DESCRIPTION OF THE CASUCHAS. 137 



from the ground^ and average fourteen feet by 

 twelve inside ; once they had doors^ but neces- 

 sity^ that stern mother of invention^ instigated 

 some perishing travellers to burn them^ in order 

 to supply the want of that necessary article fuel^ 

 which is not even to be seen during winter in 

 the Cordillera. The very cross-beams were burnt^ 

 so that it was impossible to keep out the perish- 

 ing cold air. Added to this^ there were nine holes 

 to admit the lights which various travellers had 

 taken the greatest pains, (now the want of a door 

 admitted it^) to stuff up with any old rags^ bricks^ 

 or stones^ they could find; and proving that 

 even these were not easily procured, they had 

 pulled the bricks from out of the wall, and off 

 the outside of what, at one time, was a flight of 

 brick steps to ascend by, but which are now so 

 delapidated, as to render it a task to clamber 

 up into the interior, so that in a few years^ if no 

 means are taken to repair them, even these mi- 

 serable abodes for the shelter of man will tumble 

 to pieces. 



