"Snow-Shoe Thompson" [pp. 419-435]

-424 "Snow-Shoe Thom?Pson." [Ot
happened that the tree set on fire in the by way of Woodford's, Markleyville, Herm
evening was burned through, and fell to the Valley, and the Big Trees. At Hermit V
ground before morning. When he had a ley were some deserted houses, and oc
leaning tree, at the foot of which to encamp, sionally he found it convenient to lodge
:he was able to make his bed on the safe side; a night in one of these. The snow was f
but when the tree stood perfectly erect, he quently so deep in that elevated region t
knew not on which side of it to build his it was a difficult matter to find the hous
couch. It not unfrequently happened that so completely were they buried beneath t
she was aroused from sleep in the morning great drifts. He was obliged to prospect f
hours by the loud cracking of the tree at the the buildings, by probing the snow with
-foot of which he was reposing, and he was balance-pole. Even after a house was fou
then obliged to do some fast as well as ju- all difficulties were not ended. Thetrou
dicious running, in order to save his life. then was to get into it. When he h
This was a bit of excitement that he did not found a house, Thompson used to begin t
-crave when wearied with a hard day's travel, ing possession of it by collecting dry bran
and he never made his camp by a decidedly es from the surrounding trees, which
straight tree, when it was possible for him to threw down the chimney. Then he wo
do better. dig down into the snow, tear some boa
However, he did not always camp by trees from the gable end, and so let himself in.
and stumps. He sometimes crawled under At first, Thompson tried to take posse
shelving rocks, and there made his bed of ion of the buildings by crawling down t
boughs, building a small fire on the bare chimneys, but his bulk made all such
ground in front of it. At a place called tempts ridiculous and exasperating failure
Cottage Rock, six miles below Strawberry On one occasion he got stuck in a chimnt
Valley, he had a small, dry cavern, in the when nearly down to the fire-place. Fo
shape of an oven, in which he was in the time he could get neither up nor down.
habit of housing, as often as he could make felt himself swelling up, and for a few m
it convenient to do so. There, his bed of utes was more frightened than he had e
boughs was always ready for him. Curled been at the sight of a wild beast, or by t
up in his cavern-which was but little larger sharp cracking of a falling tree.
than an ordinary baker's oven-with a fire
of blazing logs in front, he slept in comfort IN talking with Thompson about his mo
and safety. tain experiences, I once asked him if he e
This cavern was the one palatial hotel on lost his way in the wilds. "No," said
his route. When he could reach it, he was "I was never lost-I can't be lost!I c
perfectly at ease and happy. It then seemed go anywhere in the mountains, day or nigh
tos him that there wase tnoth~ ing tocrBor. sntor or shne I: ca' be lost," Krepate