26 HOUSE AND MAN. 



their ears as we advanced beyond a clearing. Their 

 cries were answered from somewhere beyond us, and, 

 pushing forward into the open, we came upon a herd 

 of wild horses, who, on hearing our advance, had 

 stopped grazing, and now they stood collected in a 

 knot together, snorting and stamping, and staring at 

 us in evident amazement. 



' One of their number came boldly trotting out to 

 meet us, and evidently with no pacific intentions ; his 

 wicked eye and his white teeth, which he had bared 

 fiercely, looking by no means encouraging. But 

 suddenly he stopped short, looked at us for a mo- 

 ment, and then, with a wild snort, dashed madly 

 away, followed by the whole herd. 



* They disappeared like lightning over the brow 

 of a deep ravine, to emerge again on our view after 

 a couple of seconds, scampering like goats up its 

 opposite side, which rose almost perpendicular to a 

 height of six or seven hundred feet. They reached 

 its crest at full gallop in the twinkling of an eye, and, 

 without pausing for an instant, disappeared again, 

 leaving us wondering and amazed at their marvellous 

 agility. 



' I had often seen their paths leading up hill-sides 

 which a man could scarcely climb, but, till now that 

 I had witnessed a specimen of their powers with my 

 own eyes, I had scarcely been able to believe them 



