places the descent was so precipitous that we had to unload the wagons
altogether, and carry each article down separately.

Two days were thus occupied; but when we looked up and saw the heights
from which we had descended, and the steepness of the precipices above
us, we had reason, I thought, to be thankful. We now came to a series
of sheer descents, long, excessively steep slopes of half a mile or more
each. They were of a more treacherous character, and required as much
caution. We first cut down as many trees, with their branches on them,
as we had wagons, and secured the butt-ends to the axle-trees, while the
thick branchy tops trailed behind digging into the ground. We were too
wise, however, to risk the whole at once. First we got one of the
lighter wagons with a steady pair of horses ahead. Then we locked all
the wheels, and besides that made fast some stout ropes to either side.

We remembered that: "The greater haste the worst speed."

"Gently, so ho," was the word. On moved the wagon. Obed and I went to
the horses' heads. It was ticklish work with all our care. Downward we
slid. Often we could scarcely keep our own footing. I was very glad, I
know, when we reached the bottom of the first descent. We had several
more, however, to accomplish. Others, seeing our success, came
following with the same caution, and succeeded as well. All but one
party, a family of Irish emigrants, agreed that our plan was the only
safe one. Pat Leary, however, and his sons, and sons-in-law, and wife,
and daughters, and daughters-in-law, for though the eldest was not
twenty, they were all married, cried out lustily against our
proceedings.

"Arrah, now, why are ye afther bothering so long on the side of the
mountain?" exclaimed Leary the elder. "Jist let the wagons now take an
aisy slide down by themselves, they'll raich the bottom safe enough.
Don't ye see no harm has come to any one of them yet, at all, at all?"

"For the very reason, friend Leary, because we have taken proper
precautions to prevent an accident," observed Mr Ragget, who had
adopted a peculiarly sententious tone in speaking to Pat, a great
contrast to the other's rapid style of utterance.

Pat was not to be convinced. One of the longest and steepest of the
descents lay before us. On one side was a precipice of some six or
seven hundred feet in depth. Pat insisted on leading the way. He and
his boys were certain that they could trot their