midnight
This glen was now discovered , and this discovery induced me to change my plan . If a passage could be here effected , it would be shorter and safer than that which led through the stream , and its practicability was to be known only by experiment . The path was narrow , steep , and overshadowed by rocks . The sun was nearly set , and the shadow of the cliff above , obscured the passage almost as much as midnight would have done : I was accustomed to despise danger when it presented itself in a sensible form , but , by a defect common in every one 's education , goblins and spectres were to me the objects of the most violent apprehensions . These were unavoidably connected with solitude and darkness , and were present to my fears when I entered this gloomy recess . These terrors are always lessened by calling the attention away to some indifferent object . I now made use of this expedient , and began to amuse myself by hallowing as loud as organs of unusual compass and vigour would enable me .