Page:Adventures of Baron Wenceslas Wratislaw of Mitrowitz (1862).djvu/254

 before him to show him the way, threatening to cut off their heads if they did not conduct us to a good road. Terrified at this, they groped for the road with their hands, but continually led us further and further from the right way.

When day was about to dawn, our guides terrified us exceedingly by being utterly unable to remember where they were, and by saying that they heard the stamping of horses and shouting of men, and were, therefore, afraid of falling into the hands of the Tatars, who were encamped in all directions round about. They advised us to lie down with one ear to the ground and listen; we should find that the ground shook, and, in short, that a number of men, how many they could not say, were riding towards us. This we did with infinite terror, and ascertained that the ground really did shake, and that the noise of men and neighing of horses were to be heard. We therefore halted, and deliberated what was to be done. When it grew more light we espied a grove of no great size in a wide plain, and, not being able to distinguish what it was, declared unanimously that it was a body of Tatars, and some of us affirmed that they saw a banner waving. Not knowing how else to help ourselves, we all made up our minds to disperse, and each seek for safety where he best could. However, one of our drivers crept on all-fours towards the grove, wishing to know what in the world it was, and, on creeping nearer to it, saw that it was only a grove, cried out “Jesus,” and told us not to be afraid. Then the poor dear janissary imagined that it was Christians, and wanted to take to flight, but some of us held his horse under him, and prevented him from escaping. At length, just as if