V 



PROCEED IN THE CARRIAGE AGAIN. 65 



making in all^ twenty- three horses, eight peons, 

 and five travellers : the roads were uncommonly 

 bad, and, owning to our w^heels not having span 

 enough to go into the deep ruts, we were obliged 

 to travel off the main road, amongst brushwood 

 and trees, which was very fatiguing for the 

 horses, as, in many places, we were compelled 

 to stop and cut a road before us for some dis- 

 tance, and were frequently in great danger of 

 being upset. 



When we wanted to change horses, we stopt 

 and surrounded them, and they were lassoed by 

 the peons with their usual dexterity. Skirting 

 by the Sierra de San Luis, at about a league 

 from the town, we entered a very pretty valley, 

 formed by two high mountains, partially covered 

 with thick brushwood, thus making a complete 

 natural pass through the Sierra. On clearing 

 this valley, we crossed an Arroyo, and entered the 

 town of San Luis (the capital of the province) 

 by a long street, having a mud wall on each side. 

 The houses are all built of mud bricks, and laid 



F 



