DESCENT FROM MOUNT TAHAWUS. 25 



LETTER IV. 



DESCENT FROM MOUNT TAHAWUS. 



On our descent from Mount Taliawus, we began to 

 look eagerly around for a dry spot where we might 

 make our encampment. Cheney, who was at the 

 head of our straggling column, with his axe in his 

 hand, pushing on at a brea'k-neck pace, finally halted, 

 and said that we must stop somewhere immediately, 

 for it was growing dark, and we should not be able 

 to build our shanty or cut fuel for the night. The 

 place he chose was a dan^p mossy spot, darkly sha- 

 dowed with fir trees. It was a gloomy-looking place ; 

 but we were all too tired to make any objection, and 

 so, in a few minutes, two or three axes were resound- 

 ing through the forest, and crack ! crash ! went the 

 trees on every side of us. "Each man must pick his 

 own bed," said our guide ; which meant that every 

 man must cut what boughs he himself wanted. I 

 crawled up from the stream where I had been sitting 

 bathing my feverish hands and face, and went to 

 work. Scattered around, all were busy hacking off 

 fir tree boughs with their knives, while the guides 

 and strong men who accompanied us drew huge trees 

 together for a fire, and put up a shanty. It was 



