188 HALTING PLACES. 



accompanied by a confidential agent of the 

 house by which they are employed, and 

 who is treated with much respect. The 

 first halting-place, which we reached about 

 seven o'clock, we found entirely occupied 

 by muleteers ; and although we would fain 

 have stopped, being excessively fatigued by 

 the heat and exertions of the day, during 

 which we had had no other refreshment than 

 some sour chicha, we found ourselves under 

 the necessity of proceeding, dark as the 

 night was, under the precarious guidance 

 of our drunken peon, — and at eight o'clock 

 we arrived at another rendezvous; on ap- 

 proaching which, we perceived the porch fill- 

 ed by a party of sleeping muleteers, and were 

 almost in despair of finding shelter here, 

 when the mistress of the house, with great 

 civility, came forward and informed us that 

 the interior was occupied only by herself 

 and her family, and she would readily give 



