134 THE ADVENTURES OF A NATURE GUIDE 



a film of water these are converted into excellent 

 conductors. 



Apparently a lightning bolt will not leave a good 

 conductor for a poor one. While working in a 

 tunnel extending nearly a thousand feet into a 

 mountainside, lightning struck the water pipe 

 outside and followed this into the tunnel, giving 

 me a shake-up. All the way through the tunnel 

 the pipe was in contact with the dry rocks. But 

 my foot resting on the pipe was covered with a 

 water-soaked shoe. 



The records of the Agricultural Department 

 indicate that lightning strikes far more frequently 

 through the east than through the west, Illinois and 

 Florida being most frequently struck. Yet in 

 these states death and damage from lightning are 

 almost negligible. 



It is extremely rare for a big wild animal to be 

 struck by lightning. Yet the woods and the moun- 

 tains are peopled with moose, deer, elk, bear, and 

 mountain sheep. Birds and squirrels, however, 

 with roosts and nests in the tree-tops, and wood- 

 peckers with homes in tree trunks, are occasionally 

 killed. 



Once I was out for a few days with a burro, 

 Satan, who was totally depraved. He wanted to 

 leave undone everything that he was asked to do. 

 In all his dreams a self-starter had not occurred 

 to him. Once in motion he had but one speed — al- 

 ways on low. I found myself wondering if lightning 



