49 
JR. Schombtirgkj Dr. Phil. 
perfect and free use of our hands, the examination of the 
firmness of the roots, and the crumbling sandstone wall, 
before we could trust our bodies to either of them. A slip of 
the foot, a losing of the balance, or the breaking of the roots, 
would have been followed not only by the terrible fall of 
an unfortunate, but most probably would have caused the 
destruction of many of the followers, who would have been 
knocked down by his fall. 
In performing the dangerous feat each of the Europeans 
was preceded immediately by an Indian. In a zigzag we 
climbed the stone wall, following one another at certain 
intervals, to raise ourselves from one precipice to the other. 
The first look into the abyss made me shudder Like ants 
the brown figures of the Indians scaled the rock ; and the 
thought that one of the bands, the only thing holding their 
burden, might break and come down upon the followers, and 
precipitate them into the abyss, made me close my eyes, and 
I dared not look back. 
The only sound which interrupted the deep silence was the 
falling of the crumbling stones. The Indian in front of me 
at last reached the edge, and I also with a deep breath 
stepped on to the firm ground, cast one look down the stone 
wall to close my eyes again and hasten away, because every 
minute I expected to hear a death cry of one percipitated into 
the abyss. As soon as one of the Indians had reached the 
top, he, as well as the others, who had already arrived, burst 
out into a loud and triumphant cry. 
^ After the lapse of three hours the last had reached the 
ridge. We now began to breath freely, and the eyes could 
rest in deep admiration on the charming panorama, in the 
solemn stillness of a virgin nature we saw spread before us. 
Without avail the eyes looked for the roofs of the settlement 
we only left some hours ago ; the work of man was hidden 
by the umbrageous vegetation below us. No sign of life, no 
noise of man^s busy hands disturbed the deep peace in which 
nature appeared to us, and which she imparted to our souls. 
According to the mountain barometer we were at an 
altitude of 3,690 feet above the level of the sea. It appeared 
to us as if the cool clear air had replenished us with new 
vigor, so wonderfully quick we found ourselves strengthened 
for the continuation of our journey. 
On the rocks which still covered the undulating table-land 
I observed several Orchids ^ Epidendrons, and Odontoglossums, 
D 
