recipice.

"This won't do," observed Mudge; "but we will keep along to the left,
where the ground slopes more than it does here, and perhaps we shall
reach a practicable valley."

He was not mistaken; and we soon found ourselves in a valley, which,
though stem and wild as those on the other side of the mountain, would
lead us, we hoped, into a more fertile region. Night rapidly
approached, however, while we were still surrounded by barren rocks, so
during the little time daylight remained we looked about to find a
sleeping-place.

We were expecting to be compelled to rest without any shelter, when
Mudge, who was a little way on up the side of the mountain, cried
out,--"Here is a cavern; it will shelter us, at all events, from the
cold wind and dew; though I am afraid we must go without a fire--or our
tea, seeing that we have no water to boil even if we could make one."

I followed him, and groping our way we found ourselves in a large arched
cavern in the slope of the mountain. It was apparently of no great
depth, but would afford us, at all events, ample accommodation; and we
accordingly crept in. We ate a little more pemmican and biscuit, though
I had the greatest difficulty in swallowing my share. We then, groping
about, discovered two soft places, beds of sand, a short distance apart.
Mudge chose one, and I lay down on the other.

"Go to sleep quickly, Godfrey," said Mudge; "it is the best thing you
can do; you'll find yourself stronger in the morning. We'll start at
daylight, and enjoy a capital breakfast--when we find it."

I did my best to follow his advice, and succeeded better than I could
have expected. I must have slept for a considerable time, when I awoke
with a start, and saw by the light of the moon, which streamed into the
cavern, Mudge sitting up with his pistols in his hands, and staring, as
I fancied, wildly before him.

"What's the matter?" I exclaimed, under the idea that he was still
asleep and fancied that he saw something terrible.

"Look there! look there!" he answered. "Can those be wolves, or
jackals, or hyenas? or what other prowling creatures of night are they,
with staring eyeballs, at the entrance of the cavern? Be prepared,
Godfrey; for I verily believe they are about to rush in and attack us."

I now distinguished in the gloom a dozen or more animals with fiery
eyes, as it seemed to me, staring fiercely at us. I say animals, though
I could only make out the heads of m