I in my fall of about fifty yards. Of course this was not a
perpendicular fall, or I should never have penned these lines; but as
the slope was one that a man could not walk up without using his hands,
it is a wonder to me to this day that I was not killed on the spot.
Evidently I had broken my swift fall by clutching at some furze bushes,
for my right hand was dreadfully lacerated, and full of furze needles,
and my shoulder so stiff that my arm seemed paralyzed; besides which, I
found I was spitting blood, which frightened me very much, as I was
afraid of some internal injury.

The cart was fetched, and Alec assisted me on it; but oh dear me! I
thought the jolting would have shaken me literally to pieces, so I sang
out "Halt! Wo!" and told Alec I could go no farther, and then I fainted
away.

It was only of five minutes' duration, but when I came to I felt as if
I was dying, and told Alec I thought my time had come, which greatly
alarmed the good fellow.

"Do you mind my leaving you a few minutes," said he, "while I fire the
big gun for assistance?"

"No, no, Alec, I will not consent to that; for if my time has come, all
the doctors[4] in the world cannot save me; and if I am not so badly
hurt as I fear, I shall pull through. Assist me to get on 'Eddy's'
back."

By great exertion on the part of Alec, and great forbearance from crying
out on mine, I was presently mounted on the donkey, and being supported
on Alec's broad shoulder as he walked on the left side, I was at length
able to reach the house.

Although in dreadful pain, I could not resist asking Alec if he did not
notice how well our group on the rocky path realized the parable of the
Good Samaritan. Here we were carrying out the story exactly. I was the
"Certain Man" wounded; Alec the Good Samaritan; and "Eddy" the beast.

The house being reached, next came the dreadful dismounting, and being
supported to bed; but even this was at last safely managed, and lying on
the coverlet for a time I felt much easier.

Alec busied himself like a trained nurse, he took off my boots, gave me
some brandy, washed the blood from my head and hands, and then without
my knowledge gave me a sleeping draught from my medicine chest.

When I awoke it was still daylight, and Alec had prepared me a good
supper, with which, like a good fellow, he fed me, and then we held a
consultation as to the nature of my hurts.

We tried each leg, but beyond great black bruises there we