HAIL STORM. 



131 



His wife, one of those who help to keep the world balanced, cooked us 

 a very good dinner. She had seven pretty daughters, but as our fresh 

 mules were loaded we pushed on. 



The streets of the town are very narrow, paved and clean. The 

 houses are small, and well filled with large families, who are so gay and 

 look so happy, that we leave them with regret. 



The ravine is narrow ; in the middle of the dry bed of the river flows 

 a small stream. Rain falls in great quantities in due season, and the 

 sides of the hills are washed into deep gullies. The contrast between the 

 barren dry hills and mountains, with the green, gay little valley, is very 

 great. But what attracts our attention are the crowds of children ; some 

 are sleeping on their mother's backs, others hang lazily in front ; they 

 crawl about the doorways, and I stopped my mule for a naked little 

 fellow paddling turtle fashion over the street. 



The Indian men are fine looking ; their forms are straight and well 

 developed. . The Creoles are more numerous and frank in their manners. 

 The effects of climate and provisions upon people are wonderful, and 

 quite^stonisb. the traveller. 



VvWare in the department of Cochabamba, which has a population of 

 231,188 Creoles, and 43,747 Quichua Indians. It will be observed that 

 the proportion between the two races, when compared with the popula- 

 tion of the departments above us on the Andes is reversed. The Span- 

 iards have crossed over the mountains, east, to find here a more agree- 

 able climate than in other parts of Bolivia, and delight in fruits and 

 flowers. 



In the province *of Arque, a short distance to the southeast of us, there 

 are three silver mines worked, and one hundred abandoned, besides 

 several which have been left at the base of these mountains. 



After a few claps of thunder among the heights to the north, heavy 

 clouds doubled themselves up over head, and a pelting shower of 

 hail stones, the size of peas, came down. The mules ran about with us 

 as though we were beating them over their heads. The moment a little 

 breeze rose, they turned their tails to it and stood with their noses close 

 to the ground. The rain that accompanied the hail froze to our hat- 

 covers and India rubber ponchos, while the hail rattled as it beat upon 

 us. A hail stone which struck the top of my boot left a pain I felt for 

 an hour after. Lightning flashed about in the very midst of us, while 

 the loud thunder roared through the valleys like the noise from cannon of 

 heavy calibre. Sdbn the sun shone out, the storm melted away, and all 

 was clear again. It seemed like the winding up of a pleasant winter. 



As night overtook us, our path, though level, was difficult to find 



