Page:Voyage in search of La Perouse, volume 1 (Stockdale).djvu/59

Oct.] be a fetival day, and our guides could not be peruaded to et out before they had heard mas; ome of them had even heard three already: as for us, we waited for them with the mot impatient olicitude, when our uneaine was redoubled by being informed that we ought to conider it as a very great indulgence if they would agree to travel at all on o high a fetival. They were, however, at length ready to accompany us, about nine o'clock in the forenoon.

Having left the town, we purued a track that often led us up very teep acents, from whence we oberved enormous maes of mountains piled one upon the other, and forming a ort of amphitheatre round the bae of the peak. On their brows we frequently met with level pots that erved us for reting-places, where, after having fatigued ourelves with climbing up the rugged paths, we topped for a hort time to take breath, and acquire freh courage for acending the higher mountains.

Our guides were atonihed to oberve that ome of us choe to go on foot, contrary to the cutom of the greater part of thoe who make the tour of the peak; and inceantly admonihed us to ride upon the mules which they led along with them.

After having paed through ome fine planta- tions