400 



JOURNEY. 



was impossible to step without crushing them 

 under foot, they were in such flocks. After 

 refreshing ourselves we waded over the two 

 streams, which, in the wet season, are not ford- 

 able, being then united into one deep broad 

 torrent, perfectly impassable. We continued 

 for two hours ascending the course of a tolera- 

 bly deep brook, wading for a considerable part 

 of the time through the water. The occa- 

 sional glimpses of the stream, dashing along its 

 course, was very picturesque, the water spark- 

 ling, throwing up its white foam as it hurried 

 over the stones; — the sun beams glittering most 

 brilliantly on it, as it wound its way amongst 

 the trees, forming rainbows in the spray. 



About this spot they say there are many 

 tigers, who will boldly seize upon a dog, even 

 when led by a peon; for my part I did not see 

 any; nor was a very fine dog which I had 

 brought with me from Bogotd, at all molested. 

 On arriving at our resting-place (called Hige- 

 ron) for the night, I found myself quite ex- 

 hausted, and felt that it would be impossible 

 for me to proceed on foot next day. A troop 

 of peonSy young and old, now passed us, on 

 their return from Chocd, whither they had been 



