Travels with a donkey in the Cevennes . DONKEY eyes. Every five minutes, too, the pack,the basket, and the pilot-coat would takean ugly slew to one side or the other; andI had to stop Modestine, just when I hadgot her to a tolerable pace of about twomiles an hour, to tug, push, shoulder, andreadjust the load. And at last, in thevillage of Ussel, saddle and all, the wholehypothec turned round and grovelled inthe dust below the donkeys belly. She,none better pleased, incontinently drewup and seemed to smile; and a party ofone man, two women, and two childrencame up, and, standing round me in aha

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Travels with a donkey in the Cevennes . DONKEY eyes. Every five minutes, too, the pack, the basket, and the pilot-coat would takean ugly slew to one side or the other; andI had to stop Modestine, just when I hadgot her to a tolerable pace of about twomiles an hour, to tug, push, shoulder, andreadjust the load. And at last, in thevillage of Ussel, saddle and all, the wholehypothec turned round and grovelled inthe dust below the donkeys belly. She, none better pleased, incontinently drewup and seemed to smile; and a party ofone man, two women, and two childrencame up, and, standing round me in ahalf-circle, encouraged her by their ex-ample. I had the devils own trouble to get thething righted; and the instant I had doneso, without hesitation, it toppled and felldown upon the other side. .Judge if Iwas hot! And yet not a hand was offeredto assist me. The man, indeed, told meI ought to have a package of a differentshape. I suggested, if he knew nothingbetter to the point in my predicament, he w^Mf^mmm^Msm^m^^EMsssm^sm^B^^^^^^^^^.. THE WHOLE HYPOTHEC GROVELLED IN THE DUST THE GREEN DONKEY-DRIVER might hold his tongue. And the good-natured dog agreed with me smilingly.It was the most despicable fix. I mustplainly content myself with the pack forModestine, and take the following itemsfor my own share of the portage : a cane, aquart flask, a pilot-jacket heavily weightedin the pockets, two pounds of black bread, and an open basket full of meats andbottles. I believe I may say I am notdevoid of greatness of soul; for I did notrecoil from this infamous burden. Idisposed it. Heaven knows how, so as tobe mildly portable, and then proceeded tosteer Modestine through the village. Shetried, as was indeed her invariable habit, toenter every house and every courtyard inthe whole length; and, encumbered as Iwas, without a hand to help myself, nowords can render an idea of my difficulties.A priest, with six or seven others, wasexamining a church in process of repair, and he and his acolyt