372 TRAVEL, ADVENTURE, AND SPORT. 



panorama at our feet, our surprise and dismay were 

 great when we burst suddenly upon an immense 

 expanse of dense fog, which lay like a white shroud 

 upon the earth, concealing it from us entirely, except 

 where two or three hill-tops still showed their wooded 

 summits. Gradually the mist rose, and one by one 

 they disappeared, as though submerged by some 

 mighty flood. "We could scarcely regret the loss of 

 the view as we gazed upon a phenomenon so singular 

 and striking, until at last we were ourselves enveloped 

 in its chill embrace. There was a warning sound in 

 the cold damp gusts that swept over the mountain- 

 side, which was anything but pleasant, as, wearied 

 and jaded, we commenced the arduous descent. Our 

 horses, with drooping heads, followed their plodding 

 masters down dry water-courses and steep slippery 

 banks. A general recklessness seemed to pervade the 

 party, as though life was momentarily becoming less 

 valuable as the chance of passing a rainy night in the 

 woods increased. At length, when the last glimmer 

 of twilight had almost disappeared, the bark of a dog 

 sounded cheerily on our ears, and soon after human 

 voices inspired us with hope. Their owners promptly 

 answered our shouts, and directed us, in a bewildered 

 manner, to the chief man of the village, furnishing us 

 with a guide to his residence, which we reached at 

 last, utterly worn out and exhausted. 



Our host was a perfect specimen of a Circassian, 

 who had never travelled beyond his native valley ; 



