ured brute, and as he
bit one of the children, and we wanted some fresh meat, father ordered
him to be knocked on the head. I guessed it would come to that. Now,
the moment we heard your shots and shouts, Gog was full of fidgets, till
he saw us starting off to see what it was about, and then up he got and
followed us like a dog. He's a sensible little brute, that he is."

This conversation took place while I, like a Jack in a box, stood inside
my castle, and my friends outside. At last I bethought me that I should
like to be on the move, if it was only the sooner to enjoy a cup of hot
coffee and a pipe, luxuries I had had all day an especial longing for.
They had been so eager to learn what had occurred to me, that it did not
occur to them that the sooner we could get back to camp, the better for
me. It was pitched, I found, in a sheltered nook, in a valley some way
down the mountain, and thus their fires had been hidden from me, as well
as the sound of their voices. Off we set, therefore, little Gog jumping
and frisking before me as playful as a young puppy. It was a wonder he
did not tumble over the precipices in the dark. I received a warm
welcome and got a warm supper, and when I did once go to sleep, I
believe that it would have taken a pretty heavy piece of ordnance fired
over my head to awaken me.

We had now reached the extreme western edge of the Rocky Mountains, and
our course was henceforth to be all down hill. We had expected to have
had easy work of it, but when we stood on the edge of the cliffs and
looked down the terrific precipices, the bottom of which we had by some
means or other to reach, we very soon changed our minds. First we had
to search for the side of the mountain with the least slope; that is to
say, forming the greatest angle with the base. When found we saw that
no oxen or horses could, by themselves, prevent a loaded wagon rushing
down and being dashed to pieces. We therefore held a council to
consider the best means to be adopted. Two plans were agreed on
according to the nature of the ground. Where the descent was short and
steep we unharnessed the cattle, and making one end of a rope fast to a
rock or tree, we passed it through a block in the hinder part of the
wagon, and thus lowered the vehicle down gradually to the next platform.
The ropes were then unrove and secured to another rock or tree. It was
a very slow operation, but it was the only safe one. Indeed, in some