200 TRAVELS IN 
To the weft, before me, were other moua* 
tauis, the chain of which, more confiderable 
ftill than that we had followed, loft itfelf on 
the horizon, and by its diredion was likely to 
condud me to the ocean, where I was defirous 
of ending this excurfion. My guides afiured 
me that I fhould in this, as in the preceding 
courfe, meet both with pafture and water. 
They added too, that in the mountains there 
were feveral hordes with whom they were at 
prefent in amity ; and to convince me, by the 
favourable reception that would be given them 
by thefe hordes, that they knew how to con- 
ciliate and retain friends, they requefted me to 
purfue this courfe. 
From all thefe confideratlons united, I was 
induced to comply with their deftre. However, 
before I gave orders for our departure, I wiftied 
to know how far Vv^e had to travel. For this 
purpofe, I afcended one of the peaks, and, efti- 
mating the dlftance between the two chains, I 
concluded that it was about twenty-four leagues. 
But it gave me great uneafmefs to obferve, that 
the whole plain beneath prefented fcarcely any 
thing to my view but dry fand ; that it contained 
very little verdure, and not a fingle tree. 
With 
