800 THE PILGRIAPS PROGRESS.

knew it was a dangerous place. Also they cheered up one another as well as they
could. Feeble-mind, Mr. Great-heart commanded, should come up after him; and
Mr. Despondency was under the eye of Mr. Valiant.

Now, they had not gone far, but a great mist and darkness fell upon them all, so
that they could scarce, for a great while, see the one the other; wherefore they were
forced, for some time, to feel for one another by words; for they walked not by sight.
But any one must think that here was but sorry going for the best of them all; but
how much worse for the women and children, who both of feet and heart were but
tender! Yet so it was, that through the encouraging words of him that led in the
front, they made a pretty good shift to wag along.

The way also was here very wearisome through dirt and slabbiness. Nor was there
on all this ground so much as one inn or victualling-house, therein to refresh the feebler
sort. Here, therefore, was grunting, and puffing, and sighing. While one tumbleth
over a brush, another sticks fast in the dirt ; and the children, some of them, lost their
shoes in the mire. While one cries out, “I am down!” and another, “Ho! where are
you?” and a third, “The bushes have got such fast hold on me, I think I cannot get
away from them.”

‘Fhen they came at an arbor, warm, and promising much refreshing to the pilgrims;
for it was finely wrought above head, beautified with greens, furnished with benches
and settles. It also had in it a soft couch, whereon the weary might lean. This, you
must think, all things considered, was tempting ; for the pilgrims already began to be
foiled with the badness of the way; but there was not one of them that made so much
as a motion to stop there. Yea, for aught I could perceive, they continually gave so
good heed to the advice of their guide, and he did so faithfully tell them of dangers,
and of the nature of dangers when they were at them, that usually, when they were
nearest to them, they did most pluck up their spirits, and hearten one another to deny
the flesh. This arbor was called “The Slothful’s Friend,” on purpose to allure, if it
might be, some of the pilgrims there to take up their rest when weary.

I saw then in my dream, that they went on in this their solitary ground, till they
came. to a place at which a man is apt to lose his way. Now, though when it was
light their guide could well enough tell how to miss those ways that led wrong, yet, in
the dark, he was put to a stand. But he had in his pocket a map of all ways leading
to or from the Celestial City; wherefore he struck a light (for he also never goes
without his tinder-box), and takes a view of his book or map, which bids him be careful
in that place to turn to the right-hand way. And had he not here been careful to look
in his map, they had, in all probability, been smothered in the mud; for, just a little