mountain, from the time we parted with the gentlemen, to our getting out at the top of it, was 708 yards.

This was a laborious route, and at the hazard of our lives, many times, performed. Once, in particular, my lad Ralph fell into the river with his torch in the great afcent, and in striving to fave his life, I lost the other light I carried in my hand. This reduced us to a ftate of the blackest darkness, and in that condition, we could not ftir. It was a horrible scene. It chilled my blood, and curdled it in my veins: but I had a tinder-box, matches, and wax-candle, in my pocket, and foon recovered the defirable light; at which we lit other torches, and proceeded to afcend the rough and rocky steep, till we came to the fountain that made the defcending flood. The opening upwards from that became very narrow, and the flant fo great, that it was extremely difficult to go on; but as I could fee the day at the end of it, I refolved to strive hard, and mount, if poffible, these remaining 60 yards. In fhort, we did the work. As before related, we

came

the hill in which is Pool's-hole is open within fide, in the afcent, fo far, that 5 yards more of aperture would bring one to the outfide of the top: and I believe it is very poffible for art to make an entrance that way, as nature has done at the bottom.

came out this way, and from the difmal ca-
verns of night ascended to a delightful plain;
from which we again beheld the glorious
fun, and had the finest points of view. It
was by this time noon, and under the fhade
of fome aged trees, that
grew on the
banks of a great lake, on the fummit of this
vaft hill, I fat down to fome bread and wine
I had brought with me for relief. Never
was repaft more fweet. I was not only fa-
tigued very much; but, had been in fear as
to my ever climbing up, and knew not how
to get down, when I had mounted two thirds
of the way. The defcent was a thousand
times more dangerous than the going to-
wards the top.

came;

fcended

mountain,

through,

at Mr.Har

court's

72. When I had done, I walked about wedeto fee if there was any way down the moun- from the tain's fides, to go to Utubra, from whence top of the but for miles it was a frightful per- we had pendicular rock, next that place, and im- travelled poffible for a goat to defcend; and on the and arrive fide that faced Bishoprick, and a fine country house and gardens, about a quarter of a mile houfe. off, in a delightful valley, that extended with all the beauties of wood and lawn, meadow and water, from the foot of the mountain I was on, the precipice here was a terrible way for a man to venture down; but it was poffible to do it with a long pole, at

B b

the

the hazard of his life, as the rocks projected in many places, and the fide went floping off; and therefore I refolved to defcend. I could not think of going back the way I came; fince I had got fafe into day again, I thought it better to rifk my limbs in the face of the fun, than perifh as I might do in the black and difmal infide of those tremendous hills. Befides, the house in my view, might be perhaps the one I wanted. It was poffible my friend Turner might live

there.

With art and caution then I began to defcend, and fo happily took offered adevery vantage of jutting rock and path in my way, that without any accident I got in fafety down; tho' the perils were fo great, that often I could not reach from rock to rock with my pole. In this cafe, I aimed the point of my pole at the fpot I intended to light on, and clapped my feet close to it, when I went off in the air from the rock: the pole coming first to the place broke the fall, and then fliding gently down by it, I pitched on the fpot I defigned to go to, though fix, feven, or eight fathom off, and the part of the rock below not more than a yard broad. It is a frightful piece of activity to a byftander; but the youths on the mountains of Ireland make nothing of it: they are as expert at this work as the Tenerif

men:

men from them I learned it; and made Ralph fo perfect in the action, while he travelled with me, that he could go from rock to rock like a bird.

My recep

house.

When we came to the ground, I fent my tion at Mt. man before me to the houfe, with my hum-Harcourt's ble service to Mr. Harcourt the master of it, and to let him know, that I had travelled through the infide of one of the high mountains that furrounded his house, and on coming out of the top of it, had made the precipice next him my road to the valley he lived in; that I knew not which way to turn next, in order to go to Cumberland, and begged leave to dine with him, and receive his information. This ftrange meffage, delivered by Ralph with much comic gravity, that gentleman could not tell what to make of; as I had ordered my young man not to explain himself, but ftill fay, that we had travelled the infide of the mountain, and came down the precipice. This was fo furprizing a thing to Mr. Harcourt and his daughter, that they walked out with fome impatience to fee this extraordinary traveller, and expreffed no little amazement, when they came near me. After a falute, Mr. Harcourt told me he did not understand what my servant had faid to him; nor could he comprehend how I arrived in this valley, as there was but one paffage into it at the front

Bb 2

of

of his houfe; and my being on foot too, encreased the wonder of my appearing in the place but whatever way I came, I was welcome to his houfe, and he would fhew me the way in.

My arrival here, Sir, (I replied) is to be fure very strange, and would be almost incredible to hear told by another perfon, of one that journeyed 229 yards deep, to the foundation of this Alp, on the other fide of it, then ascended a hollow way, till he got out at the top, and came down a high and frightful precipice to the vale below: But here I am a proof of the fact. I will explain how it was done; and I began to relate every particular at large.

But tell me, Sir, (Mifs Harcourt faid) if you pleafe, why did you not return the way you came; fince the other fide of the mountain is impoffible to defcend, as you inform us, on account of its being a perpendicular fteep; and that you must have hazarded your life a thousand times, in coming down the way you did with the pole? I tremble as I look at the place, and only with fancy's eye, fee you on the defcent. Befide, the gentlemen you left on the other fide of the hill, will conclude you loft, and be very greatly troubled on the account.

My reafon, Madam, (I answering, faid) for coming down this very dangerous way,

was,