For two hours more they
struggled with the difficult and dangerous passes of the Highlands,
without road, or any other guide than the moon, which was traveling the
heavens, now wading through flying clouds, and now shining brightly. At
length they arrived at a point where the mountains sank into rough and
unequal hillocks, and passed at once from the barren sterility of the
precipices, to the imperfect culture of the neutral ground.
The peddler now became more guarded in the manner in which they
proceeded, and took divers precautions to prevent meeting any moving
parts of the Americans. With the stationary posts he was too familiar to
render it probable he might fall upon any of them unawares. He wound
among the hills and vales, now keeping the highways and now avoiding
them, with a precision that seemed instinctive. There was nothing
elastic in his tread, but he glided over the ground with enormous
strides, and a body bent forward, without appearing to use exertion, or
know weariness.
The moon had set, and a faint streak of light was beginning to show
itself in the east. Captain Wharton ventured to express a sense of
fatigue, and to inquire if they were not yet arrived at a part of the
country where it might be safe to apply at some of the farmhouses for
admission.
Pages:
562
563
564
565
566
567
568
569
570
571
572
573
574
575
576
577
578
579
580
581
582
583
584
585
586