The Wonders of the Permian 195 



vegetation and as we opened the way, the heat 

 was very trying on our unprotected heads. At 

 last a strong breeze began to sweep the crowns of 

 verdure above us into great billows, making 

 music among the delicate branches, and I was 

 sure we were reaching the open sea. So Charlie 

 climbed the trunk of a tall fern and when he got 

 to the strong bases of the ferns he stood erect on 

 them and shouted, "There it is to the south ;" for 

 as he told us, a great ocean lay before him as far 

 as his eyes could reach. So with renewed cour- 

 age we hurried on and before dark broke through 

 the dense jungles we had been traveling through, 

 on the beach, and into a strong wind that was 

 blowing from the south and curling the waves 

 into swaying masses. It was indeed a glorious 

 sight and we all rushed down and ran into the 

 curling breakers near shore and let them roll 

 over us. Thoroughly refreshed, we returned to 

 the edge of the jungle and went to work building 

 shelters for the whole family. We were delight- 

 ed when George and Charlie brought us a mess 

 of fishes, sturgeon-like in appearance, which, 

 with the cycad flour, the women got up a fine 

 meal. Levi and Maud came in later and we en- 

 joyed an appetising meal. While we were rest- 

 ing after supper and watching the boundless sea, 

 I recited some of the poems I had written. The 

 first one in honor of Jennie McKee's wedding 

 day. She had been a very dear friend indeed : 



