CHAP. I. ALL ALIVE. 7 



We made a short march on the first day, and stopped about 

 4 p.m. at the little, straggling village La Mona. Our house 

 stood on posts, and like most others in this neighbourhood was 

 built of bamboo, and was thatched with leaves. We passed the 

 night, according to the custom of the country, in string ham- 

 mocks, which were slung on the verandah on the first floor. 

 Sleep was enlivened by superabundant animal life. Bats flapped 



AT LA MONA. 



our faces, and thousands of insects swarmed down upon the 

 candles, while scuttling things of all sorts ranged the floor and 

 invaded our boots. 



A change was made in our arrangements next day. From 

 this time onwards, Jean-Antoine took charge of both the mer- 

 curial barometers, to leave me free to attend to the details of 



animal. Thus our loads seldom weighed more than 160 lbs., and this was as 

 much as was good at great elevations. I saw many donkeys on the Quito road 

 carrying eight dozens of wine or beer in four cases. Such loads cannot have 

 weighed less than 280 lbs. 



