98 THE rr.OFESSOIl'S COUKAGE FAILS. 



He had provided himself with long slips of white paper^ 

 which were to be cut, and flung on the savannah, to in- 

 dicate to those who might stray behind, the direction 

 they ought to follow. The professor had even promised 

 the friars of his order to fire off some rockets, to an- 

 nounce to the whole town of Caracas that they had suc- 

 ceeded in an enterprise which to him appeared of the 

 utmost importance. He had forgotten that his long and 

 heavy garments would embarrass him in the ascent. 

 Having lost courage long before the Creoles, he passed 

 the rest of the day in a neighbouring plantation, gazing 

 at the travellers through a glass directed to the Saddle, 

 as they climbed the mountain. Unfortunately for them, 

 however, he had taken charge of the water and the provi- 

 sion so necessary in an excursion to the mountains. The 

 slaves who were to rejoin them were so long detained by 

 him, that they arrived very late, and the travellers were 

 ten hours without either bread or water. 



They were sometimes so enveloped with mist that they 

 could not without difficulty find their way. At this 

 height there was no path, and they were obliged to climb 

 with their hands, when their feet failed them, on the 

 steep and slippery ascent. After proceeding for the 

 space of four hours across the savannahs, they entered 

 into a little wood composed of shrubs and small trees. 

 The steepness of the mountain became less considerable, 

 and they felt an indescribable pleasure in examining the 

 plants of this region. Quitting the wood they found 

 themselves again in a savannah. They climbed over a 

 part of the western dome, in order to descend into the 

 hollow of the Saddle, a valley which separated the two 

 summits of the mountain. They had great difficulties 



