well-flavored cigar; but these lesser drawbacks were soon forgotten.

After the meal a small closed basket was handed to me, and one of the
young men led me out to a little distance from the house, then, pointing
to a belt of wood about a mile away, told me to walk towards it until I
came to a plowed field on the slope of a valley, where I could do some
plowing. Before leaving me he took from his own person a metal
dog-whistle, with a string attached, and hung it round my neck, but
without explaining its use.

Basket in hand I went away, over the dewy grass, whistling
light-heartedly, and after half an hour's walk found the spot indicated,
where about an acre and a half of land had been recently turned; there
also, lying in the furrow, I found the plow, an implement I knew very
little about. This particular plow, however, appeared to be a simple,
primitive thing, consisting of a long beam of wood, with an upright pole
to guide it; a metal share in the center, going off to one side,
balanced on the other by a couple of small wheels; and there were also
some long ropes attached to a cross-stick at the end of the beam. There
being no horses or bullocks to do the work, and being unable to draw the
plow myself as well as guide it, I sat down leisurely to examine the
contents of my basket, which, I found, consisted of brown bread, dried
fruit, and a stone bottle of milk. Then, not knowing what else to do, I
began to amuse myself by blowing on the whistle, and emitted a most
shrill and piercing sound, which very soon produced an unexpected
effect. Two noble-looking horses, resembling those I had seen the day
before, came galloping towards me as if in response to the sound I had
made. Approaching swiftly to within fifty yards they stood still,
staring and snorting as if alarmed or astonished, after which they swept
round me three or four times, neighing in a sharp, ringing manner, and