hem. This is difficult, and I do not know whether in one winter
you can learn how to do it--at least so as to go down the slopes of
mountains; one has to have learned that in boyhood--but I will teach you
anyhow to go down hill safely."

We left the farm and went on with our skees until we came to the foot of
a pretty steep hill. Then Joseff said: "We will stop here, and I will
teach you to go down hill."

I noticed that he said this with a roguish eye, which was full of fun,
and I began to suspect that things were not to go as smoothly as when I
was taught on the lake. "We cannot ascend this steep hill straight
forward, for the skees would slip backward. We must ascend in zigzag,"
said Joseff; and then with his staff he showed me how we were to go.
"Follow my furrow, then it will be easier for you," said he. I found it
hard enough, and slow work. When we reached the top of the hill we were
very warm, though that day it was 32 degrees below zero. I was wet with
perspiration.

After a rest, Joseff said: "Paulus, look at me." Straightening his skees
and armed with his staff he leaned his body forward, and down he went,
faster than boys coasting down a very steep hill at home. It was fine,
and I wished I could learn quickly and go down hill as fast as he did.

When he had ascended the hill again, Joseff said to me: "Now, Paulus,
get ready." He saw that my skees were in position, and saying, "Bend
your body far forward as you go down," he shouted "Go!" At this word I
bent my body forward as he had told me, and down I went; but I got
scared, as I was going very fast, and forgot to follow his advice;
straightened myself and bent backward, and before I knew it my skees
slipped from my feet. I was unskeed just like a man who is unhorsed, and
was seated on the snow looking at my skees, which were going forward
down the steep hill and only stopped at its base, to the great
amusement of Joseff, who evidently expected something of the kind. "The
tendency of a beginner," he explained, "is to bend backward, thinking
that by doing so he will be able not to go so fast; this invariably
brings about the same result, and he falls."

After a good laugh from both of us, Joseff said: "Paulus, try again; but
this time I will teach you to go down hill in another way." He gave me
his big stick, and said, "Ride this, and rest upon it as heavily as you
can, so that a great part of your weight shall be on the end that sinks
into the snow, and