WANDERINGS IN SOUTH AMERICA. 155 



they get out upon the ocean it always contrives to be of 

 the party. 



Though the calms and storms, and adverse winds in 

 these latitudes are vexatious, still, when you reach the 

 trade winds you are amply repaid for all disappointments 

 and inconveniences. The trade winds prevail about thirty 

 degrees on each side of the equator. This part of the ocean 

 may be called the Elysian Fields of Neptune's Empire ; and 

 the torrid zone, notwithstanding Ovid's remark, " non est 

 habitabilis sestu," is rendered healthy and pleasant by 

 these gently-blowing breezes. The ship glides smoothly 

 on, and you soon find yourself within the northern tropic. 

 When you are on it, Cancer is just over your head, and be- 

 twixt him and Capricorn is the high road of the Zodiac 

 forty-seven degrees wide, famous for Phaeton's misadven- 

 ture. His father begged and entreated him not to take it 

 into his head to drive parallel to the five zones, but to 

 mind and keep on the turnpike which runs obliquely 

 across the equator. " There you will distinctly see," said 

 he, u the ruts of my chariot wheels, ' manifesta rotse vesti- 

 gia cernes.' " But," added he, " even suppose you keep on 

 it, and avoid the by-roads, nevertheless, my dear boy, be- 

 lieve me, you will be most sadly put to your shifts ; ' ardua 

 prima via est,' the first part of the road is confoundedly 

 steep ! ' ultima via prona est,' and after that it is all down 

 hill. Moreover, { per insidias iter est, formasque ferarum/ 

 the road is full of nooses and bull-dogs, ' Hsemoniosque 

 arcus,' and spring guns, ' ssevaque circuitu, curvantem 

 brachia longo, Scorpio,' and steel traps of uncommon size 

 and shape." These were nothing in the eyes of Phaeton ; 

 go he would, so off he set, full speed, four-in-hand. He 

 had a tough drive of it ; and after doing a prodigious deal 

 of mischief, very luckily for the world, he got thrown out 

 of the box, and tumbled into the river Po. 



