The scenery which presented itself on all sides,
      although scarcely entitled to be called grand, had about it an
      indescribable and to me a delicious aspect of dreary desolation. The solitude seemed absolutely virgin. I could not help believing
      that the green sods and the gray rocks upon which I trod had been
      trodden never before by the foot of a human being. So entirely
      secluded, and in fact inaccessible, except through a series of
      accidents, is the entrance of the ravine, that it is by no means
      impossible that I was indeed the first adventurer—the very first
      and sole adventurer who had ever penetrated its recesses. “The thick and peculiar mist, or smoke, which distinguishes the
      Indian Summer, and which now hung heavily over all objects,
      served, no doubt, to deepen the vague impressions which these
      objects created. So dense was this pleasant fog that I could at
      no time see more than a dozen yards of the path before me. This
      path was excessively sinuous, and as the sun could not be seen, I
      soon lost all idea of the direction in which I journeyed. In the
      meantime the morphine had its customary effect—that of enduing
      all the external world with an intensity of interest. In the
      quivering of a leaf—in the hue of a blade of grass—in the shape
      of a trefoil—in the humming of a bee—in the gleaming of a
      dew-drop—in the breathing of the wind—in the faint odors that
      came from the forest—there came a whole universe of suggestion—a
      gay and motley train of rhapsodical and immethodical thought. “Busied in this, I walked on for several hours, during which the
      mist deepened around me to so great an extent that at length I
      was reduced to an absolute groping of the way. And now an
      indescribable uneasiness possessed me—a species of nervous
      hesitation and tremor. I feared to tread, lest I should be
      precipitated into some abyss. I remembered, too, strange stories
      told about these Ragged Hills, and of the uncouth and fierce
      races of men who tenanted their groves and caverns. A thousand
      vague fancies oppressed and disconcerted me—fancies the more
      distressing because vague. Very suddenly my attention was
      arrested by the loud beating of a drum. “My amazement was, of course, extreme. A drum in these hills was
      a thing unknown. I could not have been more surprised at the
      sound of the trump of the Archangel. But a new and still more
      astounding source of interest and perplexity arose. There came a
      wild rattling or jingling sound, as if of a bunch of large keys,
      and upon the instant a dusky-visaged and half-naked man rushed
      past me with a shriek. He came so close to my person that I felt
      his hot breath upon my face. He bore in one hand an instrument
      composed of an assemblage of steel rings, and shook them
      vigorously as he ran. Scarcely had he disappeared in the mist
      before, panting after him, with open mouth and glaring eyes,
      there darted a huge beast. I could not be mistaken in its
      character. It was a hyena. “The sight of this monster rather relieved than heightened my
      terrors—for I now made sure that I dreamed, and endeavored to
      arouse myself to waking consciousness. I stepped boldly and
      briskly forward. I rubbed my eyes. I called aloud. I pinched my
      limbs. A small spring of water presented itself to my view, and
      here, stooping, I bathed my hands and my head and neck. This
      seemed to dissipate the equivocal sensations which had hitherto
      annoyed me. I arose, as I thought, a new man, and proceeded
      steadily and complacently on my unknown way. “At length, quite overcome by exertion, and by a certain
      oppressive closeness of the atmosphere, I seated myself beneath a
      tree. Presently there came a feeble gleam of sunshine, and the
      shadow of the leaves of the tree fell faintly but definitely upon
      the grass. At this shadow I gazed wonderingly for many minutes. Its character stupefied me with astonishment. I looked upward. The tree was a palm. “I now arose hurriedly, and in a state of fearful agitation—for
      the fancy that I dreamed would serve me no longer. I saw—I felt
      that I had perfect command of my senses—and these senses now
      brought to my soul a world of novel and singular sensation. The
      heat became all at once intolerable. A strange odor loaded the
      breeze. A low, continuous murmur, like that arising from a full,
      but gently flowing river, came to my ears, intermingled with the
      peculiar hum of multitudinous human voices. “While I listened in an extremity of astonishment which I need
      not attempt to describe, a strong and brief gust of wind bore off
      the incumbent fog as if by the wand of an enchanter. “I found myself at the foot of a high mountain, and looking down
      into a vast plain, through which wound a majestic river. On the
      margin of this river stood an Eastern-looking city, such as we
      read of in the Arabian Tales, but of a character even more
      singular than any there described. From my position, which was
      far above the level of the town, I could perceive its every nook
      and corner, as if delineated on a map. The streets seemed
      innumerable, and crossed each other irregularly in all
      directions, but were rather long winding alleys than streets, and
      absolutely swarmed with inhabitants. The houses were wildly
      picturesque. On every hand was a wilderness of balconies, of
      verandas, of minarets, of shrines, and fantastically carved
      oriels. Bazaars abounded; and in these were displayed rich wares
      in infinite variety and profusion—silks, muslins, the most
      dazzling cutlery, the most magnificent jewels and gems. Besides
      these things, were seen, on all sides, banners and palanquins,
      litters with stately dames close-veiled, elephants gorgeously
      caparisoned, idols grotesquely hewn, drums, banners, and gongs,
      spears, silver and gilded maces. And amid the crowd, and the
      clamor, and the general intricacy and confusion—amid the million
      of black and yellow men, turbaned and robed, and of flowing
      beard, there roamed a countless multitude of holy filleted bulls,
      while vast legions of the filthy but sacred ape clambered,
      chattering and shrieking, about the cornices of the mosques, or
      clung to the minarets and oriels. From the swarming streets to
      the banks of the river, there descended innumerable flights of
      steps leading to bathing places, while the river itself seemed to
      force a passage with difficulty through the vast fleets of
      deeply-burthened ships that far and wide encountered its surface.