A NOCrURXAL JOURNEY. 65 



him of the fast-diminishing powers of the 

 poor animal I rode, and assure him that if he 

 continued at such a pace, I should not even 

 reach Cienega. As we threaded the mazes 

 of the forest, the startled deer frequently 

 crossed our path, or fled before us amongst 

 the thickets. Sometimes we found ourselves 

 on the sea-shore, where the still beauty of the 

 smooth expanse of waters, scarcely ruffled 

 by a gentle ripple, glittering in the moon- 

 shine, would attract all our attention, until 

 our horses, starting as the tide, rolling on 

 the shore, washed their hoofs in spray, 

 would rouse us from our abstraction. We 

 forded several small rivers that crossed our 

 track in their course toward the sea, in one 

 of which, when our horses were breast-high 

 in water, we were accosted by a mounted 

 peon (a native of the lower class), who rode 

 out from a thicket, and appeared by the 

 manner in which he accosted us, to ask per- 

 mission to travel in our company Taught 



VOL. I, F 



