Page:Wanderings of a Pilgrim Vol 2.djvu/271

 and twenty, called in medical aid. It is not agreeable to be suffering from illness, on the top of a mountain, far away from all one's friends,—depressed, and out of spirits, with nothing to amuse one but the leeches, hanging, like love-locks, from one's temples.

A recovery from illness is a pleasant state, where you have around you beautiful scenery and pure air. The Hills have all that secret treasury of spots, so secluded, that you seem to be their first discoverer; lonely glens and waterfalls, on which the sun's rays scarcely rest one hour in the twenty-four; cold hidden basins of living water; and all so shut out from intrusion of the human race, that, in spirit, you become blended with the scene.

April 16th.—Spent the day at Mr. E's: in the evening, as we were going down the hill, which is exceedingly steep, I was so nervous, from recent fever, that I could not ride down the descent; therefore the gūnth was led, and I walked. The pathway, or rather sheep-track, not one foot in breadth, is covered with loose stones, and on the edge of a precipice. Miss B rode down perfectly unconcerned. From the bottom of the Khud I rode up the next hill, to see a house, called Newlands; which has been struck and burned three times by lightning. The hill is said to contain a quantity of iron, which attracts the electric fluid. A lady and her ayha were killed there by the lightning. On my return I rode up the hill I had not had the courage to ride down; even that was enough to make me nervous, after having suffered from recent fever so many days. A short time ago, as Major Blundell was going to that very house, Newlands, by some accident, his gūnth fell over the precipice, and they were both dashed to pieces. At one place I dismounted, and climbed the side of the bank, whilst the servants held the gūnths during the time three mules had to pass them. The passing was effected with great difficulty, and one of the mules was nearly over the precipice, so narrow was the pathway.