be a feſtival day, and our guides could not be perſuaded to ſet out before they had heard maſs; ſome of them had even heard three already: as for us, we waited for them with the moſt impatient ſolicitude, when our uneaſineſſ was redoubled by being informed that we ought to conſider it as a very great indulgence if they would agree to travel at all on ſo high a feſtival. They were, however, at length ready to accompany us, about nine o'clock in the forenoon.
Having left the town, we purſued a track that often led us up very ſteep aſcents, from whence we obſerved enormous maſſes of mountains piled one upon the other, and forming a ſort of amphitheatre round the baſe of the peak. On their brows we frequently met with level ſpots that ſerved us for reſting-places, where, after having fatigued ourſelves with climbing up the rugged paths, we ſtopped for a ſhort time to take breath, and acquire freſh courage for aſcending the higher mountains.
Our guides were aſtoniſhed to obſerve that ſome of us choſe to go on foot, contrary to the cuſtom of the greater part of thoſe who make the tour of the peak; and inceſſantly admoniſhed us to ride upon the mules which they led along with them.
After having paſſed through ſome fine planta-
tions
