222 WAITING IN THE WILDERNESS 



and no ship that had gone beyond a certain dis- 

 tance had ever returned. But Columbus sailed. 

 Then, too, there was the Roman admiral who 

 was told not to fight a sea battle for which he was 

 ready, because the sacred chickens had that 

 morning refused to eat. But the Admiral only 

 said that then they must have water, and threw 

 chickens, coops and all, into the sea and pro- 

 ceeded to capture the fleet of the enemy. 



There still are many superstitions concerning 

 high mountains. Eggs are not supposed to 

 hatch more than a mile above sea-level, but the 

 ptarmigan, rosy finch, and others have not 

 heard of this, so they hatch eggs in nests two and 

 a half miles above whale hunters. 



Chamois and mountain sheep will continue 

 to be great athletes until the news gets to them 

 that altitude is harmful. And sickly lowlanders 

 revive if sent to high altitudes. Altitude is 

 helpful. 



Lightning is the most striking thing out- 

 doors. It seems to have habits, and some- 

 times it does the unexpected. When a boy, I 

 often heard that lightning did not strike certain 

 kinds of trees, and that there were other kinds 

 on which there seemed to be an open season and 

 a special bounty for smashing. But as a matter 

 of fact, lightning will, or may, hit any tree; but a 

 lone tree is a little more likely to be shocked 



