68 



A DIARY OF THE 



and having drunk a sufficient quantity of chichi, 

 we prepared our comfortless beds, having only 

 our saddle gear on which to rest our weary limbs. 

 These we placed close by the fire, and lay down 

 to rest, surrounded by dogs and dirty children : 

 however, after our excessive fatigue, we slept 

 tolerably well. 



At daylight, the ^^d, we arose, and got rid of 

 some of those intolerable pests, pulgas or fleas 

 (with which we were covered), by taking off and 

 shaking our jackets : we then each took a roasted 

 potato, saddled our horses, and mounted. The 

 ground was frozen very hard, and the air ex- 

 ceedingly cold. We had not gone far when 

 my horse showed symptoms of weakness, or dis- 

 inclination to proceed, which obliged us to go a 

 considerable distance out of the way, to a ca- 

 cique known to our guide, to procure another. 

 We had not only to go out of our way, but down 

 a very steep mountain, the horses sliding the 

 greatest part of the way on their haunches, when 

 we came to a beautiful valley, rendered still 

 more lovely by the splendid beams of the newly 

 risen sun. Here, by the side of the river, were 

 scattered a few huts or ranchos, out of one of 

 w^hich came the cacique, who hailed us with that 



