364 TEAVEL, ADVENTUBE, AND SPOET. 



pacing so calmly his quarterdeck, would be, on my 

 account and before long, in the sudden space of a. 

 few minutes, transformed into entirely a different 

 being. "Where he was walking now so quietly, he 

 would be stamping his feet like an enraged gnu. 

 That bland countenance would be purple ; those lips 

 would be consigning me and everything belonging to 

 me to eternal perdition. For did I not see as clearly 

 as if it was all before my eyes, the little steamer, 

 with steam up, grating her trimly painted sides 

 against the projecting roots and stones of a rugged 

 bank, my horse tied with ropes in every conceivable 

 way, but still able to lash out and sidle, and back and 

 drag after him over the plain the whole ship's com- 

 pany like so many Hectors in the dust. The event 

 turned out much as I had expected. The very sight 

 of the river and the approaching steamer made the 

 horse stiffen his crest, extend his thin nostrils, and 

 prepare himself for battle. Planks were laid down 

 from the deck to the bank, and artfully covered with 

 grass. A tempting lock of fragrant hay was held out 

 by a kind hand on board. The crew fastened on to 

 the halter like bull-dogs, and tugged with all their 

 strength. The groom coaxed and shouted, and even 

 threw stones at the poor dear old horse. But all in 

 vain. He "begged to decline." His desert blood 

 was as shy of shipboard as is a delicate timid woman. 

 After a desperate attempt to kill his groom, and 

 drown me for as a last resource I had tried to ride 



