236 CRUISE OF THE BARRERA 



the day. Possibly the " despefiaderos " of Charles 

 Wright (where lived the elusive Blasospira ec- 

 hinus) were these very same paredones, and we 

 determined upon their exploration. From the 

 town it is possible to go in Martinez's veteran cab 

 around the western end of Tumbadero and to 

 proceed thence about half-way across the inter- 

 vening valley extending to the foot of the main 

 sierra. The balance of the way must be 

 accomplished afoot or on horseback. 



While proceeding along slowly under the shadow 

 of Tumbadero through an atmosphere surcharged 

 with the uncomplimentary remarks of Martinez 

 to the mules and with occasional stops to retrieve 

 a lamp shaken loose and shed by the cab, we came 

 to a sudden halt ; just such a halt as a motor-boat 

 makes when the clutch refuses to disengage in 

 front of a solid pier. Our mules could get over 

 or under or around every kind of obstacle in the 

 road yet discovered, but they declined to pass over 

 a maja snake lying across our path. The size 

 of snakes depends very much upon the observer's 

 state of mind, but this one dispassionately 

 measured eight and a half feet. 



The maja is the only Cuban representative of 



