Every difficulty vanished, and in
imagination we were already at home.
We proceeded sufficiently far to
discover, that although our descent would be both difficult and
dangerous, it would not be impracticable. The country between us and the
sea was broken into considerable forest hills and pleasing valleys, down
the principal of which we could distinguish a small stream taking its
course to the sea. To the north and south the country was mountainous and
broken beyond any thing we had seen. Indeed, some idea of those barrier
mountains may be formed from the circumstance, that although we could
distinctly see the ocean, and the waving of the coast line, (which within
the distance of ten or twelve miles from the beach appeared low), yet we
were still nearly fifty miles from it. I estimated the height of this
mountain at between six and seven thousand feet; and yet the country
north and south appeared equally elevated. Numerous smokes arising from
natives' fires announced a country well inhabited, and gave the whole
picture a cheerful aspect, which reflected itself on our minds; and we
returned to the tents with lighter hearts and better prospects. In
removing the baggage left at the bottom of the hill a short quarter of a
mile, a most distressing accident occurred. A mare, one of the strongest
we had, in bringing up a very light load, not a quarter of her usual
burden, and when within one hundred yards of the tent, literally burst
with the violent exertion which the ascent required.
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