e persuaded to try again? But so it was. At first the fright
(for I was really terrified) used to make me very cross, and I declared
that I was severely hurt, if not "kilt entirely;" but after I had shaken
the snow out of my linsey skirt, and discovered that beyond the damage
to my nerves I was uninjured, F---- was quite sure to try to persuade
me to make another attempt, and I was equally sure to yield to the
temptation. As well as my memory serves me, we only made one really
successful journey, and that was on an occasion when we kept the breaks
down the whole way. But I never could insure similar precautions being
taken again, and we consequently experienced every variety of mishaps
possible to sledge travellers. I persevered however for some days until
the north-westerly wind, which was blowing softly all the time, began to
lay bare the sharpest points of the rocks, and then I gave in at once,
and would not be a "passenger" any more. It was rather too much to
strike one's head against a jagged fragment of rock, or to dislocate
one's thumb against a concealed stump of a palm tree. Then the sharp
points of the Spaniards began to stick up through the softening snow,
and nothing would induce me to run the risk of touching their green
bayonets. Besides which, the fast-thawing snow made it very difficult
to climb up to the top of our hill, for the carefully-cut steps had
disappeared long ago. So I gave up sledge journeys on my own account,
and used only to look at F---- and Mr. U---- taking them.

These two persevered so long as an inch of snow remained on the
hill-side. Some of their adventures were very alarming, and certainly
rather dangerous. One afternoon I had been watching them for more than
an hour, and had seen them go through every variety of disaster, and
capsize with no further effect than increasing their desire for "one
more" trial. On the blind-side of the hill,--that is to say the side
which gets scarcely any sun in winter,--a deep drift of snow still
lingered, filling up a furrow made in former years by a shingle-slip.
Thither the two adventurous climbers dragged their sledge, and down
the steep incline they performed their perilous descent many a time. I
became tired of watching the board shoot swiftly over the white streak;
and I strolled round the shoulder of the hill, to see if there was any
appearance of the snow-fall lessening in the back country.

I must have been away about half an hour, and had m