THE PITFALL. 227 



as big as he that I might be able to carry home a greater load 

 of manna. I waited, however, till the creature had flown 

 away, and then began to ascend the tree, taking a winding 

 course to make the ascent more easy, and resting often enough, 

 I can tell you, before I could reach the first leafy cluster of 

 oak and woodbine intermixed. Then I had a delicious rest, 

 and a delicious meal indeed, after which, I took care to load 

 myself with as much as I could possibly carry of the abun- 

 dant store around me. 



" I meant to descend as soon as I had done so, but, what 

 with walking and climbing, I was too weary to move, and, 

 after such a plentiful meal, began to feel drowsy. The heat of 

 the day and the warm scent of the manna and flowers made 

 me grow more and more heavy, till at last I fell fast asleep. 



"How long my nap lasted I cannot tell, but I was first 

 aroused by the sensation of falling, and then entirely awoke in 

 terrible earnest, by coming in violent contact with a something 

 so hard that I seemed almost knocked to atoms. As soon as 

 I recovered a little from this tremendous shock, I looked about 

 me, and where do you think I found myself but in one of 

 those frightful pitfalls I had been, on setting out, so careful 

 to avoid ? I knew it by the sloping circular walls of sand 

 which shut out from my view every other object, and dis- 

 covered myself to be lodged upon the side of this frightful 

 descent, my fall having been arrested by a projecting stone. 



" On what was below me I dared not for some time to cast 



