It was very
hard work, but we were not beaten. We reached the top, and there
sitting down, thoroughly enjoyed our victory. It was then half-
past five o'clock, and the sun was not yet absolutely sinking. It
did not seem to give us any warning that we should especially
require its aid, and, as the prospect below us was very lovely, we
remained there for a quarter of an hour. The ascent of the Owl's
Head is certainly a thing to do, and I still think, in spite of our
following misfortune, that it is a thing to do late in the
afternoon. The view down upon the lakes and the forests around,
and on the wooded hills below, is wonderfully lovely. I never was
on a mountain which gave me a more perfect command of all the
country round. But as we arose to descend we saw a little cloud
coming toward us from over Newport.
The little cloud came on with speed, and we had hardly freed
ourselves from the rocks of the summit before we were surrounded by
rain. As the rain became thicker, we were surrounded by darkness
also, or, if not by darkness, by so dim a light that it became a
task to find our path. I still thought that the daylight had not
gone, and that as we descended, and so escaped from the cloud, we
should find light enough to guide us. But it was not so. The rain
soon became a matter of indifference, and so also did the mud and
briers beneath our feet. Even the steepness of the way was almost
forgotten as we endeavored to thread our path through the forest
before it should become impossible to discern the track. A dog had
followed us up, and though the beast would not stay with us so as
to be our guide, he returned ever and anon, and made us aware of
his presence by dashing by us. I may confess now that I became
much frightened. We were wet through, and a night out in the
forest would have been unpleasant to us. At last I did utterly
lose the track, it had become quite dark, so dark that we could
hardly see each other. We had succeeded in getting down the
steepest and worst part of the mountain, but we were still among
dense forest trees, and up to our knees in mud. But the people at
the Mountain house were Christians, and men with lanterns were sent
hallooing after us through the dark night. When we were thus found
we were not many yards from the path, but unfortunately on the
wrong side of a stream. Through that we waded, and then made our
way in safety to the inn. In spite of which misadventure I advise
all travelers in Lower Canada to go up the Owl's Head.
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