MILITAR Y AD VENTURES. 



my sick leave in the hills ; but now, 

 with a prospect of leaving, their jokes 

 and laughter were something wonder- 

 ful to hear. My old fat cook, Beto, 

 was in such spirits that he began to 

 sing, but in such an unearthly voice 

 that one or two of the coolies dropped 

 their loads, and would have taken to their 

 heels, if their chief man had not requested 

 him to reserve his vocal powers till a more 

 fitting opportunity. 



. We rapidly descended, and I had never 

 seen anything more lovely than the road 

 we were travelling ; the foliage was luxu- 

 riant, and the surrounding hills were 

 clothed in it to their very tops, abounding 

 in beautiful flowers, and we had quite an 

 abundance of wild strawberries, which grow 

 there in the greatest profusion. We 

 gradually reached the foot of the hills ; 



