Ch. i. south AMERICA. 203 



danger, which, if the ritlcr be not accustomed to these 

 emotions, cannot fail offilling; him with terrible ideas. 

 The Indians go before, and place themselves along 

 the sides of the moutain, holding by the roots of trees, 

 to animate the beasts with shouts, till they at once 

 start down the declivity. 



There are indeed some places where these decli- 

 vities are not on the sides of precipices ; but the road 

 is so narrow and hollow, and the sides n^^arly perpen- 

 dicular, that the danger is almost equal to the former; 

 for the track being extremely narrow, and the road 

 scarce wide enough to admit the mule with its rider, 

 if the former falls, the latter must be necessarily crush- 

 ed; and for want of room to disengage himself, gene- 

 rally has a leg or an arm broken, if he escapes with 

 life. It is really wonderfal to consider these mules, 

 after having overcome the first emotions of th^ir fear, 

 and are gomg to slide down the declivity, with what 

 exactness they stretch out their fore-legs, that by pre- 

 serving the equilibrium they may not fall on one side; 

 yet at a proper distance make, with their body, that 

 gentle inclination necessary to follow the several wind- 

 ings of the road ; and, lastly, their address in stopping 

 themselves at theend of their impetuous career. Cer- 

 tainly the human species themselves could not show 

 more prudence and conduct. Some mules, after be- 

 ing long used to these journeys, acquire a kind of re- 

 putation for their skill and safety, and accordingly arc 

 highly valued. 



The worst seasons for these journeys, though dif- 

 ficult and dangerous at all times, are the beginnings 

 of summer and winter; the rain then causing such 

 dreadful torrents, that in some places the roads are 

 covered with water ; and in others so damaged, that 

 there is no possibility of passing, but by sending In- 

 dians before to mend them ; though after all their 

 labour, which must be done in haste, and when those 



people 



