I 
Chap. VI. ASCENT OF THE MOUNTAIN. 81 
of different sizes are made use of instead of the wooden 
tubes. 
When, after the dramatic performance was over, the 
marimba-player observed the interest I took in his instru- 
ment, he felt induced to show himself as a virtuoso. With 
not less coquetry than could be exhibited by one of our 
lionised originals on the piano, he produced & fantasia on 
the marimba. By degrees his genius carried him away, 
till at last he fell into a kind of musical frenzy. His little 
sticks of elastic wood with their little buttons of leather 
moved quicker than the eye could follow. They flew 
from the left hand over the right and from the right over 
the left, Sometimes he would dwell upon an idea so as to 
give the hearer time to digest it, when suddenly a change 
came over the spirit of his dream, and following the 
impulse of a new conception, he rushed on to some 
unknown region of harmony. In this manner he continued, 
until, by a present which I made him, he was convinced of 
my satisfaction. 
The curate told me that a much more interesting 
baile, called " La Conquista de America" was sometimes 
performed, in which Hernan Cortez and Montezuma ap- 
peared on the stage. 
After the entertainments of the evening I suddenly felt 
very ill during the night, and for a short time I thought 
it impossible to prosecute my intention of ascending the 
mountain. Nevertheless when, at three o'clock in the 
morning, the guide came with the horses, I decided to 
make the attempt. 
The path soon led into the woods, and by the light of 
the moon we followed it through the thicket. At several 
places it was very difficult to penetrate. A kind of weed, 
reaching above the saddle and covered with rough spiny 
G 
