236 EXPLORING FOR CASTILLO A RUBBER 



rope bridle about her nose, but the first could not be cinched tight 

 enough to stay on, and the latter was only a matter of form. Pull all I 

 could, she went where she thought the trail was best, and in all fairness 

 I must say she was usually right. I do think, however, when she 

 insisted on crowding so close to a sharp stub pointing down the trail 

 that saddle and rider were both ripped off, instead of slipping her hind 

 legs out of the cinch and continuing on after the rest, she might have 

 waited. I certainly gave her to understand that I advised the other 

 side of the trail, and in response to my vigorous pull her head came round 

 until it almost touched my knee, but the obstinate little body went 

 straight on. 



Some of the "hog backs" climbed were of the razorback variety 

 just a narrow path along the spine of lofty ridges, forested on both 

 sides, and incredibly steep. The gray mule got in difficulties on one, lost 

 his balance, curled up and rolled over and over until stopped by a 

 big tree and a tangle of monkey vine. He lay at ease until relieved of 

 the pack, then struggled to his feet and climbed back to the path, not 

 in the least ruffled. 



It must not be supposed that the trail went up all the time ; on the 

 contrary,, 'it was a quarter of a mile up, then an eighth of a mile down, 

 and we rode sometimes lying flat on the beast's back, at others with feet 

 along the sides of the mule's neck and leaning as far backward as pos- 

 sible. Many a rod did Chiquita slide down clayey steeps, but not a mis- 

 step did she make through it all. We lunched by a brook in a deep 

 valley where the dense shade made twilight of high noon, and then 

 went on, the climbing worse than ever. The first signs of rebellion on 

 the part of the beasts of burden came from the mula grande who bore 

 the Commodore. "He thought it was time his rider walked a little, and 

 while the Commodore paused to reason with him the rest rode on. Very 

 soon the way became so steep that all dismounted and walked. While 

 catching breath at the top of a particularly stiff bit, we heard the Com- 

 modore coming, puffing, panting, profaning. 



"Where is your mule?" I asked. 



"Blank the blankity blank beast, he won't even allow me to lead 

 him, let alone ride!" he exclaimed. "Refuses to associate with me, 

 blank him !" 



And so it was. Mula grande appeared a few moments later, halted 

 a rod away, and when approached, simply stood stock still. If the 

 Commodore swore, he put his ears forward so as to miss none of it, 

 and if he fell to belaboring him with a cudgel, simply began to eat of 



