102 
B00TAN. 
the mansion, furnishing, even at this high station, in all seasons, an 
simple supply of water for domestic uses. We continued to ascend 
along the ridge of the mountain, which runs towards the south west, 
by many steep windings in the path. The fine stately firs that orna¬ 
ment Wandeechy, give place to less noble plants in these more lofty 
regions, and vegetation of a dwarfish, hardy species, began to prevail 
as we approached the summit. Diminutive as Tassisuclon, and every 
object that lay below us, now appeared, the valley, rich with high 
cultivation, diversified with numerous habitations, and watered by the 
winding Tehintchieu, presented a beautiful scene, which derived sin¬ 
gular grandeur from the towering mountains around it, whose sides 
sustained many solitary cottages, in strange and fantastical positions,, 
the silent abodes of the recluse. In the mean time, some larger and 
more populous settlements of the votaries of religion, were visible in 
various parts. The most luxuriant trees, I observed, clothe the skirts 
only of the loftiest mountains: these before us, like others which I 
have seen, carry their heads into an atmosphere, too rare to afford 
nourishment to the great and flourishing productions of the vegetable, 
kingdom. 
Many of the sons of piety plant their dwellings in these pure re¬ 
gions, and in general, judiciously abandon the low hollows, with their 
putrid and humid exhalations, as best suited to the business of the hus¬ 
bandman. It was with infinite toil that we attained the summit, where 
we found a spacious stone building, surrounded with a high wall, 
through which there was one gateway. It was for some time debated, 
whether or not, we should venture to look within this solitary castle; 
