Page:My Climbs in the Alps and Caucasus.djvu/360

Rh of the Suanetians were illumined by a "schones Trinkgeld," and after a last shout of farewell they disappeared silently in the forest.

Zurfluh and the Tartar then agreed that chicken are a vain and frivolous food to pack into knapsacks, and that consequently it would be well to consume the remainder of our store. In consequence the rest of the birds were got ready and similarly impaled on the spits. The fire by this time had grown into a vast furnace, more suited for the pedestrian exercise of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego than for the toasting of diminutive chicken. A furious onslaught with our axes, however, sufficed to tear up the decaying roots and other combustible material amongst which the fire was making its way, and to reduce it to such limits that the forest itself was no longer endangered. We then pitched the tent, and felt ready for our supplementary dinner.

When we turned in for the night we found our quarters so luxurious that we half made up our minds to assault a small rock peak at the head of the valley, and thus have an excuse for a second night in this most exquisite glade. Slumber, however, overtook us before these ideas had crystallised into solid resolution, and the next morning we were too sleepy to do aught but adhere to our original plan.

Starting before daybreak, we left the forest behind and tramped over the grass and along