ying with a
groan that seemed to come from my very shoes. I had no fear of falling.
In fact, I think I should have hailed it as a delightful change could we
have rolled down a cliff and finished even life's journey with this one.

Lunch time found us in the midst of a pine forest, but such a sparsely
grown one that the shade was a mockery. Heat, hunger, and those
delightful insinuating little insects known as woodticks were not
conducive to our happiness here, and more than glad were we when the
arrival of our food bearer gave promise of an early change of scene.

We ate up everything we could, and then, with every nerve tingling with
joy at the speedy home-coming, we mounted our faithful carriers for the
last time.

Very soon after this we left the abominable but so-called wagon road,
and took a short cut over the mountains. It would be but vain repetition
to describe our "ups and downs" for the next few hours. The agony was
just as exquisite, the scenery was just as grand and variable, but as
far as I know it the English language contains no words of sufficient
intensity to express more than I have already iterated and reiterated.

Presently a not far distant peak came in sight, and as we clambered up
higher we could see more and more of it until finally, on an elevated
plateau at its base, there appeared a collection of houses. Across that
intervening space I could gain no idea of what the village would be
like, but I remember thinking that, with that glorious mountain to look
at, I could never get homesick.

Here a rapidly approaching horseman came in view, who proved to be still
another youth whom I had known in the States, and under this double
escort I rode past a suburban mining camp, across the great _plaza_
crowded with Sunday idlers, down another street, through a broad doorway
into a paved courtyard, and found myself at last at home in _Yuscaran_.

Kind hands assisted me to dismount, and led me to the gallery-like
corridor above, filled with friendly faces, and from there into a
spacious parlor that seemed like a palace after my recent experiences.

In consideration of my fatigue I was almost immediately shown to my own
room, which I found luxuriously perfect in all its appointments.

In the preceding six days I had learned a good deal that was new, but it
remained for the revelation of this moment to teach me what gratitude
is. A wave of thankfulness came over me that sent me to my knees, and
ever s