140 MAUN A LO A. 



building a circular wall of the clinkers, to enable us to spread what 

 little canvass we had, over it ; all the blankets we could spare were 

 hung inside, which I hoped would keep us from being frozen. After 

 succeeding in this, which occupied us till dark, we made a fire to 

 prepare our scanty supper, and some tea for the sick. I now dis- 

 covered that three of the men were absent ; and on inquiry, found 

 that they had gone down, in hopes of finding my tent, which they 

 supposed had been left about a mile below. One may judge of my 

 uneasiness, as it was pitchy dark, and there was no trace whatever of 

 a track, or any thing by which they could find their way back, over 

 many dangerous chasms. I had barely wood enough to heat the 

 water for the sick, and no more than a piece or two of candle, without 

 any lantern, and therefore no obvious means of making a signal. 

 However, as necessity is the mother of invention, I turned my clothes 

 out of the calabash, and fastening a piece of a cotton shirt over it, made 

 quite a respectable lantern : this was placed on the most conspicuous 

 point. After the light had been extinguished several times, and a 

 series of difficulties encountered in relighting it, we succeeded in 

 establishing our lighthouse ; and though a feeble one, it had the de- 

 sired effect. The men, when they first saw it, had already strayed 

 oft* the track ; and had it not been for the lantern, would not have 

 been able to join us again. They came back, crawling on their hands 

 and knees ; and had travelled thus for most of the distance. The 

 whole time they had been absent, was two hours and a half. Although 

 I felt very much displeased with their departure without permission, I 

 could not find fault with them, — so much was I rejoiced to see them in 

 safety ; and when I knew they had incurred all this fatigue and risk to 

 make me more comfortable. 



The snow now began to fall fast. My steward, from his thoughtful- 

 ness, had an ample supply of tea, which he had carried in his knap- 

 sack to save it from being plundered ; and consequently we had enough 

 to supply all. 



The supper being ended, we stowed ourselves away within the 

 circular pen ; and while the men kept passing their jokes about its 

 comforts, the wind blew a perfect hurricane without. I was glad to 

 find the spirits of those who were sick, began to revive. The ther- 

 mometer had fallen to 15°. The height found by the barometer was 

 thirteen thousand one hundred and ninety feet. 



All were soon fast asleep; and although there was scarcely a foot of 

 level rock, they seemed to rest as comfortably as possible. I had little 

 inclination to sleep ; for difficulties seemed to increase upon me, and I 



