WANDERINGS IN SOUTH AMERICA. 153 



rush forward in their defence. But alas ! in these de- 

 generate days it is not so. Should a harmless cottage 

 maid wander out of the highway to pluck a primrose or 

 two in the neighbouring field the haughty owner sternly 

 bids her retire ; and if a pitying swain hasten to escort 

 her back, he is perhaps seized by the gaunt house-dog ere 

 he reach her. 



^Eneas' s route on the other side of Styx, could not have 

 been much worse than this, though, by his account, when 

 he got back to earth, it appears that he had fallen in with 

 "Bellua Lernae, horrendum stridens, flammisque, armata 

 Chimsera." 



Moreover, he had a sibyl to guide his steps ; and as 

 such a conductress nowadays could not be got for love 

 nor money, it was judged most prudent to refrain from 

 sauntering through this land of freedom, and wait with 

 patience the return of health. At last this long-looked 

 for, ever welcome stranger came, 



