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CALIFORNIA ILLUSTRATED. 
drinking, he dropped himself down, in the most mechanical man¬ 
ner, to rest. When we were ready to start, the “mula” of our 
muleteer would bring him to his hoofs, all right, and off. 
At 1 P.M., we reached the “ half-way tent,” and as some of the 
party were behind, we resolved to put up for the night. After 
supper we heard a cannon, announcing the arrival of the Oregon 
at Panama. I stretched myself out on my trunk in the open 
air, and was soon unconscious of my situation. My spirit was 
restless, and, as if not satisfied with one trip, spent the night in 
passing to and fro, over the route we had traveled during the 
day. Now my mule would change to a monkey, and I would 
ride him to the top of one of the highest trees; he would then 
become instantly transformed into an alligator, and there would 
be left no alternative but to precipitate ourselves into the mud 
below ; in the passage down I was also transformed into an alli¬ 
gator, and immediately found myself covered with scales and 
swimming about in a pond, with an alligator on each side, hold¬ 
ing on to my moustache, “showing me up” to my fellow alli¬ 
gators. The honors heaped upon me so excited and elated me, 
that I commenced rushing through the water, and soon found 
myself high and dry on land, looking around for my mule. I 
again mounted, and resolved to have no farther connexion with 
either monkey or alligator, but to ride directly through to Gorgo- 
na. Again my spirit lost its way, and I found myself on the 
bank of one of the most sluggish and dismal streams it is possible 
to imagine ; 'the recollection of it now sends a chill to my heart. 
My mule stood appalled with terror, and cried for mercy, when 
I applied the spur. There was no alternative; it lay in the 
route, and we must cross it; I rode back a short distance 
that my mule might forget his terror; he again came up, reared and 
plunged, and we immediately sank below the surface ; we con¬ 
tinued to sink down, down, down, a damp chilly sensation crept 
over me, and I became stifled with horror ; now my mule blows 
fire and smoke from his nostrils, and a demon of the most ap¬ 
palling aspect, covered with green and slime, and now another 
and another, all dancing along, laughing most hideously and 
biting their fingers in derision, as they contemplate their vic¬ 
tim. We soon reached their abode, my blood is sent curdling 
to my heart, and with a feeling of horror and desperation I strike 
