Garibaldi, another colley, is suffering a long penal sentence of being tied up to his barrel, on account of divers unlawful chases after sheep which were not wanted; and dear old Jip, though she pretends to be very anxious to accompany us; is far too fat and too rheumatic to keep pace with our long stretching gallop up the valley.
At last we were fairly off about eleven o'clock, and an hour's easy canter, intersected by many "flat-jumps," or rather "water-jumps," across the numerous creeks, brought unto the foot of the bush-clad mountain.

After that our pace became a very sober one, as the track resembled a broken rocky staircase more than a bridle-path.

But such as it was, our sure-footed horses carried us safely up and down its rugged steeps, without making a single false step.

No mule can be more sure-footed than a New Zealand horse.

He will carry his rider anywhere, if only that rider trusts entirely to him, nor attempts to guide him in any way.