222 NOVEL DANGERS TERRIBLE. 



occupied, as was that we are speaking of, in the business of 

 life ; but at the particular period of our relation, Danger, and 

 Death behind him, began suddenly to trip up their heels in a, 

 manner so new and so mysterious, as to make the most heed- 

 less look very seriously about them, and hence only arose the 

 panic Terror, which came for awhile to lord it over them. 



The capital of their republic, which was built upon Italian 

 soil, we shall call Monticello ; and it was upon one of the 

 principal thoroughfares communicating with this city, that 

 the common enemy first began that unusual and ill-mannered 

 mode of attack to which we have alluded. This highway 

 had been traversed by many successive generations, to whom 

 nothing had thereon befallen, excepting accidents of usual 

 occurrence ; but one day, as a party of some eight or ten 

 individuals were quietly pursuing their way along what they 

 supposed to be, as heretofore, a solid causeway, they came 

 suddenly upon the edge of a deep and wide abyss. 



Thus taken by surprise, two or three lost their footing, and 

 rolled at once down the shelving side of this strange pitfall. 

 The others might perhaps have maintained their equilibrium, 

 but, blinded and overthrown by a shower of sand, rising from 

 the hollow before them, as if from the crater of a volcano, 

 they also, with exception of one who returned to tell the tale, 

 were precipitated down the fatal descent. 



The road whereon this alarming occurrence took place was 

 speedily abandoned it was made, in fact, impassable ; but in 



