6 THREE TRAVELLERS. 



pages could have been transplanted to the northern 

 portion of Montana, and have gazed upon the southern 

 slope of a mountain the summit of which was lost in 

 clouds, a cortege, consisting of a man, horse, and 

 mule, might have been seen slowly, and apparently 

 with great difficulty, making its way through snow 

 and boulders towards the East. Over each there 

 was an air of languor that spoke of fatigue and short 

 commons ; while the neglected, nay, dirty appearance 

 of all, proclaimed that many days had elapsed since 

 they had been in a settlement, or had time to devote 

 that attention to appearances which is no less neces- 

 sary to brutes than to men, to make them present- 

 able to civilised eyes. 



We three were, indeed, in a sorry plight for 

 your humble servant, the Author, claimed to be the 

 chief of the triumvirate : could we have been trans- 

 planted to the fashionable precincts of Rotten Row 

 in the state in which we then were, we should have 

 doubtlessly caused curiosity, possibly contempt. 



Although both the animals were without a load 

 of any consequence, the descent was so steep, and 

 the ground so rough, that they repeatedly stumbled 

 or slid, with such force that I expected momentarily 

 to see them continue their descent headlong into the 

 ravines beneath, where a broken neck would have 

 been their certain destiny. 



It was near sunset, and if earlier in the day a 

 suitable halting-place could have been found I would 

 have camped long before ; for I was fearfully tired, 



