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side of the tree. However, by one means or other 

 (after leaving a knock ed-up saddle-horse at a coffee 

 plantation, to the owner of which I was a perfect 

 stranger, but who very obligingly offered to take 

 charge of the animal) we found ourselves at the bot- 

 tom of the mountain; but the fatal tree, and the 

 delay occasioned by taking unavoidable shelter from 

 tremendous storms of rain, had lost us so much time, 

 that night surprised us when we were still eight 

 miles distant from our destined inn. The night was 

 dark as night could be ; no moon, no stars, nor 

 any light except the flashing of myriads of fire-flies, 

 which, flapping in the faces of the young horses, 

 frightened them, and made them rear. The road, 

 too, was full of water-trenches, precipices, and 

 deep and dangerous holes. As to the ground, it 

 was quite invisible, and we had no means of pro- 

 ceeding with any chance of safety except by 

 making some of the servants lead the horses, 

 while others went before us to explore the way, 

 while they cried out at every moment, — <" Take 

 care ; a little to the left, or you will slip into that 

 water-trench — a little to the right, or y ou will 

 tumble over that precipice." — Into the bargain 

 there was neither inn nor gentleman's house within 

 reach; and thus we proceeded crawling along at a 

 foot's pace for five eternal miles, when we at length 

 stopped to beg a shelter for the night at a small estate 

 called Porous. By this time it was midnight ; all the 

 family was gone to bed ; the gates were all locked ; 



