430 A VOYAGE TO Book VÍ. 



from the springs of the western Cordillera, form one 

 stream, and after being increased by another brook 

 from the heigiits of Oezillo, give rise to the river 

 AV'hich washes the town of St. Miguel de Ibarra; after 

 which it takes the name of Mira, and discharges 

 itself into the South-sea, a httle to the north of the 

 river of Emeralds. 



When the rivers are too deep to be forded, bridges 

 are made at the most frequented places. Of these 

 there are two kinds besides those of stone, which are 

 very few: the former of wood, which are the most 

 common; and the latter of bujucos. With regard 

 to the first, they choose aplace where the river is very 

 narro//, and has on each side high rocks. They con- 

 sist of only four long beams laid close together over 

 the precipice, and form a path iibout a yard and a 

 half in breadth, being just sufficient for a man to 

 pass over on horseback ; and c-ustomhas rendered these 

 bridges so natural to them, that they pass them with- 

 out any apprehension. The second, or those formed 

 of bujucos, are only used where the breadth of the 

 river will not admit of any beams to be laid across. 

 In the construction of these, several bujucos are twisted 

 together, so as to form a kind of large cable of the 

 length required. Six of these are carried from one 

 side of tlie river to the other, two of which arc con- 

 siderably higher than the other four. On the latter 

 are laid sticks in atransverse direction, and, over tliese, 

 branches of trees, as a flooring; the former are fast- 

 ened to the four which form. the bridge, and by that 

 means serve as rails for tlie seourity of the passenger, 

 who v/ould otherwise be in no small danger from the 

 continual oscillation. The bejuco bridges in this 

 Country are only for men, the mules swim over the 

 rivers ; m order to which, \vhiin their loading is taken 

 on] they are drove into the water near half a league 

 above the bridge, tliat they may reach' the o])posite 

 shore near it, the rapidity of the stream carrying them 



so 



