صفحة 432 من 483

The fare was, indeed, coarse, such as the peasants of the country

ate, but I will not doubt that it was set there by the spirits

that I had invoked to aid me. Often, when all was dry, the

heavens cloudless, and I was parched by thirst, a slight cloud

would bedim the sky, shed the few drops that revived me, and

vanish.

I followed, when I could, the courses of the rivers; but the

daemon generally avoided these, as it was here that the

population of the country chiefly collected. In other places

human beings were seldom seen, and I generally subsisted on the

wild animals that crossed my path. I had money with me and gained

the friendship of the villagers by distributing it; or I brought

with me some food that I had killed, which, after taking a small

part, I always presented to those who had provided me with fire

and utensils for cooking.