PASSAGE ACROSS 



or three places, both above and below me, and I 

 was quite sure it would not bear ; so, in order that 

 the mule should tumble by himself, I rode to the 

 very edge, and then dismounting, put the bridle 

 over his neck, and crossing the little stream, I 

 endeavoured to persuade him to follow me, but he 

 would not think of it ; it was but one step, yet he 

 would not make it. 



I then resolved to back him over it, and accord- 

 ingly taking hold of the Mameluke bit which was 

 in his mouth, I tried to turn him round. He 

 would open his mouth, and allow his head to come 

 round to his shoulder, but he knew what I wanted, 

 and nothing could persuade him to move his legs. 



1 could bear it no longer, so without a witness 

 but the wild mountains about me, I beat him on 

 his nose; however it was no'use, he would not move, 

 and he looked so placid that I could not long be 

 angry with him, and therefore I gave the point up 

 and mounted him. The moment I was on his 

 back, he walked on ; as I expected, the snow broke 

 in, and down he fell upon his nose ; however, he 

 floundered through it, and then continued as pa- 

 tient as if nothing had happened, sometimes prick- 



