224 SPORT, TRAVEL, AND ADVENTURE 



deeper at every struggle, and was already up to its 

 knees in the ooze. Dismounting for an instant, I cut 

 the ropes which held its pack, and the sacks soon dis- 

 appeared below the surface. It seemed that we might 

 all share their fate, for the whole crust of the * island,' 

 was becoming submerged, the black ooze slowly rising 

 all around. Action was necessary. ' Seek a way out 

 at all hazards,' I said to the guide ; and that indi- 

 vidual, who was, fortunately, accustomed to pass these 

 swamps, applied the spurs to his beast and leaped 

 towards another island similar to that on which we 

 were, for there existed a series of such at varying 

 distances apart. The guide's mule landed with his 

 fore-feet on the firm part and his hind-legs in the 

 treacherous mud. A few inches less and he would 

 have been lost, but the animal scrambled up and re- 

 gained his footing. It was my turn now. It was a 

 long leap from such insecure footing. Between lay 

 the chasm of ooze of unknown depth ; but it was 

 useless to ponder. I drove my spurs into the flanks 

 of my mule, and he responded nobly, although 

 trembling in every limb with fear and apprehension, 

 for he knew perfectly well the risk he ran. But like 

 a deer he bounded over, and we landed in the middle 

 of the island. There remained now my servant and 

 the other pack-mule. A riata was thrown across, and 

 the latter, by dint of pulling in front and whipping 

 behind, essayed the leap and passed safely. As for 

 the servant, the beast he rode absolutely declined to 

 leap, and the poor fellow protested that he should die 

 there. We could not waste time ; our second island 

 was sinking also. An idea occurred to myself and 

 the guide simultaneously a riata was again thrown 



