ASS. 
stead of lying on a level, forms at every little 
distance steep declivities of several hundred yards 
downwards. These can be descended only by asses 
or mules ; and the animals themselves seem sen- 
sible of the danger, by the caution they use. When 
they come to the edge of one of the descents, they 
stop of themselves, without being checked by the 
rider ; and, if he inadvertently attempts to spur 
them on, they continue immovable. They seem 
all this time ruminating on the danger which lies 
before them, and preparing themselves for the en- 
counter. They not only attentively view the road, 
but tremble and snort at the danger. Having pre- 
pared for the descent, they place their fore-feet in a 
posture as if they were stopping themselves ; they 
then also put their hinder feet together, but a little 
forward as if they were about to lie down. In, 
this attitude, having taken a survey of the road, 
they slide down with the swiftness of a meteor. In 
the mean time all that the rider has to do is to keep 
himself fast on the saddle, without checking the 
rein; for the least motion is sufficient to. disorder 
the equilibrium of the ass ; in which case both must 
unavoidably perish. But their address in this rapid 
descent is truly wonderful ; for, in their swiftest 
motion, when they seem to have lost all govern- 
ment of themselves, they follow exactly the dif- 
ferent windings of the road, as if they had pre- 
viously settled in their minds the route they were 
to follow, and taken every precaution for their 
safety. In this joujmey, the natives, who are placed 
