60 



A DIARY OF THE 



occasionally striking sparks with a flint and steel 

 to show our position. At last, fatigued and 

 weary with disappointment, he returned, and pro- 

 nounced sorrowfully that he had quite lost the 

 road, and we must make up our mind to wait for 

 daylight. Not knowing more of our guide than 

 might be judged of by inexperienced physiog- 

 nomists, we thought it prudent, in spite of his 

 pleasing countenance, to retire to some distance 

 from him : here we laid down, with our heads 

 on each other's knees, to keep them out of the 

 wet, giving the signal to turn when either be- 

 came so insufferably cold or cramped as to re- 

 quire relief. During the night we were alarmed 

 by the frightful neighing of our horses, which 

 our guide informed us was occasioned by the 

 approach of the pinna, a small lion of South 

 America, which is reported to be an enemy to 

 horses, but not to man. In the confusion our 

 guide's horse got away, and he was a consider- 

 able time before he found it ; and we heard no 

 more of the intruders. To prevent any further 

 accident, we secured the long bridles of our 

 horses to our arms, in such a manner as made it 

 impossible they could escape without our know- 

 ledge, should we be so fortunate as to sleep. 



