210 CROSSING THE ANDES. 



cured, we told them to move on, tlioy would stand as 

 though they had as much leisure as the generality of 

 Spaniards. The true state of affairs not recurring to our 

 minds, we naturally referred all to their unregenerated na- 

 ture ; and, consequently, our orders were often repeated, 

 perhaps rather peremptorily. We have not the least 

 doubt but that our Andean mules will retain to their dy- 

 ing day vivid conceptions of cogent English. Soon dis- 

 covering the difficulty, we fell to addressing them in their 

 vernacular; then we got along more pleasantly. 



Our course was along a wild mountain-torrent, which 

 came leaping wildly down a rocky gorge, suddenly burst- 

 ing into view above, only to escape behind some dark 

 cliff below. We were constantly crossing and recrossing 

 its rocky bed, the strong current opposing much difficulty 

 to the passage, sometimes almost sweeping our mules from 

 their feet. We made a rapid ascent, and, as Ave rose into 

 the cooler heights of the sierras, found ourselves envel- 

 oj^ed in heavy mists. We halted for the night at a small 

 tamho, having made an ascent of about three thousand 

 feet. The following morning we awoke, chilled by the 

 cool mountain-air. How different the bracing atmosphere 

 and the fresh breezes, from the heated, malaria-laden air 

 of the coast ! We now breathed more freely, without fear 

 of inhaling with each inspiration miasma and fever. Ev- 

 ery thing conspired to make that morning's ride the most 

 enjoyable of our journey. The temperate air of the moun- 

 tains infused new life and vigor into our party, and thus 

 rendered us more susceptible to the influence of the bold, 

 wild scenery that surrounded us ; which, in its piles of 

 mountains and dizzy heights, compelled us to stand still, 

 just to admire and wonder. Beneath us lay a heavy 

 stratum of clouds, resting along the flank of the sierras, 

 and stretching westward until blended with the sky, con- 

 cealing the scenery of the lowlands, as it had hid from 



