86 



A FLYING TBIP TO THE TROPICS. 



wire cable is stretched across the river, and on this a pulley runs. 

 The boat, a large flat lighter, is fastened diagonally to the pulley, 

 and the force of the current carries it across. It usually stops about 

 twenty feet from the shore, and is hauled in the rest of the way by 

 a rope thrown out from the landing. Once across, we scrambled up 

 a steep and rough bank of loose pebbles and sand to a little ledge 

 some thirty feet up the mountain-side, where there were four or five 

 miserable bamboo and thatch huts. These, although their thresh- 

 olds were on a level with the road, were thirty feet from the 

 ground at the back, and supported on rickety bamboo poles. The 

 floors were of split bamboo with cracks through which one's foot 

 might easily slip. In these huts were sold various drinks and some 

 dirty food for those whom hunger compelled to eat there. In front 

 of them were great heaps of boxes and bales on their way to the 

 interior. This is the terminus of the high-road to Bogota, a city 

 that now claims over one hundred thousand inhabitants. 



Of course, our trunks had not gotten across after all, and when 

 they were finally over, the mules had not arrived, and when the 

 mules came, we were two hours in loading. Whilst waiting here, 

 we took a poor breakfast to fortify ourselves for the road ahead of 

 us. In the trees just at the landing I saw several large flocks of 

 the orange-chinned parrakeets. 



Our trunks were lashed with ropes of raw hide, one on each side 

 of the little mules, and smaller parcels Avere put between. If the 

 trunks did not balance, the lighter one was made heavier by tying 

 stones to it. The mules have no other harness than a pair of 

 pillow-like pads, which are furnished with both breast-straps and 

 breeching. When all are loaded, they are started off by the drivers, 

 or " arrieros," who follow on foot, keep the herd moving, and drive 

 in the stragglers. The arrieros keep up a continual whooping and 

 whistling, so that the mules may know that they are close behind, 

 applying to them a choice selection of epithets, — animalito," 

 " mula del diabolo," etc. The loads are continually slipping, and 

 when they slip must be rearranged at once. The arrieros are very 



