Many of the horses falling into the ravines
refused to make an effort to extricate themselves, and were swept
downwards and drowned. Others, bewildered by the fierceness and terrors
of the storm, rushed or fell headlong over the steep precipices and
were killed. Others obstinately refused to proceed, but stood quaking
with fear or shivering with cold, and many of these perished in the
night from the severity of the storm. The advance party did not reach
the foot of the mountain and find a place to encamp until night--and a
night of more impenetrable and terrific darkness I never witnessed. The
ground upon which our camp was made, although sloping from the hills to
a small stream, was so saturated with water that men as well as horses
sunk deep at every step. The rain fell in such quantities, that fires
with great difficulty could be lighted, and most of them were
immediately extinguished.
The officers and men belonging to the company having the cannon in
charge laboured until nine or ten o'clock to bring them down the
mountain, but they were finally compelled to leave them. Much of the
baggage also remained on the side of the mountain, with the pack-mules
and horses conveying them, all efforts to force the animals down being
fruitless.
Pages:
159
160
161
162
163
164
165
166
167
168
169
170
171
172
173
174
175
176
177
178
179
180
181
182
183