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. Bilboa's ecstasy
at the first sight of the South Sea could not have been greater than
ours, when on gaining the summit of this mountain, we beheld Old Ocean at
our feet:
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