A STORMY PARTING. 307 



had yielded to their claims. At last, chiefly by our own 

 exertions, the horse was loaded, and then, having paid 

 everyone who had any fair claim, we agreed to make a 

 decided effort to start. One of us was to lead the horse, 

 for it was evident its master could not be relied on ; the 

 others were to carry saddlebags, and keep together as 

 much as possible. Lifting our luggage on our shoidders, 

 we prepared to leave the barn in a body, but our two men 

 foolishly loitered, to make sure that nothing was left 

 behind. The natives took advantage of the blunder, and 

 immediately shut them in : looking round, we saw the 

 state of the case, and ran a tilt, with our ice-axes, at the 

 wooden doors, which were rudely constructed, divided in 

 the middle, and opened inwards ; the blow sent them 

 flying back at once. rran9ois, who was close by inside, 

 endeavoured to come out, when a peasant put himself in 

 the way ; but I suddenly brought the cold barrel of my 

 revolver into contact with the scoundrel's cheek, on which 

 he retreated hastily. rran9ois escaped, and Paul was 

 allowed to follow him. Once more united, and formino- a 

 kind of square, with the horse in the centre, our saddlebags 

 on our shoulders, and our revolvers in our hands, we des- 

 cended into the hollow lane which led out of the village. 

 Some of the inhabitants, yelling and jabbering, jumped 

 down in front to bar the way ; others brandished swords, 

 daggers, and pistols on either wall ; a few ran off, makiiio- 

 signs that they would fetch their guns; while the women, 

 screaming and endeavouring to restrain the fury of their 

 relations, added by their wild cries and gestures to the con- 

 fusion of the scene. 



Whether their interference was due to any kindly feeling 

 towards us, or to a fear lest our revolvers should make 

 victims of their friends, we never loiew. The crisis was 

 really serious, and a peaceful solution seemed almost 



X 2 



