12 
THE CABINET OF NATURAL HISTORY, 
were either mounted or heavily laden, and as they wound 
along the crooked path, the difference of colour in the 
animals, the different colours and shapes of the baggage 
they were carrying, with the picturesque dress of the 
peons, who were vociferating the wild song by which they 
drive on the mules, and the sight of the dangerous path 
they had to cross, — formed altogether a very interesting 
scene. 
As soon as the leading mule came to the commence- 
ment of the pass, he stopped, evidently unwilling to pro- 
ceed, and of course all the rest stopped also. 
He was the finest mule we had, and on that account 
had twice as much to carry as any of the others; his load 
had never been relieved, and it consisted of four portman- 
teaus, two of which belonged to me, and which contained 
not only a very heavy bag of dollars, but also papers which 
were of such consequence that I could hardly have conti- 
nued my journey without them. The peons now redou- 
bled their cries, and leaning over the sides of their mules, 
and picking up stones, threw them at the leading mule, 
who now commenced his journey over the path. With 
his nose to the ground, literally smelling his way, he 
walked gently on, often changing the position of his feet, 
if he found the ground would not bear, until he came to 
the bad part of the pass, where he again stopped, and I 
then certainly began to look with great anxiety at my 
portmanteaus; but the peons again threw stones at him, 
and he continued his path, and reached me in safety; 
several others followed. At last a young mule, carrying 
a portmanteau, with two large sacks of provisions, and 
many other things, in passing the bad point, struck his load 
against the rock, which knocked his two hind legs over 
the precipice, and the loose stones immediately began to 
roll away from under them: however his fore-legs were 
still upon the narrow path; he had no room to put his 
head there, but he placed his nose on the path on his left, 
and appeared to hold on by his mouth: his perilous fate 
was soon decided by a loose mule who came, and in walk- 
ing along after him, knocked his comrade’s nose off the 
path, destroyed his balance, and head over heels the poor 
creature instantly commenced a fall which was really 
quite terrific. With all his baggage firmly lashed to him, 
he rolled down the steep slope, until he came to the part 
which was perpendicular, and then he seemed to bound 
off, and turning round in the air, fell into the deep torrent 
on his back, and upon his baggage, and instantly disap- 
peared. I thought, of course, that he was killed; but up 
he rose, looking wild and scared, and immediately endea- 
voured to stem the torrent which was foaming about him. 
It was a noble effort; and for a moment he seemed to suc- 
ceed, but the eddy suddenly caught the great load which 
was upon his back, and turned him completely over; down 
went his head with all the baggage, and as he was carried 
down the stream, all I saw were his hind quarters, and his 
long, thin, wet tail, lashing the water. As suddenly, 
however, up his head came again; but he was now weak, 
and went down the stream, turned round and round by 
the eddy, until, passing the corner of the rock, I lost 
sight of him. I saw, however, the peons, with their lassos 
in their hands, run down the side of the torrent for some 
little distance; but they soon stopped, and after looking 
towards the poor mule for some seconds, their earnest 
attitude gradually relaxed, and when they walked towards 
me, I concluded that all was over. I walked up to the 
peons, and was just going to speak to them, when I saw at 
a distance a solitary mule walking towards us! 
We instantly perceived that he was the Phaeton whose 
fall we had just witnessed, and in a few moments he came 
up to us to join his comrades. He was of course dripping 
wet; his eye looked dull, and his whole countenance was 
dejected: however, none of his bones were broken, he was 
very little cut, and the bulletin of his health was altogether 
incredible. 
With that surprising anxiety which the mules all have to 
join the troop, or rather the leading mule which carries 
the bell, he continued his course, and actually walked over 
the pass without compulsion, although certainly with great 
caution. 
We then continued our course for two hours, until we 
came to the 44 Rio de las Vaccas,” which is the most dan- 
gerous torrent of any of those which are to be crossed. 
We got through it with safety, but it was very deep, and 
so excessively rapid, that large stones were rolled down it 
with the force of the water. The mules are accustomed to 
these torrents, but they are, notwithstanding, much fright- 
ened at them, and it is only long spurs that can force them 
into them. 
While we were crossing, the peons stood down the 
stream, with their lassos hurling round their heads, in order 
to catch anything which might have been carried away; 
but as the boxes which I had seen washed from the mules 
were dashed to pieces before they had got twenty yards, 
the peon’s lasso came a little too late; and besides this, as 
the mule is their own property, I used sometimes to think 
that, in the hurry and indecision of the moment, they would 
probably catch him instead of the rider. 
When a large party cross this river, and when it is 
deep, it is really amusing, after one has got across it, to 
observe the sudden change of countenance of one’s friends 
as they ride through it; sometimes perched up on the top 
of a fragment of rock barely covered, and expecting the 
next step to be their last; and sometimes scrambling out of 
