inned, and it was
days before the orang could be reconciled to the sight of the pelt or
the smell of the animal.

"That is an instinct in certain animals. Nature has provided them with
warnings of danger when their enemies are near."

"What a short tail the cat has," remarked George; "so unlike the tame
cat."

"That, and the head, which is much larger and flatter than the common
cat, as well as the shorter legs, show the distinguishing differences.
Its color, as this one is, uniformly grayish-brown, with stripes running
around the body, is a peculiarity found in the tame species, known as
the 'tiger-cat,' to which they are the most closely allied."

Before nightfall fairly level ground was reached, and this being the
third day, they judged their location was fully sixty miles due west of
the Cataract. Far to the south and southeast the mountains could be
distinctly seen, but the Professor did not think the ranges were very
high.

In the far west the cloudy aspect of the sky prevented them from judging
of the character of the land, but it had the appearance of mountains, as
well.

"How far away are the mountains in the south, do you think?" asked the
Professor.

"I estimate them at about five miles," was George's response.

"What is your idea, Harry?"

"I don't think George is far out of the way."

"Would you be surprised if I should put it at twenty-five miles, or
more?"

"What makes you think so?"

"Appearances are always deceptive when you have nothing intervening to
measure by."

"Is that the reason distances on water are always so deceptive?"

"Yes; have you ever noticed that you can judge distances better if the
intervening landscape is rolling?"

"I think that is true in my case. But there is another thing I have
noticed: When I am standing on the ground and looking up at an object,
it never seems as far as when I am up there looking down: Why is that
so?"

"That is simply the effect of habit, or familiarity. You are accustomed
to look up at objects. The perspective, the altitude, and the appearance
of the heights are natural things to you; but, when you are above,
things below you have an entirely different perspective outline. Their
arrangement is unfamiliar. Probably that is one of the reasons why we
should always look upwardly in life, and not downwardly."

"But," inquired Harry, "is that the reason why some people, when at an
elevation, like a tall building, or on a high precipice, say