30O STUDIES OF NATURE. 



fuch fpeed, that, in a {hort time, neither goat, tra- 

 veller, nor dog, were to be feen. 



The traveller, who had remained on the high- 

 way, was preparing to follow his companion, when 

 the (hepherd thus addrefied him : " Sir, the wea- 

 " ther is boifterous, night approaches, the foreft 

 ** and the mountain are full of quagmires, where 

 *' you may be in danger of lofing yourfelf. Come 

 '* and repofe yourfelf a while in my cottage, which 

 " is not far from hence. I am perfectly fure that 

 ** my goat, which is very tame, will return of her- 

 " felf, and bring back your friend to us, provided 

 ** he does not lofe fight of her.'* In faying thefe 

 words, he applied his pipe to his mouth, and the 

 flock, immediately, began to file off, by a path, 

 toward the fummit of the mountain. A large ram 

 marched at the head of this little flock ; he was 

 followed by fix (he goats, whofe dugs almoft 

 touched the ground ; twelve ewes, accompanied 

 by their lambs, which were already confiderably 

 grown, came next ; a llie-afs and her colt clofed 

 the proceiTion. 



The flranger followed 'Tir tens in filence. They 

 afcended about fiX hundred paces, along an open 

 down, planted, here and there, with broom and 

 rofemary : as they were entering the foreft of oaks, 



which 



