There I found a hole in which
some bird had evidently been wont to build, and surmised correctly that
it must be the one in which my father had hidden his box of sovereigns.
There was no box in the hole now, and I began to feel that I was at last
within measureable distance of Erewhon and the Erewhonians.
I camped for the night here, and again found my single blanket
insufficient. The next day, i.e. Tuesday, December 8, I had to pass as I
best could, and it occurred to me that as I should find the gold a great
weight, I had better take it some three hours up the mountain side and
leave it there, so as to make the following day less fatiguing, and this
I did, returning to my camp for dinner; but I was panic-stricken all the
rest of the day lest I should not have hidden it safely, or lest I should
be unable to find it next day--conjuring up a hundred absurd fancies as
to what might befall it. And after all, heavy though it was, I could
have carried it all the way. In the afternoon I saddled Doctor and rode
him up to the glaciers, which were indeed magnificent, and then I made
the few notes of my journey from which this chapter has been taken. I
made excuses for turning in early, and at daybreak rekindled my fire and
got my breakfast. All the time the companionship of the dog was an
unspeakable comfort to me.
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