DANGEEOU.S WALKING. 213 



clearing. However the next day made us 

 amends ; I shot an ibex and a bear, the 

 former a splendid animal, full size ; I was so 

 late, that had I not luckily sent a man back 

 to order out torches, I should have had some 

 trouble in regaining the camp. The torches 

 are made from the cheel pine, which being 

 full of turpentine, burns beautifully, and 

 gives a capital light. We always carried a 

 large stock about with us, when in a district 

 where the cheel did not grow, for we often 

 had to return home in the dark, and they 

 were absolutely necessary, for everybody who 

 has ever walked a mountain's side, knows 

 how dangerous it is without daylight. Our 

 men had orders to turn out with lights in all 

 directions an hour before dark, if we had not 

 come in — and on many a night, we found the 

 advantage of this precaution. The night I 

 have just mentioned, the walking was so 

 dangerous, we could not have reached the 

 tents without their aid. Another evening, I 

 found myself with Wilson, just after dark, 

 upon a landslip, with a roaring torrent below. 



