My wife and her eldest son led the way, followed by the heavily-laden cow and ass; the third division consisted of the goats, driven by Jack, the little monkey seated on the back of its nurse, and grimacing, to our great amusement; next came Ernest, with the sheep; and I followed, superintending the whole.

Our gallant dogs acted as _aides-de-camp,_ and were continually passing from the front to the rear rank.
Our march was slow, but orderly, and quite patriarchal.

"We are now travelling across the deserts, as our first fathers did," said I, "and as the Arabs, Tartars, and other nomade nations do to this day, followed by their flocks and herds.

But these people generally have strong camels to bear their burdens, instead of a poor ass and cow.

I hope this may be the last of our pilgrimages." My wife also hoped that, once under the shade of her marvellous trees, we should have no temptation to travel further.
We now crossed our new bridge, and here the party was happily augmented by a new arrival.