CHAPTER IX 



NEAR THE TWIN VOLCANOS 



XE (lay we reluctantly broke camp and 

 packed over the trail, with mules and 

 horses as before. Mile after mile we went, 

 now gallopin<»- across a level plain, now 

 plungins'; tleep down into a tropical barranca. At high 

 noon we readied our objective point — the great 

 Barranca Vueltran, and across its wide chasm the fire 

 volcano loomed near and grand. But Vueltran proved 

 narrow at the bottom, with most precipitous sides — 

 not a good ])lace to walk and watch for animals and 

 birds, so after a luncli of chicken and eggs, to ol)tain 

 which we searched for the effiTS and killed the chicken, 

 we remounted and turned back upon tlie trail. 



The sun sank lower and lower, the night loomed 

 black ahead of us, but we rode on and on into a wild 

 and unknown country, overlooked always by the two 

 volcanos of snow and fire. And still we found no place 

 suitable for camping. We Avere lost, and found our 

 path bv hardest search, with only the })ale moonlight 

 to guide us. Mexicans — some of whom appeared too 

 much interested in our luggage — passed us with drawl- 

 ing "Buenas noches, SeTwres.'' Weird forms scurried 



" <^ 170 > 



