DEAD PEON IN THE SNOW. 113 



starting, losing his services, and encumbering 

 us with a load more than we had a man to carry. 

 The poor fellow was, from necessity, compelled 

 to crawl his way back to the mules again, for w e 

 could do nothing to assist him. From hence no- 

 thing but snow was to be seen, and it was truly 

 painful to witness the labour and continued fall- 

 ing of the poor peons ; at every step sinking up 

 to their knees. As they stopt to take breath their 

 cries were most distressing, being a long drawn 

 hey! uttered as if in the most dreadful agony, 

 at the same time leaning on their sticks for sup- 

 port, which would frequently penetrate so deeply 

 into the snow as to throw them flat on their faces, 

 which the weight of their loads would bury in 

 the snow, and cause them a great struggle to 

 get out again. About four p. m. it came on a 

 heavy mist of snow, and I arrived at the spot 

 where lay the body of the poor peon that had 

 perished but a few days ago. It was pointed out 

 to me by the man that was with him when he 



