But the idea is not ruled out. A few days ago I visited a fortified enclosure to which these objections could not apply. It was accessible; for it crowned the summit of conical hill not more than 100 feet high. It was compact, for 150 paces would take one round the walls. It was convenient, for it was within one arrow's fight, if not a stone's throw, of the fields of those who sought its shelter. Ten families now reside in reed and plaster buildings within its narrow bounds. Guards watch the gate, and pace the walls. Small towers afford points of vantage and observation. The walls are built of large unplastered stone. They rise to a height of 90 feet and command the receding slopes of the hillock on which they stand. The gates are four inches thick, and secured by sections of pine trunk that a giant might handle playfully, but not men. The towers are garnished with weapons, many of them ancient. few of them modern, There are guns of all sorts; guns that are fired by doubtful triggers guns that consist of metal tubes on baboo stocks; guns that are corked (corked) because they are loaded. There are knives and there are swords; knives that evidence a near kinship to choppers. and swords that claim affinity with bludgeons staves, spears and halberds: pikes with curved blades, ornamental, at least. if not useful. There are stones. too, in great heaps within the walls. By some oversight there are no bows and arrows.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.