30 WINDS AND CURRENTS OF THE MOUNTAINS. 



departments. The letters are carried in two small hide boxes on the 

 back of a fine mule, with a swallow-tailed red and white flag flying 

 from a short pole fastened between the trunks. The conductor is well 

 mounted and armed ; wears a scarlet cloak, and rides after ; while the 

 mounted arriero trots ahead, blowing a horn. They travel at a quickened 

 pace up hill and down. I should like to overhaul that letter-box ; but 

 remittances are often made by the mail, and a desire to look for United 

 States letters on the road^Aight be considered unlawful. 



We crossed the Rio Pampas, flowing northwest, upon a suspension 

 bridge made of bark rope. Eight cables are stretched across, over which 

 small cross-pieces of light wood are fastened to form a floor ; two large 

 cables above the sides bear part of the weight, by small ropes laced from 

 the floor over them. Great care had to be taken by leading the mules 

 one by one. My mule, Rose, gave more trouble than any ; she was very 

 much frightened, and would not budge until another mule walked just 

 before her, and we all urged her not to turn back. I feared she would 

 rush through the lacing into the river, one hundred and twenty feet 

 below. The creaking and swinging of the bridge was fearful for about 

 forty yards. We saw fishermen in the light-green water below ; on the 

 rocks sat numbers of cormorants, ready to dive for fish. The stream is 

 rapid and very winding, turning snake-like round the base of mountains 

 on its way through the Apurimac, Ucayali, and Amazon, to the Atlantic. 

 It takes its rise to the south of us, near the tops of the great Cordilleras ; 

 our road leads along its banks, ascending through stunted trees, from 

 which sweet air plants hang in full flower. Here the vegetable produc- 

 tions seem to suffer in the struggle between the moisture from the river 

 and the burning rays of the sun, which seem to obstruct and keep down 

 the plant that shows a desire to improve. 



After a long and tiresome ascent we reached Bombam post house ; 

 the postmaster offered his house, and seemed astonished that we did ^|ot 

 seek it in preference to our tent. He sent us chicken soup and boiled 

 corn for supper. A flock of kids came playing about our tent ; their 

 faces resemble those of monkeys. The Indians killed a large hog, and 

 the women made blood pudding. Jose assured me it was good with 

 chicha ; he seems to fancy the custom of living among the Indians. 



There is no regular wind in this region; currents of air draw in 

 through the mountains from all directions; although the clouds far 

 above us show wind, we are unable to tell that it comes from any par- 

 ticular direction, and below it is quite calm. While encamped on the 

 high places, frequent efforts were made to distinguish the satellites of 



