72 THE ADVENTURES OF 



to do it ! Never mind, though ! I '11 punish you for your 

 malice." 



The poor plant, alas ! was soon cut down ; thus the growth of 

 years was destroyed in a few minutes. 



After an hour's walking, the head of our little column suddenly 

 came in front of a whole mountain-side which had slid from its 

 original position. The sight was a magnificent one ; the accu- 

 mulation of rocks, piled one on the other, had crushed down in 

 their fall the trees that impeded their course. We saw before us 

 an inextricable pile of trunks, monstrous roots, and masses of 

 rock, suspended and apparently ready to fall. The catastrophe 

 must have recently occurred ; for here and there a branch was 

 still covered with foliage, and the grass had not as yet carpeted 

 the immense gap. Lucien was so astonished at the wild grandeur 

 of the scene that it actually put an end to his chatter. Without 

 speaking, we joined Sumichrast, who was in advance. That a 

 lagoon must have been filled up by the avalanche of rocks, we 

 saw certain indications. We could hear the rumbling noise of 

 water flowing beneath us. On our left, at the foot of the moun- 

 tain, extended a wide basin, which, from its regular outHne, 

 might well have been mad'e by the hand of man. 



Everything seemed silent and deserted around us, although the 

 bushes that margined the edge of the lagoon must once have 

 sheltered many a guest ; now the imposing grandeur of the scene 

 had awed them, or driven them off. 



" How could such a great mass as this fall down % " asked 

 Lucien. 



" We can only conjecture," replied Sumichrast ; " perhaps the 

 stream flowing beneath the base of the rocks had excavated 

 fissures, and thus undermined it." 



" The noise must have been terrific," said Lucien. 



" Doubtless it was," replied Sumichrast ; " and the shock 

 possibly felt for many leagues round." 



" Have you ever seen a mountain fall in two like that, M. 

 Sumichrast ? " 



" Yes ; I did five years ago, when I was in company with your 

 father. A whole forest disappeared before our eyes in a land- 



