He followed the path down, with the greatest caution, stepping with the most extreme care, to avoid displacing a stone.

He found the path was excessively steep and rugged, little more, indeed, than a sheep track.

It took him half an hour to reach the bottom, and he found that, in some places, sappers had been lately at work obliterating the path, and that it could scarcely be considered practicable for men hampered with their arms and ammunition.
Another half hour's work took him to the top again, and a few minutes later he rejoined his companion.
"That won't do," he said.

"We must try again.

There is a path, but the troops could scarcely climb it if unopposed, and certainly could not do so without making such a noise as would attract the notice of the sentinels above." "That is the battery they call Sillery," the midshipman said.