THE ANDES. 



11 



which had partially obscured the light of the 

 sun for more than an hour, we arrived 

 at a shed, near a stream surrounded with 

 fig and peach trees, where we remained, 

 to wait during the mid-day sun. This shed 

 was full of holes being merely thatched 

 with branches of trees tied together with 

 thongs of hide. An old woman, and two 

 daughters, all in rags, sat outside on the ground 

 by a fire, watching the boiling of a pot of 

 broth. They very goodnaturedly offered me 

 a hide to rest on, which I accepted, and soon 

 fell asleep. On awaking, the rest of my party 

 were eagerly diving into the bread-bag, and 

 discussing tough bits of roasted beef. 



I asked the woman how she managed, 

 under so bad a covering, when it rained. 

 " Aqui no mas senor/^ she replied: and 

 her comfortable laugh showed, at least, that 



