n, through which the rocks on the opposite side of the gulf were
barely visible. The first burst of the tempest soon subsided, but the
rain poured steadily. At length Raymond grew impatient, and scrambling
out of the ravine, he gained the level prairie above.

"What does the weather look like?" asked I, from my seat under the tree.

"It looks bad," he answered; "dark all around," and again he descended
and sat down by my side. Some ten minutes elapsed.

"Go up again," said I, "and take another look;" and he clambered up the
precipice. "Well, how is it?"

"Just the same, only I see one little bright spot over the top of the
mountain."

The rain by this time had begun to abate; and going down to the bottom
of the ravine, we loosened the animals, who were standing up to their
knees in water. Leading them up the rocky throat of the ravine, we
reached the plain above. "Am I," I thought to myself, "the same man who
a few months since, was seated, a quiet student of BELLES-LETTRES, in a
cushioned arm-chair by a sea-coal fire?"

All around us was obscurity; but the bright spot above the mountaintops
grew wider and ruddier, until at length the clouds drew apart, and
a flood of sunbeams poured down from heaven, streaming along the
precipices, and involving them in a thin blue haze, as soft and lovely
as that which wraps the Apennines on an evening in spring. Rapidly the
clouds were broken and scattered, like routed legions of evil spirits.
The plain lay basking in sunbeams around us; a rainbow arched the desert
from north to south, and far in front a line of woods seemed inviting
us to refreshment and repose. When we reached them, they were glistening
with prismatic dewdrops, and enlivened by the song and flutterings of
a hundred birds. Strange winged insects, benumbed by the rain, were
clinging to the leaves and the bark of the trees.

Raymond kindled a fire with great difficulty. The animals turned eagerly
to feed on the soft rich grass, while I, wrapping myself in my blanket,
lay down and gazed on the evening landscape. The mountains, whose stern
features had lowered upon us with so gloomy and awful a frown, now
seemed lighted up with a serene, benignant smile, and the green waving
undulations of the plain were gladdened with the rich sunshine. Wet,
ill, and wearied as I was, my spirit grew lighter at the view, and I
drew from it an augury of good for my future prospects.

When morning came, Raymond awoke, coughing vio