146 



PASSAGE ACROSS 



sending the boy for a she-goat. This order was 

 complied with, and in a short time the boy came, 

 dragging a poor creature with his lasso. She was 

 altogether scared, and was leaping and jumping to 

 get aAvay ; however, our peons helped, and she 

 was thrown down upon her side. One peon knelt 

 upon her head, and one of our men held her hind 

 legs, while the boy milked her on one side, and 

 then turning her round, in spite of her struggles, 

 she was milked on the other side. They then let 

 her go, and happy was she at regaining her liberty, 

 after being scared at the uncouth operation she had 

 just undergone. 



The mules were now nearly laden, when one of 

 the Cornish miners told me that the capataz wanted 

 to put baggage upon the mule which had got a sore 

 back, and which, according to his agreement, he 

 ought to have changed at Mendoza. I instantly 

 went to the capataz, and found him with his long 

 knife in his hand, actually cutting the poor crea- 

 ture's back, preparatory to putting on the pack*' 

 saddle. I told him to desist, but he was explain- 

 ing to me how he was going to place the saddle, so 



