THE ANDES. 



39 



our approach to the first human dweUing we 

 had encountered for several days. We speedily 

 reached a habitation ; but the fear of fleas drove 

 us into the coral^ where we made a fire, and 

 after supping, spread out our blankets as 

 usual, and slept under the canopy of heaven. 

 The warmth was now so much greater here, that 

 I undressed completely, before going to bed. 



We followed the course of the Maypo next 

 day, by a tolerable track, and among pic- 

 turesque woods growing up the sides of 

 the valley, which is called, I believe, San 

 Gabriel, till we met with frequent villages 

 and cultivated grounds. At noon we stopped 

 in a field under some plum-trees, to rest 

 during the heat, and were supplied from a cot- 

 tage with several sorts of fruit freely offered 

 for our refreshment. At night we arrived at 

 the frontier ; our passports were examined by 



