upon which we now were, and having fet out about 3 o'clock, we reached the fummit by an easy march, through a broken and unequal piece of ground; and at about 7 o'clock, being much fatigued, we reached an agreeable fituation, where we proposed to reft for the night.

The customary preparations of collecting wood for fire, and arranging our rations of food, were scarcely made, when one of the Africans fignified with fome alarm that he faw a fire at fome diftance. I had feen a fmall blaze myfelf, a few minutes before; but felt no fenfe of alarm at it, more than I fhould at any other ordinary occurrence, from being unacquainted with the danger, The distance might be about three leagues, and it was on a mountain from which we were feparated by a deep and gloomy valley, I found that Hurdee as well as my other companions were extremely uneafy, and fignified that it would be preferable to removę, to a fituation where we should be

We

be covered from the danger of our fire's being feen at a diftance. We accordingly bent our courfe to the fouthward round the contiguous hill; and after a march of about a mile and a half, found a convenient shelter under a lofty cliff of rocks, where we contrived to drefs fome venifon, caught the preceding day by one of our Africans, in a fnare that he had fet for the purpose. paffed the night to a later hour than ufual, in converfation with our companions, who were to part with us, on their return, in the morning. We flept till the ufual hour the next morning without alarm. The distance from the water we found to be a very severe înconvenience; fo we haftened our dry repast, and having diftributed, as I proposed, a variety of trinkets among our good natured friends, we faw the old man and his fon depart in perfect health and fpirits, and with fome evidences of regret at our feparation, a fentiment which came home to my bofom with new and redoubled fenfibility.

It was vain to repine, and refolution to perfevere and fortitude to bear, were now the only feelings that could be of use to us. I determined to brave every apprehenfion-and in a critical time, for we were now on the confines of a nation of whofe pacific difpofition my guide fuggefted fome fears; a matter the more alarming to me, as it was not his ufual character hitherto to betray fymptoms of alarm.

We purfued our journey, keeping the deepest covert of the woods, occafionally afcending every prominent ground that could afford a profpect of the country before us. This day for the firft time I faw a Panther; he was discovered by Hurdee; he came frequently in fight, but hung down his head and retired into fome neighbouring thicket whenever we turned round to look at him. My guide, fimply enough, faid that the beaft was terrified at seeing a white man, and to this caufe it was he attributed his retiring, when I turned round. Such, however, was

D

the fact; for when I kept advancing and Hur dee remained a few paces behind, the animal femed to redouble his pace forward till I turned round, and he then retreated with equal precipitation.

My companion fuggefted a fear that he might climb a tree and fpring upon us, as he faid it was a common practice with those animals; and being obliged ftill to travel through the woods to avoid discovery by the natives, it was no lefs dangerous for us to fire our guns. Hurdee feared capture, as he said he should certainly be destroyed, if taken, and that I fhould be kept at least a confiderable time a captive, perhaps till ranfomed. Night approaching with this choice of difficulties, we refolved to retire into a thick recefs, and there keep large fires burning all night; to fleep and watch by

turns.

Having chofen our lodgment and kindled our fires we fupped as ufual; I determined

to keep the firft watch; Hurdee had lain down to fleep, and I was parading close to the fire, when Hurdee, who had heard the found of steps on the ground fuddenly' ftarted up and ran to his gun: I directed him not to fire but at my order, and should I fire, not to discharge his piece, till I should have loaded. We could hear the trampling of a soft foot, and the rustling of the bushes clofe on our left, but could not determine whether it proceeded from man or beaft. We were foon fatisfied however that it was our morning vifitor, whom we could fee croffing and recroffing an opening in our front where the fire was low: we therefore renewed our fire, and threw feveral pieces of the lighting wood in the track of the animal, who we found retreated fnorting, and growling. Finding ourselves thus fuccessful, we kept our fires alternately well lighted, and obtained a troubled fleep, but fufficient for a moderate refreshment.