O DESCRIPTION OF THE COUNTRY. 



The villages throughout the greater part of 

 country are from six to twelve miles distant 

 from each other; the land around them be- 

 ing cultivated only for a small space in pro- 

 portion to the number of Inhabitants: in the 

 line of the road the villages are inhabited chief- 

 ly by persons who supply provisions to travel- 

 lers, and the cultivation there does not extend 

 above a quarter, or half a mile. All the in- 

 termediate parts are covered with forest trees 

 and underwood., in some places quite imper- 

 vious, and into which the eye cannot pene- 

 trate even for a few yards. In other parts the 

 trees are smaller and more scattered, and the 

 underwood thinner: near the foot of the hills 

 the trees are largest and the underwood thick- 

 est. The country is here and there intersected 

 by deep ravines, caused by the heavy rains 

 rushing down from the mountains towards the 

 rivers; the channels of which are for the most 

 part dry in the hot and cold seasons, but in the 

 rainy season are generally full and the streams 

 run \uth great rapidity. The ravines often 

 cross the road,, and afford excellent shelter to 



