.MTIwNg.OTMwOTE

27 It was with light spirits - and a keen expectation of adventure - that I struck forward into the mountain road - where all was new - and when so much was predicated by the [?le] telling emigrants. My appearance was grotesque - and was quite in keeping I thought with the romance of the occassion. [?] tucked into my boots - but with pistol and knife around my waist - my coat with provender tied in its sleeves - slung over my shoulder - powder lask hanging at my side - and rifle in my hand. I was a nondescript - looking neither like a hunter nor traveller - nearer I suspect like a guirrella then my other character. I soon found I was heavily encumbered for marching - the sweat startet from my body like rain. Surely it was a hot day. We had not proceeded far before we were overtaken by the Dr and son after by Sally and Hannah mounted a la cavalier - looking rather novel in their new mode of riding. Hannah a young - slender and graceful. Sally - fat and overcoming her beast considerably. Unlike many of the sex - wearing the breaches - was by no means pleasing. Tommy soon appeared on his horse. [?] delighting with boyish glee - in his husimamship. We found the road very pleasant - lying between the mountains - and shaded by the woods - with every two or three miles - deep ravines - at whose streams or springs in halted refreshed at once by their water and shade. We were constantly going going up or down or winding round the hills - whose sides soon adorned with thick woods and rocks. Now the road would be quite smooth - now full of gullied paths - and foot holes - made during the wet months - and anon - full of stones - roots - and fallen trees. Sometimes it would pitch suddenly down a small descent - and sometimes [?] with tortuous length - up some huge hill or along some easier slope. We found in it some of the horrid precipices - the frightful holes - the serious obstructions - which some of the [?] two-[?] had described. It was a mountain road - easy of access to men and horse. As for myselft I was delighted with the constant varieties and changes of direction - scenery - and objects of admiration. The thick woods of massive trees - of clustering bamboo - of intutioning and interweaving monkey ladders - of thicket shrubs - of ground foliage - of singing birds - of many a woodland note - and especially the deep glen ravine - with its arboring shade and cooling spring - all [?clined] my spirits and enlivined my heart. About six miles from Gorgonna - on the brow of a hill we came to a ranch. The open space in front now filled with mules - carriers and travellers - and on entering we found no promise of anything interesting