RETURN FROM THE FIRST JOURNEY. 307 



or sleeping. As also the captain was a well-instructed 

 clever man, the unusually long voyage passed never- 

 theless quickly and agreeably for us, in spite of wind 

 and waves. 



In Trebizond , where we anchored for a few 

 hours, I again met with one of my many small mis- 

 haps. I had taken a walk on the plateau above the 

 town, to enjoy once again the splendid prospect, and 

 was returning by the fine new road, which on the 

 side descending abruptly to the sea was entirely un- 

 secured by railings , when I met a large drove of 

 donkeys laden with sacks of corn. I inconsiderately 

 stepped to the unrailed side towards the sea, to let 

 the drove pass. That was all right at first, but gra- 

 dually the drove became denser, and finally occupied 

 the whole width of the road. No pushing and no 

 beating availed, the beasts could not, if they had tried, 

 make room for me. The attempt to jump on to one 

 of the donkeys failed, I was compelled to make way 

 for them, and fell down the steep stone-work into 

 mud and among bushes, whereby luckily the force 

 of the considerable fall was somewhat lessened. After 

 I had found that I had got off without serious in- 

 juries , I worked myself laboriously out of the thorns 

 and nettles, and only after long and many vain endea- 

 vours was able to scramble up again to the road. For- 

 tunately I found a small pond at the top, in which 

 I could wash myself and clothes. The still powerful 

 sun effected the drying with tolerable rapidity, and 



thus I could manage to go through the town without 



20* 



