, 1886-12-17

. Before this I had been afraid to speak
llOud, for fear of rousing some Wild ani-
nal; but now | felt tina / should be glad
to see or hear anything with life, even II
It were II savage. l houted myself
hoarse, but only strange echoes answered
nc from the %frowning woods.
The shadows grew deeper. | must do
something-anything.
1t occurred to me to make II rope of
some of M clothing, and thus descend.
II was the work of but n moment to take
off my long stockings and tie them to-
gether, and then to add my scarf. All
this made only four or five yards in
length. l tore the skirt OF my stout water
proof suit into strips, which l tied to-
gether, until l had what seemed enough.
Then, fastening IA stone to one end, |
crcpt to the edge and let the rope down
to measure the distance. 1t still lacked
n little. The deficiency was soon sup
piled from the sleeves of my jacket. The
root Of n pine afforded n convenient
place for attaching the rope; and having
first tested every DOT of it, to make SIRE
that it would bear my weight. | was
ready to swing off.
Several times l looked over, and my
head grew dizzy. / decided to go back
ward, to obviate that difficulty. Fearing
my shoes would be a hindrance in my
clinging to the rope, | pushed them over,
together with my cartridge belt. Another
instant of hesitation and heart sink
ing, and | was fairly of.
reached the bottom sore and breath
less, but safe. Another trial awaited
me. In the gathering gloom | could not
find my shoes, and the sharp stones cut
my tender feet ut every step. Moreover,
/ dreaded rattlesnakes, and listened with
painful acuteness for the warning rattle.
| did not hear anything, and soon lost
that fear in my overpowering anxiety to
reach some human habitation.
1t grew dark so rapidly that | had to
use my stick at every step, as n blind
man does, to feel the way before me. BE
fore | had CROPPED along many rods my
guide gave me timely warning of a chasm.
Feeling for n stone, l hurled it forward
and heard il strike far down below me.
| could 20 no farther-at least until
daylight-so, drawing back II few feet,
sat down to wait. l was 50 weary that |
fell Immediately asleep. | was awakened
by II rifle shot, followed quickly by n sec
ond report, but they sounded a long way
off.
| started up and tried to shout an an
swer, but my overstrained throat could
make no noise except n hoarse croaking,
like II child with Group. | was sure the
shots came from my friends, searching
for me.
In the pocket of my jacket were some
matches that | mad not before remem-
bered. 1t was not n moment before | had
scraped some dry leaves together and set
fire TO them. A number of cones had fall
on from the pines above, and there was
II mass of dry chaparral, so that | had no
lack Of fuel.
BY the blaze | could see the nature of
the place around me. l was standing on
n platform much like the one from
which had descended. On one side was
the. sheer wall, on the other the precipice.
| was hemmed in by prison walls.
| heaped on branches till the flames
ran high and made n roaring sound.
The whole canyon was illuminated, and
the tall pines shook like specters in the
fantastic light. il stretched my hands
toward the genial warmth, and felt that
salvation was near, for my friends must
see the light.
a cracking noise ut Il little distance
drew my attention. Chaparral, cones.
the pines themselves. We're ablaze. |
had set the canyon on fire. Dismay sue
ceeded my short lived CLEAN of hope. In
front was the chasm, behind the fire. |
was two rods from the ledge, and the
flames crept toward me. | moved for
ward.
This sudden and awful danger gave
me IL voice. l screamed wildly MS the fire
reached out long, adder like tongues for
me.
A/voice above shouted to me.
A1ick, quicki'' | cried, ''or it's too
late!''
The fire had driven me so near the edge
that n step would have hurled me over. /
felt the terrible calm that comes to one
when hope is dead. | saw two snakes
leap upward in the blaze and writhe
about each other in agony.
Catch this, and tie it under your
arms, - shouted IL voice, and n rope fell at
my feet.
was saved; but never since have |
cared for hunting. | was cured by the
dying look of the white deer.-The Argo-
naut.