A Magnificent Tree-climb. 221 
tion 48 ft., for I noted at the time that there was under 1 yard 
of the 102 ft. of rope (doubled) left in Doroteo’s hands. 
This was the conclusion of Act I. 
Act II. commenced with a careful testing of the strength of the 
stump on which the rope now rested, by means of a steady pull and 
a few sharp jerks. After this Doroteo gravely handed the two 
ends to our other man Augusto and proceeded to pull off his 
boots and replace them by a pair of adpargatas or rope-soled 
canvas shoes. 
Our woodman, Augusto, now weighed down on the rope with 
all his strength whilst Doroteo, moistening his palms, ascended it 
hand over hand with his legs around the tree in the most approved 
fashion until he reached a small stump about qo ft. from the ground 
and a few feet below the one over which the rope was hitched. 
Standing now erect on one foot on this precarious support, and with 
the left arm round the tree so as to steady him, he carefully over- 
hauled the rope until only a few feet remained overlapping the 
branch above. Next, by an adroit twist, he jerked it off this branch 
and proceeded to arrange the portion of rope in his hand into a 
loop some 15 ft. in length. 
These proceedings we watched from below with breathless 
interest, for it seemed physically impossible for mortal man_ to 
ascend any higher owing to the thickness of the trunk, which, 
even at that great height from the ground was far too bi 
any man to swarm. 
e@ for 
Doroteo, having arranged the rope to his satisfaction, now 
manipulated the looped portion as does a sailor when about to 
heave the lead from the chains of a vessel, and having by this 
means got on a sufficient swing, he cast it upwards at a small 
stump some 12 ft. above him. The cast failed—by an _ inch 
apparently! Again and again he gathered up his rope and 
essayed to throw it up, but without success. It was only too 
