So on I journeyed and came to a sharp decline which was so covered with perfectly round, loose pebbles it would have been a very hazardous undertaking to have attempted to descend. In fact, I tried it, and quickly found myself sprawling and tumbling, bringing up against the edge of the path much bruised and shaken. I scrambled to the top, as I had come but a few busy feet, and sat down, as was my invariable custom when I wished to think deeply. Glancing about I saw four sticks of dead timber of about equal length. Those I secured, for they were neither “leaves, blossoms, nor twigs.” In searching among the stones I found four which had holes in them, and they happened to be of sufficient depth and size to admit the ends of my sticks. When I had fixed the sticks firmly by pounding them in, I secured some dead roots and bound the other sticks on the first two in such manner as to make a very serviceable wagon, as I had tied them together so as to permit the first two to turn readily. [Illustration] I then placed my hands on the front axle, so as to regulate the speed of my descent, and my knees on the cross sticks. In this manner I went down quite handily. Though I was somewhat shaken, I reached the bottom in very good shape, as the pebbles and stones rolled under my wheels in such a way as to make a very soft ball-bearing, and the descent was quite easy, albeit rapid. Here another difficulty met me, and I should certainly have been stung to death but for my presence of mind, as the way was literally filled with hornets, sizzing here and there with terrible swiftness. I quickly tore loose one of my axles, which was hollow. The pathway here was thick with dust. By putting the end of my axle in the dust and blowing through it with all my lung power, I stirred up such a cloud the hornets lost their way and failed to find me. By walking slowly along, covered by the cloud of dust and completely enveloped in it, I came safely through the hornets’ territory, suffering only from one or two of their stings. I next came to where the path went down another slope, so steep the road went down it in a zigzag course, each turn being a very sharp angle. In such manner are the roads constructed up the sides of steep mountains. If the roadbed had not been of a peculiar composition I should easily have gone forward; but it was of soapstone, and the mountain side being full of springs the stone was thus kept moist, and was therefore very slippery. One of the rules said distinctly I should not depart from the path on any pretense whatever, and I knew very well if I started down and slipped, which I was quite likely to do, I should certainly shoot over the edge of the path, and thus break the rule if I did not break my neck, and both would probably result.