116 Mr Cruckshanks's Excursion from Lima to Pasco. 



lers usually halt their mules, previous to passing a long and 

 elevated ladera, called the Pacron. This is on the north side 

 of the stream which we had crossed, lower down, on a very frail 

 bridge, made of branches of trees laid from bank to bank. 



" On leaving Huarimayo, we continued along the north side of 

 the valley, which is only wide enough to afford a passage to the 

 stream. The hills rise so abruptly, that, in cutting a road, it 

 has been necessary to carry it to a great elevation, following a 

 natural break in the declivity of the mountain, which allowed 

 a breadth of a few feet to be levelled between a precipice on the 

 one hand, and the almost perpendicular wall of rock that rises 

 on the other. The rushing noise of the stream gradually be- 

 came more faint as we ascended, and died away before we reach- 

 ed the greatest elevation, at nearly 400 feet above its bed. The 

 profound silence that reigns in solitary mountain-districts, where 

 there are no trees, and we hear neither the song of birds nor the 

 humming of insects, was only broken at intervals by the shouts 

 of the muleteers encouraging or threatening their troop, as they 

 wound slowly in an extended line along the sinuosities of the 

 mountain. Sometimes, a mule, pressed by a heavy load, showed 

 a disposition to halt and rest, and consequently stop all those in 

 his rear, in places where it was almost impossible to reach him ; 

 but in such cases, a mixed volley of stones and imprecations, with 

 threats of future punishment, which experience had taught the 

 offender not to despise, soon had the effect of putting him again 

 en route. 



"It chanced that several troops of laden mules, bound to 

 Pasco, were passing the ladera at the same time, and followed in 

 our rear. Our muleteers had neglected the usual precaution of 

 sending forward a messenger to prevent others from ascending in 

 the opposite direction till we should have descended to the val- 

 ley and left the road clear ; the consequence was, that we were 

 met at the end of the ladera by another party that had just as- 

 cended, and our muleteers being in fault, the others insisted that 

 we should return ; which, however, was out of the question, as 

 there were a great number of mules behind, in situations where 

 it was impossible for them to turn round. After much time spent 

 in altercation, it was agreed that as our opponents had more room 



