FRIGHTENED AWAY. 169 



climbed the rocks by a rude path which already 

 existed, and slipped in under cover of our leafy 

 screen. 



On the morning of the tenth day we entered 

 the ravine from the upper end, and made our 

 first call upon the thrush. We had been seated 

 in silence for ten or fifteen minutes, and I was 

 beginning to get uneasy because no bird came 

 to the nest, when a diversion occurred that 

 drove thrush affairs out of our minds. We 

 heard footsteps ! It must be remembered that 

 we were alone in this solitary place, far from a 

 house, and naturally we listened eagerly. The 

 steps drew nearer, and then we heard loud 

 breathing. We exchanged glances of relief 

 it was a cow! But while we were congratu- 

 lating ourselves began a crashing of branches, a 

 fiercer breathing, a rush, and a low bellow ! 



This was no meek cow ! we turned pale, at 

 any rate we felt pale, but we tried to encour- 

 age each other by suggesting in hurried whis- 

 pers that he surely would not see us. Alas ! 

 the next instant he broke through the bushes, 

 and to our horror started at once up our path 

 to the rocks ; in a moment he would be upon 

 us ! We rose hastily, prepared to sell our lives 

 dearly, when, as suddenly as he had come, he 

 turned and rushed back. Whether the sight 

 of us was too much for his philosophy, or 



