218 
VOTE OF THANKS TO MAHOMET.” 
with them all, save the claret, over which they made 
awfully wry feces — there is no denying that it was a 
little sour — and compared it to vinegar, which latter is 
with them an article of great consumption. "We passed 
an hour in this way very pleasantly, and then hauled on 
our hoots, which had previously been passing the rounds 
as objects of great admiration, bade our kind hosts fare- 
well, and, leaving the river at right angles, struck over 
the mountain for the sea, supposing it to be distant about 
two or three miles. 
We had a tough climb up the ravine-paths; but the 
work of surveying had well used us to exertion of that 
nature, and at the end of an hour we were looking down 
from a rocky pass, between two neighbouring peaks, 
upon the distant sea. We were surprised at its great 
distance, — at least three or four miles to the beach, and 
six or eight more along the beach to Si-mo-da. We 
began to think that we might have to sleep on shore 
after all ; but, by driving steadily ahead, having the good 
fortune not to get lost^ and resisting the temptation to stop 
at the inviting villages through which we passed, we 
reached our boat in good time, and took our friend Bri- 
dleman on board with us to a dinner by candlelight. 
That same night the atFair of ‘^Mahomet and the 
mountain” spread around the mess like wildfire, and 
resulted in a vote of thanks being tendered the former 
for his gallant bearing, and a resolution that “ we do 
likewise to the first two-sworded officer who presumes to 
follow us hereafter.” 
It was not long before an opportunity for testing our 
determination to “ do likewise” presented itself; and 
