He was now impatient as an eagle in a grate.
He passed week after week in clambering the mountains, to see if there
was any aperture which the bushes might conceal, but found all the
summits inaccessible by their prominence. The iron gate he despaired to
open; for it was not only secured with all the power of art, but was
always watched by successive sentinels, and was, by its position,
exposed to the perpetual observation of all the inhabitants.
He then examined the cavern through which the waters of the lake were
discharged; and, looking down, at a time when the sun shone strongly
upon its mouth, he discovered it to be full of broken rocks, which,
though they permitted the stream to flow through many narrow passages,
would stop any body of solid bulk. He returned discouraged and dejected;
but, having now known the blessing of hope, resolved never to despair.
In these fruitless searches he spent ten months. The time, however,
passed cheerfully away: in the morning he rose with new hope, in the
evening applauded his own diligence, and in the night slept sound after
his fatigue. He met a thousand amusements, which beguiled his labour,
and diversified his thoughts. He discerned the various instincts of
animals, and properties of plants, and found the place replete with
wonders, of which he purposed to solace himself with the contemplation,
if he should never be able to accomplish his flight; rejoicing that his
endeavours, though yet unsuccessful, had supplied him with a source of
inexhaustible inquiry.
Pages:
342
343
344
345
346
347
348
349
350
351
352
353
354
355
356
357
358
359
360
361
362
363
364
365
366