Not knowing the difficulty of our undertaking, we determine to plant our feet in the snow glittering upon the Cobbler’s crown. We are almost exhausted when we reach the base, but, after resting a few minutes, I say: “Johnson, renew your strength, and let us go.” For awhile the ascent is comparatively easy; but we soon come to great walls of black rock, rough and steep, some places being almost perpendicular. We try to go around the worst places, determining, however, that when we come to a rock which we can not go around, we will go over it. This we manage to do by the assistance of the grass and twigs growing in the crevices of the rock, but the climbing is exceedingly difficult and tiresome, and often dangerous. One time in particular my escape is narrow. I am standing on a narrow shelf of rock. Below me is a yawning chasm, some sixty feet deep. Above is a wall almost straight up and down, eighteen feet high. With dire apprehensions I start up. When about two-thirds of the way up, a bush, whose fastenings in the crevice of the rock are not as strong as I thought, gives way with me. Down I come on the narrow rock-shelf, and almost into the chasm below. For some minutes I am unable to move, though I am worse frightened than injured. Johnson excitedly calls out: “Whittle, Whittle, are you hurt?” I reply, “No, I am like a cat—always catch on foot. Besides, ‘A man’s greatness consists not in his never falling, but in always rising after a fall.’”
The day before this memorable tramp, a heavy rain had fallen and the grass, with which many parts of the mountain are covered, is very wet, hence our feet are soon as wet as water can make them. Under these difficulties, we have not gotten more than two-thirds of the way up the mountain, before my companion, who, like a mountain goat, loves to climb, gives out completely. He has neither the strength to go to the top, nor the spirit to start down. Rest is the only hope. So, with two overcoats for a pallet, a round stone for a pillow, and the blue sky for a covering, I put Johnson to bed, and he is to sleep while I am to continue my journey to the top of the mountain, and hasten back with some snow for dinner.
The summit is more distant, and the way more difficult and perilous, than we had supposed. However, I have started to the top, and I am determined to go there, “if it takes all the summer.” And I do. But in order to accomplish my purpose I must go around and approach the long-sought brow from the opposite side. I reach the very top! And, although my trembling limbs are so weak and weary that I can scarcely stand, yet I feel fully repaid for all my toil. The snow under my feet is five feet deep. About a half mile beyond me is another mountain towering up apparently a thousand feet above me, and covered with snow from head to foot. It looks frightful; and almost unwittingly I exclaim: “Niagara petrified! A mountain of snow falling from the clouds!” The sight is grand, but I can not prolong my stay, for obvious reasons. I am wet with perspiration, and, having left my overcoat with Johnson, I am now suffering—the cold and cutting wind pierces to the bone; and besides night is coming on.
Now a new trouble begins. I can not find Johnson. I do not know on which side of the mountain I left him. I have no idea as to where he is! But the worst of all is that Johnson, after sleeping three hours, wakens, and, as I have not returned, becomes uneasy about me. He supposes that I have either gotten into the snow and can not get out, or have fallen over some precipice and hurt or killed myself. So he, out of the goodness of his heart, sets out in search of me. Each hunts for the other until night without success. Fortunately, however, we agreed in the morning on a place to spend the night. On reaching the place agreed upon, I find that he is not there—nor has he been seen! While I am making preparations to go back, with assistance, to hunt for him the door flies open and in steps Johnson, completely exhausted, and sick besides. Thus ends our first day among the mountains!
CHAPTER VI.
A GENERAL VIEW OF SCOTLAND.
Highlands and Lowlands—Locked up for Fifteen Days—The Need of a Good Sole—A Soft Side of a Rock—The Charm of Reading on the Spot—A Fearful Experience—Bit and Bridle—Thunder-Riven—Volcanic Eruption—Dangerous Pits—An Hundred-Eyed Devil—Gloomy Dens—Meeting an Enemy—Eyes Like Balls of Fire—Voice Like Rolling Thunder—A Speedy Departure—Leaping from Rock to Rock—Silver Thread among the Mountains—Imperishable Tablets—The Cave of Rob Roy and the Land of the McGregors—Lady of the Lake and Ellen’s Isle—Lodging with Peasants and with Gentlemen—Rising in Mutiny—Strange Fuel—Character of Scotch People—Scotch Baptists—Sunrise at Two O’Clock in the Morning.