226 TRAVELS AMONGST THE GREAT ANDES, chap. xii. 



had taken everything. We went down, regardless of direction, 

 solely occupied with the view of getting to a lower level. Any 

 valley on this side of the mountain, if followed to its extremity, 

 would bring one on to the plain of Cayambe. At about 4 p.m., 

 getting out of cloud-land, we came upon the head of an unknown 

 valley, which was joined some distance off by another, each with 

 its own little torrent. There was a slope of sand, perhaps eight 

 hundred feet high, between us and the nearest stream, and 

 leaving a track on it that could be seen a mile away I marched 

 across to the right bank of the valley, but had to come back 

 again, as my four-footed friend stopped howling on the bank, 

 refusing to take to the water. I carried the big baby across 

 in my arms. The streams were unfordable when united, and 

 presently fell into a wall-sided ravine with impassable cliffs on 

 the left bank. The opposite slopes, being fissured by earthquake- 

 cracks, were nearly as impracticable ; and we were forced to 

 keep to the bottom, in morass, covered with reeds ; and for two 

 hours more I waded through slime, clutching the stems, not 

 daring to leave go, lest I should be swallowed up. 



It was nearly dark when we escaped from this horrible bog, 

 and came upon steeply descending ground ; where I descried a 

 little thicket, the first semblance of shelter that had been seen. 

 Preoccupied in finding a refuge of any sort, I did not at first 

 notice that we had hit upon a lair, or sleeping-place, of some 

 of the cattle who from time to time escape to the mountains 

 from the tyranny of man. We had been warned to avoid them, 

 as they pay no regard to anyone, and become savage and 

 dangerous wild-beasts, with marvellous agility. The idea that 

 several might bounce in, inclined to resent this unauthorized 

 occupation of their brush-wood bed, gave something to think 

 about through the eleven hours of darkness. 



We left the lair at earliest dawn, and, after descending an 

 abrupt step, found that the lower part of the valley was densely 

 wooded. I spied the remains of a track, a very old one, evidently 



