Of course we knew not what dangers might befall us by the way, so thought it best to be prepared.
Having completed our arrangements and carefully extinguished our fire, we sallied forth and walked a short distance along the sea-beach, till we came to the entrance of a valley, through which flowed the rivulet before mentioned.

Here we turned our backs on the sea and struck into the interior.
The prospect that burst upon our view on entering the valley was truly splendid.

On either side of us there was a gentle rise in the land, which thus formed two ridges about a mile apart on each side of the valley.

These ridges,--which, as well as the low grounds between them, were covered with trees and shrubs of the most luxuriant kind--continued to recede inland for about two miles, when they joined the foot of a small mountain.

This hill rose rather abruptly from the head of the valley, and was likewise entirely covered even to the top with trees, except on one particular spot near the left shoulder, where was a bare and rocky place of a broken and savage character.