EI^DORADO 291 



their better judgment. The isstie was as i antici- 

 [)atecl. One was thrown over his horse's head into a 

 nuid puddle and the other with horse and all stuck fast 

 HI a cjuagniire from which it was not easy to extricate 

 him. Thus we trudged an often over difficult and 

 sometimes dangerous ways. The rider, to avoid a 

 severe contusion or probably a broken limb, in turning 

 the sharp angles is compelled to i)lace his feet as near 

 the animal's head as possible and in this manner he can 

 ride in perfect safety, though some little management 

 is requisite to maintain his equilibrium. Before enter- 

 ing- the defiles, the muleteers shout at the top of their 

 voices, and stop for a short time continuing the shout 

 as they advance, to apprize others at the opposite ex- 

 tremity of the pass that the way is already occupied. 

 This is necessary and important, for if two on horse- 

 back were to meet in one of these narrow and crooked 

 paths, the .scene between the "Quaker and Uandy" 

 would have to be re-enacted, for many newspapers 

 would have to be read and many segars smoked before 

 either could turn out of the way for his neighbor. 



Whenever ladies travel this route they are obliged 

 to discard the side saddle and resort to a less feminine 

 style of equitation. 1 overtook a party of al)out 

 twenty persons on the road, amongst whom was a 

 married lady and I watched her rather curiously, to 

 observe how she got over the difficulties that beset her. 

 Being fortified with that article of male attire, the 

 figurative possession of which is said to denote do- 

 mestic ascendancy, she thought it incumbent upon her, 

 I suppose, to display all the courage and nerve that 

 should properly be incased in it. Several times when 

 1 fancied that both she and lier nude were on tlu' point 



