244 



INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL. 



cross was a semicircular clearing, from which the only 

 opening was the path leading into the Mexican prov- 

 inces. We closed this up, and turned the mules loose, 

 hung our traps on the trees, and bivouacked in the cen- 

 tre. The men built a fire, and while they were prepa- 

 ring supper we went down to the river to bathe. The 

 rapids were breaking above us. The wildness of the 

 scene, its seclusion and remoteness, the clearness of the 

 water, the sense of having accomplished an important 

 part of our journey, all revived our physical and moral 

 being. Clean apparel consummated the glory of the 

 bath. For several days our digestive organs had been 

 out of order, but when we sat down to supper they 

 could have undertaken the bridles of the mules ; and 

 my brave macho — it was a pleasure to hear him craunch 

 his corn. We were out of Central America, safe from 

 the dangers of revolution, and stood on the wild borders 

 of Mexico, in good health, with good appetites, and 

 something to eat. We had still a tremendous journey 

 before us, but it seemed nothing. We strode the little 

 clearing as proudly as the conquerors of Mexico, and 

 in our extravagance resolved to have a fish for break- 

 fast. We had no hooks, and there was not even a pin 

 in our travelling equipage ; but we had needles and 

 thread. Pawling, with the experience of seven years' 

 " roughing," had expedients, and put a needle in the 

 fire, which softened its temper, so that he bent it into a 

 hook. A pole was on every tree, and we could. see the 

 fish in the water ; all that we wanted was for them to 

 open their mouths and hook themselves to the needle ; 

 but this they would not- do, and for this reason alone 

 we did not catch any. We returned. Our men cut 

 some poles, and resting them in the crotch of a tree, cov- 

 ered them with branches. We spread our mats under, 



