62 



THE AD VENTURES OF 



Mexico, flutter round every bush. But the north wind was 

 blowing, and the sun was hidden behind the clouds, so that 

 both the insects and birds kept in the deepest recesses of 

 their hiding-places. As we advanced, our road became 

 much steeper, and we were obliged to cling to the shrubs 

 for support. L'Encuerado, who w^as impeded by the weight 

 of his load, pulled himself up with his hands, so had hard 

 work to keep his balance. Soon it became impossible for 

 him to go farther ; but, fortunately, we had foreseen ascents 

 of this kind. So I gave the child into Sumichrast's charge, 

 for if he had been left to climb by himself, he would most 

 likely have rolled over and hurt himself against the stumps 

 or sharp rocks. 



I made my way into a copse, and with my machete I cut 

 down a moderately-sized branch, the end of which I sharp- 

 ened to a point. Then, going forward and unrolling a 

 leathern thong, thirty feet in length, and commonly called 

 by us a lasso, I fastened it to the stake, which I drove firm- 

 ly into the ground. By means of this support, which served 

 as a sort of hand-rail, PEncuerado could clamber up to me, 

 thanks to the strength of his wrists. Ten times this awk- 

 ward job had to be repeated, and the path, instead of get- 

 ting better, became worse. We then shifted our work, and 

 I took charge of the load, while the tired Indian fixed the 

 lasso. I was just making my third ascent, when Sumi- 

 chrast, who had gone on before us to reconnoitre the ground, 

 made his appearance above. When he saw me stumbling 

 and twisting about, falling now on my side, and now on my 

 knees, toiling to advance a single step, my companion burst 

 into a fit of laughter. I had then neither time nor will to 

 do as he did, and his ill-timed mirth vexed me. At last I 

 caught hold of the stake, bruised and exhausted, and ready 

 to wish there was no such thing as travelling. Sumichrast 

 told us that Ave had scarcely three hundred feet more to as- 



