The sun was nearly set, and the shadow of the cliff above, obscured the passage almost as much as midnight would have done: I was accustomed to despise danger when it presented itself in a sensible form, but, by a defect common in every one's education, goblins and spectres were to me the objects of the most violent apprehensions.

These were unavoidably connected with solitude and darkness, and were present to my fears when I entered this gloomy recess.
These terrors are always lessened by calling the attention away to some indifferent object.

I now made use of this expedient, and began to amuse myself by hallowing as loud as organs of unusual compass and vigour would enable me.

I uttered the words which chanced to occur to me, and repeated in the shrill tones of a Mohock savage...

"Cow! cow! come home! home!"...