FAST IN A STKEAM. 37 



possession of the table with what may be loft, or, as is 

 more commonly the case, they crouch with the children upon 

 the ground in the corner, where from the iron pots they 

 take their food. The wife of our host, disregarding this 

 custom of Spanish etiquette, placed herself with us at the 

 festive board, and together we enjoyed a pleasant repast. 



After our mid-day siesta we left Mai*acai, and soon after 

 caught a glimpse of Lake Valencia, or Tacarigua, its In- 

 dian name. The road thus far had been tolerably good, 

 but now became outrageously bad, so that our progress 

 was slow and laborious. Swollen streams rushing from 

 the mountain-sides crossed our path, occasioning us often- 

 times no little difficulty in fording. To add to the perplex- 

 ities of the situation, our horses were weary, and began to 

 exhibit signs which forboded evil. We were making our 

 way over the plain which borders the lake upon the north, 

 at times riding quite briskly over a smooth patch of road, 

 and then floundering through mud hub-deep, when sud- 

 denly we came to a halt. Putting our heads out of the 

 open sides of the coach to learn the cause of our stopping, 

 we discovered ourselves in the middle of a broad stream ; 

 the horses standing composedly in the water with a mali- 

 cious look of self-satisfaction at our ludicrous position. 

 Yes, there we were, and no amount of coaxing or lashing 

 could induce the obstinate brutes to budge. To the re- 

 peated blows of the driver, they responded with kicks, 

 throwing mud and water in a most spiteful manner in 

 every direction, until one at length threw himself com- 

 pletely out of the harness. Seeing that our present mode 

 of procedure was not likely to avail us much but kicks 

 and a liberal sprinkling with the contents of the stream, 

 we concluded to alight, in hopes that the rebellious crea- 

 tures might then, perhaps, be induced to extricate the 

 concern. This was no sooner done than their ugliness 

 took a new direction, and, with a spring, they started 



