70 NATURALISTS CABINET. 



Loss of a child Fruitless search. 



when the horizon was suddenly darkened by one 

 of those impenetrable mists, which frequently de- 

 scend so rapidly amidst these mountains as, in 

 the space of a few minutes, almost to turn day 

 into night. The anxious father instantly has- 

 tened back to find his child; but, owing to the 

 unusual darkness and his own trepidation, he un- 

 fortunately missed his way in the descent. After 

 a fruitless search of many hours amongst the 

 dangerous morasses and cataracts, with which 

 these mountains abound, he was at length over- 

 taken by night. Still wandering on without 

 knowing whither, he at leagth came to the verge 

 of the mist; and, by the lignt of the moon, dis- 

 covered that he had reached the bottom of his 

 valley, and was within a short distance of his 

 cottage. To renew the search that night, was 

 equally fruitless and dangerous. He was there- 

 fore obliged to return to his cottage, having lost 

 hoth his child, and his dog, who had attended 

 him faithfully for years. 



Next morning by day-break, the shepherd, 

 accompanied by a band of his neighbours, set 

 out in search of his child; but, after a day spent 

 in fruitless fatigue, he was at last compelled, by 

 the approach of night, to descend from the 

 mountain. On returning to his cottage, he 

 found that the dog, which he had lost the day 

 before, had been home, and, on receiving a piece 

 of cake, had instantly gone oft' again. For seve- 

 ral successive days the shepherd renewed the 



