SIS JOURNEY TO THE SILVER MIKE " 



on the ladera, on the back of his mule, it is impos- 

 sible to dismount, for there is no room to get off, 

 and the attempt to do so might throw the mule off 

 his balance and precipitate him into the torrent, 

 which was at an extraordinary depth beneath. In. 

 some few places, the path was actually washed 

 away, and the mule had only to hurry over the in- 

 clined surface the best way he could ; but the man- 

 ner in which these patient animals preserve their 

 footing is quite extraordinary, and to know their 

 value one must see them in the Cordillera. After 

 passing two or three very violent torrents, which 

 rushed from the mountains above us into the river 

 beneath us, we came to one which looked worse 

 than those which we had with great difficulty 

 crossed ; however, we had no alternative but to cross 

 it, or return to Santiago. We attempted to drive 

 the loose mules across, but one had scarcely put his 

 feet into it, when he was carried away, and in less 

 than twenty yards the box which he had on his 

 back was dashed to pieces, and its contents were 

 hurried down the surface of the stream. In order 

 to get across, we put a lasso round our bodies, and 

 then rode through ; but the holes were so deep, that 



