Ch. I. SOUTH AMERICA. 20Z 



danger, which, if the rider be not accuftomed to thefe 

 emotions, cannot fail of filling him with terrible ideas. 

 The Indians go before, and place themfelves along 

 the fides of the mountain, holding by the roots of trees, 

 to animate the beafts with fhouts, till they at once 

 ftart down the declivity. 



There are indeed fome places, where thefe decli- 

 vities are not on the fides of precipices ; but the road 

 is fo narrow and hollow, and the fides nearly perpen- 

 dicular, that the danger is almoil equal to the former ; 

 for, the track being extremely narrow, and the road 

 fcarce wide enough to admit the mule with its rider, 

 if the former falls, the latter muft be neceflarily crufii- 

 cd ; and for want of room to difengage himfelf, gene- 

 rally has a leg or an arm broken, if he efcapes with 

 life. It is really wonderful to confider thefe mules, 

 after having overcome the firft emotions of their fear 

 and are going to fiide down the declivity, with what 

 exadlnefs they firetch out their fore-legs, that by pre- 

 ferving the equihbrium they may not fall on one fide ; 

 yet at a proper difl:ance make, with their body, that 

 gentle inclination necefiary to follow the feveral wind- 

 ings of the road and, laflly, their addrefs in fi:opping 

 themfelves at the end of their impetuous career. Cer- 

 tainly the human fpecies themfelves could not fhew 

 more prudence and condud. Some mules, after be- 

 ing long ufed to thefe journies, acquire a kind of re- 

 putation for their fldll and fafety, and accordingly are 

 fiighly valued. 



The worft feafons for thefe journies, though dif- 

 ficult and dangerous at all times, are the beginnings 

 of fummer and winter the rain then caufing fuch 

 dreadful torrents, that in fome places the roads are 

 covered with water •, and in others fo damaged, that 

 there is no poffibility of palling, but by fending In- 

 dians before to mend them ; though after all their 

 labour, which mufc be done in halte, and when thofe 



people 



