YOUNG PEONS. 



401 



carrying provisions. I saw the means they 

 adopt to initiate the boys into their trade ; 

 some young lads, about eight or nine years of 

 age, had small chairs on their backs, on which 

 they carry about an aroba (twxnty-five pounds) 

 of salt at first, increasing the weight in pro- 

 portion as they grow older and more experien- 

 ced in the business. I endeavoured to prevail 

 on one of these men to supply the place of my 

 runaway peon, but they declined, supposing, 

 no doubt, that I should not pay them*, saying 

 that others were following who might per- 

 haps agree with me. This, however, proved 

 false, as I saw none pass. I contrived, by 

 dividing the provisions equally amongst my 

 party, to prevail on the peo7i who had carried 

 the stock, now much diminished, to convey 

 my trunk for additional remuneration, and I 

 thus had my sillero again. 



I found myself very unwell, and was very 

 glad to get to bed. 



Jan. 27th. The morning miserable; hard 

 and incessant rain. Left Higeron, and went 

 along the continuation of the brook for two 

 hours, when, on climbing a mountain, we got 

 into the old Spanish road. Here I suffered 



VOL. II. 2 D 



