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block of lava while a hind one was 

 dragging through a deep hole, and this 

 continued through a constant and 

 decided decline for a distance of twenty- 

 three miles, with variations in the sizes 

 of holes and lava blocks. The animals 

 were not matched in their manner, 

 temper, or gait. The horse held back 

 the mule pulled sturdily forward. As 

 a result, the carriage at brief intervals 

 swerved from the "trail," the driver 

 always waking up just in time to back 

 us away from some yawning precipice, 

 while the cold perspiration stood on our 

 brows. For more than twelve hours 

 we clung every minute to the seats to 

 keep from being thrown from the car- 

 riage. The jolting and shaking were 

 terrible. To keep up our spirits we 

 sang, even descending in our misery to 

 ' ' Sing this round over and over again" ; 

 but this only served to attract the 



