from the hill, surely I must have walked over more ground than that:" But he considered not how much time he had lost in forcing his way through the wood, which impeded his steps, and made him advance but very slowly.
Having a little refreshed himself he went on, and at length the wood opened into a deep and narrow valley, with lofty thick pines on each side, which threw a gloom over it sufficient to create horror in the mind of the boldest traveller.
Ferdinand felt its influence, but he was not easily intimidated, nor, indeed, could he now well retreat. Walking forward, he saw at the bottom another thick cluster of trees, which, when he came up to them, seemed to terminate the valley, and to be impervious to any human being. These were chestnut trees, so interwoven with each other, that he looked round in vain for an opening, for the under-wood formed a thick fence that was impassable.—Extremely disconcerted, and apprehensive lest he should have the same
