ours, escaping
from holes and crevices on either side, filled the air, making it
difficult to breathe with freedom, so I hastened on, anxious to get out
of so horrible a region. To escape from it I climbed a hill, along the
side of which I made my way as fast as the uneven nature of the ground
and fallen logs and rocks would allow.

I again got into a more open country, where I became conscious of a
considerable change in the atmosphere. Hitherto the air had been
tolerably warm, though bracing; it now grew sensibly cooler. Thick
clouds were gathering in the sky. The wind, before a gentle breeze, now
rose rapidly, and blew with violence. It soon became icy cold, and
flakes of snow began to fall. Without a fire, I felt I should well nigh
perish. At all events, before I could make a fire I must search for some
cavern in which to light it; or, failing to find a cavern, I must build
a hut. As the appearance of the ground did not indicate that caverns
were likely to exist on the side of the hill, I set to work without
delay to collect materials for building a hut; and having cut down a
number of pine branches, I stuck them in the ground, weaving their tops
together with vines, and piling as many rough pieces of bark against the
side as I could find.

In vain I watched for a gleam of sunshine, which would enable me, by
means of my burning-glass, to kindle a fire. The clouds gathered thicker
and thicker; and no hope remained of my being able to obtain the desired
spark. Taking advantage, therefore, of the remaining light, I searched
about and pulled up all the thistle roots I could find. With this
hermit-like fare, the only provender I was likely to obtain while the
storm lasted, I retired into my hut.

Scarcely had I got under shelter when down came the snow, and the whole
face of the country was speedily covered with a sheet of white. How
long the storm might last, I could not tell; it might blow over in one
or two hours, or days might elapse before it ceased. It was too early in
the year, however, to fear the setting in of winter weather, even in
that elevated region, or my condition would indeed have been deplorable.

I had kept an opening through which I could look over the valley, in
case my friends might pass that way. But night came on, and they did not
appear; so, closing up my window, I coiled myself away to sleep, as the
size of my hut would not allow me to stretch myself at full length.

I had little fear that