trodden by human foot, seemed to pierce into the skies by which they were canopied. Precipices occasionally yawned beneath my feet so fearfully profound, that the brain whirled as I ventured to penetrate into their dark and apparently bottomless depths, while the near gush of the streamlet, and the distant roaring of the cataract, multiplied by innumerable echoes, seemed the loud but eloquent applause of nature at the grandeur of her own sublimities. After a journey of some difficulty, for we had deviated from the ordinary route, we reached a celebrated pass, which I was exceedingly anxious to explore. The path, narrow and rugged, was traced along the edge of a frightful ravine, of which the sides were so precipitous that it seemed as if the mountain had been cleft by some mighty engine of a former world, when "there were giants on the earth," which had been, either by accident or mistake, directed a little out of the perpendicular. The sides of the precipice presented two sheer walls, that looked like the inaccessible ramparts of Two mighty monarchies, Whose high upreared and abutting fronts Many hundred feet beneath, a deep and rapid stream dashed onward over opposing rocks, and thundering along with the most deafening uproar, was lost amid the windings of the valley. Although at such an elevation above the torrent that foamed below, when I cast my eyes upward I appeared to be at the base of the mountain, and when I cast them downward I seemed to be at its summit. I stood upon the narrow ledge which had been cut from an almost perpendicular segment of the circular hill, and afforded a very inconvenient passage for two persons abreast. On the side of the precipice it was secured by a low parapet, over which the traveller might look into the struggling torrent beneath, though not without a sickening apprehension of danger; for it was so slight that it appeared incapable of resisting any sudden shock, absolutely yielding to the firm pressure of the knee, while the masses of loose and projecting rock which every now and then trembled over our heads, kept me in continual alarm, lest they should roll down and sweep me into the gulf below. Many large fragments lay upon the road, which had been dislodged from the mountain above, and dashed down by the force of the tempest, giving a fearful warning of the awful risk to which the passenger is exposed who ventures to explore these wild and inhospitable regions. I had hitherto felt perfectly well satisfied with the attention of the two guides, who were stout active fellows, and appeared very ready to do their duty. One of them had rather an astute cast of countenance, but this was neutralised in a great degree, by a certain expression of quaint good humour, and he contrived to dissipate any unfavourable impression which the voiceless language of his features might awaken, by relating, with great emphasis and energy, those daring feats which had been occasionally performed by the hardy mountaineers. The other was a dull looking person, who spoke little his countenance was imperturbably placid, and imparted rather the idea of stupid insensibility than of any more active quality either of mind or feeling. I had almost forgotten the stranger's warning, and, conceiving that had my guides been disposed to be treacherous they had had sufficient opportunity, now reposed in full security upon their honesty. About noon the following day we reached an acclivity of more than ordinary length and steepness. The road wound gradually up the mountain like a serrated stair, and in many parts as it projected from the sides, overhanging the abyss beneath, appeared as if it were hung amid the clouds at so fearful a height that the heart absolutely sickened at the bare contemplation of the ascent. Here and there a solitary traveller might be seen upon the terraces above, like a moving dot upon the dark side of the hill. After a long and weary ascent, we reached a small area of nearly level ground, at the extremity of which a huge barrier of rock seemed to forbid our further progress, rising to a prodigious elevation above the plain. The industry of man, however, had subdued the rude asperity of nature. An entrance had been hollowed in the centre of the barrier, and a regular road cut with incredible labour through the very heart of the rock. It was a tunnel about twelve feet wide and ten high, continuing the length of about a quarter of a mile. The light was admitted at the apertures at either extremity. I determined to explore alone this curious excavation, while Andrew and the guides were taking their midday repast upon the green sward before the entrance. When I had penetrated some distance I fancied I perceived some one pass me. It was too dark to particularise, but the firm and heavy tread satisfied me that it was a man. I enquired who was there, but receiving no answer began to apprehend that some mischief was intended. I heard the footsteps returning at a quick pace and followed, when I distinctly saw the figure of a man pass rapidly through the extremity of the tunnel and turn suddenly round the angle of the rock which abutted upon the hill. Upon reaching the extremity I could see no one. Knowing that it would be not only vain but perilous to search among the intricate defiles of the mountain for an imaginary robber or assassin, I returned to the guides, who had by this time finished their repast, and were prepared to proceed. "Friend," said I to the most intelligent of the two, "do you frequently meet passengers on this part of the hill?" "Not frequently; there are strange legends of Trolls* occupying this pass, and of ghosts as well." "Do you believe in ghosts?" "I never saw one yet." "But I have," said the other guide somewhat doggedly," and in this hollow too. I one the very day on which the rich Lyonnese merchant was murdered as he was passing through this tunnel." saw He spoke this with his eyes apparently fixed on vacancy, but without betraying either an emotion of terror at the thought of a supernatural visitation, or of compassion at the fate of the murdered Lyonnese. We now proceeded, but slowly, through the tunnel, and soon after we had entered, it suddenly struck me that there was a growing familiarity in the more intelligent of the two guides, which he had not hitherto exhibited, and which began to be rather disagreeable. I ordered Andrew to keep close by my side, and at the same time desired, in rather a peremptory tone, that the guides would go before. One of them observed, with a very significant emphasis, that as there was no difficulty in the road here, they should, with the signor's permission, proceed as was most agreeable A word originally significant of any evil spirit, monster, magician, or evil person. The Trolls are represented as dwelling inside hills. Keightley's Fairy Mythology. to them. There was an assumption of civility in the man's manner by whom this was spoken, but it was nevertheless clearly evident to me that I was in the power of men who had mischievious intentions towards me. They gradually lagged behind, and I whispered Andrew to be on his guard; he however felt no apprehension, as they had been extremely civil to him during the whole of the journey, and had thus contrived to lull his suspicions. When we reached the centre of the pass, Andrew, who had been backward in obeying my order, from the impression that my alarm was needless, was suddenly seized from behind and a handcuff dexterously slipped upon his wrists. Before I had time to draw a pistol I was also seized and gagged. "Now," said one of the robbers, "give us quietly what you possess, and no harm shall happen to you, but dare attempt to baulk us of our prey, and you shall sleep with the Lyonnese merchant in yonder dark hollow, which is only visited by the dead. If you remain quiet and submissive you are destined to be the prey of one who, I dare say, will exact a good ransom, but no more than you are well able to pay. Come, disburse; it is but fair that we should get a little of the plucking before you are drawn by more dexterous hands." They now began to rifle my pockets, from which they took my keys, and leading me to the further extremity of the tunnel, proceeded to examine the richness of their booty. They were, however, greatly disappointed, finding merely a small quantity of loose cash, as I had taken the precaution of leaving my money in the banker's hands, and almost the whole of my baggage had been forwarded to Lyons by a more secure conveyance. The villains were sadly mortified, and I was apprehensive lest their disappointment should induce them to wreak their cowardly vengeance upon my person, which is a practice but too common among Alpine robbers. To be concluded in our next. SIR ANDREW AGNEW'S BILL. A Bream. It was a morning dream, and morning dreams they say never come true; And I was glad when they told me so, for I was so vexed I didn't know what to do: I dreamed that the gates of Hyde Park were all made secure and fast, And that Sir Andrew's private little reform bill for reforming our Sundays was past; There wasn't a carriage in Rotten Row, nor a horse to be seen in the ride, But three good old dowagers, who had attempted to walk, lay fainting by the way-side, VOL. II.NO. V. K K And three or four young misses, who ought to have known better, I swear, Not believing with Sir Andrew and Hardy Vaux *, that the day was a day of rest, On a walking match between two youths who said they were members of Parliament, If Sir Andrew himself were to hear me say, 'I wish we were in our yellow gig."" But her husband was a good sober man, and a lover of the church and state, And thought it his duty to be contented with everything always excepting the poor's rate So he answered," I really am ashamed of you, Sukey! don't you know it's the Lord's day, And arn't you forbid by the laws to drive here any more in a one-'oss shay? I didn't grumble when I heard the Greenwich steam packets wern't to run, Tho' you know there's nothing on earth I love like white bait and a good bit of fun." "You'd ha' grumbled tho' if you'd been me," said a fat man who was walking near, "Sir Andrew's bill has cost me and my family, exactly two hundred a year; My aunt Dickson cut me out of her will 'cause I didn't get down afore Monday- And now my son Tom's sick at Brighton, and here I must lounge and wait Without a possibility of knowing the poor boy's wishes or fate, And Monday's a very inconvenient day for me to leave and go down: I wonder if Sir Andrew would pay the expense if I were to post out of town?" Then out spoke our Billy (a sharp little fellow six years old), "I say, ma! I say, pa! what's the reason, I want to be told, Why there never was Sundays and Lord's days, and them days, in the days of yore?" "There was, my love, only the House of Commons never noticed them afore." "Well, but now, pa, about ma's favourite pleasure, the one-oss shay, We've only got to go out of the park and drive it some other way, And just so don't you think people who broke Sunday before Sir Andrew's bill Will soon find out some other place than Hyde Park for keeping the Sabbath ill? So don't you think, Sir Andrew's bill isn't worth a stick nor a straw ?" BILL for the use Sabath www SAINT ANDREW. This celebrated character wrote his memoirs during his enforced residence at Botany Bay; and amongst other curious facts, assured his readers that he never picked pockets on a Sunday, and always discouraged the practice in others of the fraternity! |