PERILOUS ADVENTURE. 



narrow at its upper edge, that he could only advance 

 by sitting astride of it and pushing himself forward 

 with the united leverage of hands and feet. In this 

 way, however, he succeeded in making the passage. 

 But not long afterwards his dogs lost all trace of their 

 fox, and, baffled and wearied, he gave up the chase. 

 Retracing his steps, he was soon once more at the 

 ridge of snow, and now first became aware of the 

 perilous nature of the path he had chosen. On one 

 side the drift reached down to the edge of a precipice, 

 more than a thousand feet in perpendicular height ; 

 and on the other side, in one unbroken sheet, sloped 

 down to a distance of five or six hundred feet. Now 

 it often happens that obstacles surmounted perhaps 

 with ease, under the flush of hope and excitement 

 become magnified when failure has subdued the spirits. 

 And though the ridge of snow had been passed with 

 safety but a little before, it now presented a barrier 

 before which the courage both of hunter and hounds 

 quailed with trepidation. As he looked down into the 

 depth below, on either side, he almost shuddered to 

 think that he had crossed such a place ; but the thought 

 that it still lay between himself and home was more 

 unpleasant still. Darkness, however, was coming on 

 apace, and he knew full well that if he would not pass 

 the night on those snowy heights the passage must be 

 made again. Urging his dogs forward, therefore, he 

 prepared to follow th^m; but his own want of con- 

 fidence appeared to have extended to his dumb com- 

 panions, and though unable to speak or remonstrate, 

 they obeyed with instinctive reluctance. The leading 

 hound, however, had not advanced far when he lost his 

 footing, and in spite of every effort to recover himself 

 rolled down one of the steep banks of snow before 



