THE MULE ROAD AND GUADUAS. 87 



dexterous at this. They throw their poncho over the mule's head, 

 to blindfold it, and it stands perfectly quiet until the poncho is 

 removed. They go along at a pretty good rate, but it is pitiful 

 to see the little creatures staggering under tvv'O enormous pack- 

 ino-boxes as large as themselves. Often, when they get a chance 



PACK-MULE WITH TKUNKS AND SLEEPING-MATS. 



to stop, they lie down at once, and then cannot rise without the 

 help of the arriero, who is certain to add blows to his aid. At 

 numbers of places along the road we saw bones where the poor 

 animals had died on the way. In this manner all freight is carried 

 to and from Bogota. We met a great many trains on their way 

 down to the river. Some came unloaded, to carry back freight, but 

 the greater part brought down bales of hides or bags of coffee. 



We finally mounted and started off shortly after eleven, leaving 

 the baggage to follow on. Alice and I rode horses ; the rest were 

 mounted on mules. The saddle, bridle, etc., are spoken of collec- 

 tively in Spanish as " la montura." Our saddles had large horns, 

 and were furnished with breast-straps as well as with both crupper 



