THE VOYAGE OF THE BEAGLE 



311 



where the logs had been displaced, they skipped from one 

 to the other, almost with the quickness and certainty of a 

 dog. On both hands the road is bordered by the lofty forest- 

 trees, with their bases matted together by canes. When oc- 

 casionally a long reach of this avenue could be beheld, it pre- 

 sented a curious scene of uniformity : the white line of logs, 

 narrowing in perspective, became hidden by the gloomy forest, 

 or terminated in a zigzag which ascended some steep hill. 



Although the distance from S. Carlos to Castro is only 

 twelve leagues in a straight line, the formation of the road 

 must have been a great labour. I was told that several peo- 

 ple had formerly lost their lives in attempting to cross the 

 forest. The first who succeeded was an Indian, who cut his 

 way through the canes in eight days, and reached S. Carlos : 

 he was rewarded by the Spanish government with a grant of 

 land. During the summer, many of the Indians wander 

 about the forests (but chiefly in the higher parts, where the 

 woods are not quite so thick) in search of the half-wild cattle- 

 which live on the leaves of the cane and certain trees. It 

 was one of these huntsmen who by chance discovered, a few 

 years since, an English vessel, which had been wrecked on the 

 outer coast. The crew were beginning to fail in provisions, 

 and it is not probable that, without the aid of this man, they 

 would ever have extricated themselves from these scarcely 

 penetrable woods. As it was, one seaman died on the march, 

 from fatigue. The Indians in these excursions steer by the 

 sun ; so that if there is a continuance of cloudy weather, they 

 cannot travel. 



The day was beautiful, and the number of trees which 

 were in full flower perfumed the air; yet even this could 

 hardly dissipate the effects of the gloomy dampness of the 

 forest. Moreover, the many dead trunks that stand like 

 skeletons, never fail to give to these primeval woods a char- 

 acter of solemnity, absent in those of countries long civilized. 

 Shortly after sunset we bivouacked for the night. Our fe- 

 male companion, who was rather good-looking, belonged to 

 one of the most respectable families in Castro: she rode, 

 however, astride, and without shoes or stockings. I was sur- 

 prised at the total want of pride shown by her and her brother. 

 They brought food with them, but at all our meals sat 



