248 



METHOD OF CROSSING. 



to a mule on the opposite side, and when the 

 man or cargo were in the cradle, the mule gal- 

 loped up the opposite bank and dragged them 

 over. It was rather a frail thing to trust to, for 

 when the weight came to the centre the hide rope 

 stretched and nearly touched the water, and 

 with the slightest cant, without holding firmly on, 

 you might be thrown into the river, when nothing 

 could save you from being drowned should you 

 fall in the centre. 



The man who now occupied this machine was 

 a surly fellow ; he knew I must cross, and when 

 he saw my anxiety, from first asking only two 

 dollars, he increased his demand to eight; see- 

 ing there was no alternative, I paid it to him 

 without putting my pistol to his front tooth, as 

 a certain traveller did on almost a similar occa- 

 sion, for I espied a long knife stuck in his belt, 

 and his countenance seemed to indicate that he 

 would not hesitate in making use of it ; besides, 

 good an opinion as I have of these people, I know, 

 that when they are once irritated, they have no 



