. Then they began to climb the mountains.

The way was steep and rugged; indeed, so rough in places, that the
cattle had to jump over the holes, and as the wagon could not jump so
cleverly, it jolted appallingly, and many a scream issued forth.

Near the summit, when the poor beasts were dead beat, they got into
clouds and storms, and the wind rushed howling at them through the
narrow pass with such fury it flattened the horses' ears, and bade fair
to sweep the whole cavalcade to the plains below.

Christopher and Dick walked close behind, under the lee of the wagon.
Christopher said in Dick's ear, "D'ye hear that? Time to reef topsails,
captain."

"It is time to do SOMETHING," said Dick. He took advantage of a jutting
rock, drew the wagon half behind it and across the road, propped the
wheels with stones, and they all huddled to leeward, man and beast
indiscriminately.

"Ah!" said Christopher, approvingly; "we are lying to: a
very--proper--course."

They huddled and shivered three hours, and then the sun leaped into the
sky, and lo! a transformation scene. The cold clouds were first rosy
fleeces, then golden ones, then gold-dust, then gone; the rain was
big diamonds, then crystal sparks, then gone; the rocks and the bushes
sparkled with gem-like drops, and shone and smiled.

The shivering party bustled, and toasted the potent luminary in hot
coffee; for Phoebe's wagon had a stove and chimney; and then they yoked
their miscellaneous cattle again, and breasted the hill. With many
a jump, and bump, and jolt, and scream from inside, they reached the
summit, and looked down on a vast slope, flowering but arid, a region of
gaudy sterility.

The descent was more tremendous than the ascent, and Phoebe got out,
and told Christopher she would liever cross the ocean twice than this
dreadful mountain once.

The Hottentot with the reins was now bent like a bow all the time,
keeping the cattle from flowing diverse over precipices, and the Kafir
with his kambok was here, and there, and everywhere, his whip flicking
like a lancet, and cracking like a horse-pistol, and the pair vied like
Apollo and Pan, not which could sing sweetest, but swear loudest. Having
the lofty hill for some hours between them and the sun, they bumped, and
jolted, and stuck in mud-holes, and flogged and swore the cattle out
of them again, till at last they got to the bottom, where ran a turbid
kloof or stream. It was fordable, but the recent rains ha