74 
JOURNEY TO BETHELSDORP. 
[1813, 
about a hundred feet, and a little improved the 
remainder, which extended about half a mile to the 
top. Many of the stones which we' removed had pro- 
bably lain in the middle of the path for a hundred 
years, and damaged many a waggon, but because it 
was equally the duty of every one that passed that way 
to remove them, no one did it. 
On arriving at the summit of this rocky ascent, we 
felt like people at sea after weathering a severe storm ; 
we had soon however something of a different nature 
to encounter ; the rain descended and drenched most 
of us to the skin. But for the rain and fog, this part 
of the road would have been pleasant, being surrounded 
with flowering shrubs of various forms and tints, all of 
which would have been great curiosities in England. 
We travelled on high ground, yet we came to the base 
of a high mountain whose top was hid in a cloud, over 
which it seemed our waggons must pass. We there- 
fore halted to refresh and prepare our oxen for the 
tiresome task. We soon lighted up a great fire, but 
as the rain fell fast we could not get our clothes 
dried. 
At three, P.M. we- began to ascend the mountain; 
on reaching its summit a very extensive view opened 
to us : at five we descended a long and steep declivity, 
at the bottom of which is a place called Little Hell ; 
for what reason I do not know, as there is nothing 
terrific about it: from the lowest part of the road, 
indeed, you look down to a deep hollow, but there is 
