In the dryer parts of these meadows I found tobacco growing wild.
I looked for the roots of a plant which the Indians use instead of bread, but could find none.
In one place, however, I saw many tall sugar canes and some fair-looking plants of a kind that was strange to me.
As I went back to my castle I wondered how I could learn something useful about the many objects I had seen. But I had never taken much thought about such things, and now I had but little chance to learn.
The next day I went up the same way, but much farther.
Beyond the meadows I came to some beautiful woods.
Here I found several different kinds of fruits. There were grapevines covering the trees, and huge clusters of ripe grapes were hanging from them.
I was very glad of this. I made up my mind to come another day and gather some of this fruit. I would dry the grapes in the sun, and have some raisins.
Night came on while I was still in the woods, and I could not do better than stay there till morning. So I climbed into a tree and slept there quite well.
It was the first night that I had spent away from home.
The next day I went on through the woods for nearly four miles.
At last I came to an open space where the land sloped to the west. The country was so fresh and green that it looked like a big garden.
I went down into a pleasant valley where there were many beautiful trees. There I found oranges, lemons, limes, and citrons, besides many grapes.
I loaded myself with fruit and started homeward. "I must come again and bring a sack," I said.
It was three days before I reached my castle. By that time the fruit had lost all its flavor.
The next day I went back to the same valley. I carried two small sacks to bring home my harvest.
But I found many of the grapevines torn down. The fruit was scattered on the ground. Some had been eaten. Some had been trodden to pieces.
A wild animal had been there. Perhaps it was a goat, perhaps it was a larger beast. Perhaps several animals had done the mischief.
I GET READY FOR WINTER
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