our horses. Mr. Walker's
pathway was completed by means of a number of circuitous and sharp
turnings: it led directly up the face of cliffs which were almost
precipitous and 180 feet in height. To commemorate the completion of this
really laborious undertaking I named the valley Walker's Valley.

TROUBLESOME ASCENT FROM THE VALLEY. SICKNESS AND MORTALITY AMONG THE
HORSES AND STOCK.

The ponies, though weak, bore their burdens and submitted to the
packsaddles better than I had hoped. The first horse was led up by the
stock-keeper in safety, with its saddle and load on it; I followed with
the second, but was not so fortunate. I had accomplished about
three-fourths of the ascent when, turning one of the sharp corners round
a rock, the load struck against it and knocked the horse over on its
side. I thought for a moment that the poor beast would have fallen down
the precipice, but luckily its roll was checked in time to prevent this.
There it lay however on a flat rock, four or five feet wide, a precipice
of 150 feet on one side of it, and the projecting rock against which it
had struck on the other, whilst I sat upon its head to prevent it from
moving. Its long tail streamed in the wind over the precipice; its wild
and fiery eye gleamed from its shaggy mane and forelock; and, ignorant of
its impending danger, it kicked and struggled violently, whilst it
appeared to hang in mid-air over the gloomy depth of this tropical
ravine. Anxious as I felt for the safety of my pony I could not be
unconscious of the singular beauty of the scene during the few minutes
that elapsed whilst I was repressing its struggles on a narrow ledge of
rock, of which the dark brow projected threateningly above me, whilst the
noise of a rushing torrent was audible far below. I cut the girths of the
saddle, which then with its load rolled over the precipice, and pitched
with a heavy crash on a rock far down. Even then, if the brute had not
been a denizen of a wild and mountainous country, it must have been lost;
but now it no sooner felt itself freed from its encumbrance than, looking
sagaciously around and then raising itself cautiously up, it stood
trembling by my side upon the narrow terrace.

Warned by this misfortune we managed to make another turn in the path, by
which this awkward rock was avoided, and the remainder of the horses,
with their loads, reached the tableland in safety. But so rocky was this
country that, even after having mastered