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MOUNTAIN BANKS 
more extraordinary is, that they are all linked to each other by 
the tail and halter. I committed myself entirely to the little 
creature I rode, never once touching his bridle ; being well 
aware such reliance was my only means of safety. The animal 
then feels confidence in himself, from finding his head perfectly 
free ; the sensibility of which part, if improperly checked, always 
brings him to the ground. In this way we continued journeying 
the whole night; sometimes climbing the mountains as described, 
at others descending into the winding valleys, and pursuing our 
course along the edge of the river. Many deep and narrow glens 
opened their rocky channels into the vale, each bringing its tri¬ 
butary stream to this secluded wandering of the Thermodon. 
November 14th.—About two o’clock this morning we quitted 
the banks of the river; but for a long time still heard it flowing 
to our left, while we began ascending the face of the last inter¬ 
vening mountain between us and our purposed halting-place. 
Its path equalled in dangers any we had yet passed, being a 
most frightful zig-zag, and reaching to so prodigious a height, 
that all the other towering piles we had lately scaled at such 
imminent peril, when day dawned appeared far beneath it. 
The progress and effect of the unfolding light over such a scene 
as this, is hardly to be described. It was indeed the chaser of 
shadows; and the terrifically dark and formless apparitions, 
sweeping across the lofty summits, successively flitted away 
amongst the black and vapoury gulfs towards the bottom of the 
mountains. In our march over the top of this last height, we 
passed the ruins of a fortress called that of Koyla-Hissar; and 
soon after commenced our descent into a narrow vale, but by a 
path even more nearly perpendicular than the zig-zag of our 
ascent. There was our menzil, in a village of the same name 
