re they had been
cut down, I should save myself nearly a mile of carriage, as otherwise I
had to walk all the way to the water-course which divided the wall of
rock, and then walk back again. Indeed, where I cut down the wood was
not more than a quarter of a mile from the bathing-pool, and all down
hill. I was delighted at this idea, which I wondered had never occurred
to Jackson, and I commenced putting it into execution. The top of the
wall of rock was slippery from the constant trickling of the water over
the surface, but this was only in some places. I carried my faggots
down one by one, and threw them over, being careful not to lose my
footing in so doing. I had carried all but three or four, and had
become careless, when, on heaving one over, my heels were thrown up, and
before I could recover myself I slid down the remainder of the ledge and
was precipitated down below, a distance of more than thirty feet. I
must have remained there many hours insensible, but at last I recovered
and found myself lying on the faggots which I had thrown down. It was
my falling on the faggots, instead of the hard rock, which had saved my
life. I rose as soon as I could collect my scattered senses. I felt
very sore and very much shaken, and the blood was running out of my
mouth, but there were no bones broken. I was, however, too ill to
attempt anything more that day. I walked home at a very slow pace and
went to bed. A sound sleep restored me, and in a day or two I was quite
recovered. I watered my plants, which I found drooping, as if they had
grieved at my being so long away from them, and then I returned to where
my faggots had been left; and to lighten my labour I resolved to carry
them down to the bathing-pool and stack them up there on the rocks near
to it. I mention this for reasons that the reader will comprehend
by-and-bye. This occupied me two days, for I was not inclined, after my
fall, to work hard; and very glad was I when the labour was over.

The young birds were now hatched, but I had to wait four or five weeks
before they were fit to be taken. I began again to find solitude
tedious. The flowers in my garden had all bloomed and withered, and
there was not so much to interest me. I recommenced reading the Bible,
and the narratives in the Old and New Testaments again afforded me
pleasure. I hardly need say to the reader that I read the Bible as I
would have read any other book--for amusement, and not