388 NATUKAL HISTORY OF 



he at length sulkily yielded the point, and proceeded to harness 

 the horses. In the meanwhile, the other coach got under 

 way, and we watched its progress with much interest as it 

 struggled along through the mud, which, in many places, 

 came up as high as the axles of the wheels. Our horses 

 appeared far from promising specimens, being lean, wretched- 

 looking hacks, though, as we afterwards found, their aspect 

 belied them, as they did their work remarkably well. Five 

 were harnessed abreast to the coach, while a sixth was 

 mounted by a lad who rode in front as pioneer, and in the 

 worst parts of the road connected his steed with the coach by 

 means of a rope attached to his saddle by one extremity, and 

 hooking on to one of the shafts by the other. After a good deal 

 of that necessary delay which seems to form an inseparable part 

 of the Chilian character, we set forth. The first part of the 

 route lay across the valley of Llaillai, and the state in which it 

 was was sufficiently appalling. About twenty yards from the 

 station was a Stygian pool of liquid mire between two and three 

 feet deep, and a little beyond this, where the mud was more 

 tenacious, several waggons had broken down, and their teams 

 of oxen, urged by the goads of the drivers, were vainly endea- 

 vouring to drag them out of the slough. This of course added 

 to our difficulties, as it left barely room enough to allow us to 

 pass, and several times our horses were nearly down on their 

 knees, but immediately dragged up, and energetically addressed 

 with shouts of " Arriva-riva-riva," by our cuchero, who, though 

 a ruffianly -looking individual, proved an excellent driver, 

 so that we succeeded in avoiding any mishap. Before long 

 we quitted the Llaillai valley, and began to ascend a road 

 which followed a zigzag serpentine course up the side of a 

 steep hill or "cuesta." Here we overtook the other coach, 

 passing it to our satisfaction, and meeting various waggons 



