56 



UX THE TOPOfJliAniY AXD GEOLomr 



of Sir Robert Schomburgk, who travelled over it about 1851.* It winds not only 

 entirely around the head of the Jimenoa, but seems to take esj)ecial pains to double 

 also all of its tributaries. After nearly half a day's ride, the road descends gi-adu- 

 ally to the Jimenoa, here dwindled to a rivulet hardly three yards across. The water 

 is beautifnlly clear, and very cold. A plunge in a shady basin, followed by a 

 lunch prepared us for the remainder of our ride, and, after a few moments of rest we 

 mounted again for Constanza, which we reached just about nightfall. From the 

 Jimenoa, the trail still follows ridges, but neither so high nor so crooked as those 

 preceding them. Finally we descended into a flat plain or valley, densely 

 wooded, through which we rode for a couple of miles, at la&t emerging into a grassy 

 plain dotted with little tongues and islands of pine timber, and enlivened by groups 

 of horses and cattle. The village, if it may be so called, consisting of about a 

 dozen huts, is almost at the extremity of the plain, in the edge of the woods, and on 

 the banks of the Limon Creek. From the remains still existing, it is evidently on 

 the site of a former aboriginal village of no small importance. Earthworks several 

 hundred feet in extent, similar to those found in the Mississippi Valley, are still 

 visible, in a good state of preservation, overgrown in places by trees two feet 

 in diametei". • - . - 



Leaving Constanza, which is on the branch of the Southern Yaqui, the Limon 

 Creek above mentioned, the trail climbs rapidly to the hill side, and follows down the 

 valley of the Limon to that of the Rio del Medio, or middle river. At el Rancho de 

 Limon which, as its name implies, is a single rancho or shed, it descends to the river, 

 to follow it for a mile or two, and then climb, on the other side, the steepest trail I 

 have ever seen on the Island. Reaching the summit again the jaded traveller winds 

 among rolling hills, occasionally catching a glimpse of the yawning gulf he has 

 just crossed, until again he finds himself descending to the river. Here the climb 

 is not so steep, although bad enough, the more so since he has a thousand feet of up 

 hill work before him, on the other side of the stream. This overcome, he begins 

 another gradual descent, arriving at the little village of five or six houses, called las 

 Lagunas. From Lagunas, an easy down hill ride of an hour brings him to the Rio 



* See Alheiuvum, 1852, No. 1291, p. 798, "Narrow deep valleys on each side of the interlachig ridges force the 

 traveller to continue on their summits, although he is in consequence, obliged to make long detours ; and instead of 

 advancing steadily to tiie south-southwest— which is his true course to Constanza — he is often obliged to follow the 

 ridges to the north and eastward before he is able again to continue to the south-southwest. Our guide had already 

 told us, that so eccentric are the ways of these mountains that two friends meeting in the morning, the one coming 

 from Constanza, the other from Jai'abacoa, in opposite directions, and having each parted on his several way, might 

 at noon have another opportunity of saying 'How d'ye do?' across some chasm in consequence of the twistings 

 and turnings which both had to take. AVe did not luiderstand what he meant at the time, but it became clear 

 to us now." 



