76 
JOURNEY TO BETHELSDORP. 
time got to the top of the mud fence, when all hands 
went to work, in order to hft the fore part of the wag- 
gon back into the road, which we happily effected : 
for some time this had to be done almost every yard 
the waggon advanced; however, we reached the top 
of this ascent in safety, and soon after we all arrived 
on the summit of the hill, when every one seemed 
pleased, and ready to congratulate each other on the 
occasion. This summit is called Devil's Kop, (or 
Devil's Head.) 
I do not know how high the roads may lie over the 
Appenine mountains in Italy, but I question if wag- 
gons loaded so heavy were ever mounted higher in 
the air, than those which crossed this mountain. The 
surrounding prospect was highly interesting. Platen- 
burgh Bay composed part of it. But neither house, 
nor man, nor beast, nor any cultivated spot being visi- 
ble, gave rather a dullness to the prospect. Elephants 
and buffaloes traverse these mountains, but none shew- 
ed themselves to us. Elizabeth pointed to a cliff in 
the old road, where a waggon and oxen fell over, and 
were literally dashed to pieces. 
After many ups and downs, we arrived at White 
River, about eleven, A.M. The only occurrence dur- 
ing this part of the journey was, that the chain con- 
fining one of the wheels broke while descending a 
very steep and stony part of a hill ; but by keeping 
the oxen running as fast as they were able before the 
waggon, they reached the bottom in safety. They told 
