404 THE HUNTING GEOUNDS 



over a bed of huge boulders of green and black 

 granite with a roar like thunder. 



The next morning, having crossed this obstruc- 

 tion, we clambered over the last crest of the moun- 

 tain, a deep valley only lying between us and the 

 El-Bruz, and commenced our descent in single file 

 by a long spur, along the back or ridge of which we 

 pursued our course for some miles without any feel- 

 ing of insecurity, as the sides, though steep, were 

 densely wooded, and obscured the terrors of the 

 view. Suddenly, as we were skirting a scarped 

 cliflF, we came to a sharp angle where we had to pass 

 a narrow ledge or shelf jutting out of the live rock, 

 on which there was scarcely room for a goat to turn. 

 I was leading, my horse being the most sure-footed, 

 but here he stopped dead short with a strange snort 

 and shudder, that first made me feel the imminence 

 of my danger, throwing out his legs as if bent upon 

 going no further. A foaming river was roaring 

 some hundreds of feet below, so that we could 

 hardly hear ourselves speak ; and if I could I would 

 have dismounted to reconnoitre, but this was per- 

 fectly impossible. I could not turn, and must ad- 

 vance : but auri sacra fames, quid non mortalia 

 2)ectora cogis ? What looked impossible was soon 

 made practicable. Delay was dangerous, so I 

 loosened the reins, gently urged my horse forward, 

 and at the same time gave him the spur. With a 

 grunt of despair, and eyes distended, he craned his 

 neck forward, and, after a fearful efibrt, managed 



