486 
PASSAGE OF TARANTA. 
being probably intimidated by the result of the last, he gave up the 
point in despair, and we experienced no farther trouble. 
*' The whole of this mountain was thickly set with kolquall, which 
grows nearly to the height of forty feet : towards the top the berry - 
bearing cedar of Bruce, (called by our guide Cereder) began to make 
its appearance, and became more abundant in })roportion as we 
ascended ; the summit of the mountain being covered with a thick 
copse of this tree. In the most rugged path of the road we dis- 
mounted, to ease our mules, and walked for about half a mile ; we 
then remounted, and gained the top without any further difficulty. 
As soon as we arrived we found, on looking at our watches, that it 
was only half past two ; so that, notwithstanding all our delays, we 
had been occupied only three hours in overcoming the exaggerated 
perils and toils of the passage of Taranta. We now directed our 
course into a beautiful little green valley shaded by cedars, and 
adorned by a pool of water ; the sight of which was particularly grate- 
ful to us, as we had been repeatedly told that there was none on the 
top ; near it was grazing a large herd of cattle. Wandering about 
the valley we discovered a great profusion of mushrooms, of which, 
notwithstanding they were considered by the natives as poisonous, 
we collected a large quantity : part we stewed for immediate use, 
and the remainder we bottled, and found them both wholesome 
and highly grateful, in the total want of vegetables which we after- 
wards experienced. Soon afterwards, Captain Rudland shot an owl 
of a very large species, and Mr. Garter and myself collected a 
number of flowers, several of which had bulbous roots ; among the 
shrubs were the sweet briar, and several others highly aromatic. 
We were soon overtaken by the men and boys who had charge of 
