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JOURNEY TO AGUA FRIA. 



Recife, I reminded him to keep to the left, for 

 the precipice is dangerous on the right hand 

 side ; but he did not understand me or his 

 horse was restive, and was going too much to 

 the right, when he slipped and fell on one side 

 within a few yards of the place which he was to 

 avoid. I dismounted to assist Manoel, but only 

 saw his situation by the flashes of lightning. 1 

 asked him after himself, his horse, and his pistol, 

 and to each question received for answer that all 

 was well. I then said to him, " Where is the 

 road T* for I had turned round in different ways 

 so frequently in assisting him, that I had no 

 notion of the direction which we ought to take 

 to find the road ; and indeed at one moment I 

 had formed the idea of remaining where we were 

 until the break of day. But on again asking 

 Manoel if he was certain respecting the right 

 direction, his answer was in an angry voice, for 

 he was wet and bruised, " I see the road; don't 

 be afraid, Sir." He led, and I followed him, 

 each leading his horse ; we descended side-ways, 

 for the ground was too slippery, owing to the 

 rain, to allow us to advance in any other manner. 

 My horse struck me with his head several times, 

 and he too every now and then narrowly escaped 

 falling. The width of the road is about six feet ; 

 there is on one side a precipice of great height, 

 which has been formed by the torrents in the 

 rainy season ; these have caused the ground to 

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