. I at length succeeded, and

at once unharnessed my good team and let them free, each one going away

with my blessing.

But I was too tired to go another step, and was about to lie down on the

sweet grass and go to sleep when I saw a house quite similar to the one

I had met the night before, and on the steps of which I saw another old

lady, in all respects like the one who had cooked my meals at the other

house.

She nodded her head in such a way as to turn me round and cause me to

look off across the country, and I there saw a most exquisite palace of

white marble with a dome of amethyst just then glittering in the rays of

the setting sun.

I gazed at her inquiringly, and she nodded her head in a fashion which

assured me she understood my glance.

But the scent of food within drove all else out of my mind, and I made

bold to enter. I enjoyed a rich repast in every way equal to the one of

the night before, after which I ascended the ladder and was soon asleep.

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