and the machines
smashed; and the telephone when first installed was considered simply as
a plaything and curiosity, and not as a useful improvement. It has been
the history of every age and of most of the great inventions. After the
inventions were completed, and their value shown, the merchant and the
manufacturer created the demand, and then the articles became a
necessity, and not before. For this reason I think the proverb should be
amended to say that 'the necessity of the inventor is the mother of
invention.'"

Before starting on the trip the matter of clothing had to be attended
to. A quantity of ramie had been cut, and put in water, for the purpose
of rotting the woody fiber, and this was taken out of the water as fast
as it was ready, and cleaned and combed, and at times worked up into
threads, which were placed in the loom, and a coarse cloth thus woven.

This was, necessarily, a slow process, and consumed considerable time.
This, together with the making of the percussion caps, was the tedious
part of all the preparations. Every energy was put forth to get the
different things required. Harry and Tom had made up the fort, and John
suggested the idea of having a drill exercise in setting it up, so that
the work could be performed without interference.

During the day, when the posts and the fastenings were all ready, the
wagon was brought out and the yaks yoked up. The elements of the fort
were attached to the wagon, in the manner that they were to be
transported. As there were three sections of the fort, one on each side
of the wagon body and one below the axles, it was provided that the six
should form three divisions; the Professor and Ralph, John and Tom, and
Harry and George the couples for setting up the fort.

As Harry and George were the most familiar with the animals, and knew
better than the others how to handle them, it was made a part of their
duty, when the signal was given, to unyoke and turn the yaks to the
proper place at the side of the wagon.

While this was being done, the Professor and Ralph were to detach the
section on the side of the wagon where the fort was to be set up, and
carry it out at right angles and at the forward end of the wagon. At the
same time John and Tom would take the section on the opposite side of
the wagon and carry it around to form the end of the fort.

This would then give Harry and George the opportunity to take the part
below the wagon and erect it at the