PERILOUS DESCENT. 
25 
which the mountain rose to an immense altitude, and 
we had to ascend its steep sides by a path so narrow as 
only to admit one passenger in line. A broad cataract 
bounded oyer the precipice, up the side of which we 
were ascending. Just as we had reached the summit, 
one of the sillenies dropped from his shoulder a small 
portmanteau which fell into the gulf below. He ex- 
pressed his determination to recover it by descending, 
although the depth was at least two hundred feet, and 
accordingly prepared to accomplish his resolution. A 
stout cord, composed of hair, was passed round the limb 
of a tree that projected over the precipice. The end 
was firmly tied to a thick bamboo, about fifteen inches 
long, upon which the man placed his feet, and, grasp- 
ing the rope in both hands, was slowly lowered into 
the void. As the face of the precipice sloped gradually 
inward, he was not within reach of it during the whole 
of his descent. When about fifty yards below the 
summit, he was swayed in an alarming degree by the 
wind, which, pouring down into the chasm and not 
finding a ready vent, was forced back again in strong 
eddies that seemed at times to whirl him round with 
dangerous velocity. He, however, still maintained his 
hold until he appeared but a speck, when the cord 
slackening, it was clear that he had reached his des- 
tination, After a short time, upon a signal being 
given from below by a sudden jerk of the cord, the 
men above began to haul up their companion, who, 
from the additional weight, had evidently recovered his 
burden. They pulled him up much more expeditiously 
than they had let him down, and he soon appeared 
uninjured with the portmanteau upon his shoulders. 
D 
