THE PITFALL. 227 



big as he that I might be able to carry home a greater load of 

 inanna. I waited, however, till the creature had flown away, 

 and then began to ascend the tree, taking a winding course 

 to make the ascent inore easy, and resting often enough, I can 

 tell you, before I could reach the first leafy cluster of oak and 

 woodbine intermixed. Then I had a delicious rest, and a 

 delicious meal indeed, after which, I took care to load myself 

 with as much as I could possibly carry of the abundant store 

 around me. 



" I meant to descend as soon as I had done so, but, what 

 with walking and climbing, I was too weary to move, and, 

 after such a plentiful meal, began to feel drowsy. The heat of 

 the day and the warm scent of the manna and flowers made 

 me grow more and more heavy, till at last I fell fast asleep. 



" How long my nap lasted I cannot tell, but I was first 

 aroused by the sensation of falling, and then entirely awoke in 

 terrible earnest, by coming in violent contact with a something 

 so hard that I seemed almost knocked to atoms. As soon as 

 I recovered a little from this tremendous shock, I looked about 

 me, and where do you think I found myself but in one of 

 those frightful pitfalls I had been, on setting out, so careful 

 to avoid ? I knew it by the sloping circular walls of sand 

 which shut out from my view every other object, and dis- 

 covered myself to be lodged upon the side of this frightful 

 descent, my fall having been arrested by a projecting stone. 



" On what was below me I dared not for some time to cast 



