236 
EXPLORING FOR CASTILLOA RUBBER 
rope bridle about her nose, but the first could not be cinched tight 
enough to stay on, and the latter was only a matter of form. Pull all I 
could, she went where she thought the trail was best, and in all fairness 
I must say she was usually right. I do think, however, when she 
insisted on crowding so close to a sharp stub pointing down the trail 
that saddle and rider were both ripped off, instead of slipping her hind 
legs out of the cinch and continuing on after the rest, she might have 
waited. I certainly gave her to understand that I advised the other 
side of the trail, and in response to my vigorous pull her head came round 
until it almost touched my knee, but the obstinate little body went 
straight on. 
Some of the “hog backs” climbed were of the razorback variety — 
just a narrow path along the spine of lofty ridges, forested on both 
sides, and incredibly steep. The gray mule got in difficulties on one, lost 
his balance, curled up and rolled over and over until stopped by a 
big tree and a tangle of monkey vine. He lay at ease until relieved of 
the pack, then struggled to his feet and climbed back to the path, not 
in the least ruffled. 
It must not be supposed that the trail went up all the time ; on the 
contrary, it was a quarter of a mile up, then an eighth of a mile down, 
and we rode sometimes lying flat on the beast’s back, at others with feet 
along the sides of the mule’s neck and leaning as far backward as pos- 
sible. Many a rod did Chiquita slide down clayey steeps, but not a mis- 
step did she make through it all. We lunched by a brook in a deep 
valley where the dense shade made twilight of high noon, and then 
went on, the climbing worse than ever. The first signs of rebellion on 
the part of the beasts of burden came from the mulct grande who bore 
the Commodore. He thought it was time his rider walked a little, and 
while the Commodore paused to reason with him the rest rode on. Very 
soon the way became so steep that all dismounted and walked. While 
catching breath at the top of a particularly stiff bit, we heard the Com- 
modore coming, puffing, panting, profaning. 
“Where is your mule?” I asked. 
“Blank the blankity blank beast, he won't even allow' me to lead 
him, let alone ride !” he exclaimed. “Refuses to associate with me, 
blank him !” 
And so it was. Mnla grande appeared a few moments later, halted 
a rod away, and when approached, simply stood stock still. If the 
Commodore swore, he put his ears forward so as to miss none of it, 
and if he fell to belaboring him with a cudgel, simply began to eat of 
