LA VENTA. y 



the sea, and passing near the dome of the 

 Silla, which rises to nine thousand feet. 

 This mountain, thickly clothed with brush- 

 wood, has a rich majestic appearance. 



ins, thfe ro 



Owing to the late rains, ibk road was 

 extremely slippery, particularly towards tlie 

 summit, where the paving remains which 

 was laid at the time of the conquest, by 

 the Indians, of whom one hundred thou- 

 sand are said to have perished in the con- 

 struction of this road, of excessive fatigue, 

 want, and cruel treatment: in fact, it was 

 the policy of the original conquerors to 

 diminish the number of Indians by every 

 means in their power. 



Half way up thfe mountain, I stopped at 

 a small building on a rocky ridge deeply 

 embosomed in wood, called LaVenta, where, 

 in a few seconds, I was gratified by the ap- 

 pearance of a substantial Spanish breakfast. 



