neath a tree, at first to muse,
and then to sleep; and such a sleep as only a weary foot-traveller
knows, who, stretched under the shade of a spreading tree, lies
dreamless and lost. It must have been late ere I awoke; the sunlight
came slanting obliquely through the leaves, and bespoke the decline of
day. I rose. At first my limbs were stiff and rigid, and my sensations
those of debility; but after a little time my strength came back, and
I strode along freely. Continuing the path, I came, after about three
hours' fast walking, to a little open spot in the wood, where the
remains of a hut and the charred fragments of firewood indicated a
bivouac. Some morsels of black bread strewn about, and a stray piece of
dried venison, argued that the party who had left them had but recently
quitted the spot. Very grateful for the negligent abundance of their
waste, I sat down, and, by the aid of a little spring,--the reason,
probably, of the selection of the spot for a halt,--made a capital
supper, some chestnuts that had fallen from the trees furnishing a
delicious dessert. Night was fast closing in, and I resolved on passing
it where I was, the shelter of the little hut being too tempting a
refuge to relinquish easily. The next morning I started early, my mind
fully satisfied that I was preceded by some foot party, the path not
admitting of any other, with whom, by exertion, I should be perhaps able
to come up. I walked from day to dawn with scarcely an interval of rest,
but, although the tracks of many feet showed me my conjecture was right,
I did not succeed in overtaking them. Towards evening I again came upon
their bivouac-ground, which was even more abundantly provided than the
preceding one. They appeared to have killed a buck; and though having
roasted an entire side, had contented themselves with some steaks off
the quarter. Upon this I feasted luxuriously, securing a sufficient
provision to last me for the next two or three days.

In this way I continued to travel for eight entire days, each successive
one hoping to overtake the party in advance, and, if disappointed in
this expectation, well pleased with the good luck that had supplied
me so far with food, and made my journey safe and pleasant; for it was
both. A single beast of prey I never met with, nor even a serpent larger
than the common green snake, which is neither venomous nor bold; and as
for pleasure, I was free. Was not that alone happiness for him who had
b