THE GREAT CORDILLERA. 



155 



place for baggage-mules, that four hundred had 

 been lost there, and that we should also very pro- 

 bably lose one; he said, that he would get down to 

 the water at a place about a hundred yards off, and 

 wait there with his lasso to catch any mule that 

 might fall into the torrent, and he requested me to 

 lead on his mule. However, I was resolved to see 

 the tumble, if there was to be one, so the capataz 

 took away my mule and his own, and while I stood 

 on a projecting rock at the end of the pass, he 

 scrambled down on foot, till he at last got to the 

 level of the water. 



The drove of mules now came in sight, one fol- 

 lowing another; a few were carrying no burdens, 

 but the rest were either mounted or heavily laden, 

 and as they wound along the crooked path, the 

 difference of colour in fiie animals, the different 

 colours and shapes of the baggage they were carry- 

 ing, with the picturesque dress of the peons, who 

 were vociferating the wild song by which they drive 

 on the mules, and the sight of the dangerous path 

 they had to cross, — formed altogether a very inter- 

 esting scene. 



As soon as the leading mule came to the com- 



