62 OVER THE MOUNTAINS TO THE LLANOS. 



It was along one of these trails that we were now di- 

 recting our course. We found the streams greatly swol- 

 len, and the road nearly impassable, for the rainy season 

 had not yet drawn to a close ; but we met with no serious 

 obstacle until some three leagues on our journey, when a 

 riyer, larger than any we had yet encountered, threw it- 

 self across our path. AYe sat down vipon the bank of the 

 swollen torrent to discuss the probabilities of a safe tran- 

 sit, and to Avatch a party of natives who were making the 

 passage. The animals were forced to swim, while their 

 cargoes were carried over upon the heads of the men. 

 We watched the novel spectacle until sufficiently ac- 

 quainted with the modus ojyerandi, when we commenced 

 the crossing, taking our joackages upon our heads, d la 

 Creole. We reached the opposite shore safely; but our 

 little donkey, unable to stem the current, was swept down 

 the stream; but, fortunately, the precaution had been 

 taken to attach a long rope to his neck, and by this poor 

 huri'O was drasfged to land. After some time consumed 

 in these ferrying operations, we continued on over the 

 plain a league failher, when we commenced the gradual 

 ascent of the mountains, and, toward the close of the day, 

 we stood upon the summit of the first range of the Cor- 

 dillera crossed in going to Pao fi'om Valencia, where we 

 enjoyed a wide sweep of wild mountain scenery. South- 

 ward rugged and barren ranges were piled one upon an- 

 other, and at their bases lay picturesque valleys, slightly 

 wooded, and sprinkled over with little huts, surrounded 

 with patches of maize and bananas, which presented 

 charming spots in the midst of the mountain ruggedness. 

 Wending our way down along the edge of a precipitous 

 cliff into one of the beautiful glens stretched out beneath 

 us, we stopped for the night at a mud posada, a way-side 

 inn, glorying in total darkness within. 



The sun had not yet risen when we were again mak- 



