I was nervous at first, and seeing that the mule wished to nibble such herbage as offered itself, I had thought it well to humor him.

At a narrow space with sharp declivity below, the beast fixed his jaws upon a small tough bush on the upper bank.

As he warmed up to the work, his hind feet worked around toward the edge of the chasm.

The bush began to come out by the roots, which seemed to be without end.

As the weight of the mule was thrown heavily backward, I looked forward with some apprehension to the time when the root should finally give way: I saw now that the mule had fixed his stubborn jaws upon the entrails of the mountain, and expected every instant to see other vital organs brought to light.