They commenced by cutting down some pinon-trees that grew by the foot of the cliff.

With these a bright fire was soon made.

They had still enough bear's meat left to last them for several days.

What more wanted they?
But they discovered that even in this arid region Nature had planted trees and vegetables to sustain life.

The pinons afforded their farinaceous cones, the agave yielded its esculent roots, and the prairie-turnip grew upon the borders of the runlet.