noon
The first olive-trees were planted on Mount Olympus , and from thence were spread through the rest of Europe ; the fig is from Lydia ; the plums , your favourite fruit , with the exception of some natural sorts that are natives of our forests , are from Syria , and the town of Damascus has given its name to one sort , the _ Damascene _ , or Damson . The pear is a fruit of Greece ; the ancients called it the fruit of Peloponnesus ; the mulberry is from Asia ; and the quince from the island of Crete . '' Our work progressed as we talked thus , and we had soon propped all our valuable plants . It was now noon , and we returned to Falcon 's Nest very hungry , and found an excellent dinner prepared , of smoked beef , and the tender bud of the cabbage-palm , the most delicious of vegetables . After dinner , we began to discuss a plan I had long had in my head ; but the execution of it presented many difficulties . It was , to substitute a firm and solid staircase for the ladder of ropes , which was a source of continual fear to my wife . It is true , that we only had to ascend it to go to bed ; but bad weather might compel us to remain in our apartment ; we should then have frequently to ascend and descend , and the ladder was very unsafe .