APURIMAC BRIDGE. 



37 



After declining a polite invitation to remain some days, we took a 

 short cut across the corn-field to the town of Curahuasi, a miserable little 

 Indian place. The water from the mountains passes down the ravine 

 to small patches of sugar-cane. The mountains are wild ; winding around 

 one of them, we suddenly came in sight of the long-looked for river 

 Apurimac Its waters foam as they dash over its rocky bed. Our view 

 was cut off by another turn, and leaving the surface of the earth, we 

 enter a tunnel, cut into the mountain, which stands like its strata, per- 

 pendicular, by the side of the river. Sky-light holes are cut through 

 the rock, and as we travel along, in alternate light and darkness, the 

 arrieros shout at the top of their voices at the train. The mules are 

 fearful of proceeding. Coming to a house, which was open on both 

 sides, we looked over the Apurimac bridge, and then down into the 

 river, a fearful distance below. The toll-house is inhabited by two 

 women, a man, a child, a dog, and two jugs of chicha. The ropes of 

 this suspension bridge — of bark, about the size of a sloop-of-war's hemp 

 cable- — are made fast to the posts which support the roof of the house. 

 It is best for travellers not to be too particular in their examinations, 

 how these ropes are fastened. A windlass in the middle of the house 

 kept the ropes hauled up when they slack off. One woman, a goodr 

 looking black, was seated by a large jar of chicha, which she sold to 

 travellers, with her child on the other side ; she spun cotton, with a 

 smoking fire close by to keep off the sand flies. These little insects are 

 here in swarms. A white woman was seated by the windlass, holding 

 her head in her hands. I thought she had the small-pox, but the red 

 bumps on her face were caused by these annoying flies. The baggage 

 was taken off the mules as they were brought through the house, and one 

 by one taken across the river, when the arrieros carried over the baggage 

 on their own backs. When Rose, a most sensible animal, saw the bridge, 

 she held down her head, laid her ears back, switched her tail, and plainly 

 kicked out the words, " I won't go over." She is generally indulged and 

 coaxed ; an old mule was put forward, and she behind to follow him. As 

 the arriero walked on with the bridle, the toll man pursued the old mule 

 with a rope's-end, when it backed, kicked with both heels, pulling the 

 arriero along. We took shelter behind the windlass, with a barometer, 

 the woman screamed, picked up the child with one hand by the neck, 

 and the chicha jug by the same extremity, and beat a retreat. She 

 mounted the windlass, and, in a towering passion, commanded with her 

 tongue, telling the men to secure the animal at once. Jose stood out 

 of the way with Rose, for the old mule had charge of the house, and 

 was getting warm ; he succeeded in putting his hind-legs in the fire, 



