We Had No Choice In The Route We
Pursued This Day, Taking That Which Appeared Most Practicable For Men And
Horses:
It was a continued ascending and descending of the most frightful
precipices, so covered with trees and shrubs and creeping vines, that we
frequently were obliged to cut our way through:
At the bottom of one of
these, we left the sick horse in a dying state. To add to our
perplexities, it rained incessantly, and was so thick and dark, that
towards evening it was with difficulty we could see sufficient of our way
to avoid being dashed to pieces. About two hours before sunset, after a
descent of upwards of five thousand feet, we found ourselves at the
bottom of the glen, through which ran a small stream; but a passage down
it was impossible, as it fell over rocky precipices to a still greater
depth. The opposite side was a mountain equally steep with the one we had
just descended. The horses were also so weak that it was impossible they
could take their loads up it, and there was no possibility of remaining
on the spot, since there was neither grass nor room even to lie down. All
the heavy baggage was therefore obliged to be left behind, and by
unremitted exertion we were enabled to gain a small spot of ground,
formed by the mountains retiring from the immediate descent to the gulf
below. It was, however, near eight o'clock before this was accomplished;
and we were after all obliged to leave two of the horses below, as all
our attempts to move them were fruitless, even when unladen; a
circumstance which we lamented the more, as they were on a spot that did
not afford a blade of grass. The rain ceasing, was succeeded about nine
o'clock by one of the severest storms of wind I ever remember to have
witnessed; and for the first time perhaps during the journey, we were
alarmed for our personal safety. The howling of the wind down the sides
of the mountain, the violent agitation of the trees, and the crash of
falling branches, made us every instant fear that we should be buried
under the ruins of some of the stupendous trees which surrounded us.
September 23. - Towards midnight the storm abated, and allowed us to pass
the remainder of the night in comparative comfort. The morning broke
fair, and as the state of the horses would not permit us to attempt
ascending the mountain with the baggage to-day, I contented myself with
dispatching them for the provisions left last night at the bottom of the
precipice, and to get up if possible the two remaining horses, whilst Mr.
Evans and myself should explore the range, and endeavour to find out a
somewhat more practicable route. We proceeded to ascend the mountain, the
summit of which was near two miles distant, and in many places extremely
difficult and abrupt. We however remarked on our road seven native huts,
which increased our hopes that these mountains would lead by a
comparatively easy descent to the coast line of country.
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