152 NARRATIVE OF A JOURNEY 



eyes wc vvislied to appear like fellow Christians, we concluded 

 that there would be a propriety in attempting to remove at least 

 one of the heathenish badges which we had worn throughout the 

 journey; so Mr. N.'s razor was fished out from its hiding place 

 in the bottom of his trunk, and in a few minutes our encumbered 

 chins lost their long-cherished ornaments ; we performed our 

 ablutions in the river, arrayed ourselves in clean linen, trimmed 

 our long hair, and then arranged our toilet before a mirror, with 

 great self-complacence and satisfaction. I admired my own 

 appearance considerably, (and this is, probably, an acknowledge- 

 ment that few would make,) but I could not refrain from laugh- 

 ing at the strange, party-colored appearance of my physiognomy, 

 the lower portion being fair, like a woman's, and the upper, 

 brown and swarthy as an Indian. 



Having nothing prepared for dinner to-day, I strolled along 

 the stream above the camp, and made a meal on rose buds, of 

 which I collected an abundance ; and on returning, I was sur- 

 prised to find Mr. N. and Captain T. picking the last bones of 

 a bird which they had cooked. Upon inquiry, I ascertained 

 that the subject was an unfortunate owl which I had killed in 

 the morning, and had intended to preserve, as a specimen. The 

 temptation was too great to be resisted by the hungry Captain 

 and naturalist, and the bird of wisdom lost the immortality which 

 he might otherwise have acquired. 



In the afternoon, soon after leavinjj the Utalla, we ascended #; 

 a high and very steep hill, and came immediately in view^ 

 beautiful, and regularly undulating country of great extent, ""^e' 

 have now probably done with high, rugged mountains ; the 

 sun shines clear, the air is bracing and elastic, and we are all in 

 fine spirits. 



The next day, the road being generally level, and tolerably 

 free from stones, we were enabled to keep our horses at the 

 swiftest gate to which we dare urge them. We have been some- 



