7 6 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER 



tion of the fpot where we were, till we gained the moun- 

 tain of Taranta, at the foot of which we halted at nine in 

 the morning. 



At half paft two o'clock in the afternoon we began to 

 afcend the mountain, through a moil rocky, uneven road, if 

 it can deferve the name, not only from its incredible ileep- 

 nefs, but from the large holes and gullies made by the tor- 

 rents, and the huge monitrous fragments of rocks which, 

 loofened by the water, had been tumbled down into our 

 way. It was with great difficulty we could creep up, each 

 man carrying his knapfack and arms ; but it feemed beyond 

 the poilibilky of human ilrength to carry our baggage and 

 inilruments. Our tent, indeed, fuffered nothing by its falls; 

 but our telcfcopes, time-keeper, and quadrant, were to be 

 treated in a more deliberate and tender manner. 



Our quadrant had hitherto been carried by eight men, 

 four to relieve each other ; but thefe were ready to give up 

 the undertaking upon trial of the firfl few hundred yards. 

 A number of expedients, fuch as trailing it on the ground, 

 (all equally fatal to the inilrument) were propofed. At laft, 

 as I was incomparably the ftrongeft of the company, as well 

 as the moll interefted, I, and a ftranger Moor who had fol- 

 lowed us, carried the head of it for about 400 yards over 

 the raoft difficult and fleepefl part of the mountain, which 

 before had been confidered as impracticable by all. 



Yasine was the name of that Moor, recommended to me 

 by Metical Aga, of whom I have already lpoken a little, and 

 ffiall be obliged to fay much more ; a perfon whom I had 

 diicQvered to be a man of a moil fagacious turn of mind, 



firrxi 



