ond. "Haul
him along! Do you want to leave your bones here, or come with us? Just
think of the venison pasties and the parrot pies we will have when we
get down into a more civilised country!" Thus urged, Billy exerted
himself afresh. None of them could afterwards describe the way they got
over the mountain. For several miles they dragged themselves over the
snow, with the fear of sinking down into some crevice or hollow, while
fearful precipices yawned now on one side, now on the other. The two
Papuans held out bravely, and, considering their scanty clothing, this
was surprising. For a considerable time the whole party moved on
without speaking, staggering as if in sleep. Their eyes were dazzled
with the whiteness of the snow, which now surrounded them on all sides.
Above their heads hung icicles of fantastic shapes, ornamenting cliff
and crag.

At length the summit of the pass was gained, and they commenced their
descent, less painful because they knew that soon they would get into a
warmer region. By nightfall they reached a valley, where the trees
afforded them fuel to light a fire, round which they gathered, its
genial blaze restoring warmth to their frozen limbs. For two days more
they continued among the mountains, but gradually attained a lower
altitude, until at last they once more found themselves in a tolerably
level country. As far as they could see to the south, rose here and
there ranges of hills, but they hoped, by skirting round their bases, to
avoid the sufferings they had lately endured. The cooler air of this
region enabled them to make longer journeys than before. They had been
travelling along a range of hills, which shut out the country to the
south from their view. Having crossed these, they encamped one evening
on some rocky ground, from whence they saw away to their left conical
mountains, several thousand feet in height, of which they had only just
before obtained a view. There appeared to be clouds rising above their
summits, of which they, however, took but little notice, as they were
busy preparing for the night. Tom and Desmond, as usual, were hunting
for game. They had shot several birds and a couple of monkeys, which
they immediately brought into the camp to be cooked.

After the heat they had endured, finding the night chilly, they piled up
some pieces of rock and slabs of bark to form a shelter from the wind.
They had all stretched themselves to sleep, with the except