IN THE PACIFIC. 47 



my coxswain and steward, in hopes of getting an 

 old billy goat. We had seen some fine specimens 

 the previous evening, standing on the very 

 brink of the precipice, many hundred feet above 

 us and watching us with much curiosity ; some 

 of these must have been regular patriarchs, 

 judging by their long grey beards and fine 

 horns. 



"We had not gone far before we heard the 

 most frightful yells and shouts for assistance ; 

 on going back we found my steward hanging 

 over a precipice, and nearly exhausted. Having 

 relieved him from his unpleasant position, we 

 climbed up the mountain, and in about forty- 

 five minutes had the satisfaction of reaching 

 the top. 



From this elevation we had a fine panoramic 

 view of the whole island, with its hills and 

 valleys spread out at our feet : far below us the 

 two ships lay peacefully at their anchors in the 

 bay, looking like toy boats floating in a pond. 



With our glasses we could see some goats 

 feeding on the opposite side of a ravine, so 



