PASSAGE ACROSS THE GREAT 

 CORDILLERA. 



The mules were ordered at twelve o'clock, but 

 did not arrive till four : we had been waiting for 

 them with great impatience ; at last we heard the 

 tinkling bell approaching, and they then came into 

 the yard of the Fonda (inn) , driven by the capataz 

 and one peon. The capataz was a tall stout man, 

 with a bad expression of countenance : we found 

 him cruel, lazy, insolent, cowardly, and careless of 

 everything but eating, and all this easily to be read 

 in his countenance. The peon was a handsome, 

 slight-made, active young fellow. 



There were sixteen mules of different sizes and 

 colours; they were all thin, but looked very 

 healthy and hardy. One or two of them had 

 dreadful sore backs, which I pointed out to the 

 capataz, who promised to change them as soon as 

 he got out of Mendoza. As my party consisted of 

 eight people, and as we had baggage sufficient for 



