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106 ADVENTURES OF YOUR OWN CORRESPONDENT...
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.
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Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.
Additionally, when viewing full transcripts, extracted text may not be in the same order as the original document.
* W • With: Tliat Natural Clieerfulness ...
We were to ride for the first few miles , but wlieii our horses came to the dooronly one was found to have _tlie luxury of a saddle , the
, ' other being * furnished with a mere pad . However , there was no need to waste civilities as to which was to have the saddle horse .
'To A ., as the most experienced equestrian , I left the other as a matter of course ; and over Blacksail we started . Our steeds were so
extremely reluctant , that if our whips had not been aided by the guide tugging at the bridlesand our mild remonstrances fortified
, by his stronger language , I doubt if we should have got on afc all . Up the stony pass we woundgrowing every minute more narrow
, and precipitous ; through one or two mountain torrents ; with the air gradually _getting keener , and our horses stumbling in a way
which _vexy likely might not touch their character for being surefootedbut assuredly jerked away our comfort for the moment .
The windings , of the path were so sharp that A ., and I continually faced each otherso when the wind favored uswe could occasionally
, , call out a sympathetic inquiry as to each other ' s well-being ; but to keep her seat required such very accurate balancing on her part , and
my horse demanded such continual attention on mine , that our communications were rare .
" What a lucky thing it is you are not timid , " cried she , " many people would be frihtenedfor this is an awkward road ! " Now did
truth require that g instead , of nodding a cheerful assent , I should have shouted back my inmost feelings ? Because the belief that my
mangled remains would be shortly found at the bottom of some abyss had just grown from a matter of fear , into a calm and desperate
conviction . I went on ( by way of diverting my mind ) to consider two
peculiarities always to be observed in horses and guides . First , why do the former , on a narrow and dangerous path , always go to the
extreme verge , resisting all one _' s endeavors to make them at least keep in the middle ? If horses are capable of silly bravado , I
should say this habit of their-s looks like it . They have never had the habit of carrying pack-saddles . And next , when these animals
require personal chastisement , why do the guides always seize that very moment to administer it , when a false step would be
fatal ? Why are blows of the stick and jerkings of the bridle reserved for that particular sharp corner , where the horse should be
allowed to concentrate his attention on the difficulties of the turning ? When we began our descent , " I think I would rather walk /'
said I . "Well , it's not safe to roide ony longer / 1 said the guide , but
suggestively , as if his remark left the matter still undetermined . But I was down alreadyand so was A . And here we bade farewell
, to our steeds and their conductor , looped up our gowns , adjusted our knapsacks upon our backsand started at as brisk a pace as was
, consistent with the innumerable pieces of stone which accompanied
our every downward step .
106 Adventures Of Your Own Correspondent...
106 ADVENTURES OF YOUR OWN CORRESPONDENTS *
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Citation
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English Woman’s Journal (1858-1864), Oct. 1, 1859, page 106, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/ewj/issues/ewj_01101859/page/34/
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