88 SHORT STALKS 



whether brought about by natural causes, or the reckless- 

 ness of man, will have to be paid for some day, for are we 

 not within measurable distance of the inevitable world- 

 wide timber famine ? The j^resent low price of timber is 

 no proof of unlimited abundance, but is rather caused by 

 the eagerness with which the merchants' yards are being 

 glutted and the supply exhausted. 



But the equanimity of the traveller is more likely to 

 be disturbed by the immediate difficulty of penetrating 

 this chevaux dc frise. The horses are clever at clearing 

 single trees. These minor obstacles are surmounted with 

 the minimum of effort, and without much displacement of 

 luggage, by a slow standing jump ; but from time to time 

 the cavalcade gets so pounded that there is no release 

 without the axe. However well trained the horses may 

 be to keep their l)urdens clear of accident, a rending sound 

 is a frequent accompaniment, as some bundle, perhaps the 

 tent, is caught by a snag, and suggests draughty nights 

 thereafter and evenings spent in darning. 



To such mishaps, and the frequent attempt of one or 

 another of the horses to break the line and find a way of 

 his own, there is a runnino- comment of Western lanouaoe. 

 This and the tramp of horses and snapping of dead wood 

 keeps up a chorus which is rather inspiriting to the man 

 who manages not to lose his temper every time his hat is 

 swept off, or his last pair of stockings snagged. It may 

 be imagined that the course is a devious one, and that 

 progress is slow ; but, however time may fly, a halt is out 

 of the question in such ground. There is no space to pitch 

 a tent, and the absence of feed would inevitably cause a 

 stampede of horses in the night. It was late before we 



