As this journey is attended with many circumstances of a peculiar nature, and at the same time highly inter esting, the detail of which is better calculated than any general description to convey to the reader an impres sive idea of the character of those regions, we shall make no farther apology for introducing here some of the more remarkable incidents which occurred to Don Juar4 and his companions, in travelling from the Pacific Ocean to the vale of Quito. On the 3d of May, 1736, they embarked at Guayaquil, and, by following the wind ings of a river of the same name, arrived at Caracol on the 11th of that month. Nothing seems to have occurred during this voyage which deserves particular notice, un less we mention an inconvenience common to all hot cli mates, but which, if we may judge from the loudness of their complaints, seems to have afflicted our travel lers in no common degree ; we mean the incessant tor tures occasioned by the stings of insects. In spite of all their precautions and means of defence, so intolera ble were the sufferings which they were compelled to endure from this cause, especially during the night, when they took shelter in the huts scattered along the banks of the river, that some of them chose rather to lie in the woods, and expose themselves to the greater evil of being bitten by serpents. But this retreat was not more secure from attack ; no place could afford them protection; no expedient could relieve their tortures. Even the attempt to cover themselves, by standing in the stream, was soon found to be only a partial remedy ; for, by protecting part of their body, they only left the remaining part, which it was impossible to immerse, exposed to a severer attack. Having waited some time for mules, they set out from Caracol on the 14th, and after three days arrived at Tarigagua, which is reckoned nearly midway in the ascent of the mountains.
The first four leagues of this journey proved ex tremely harassing, by reason of the swampy nature of the ground, in which the mules sunk to the breast at every step. As they proceeded, however, the ground began to rise, and the roads acquired a greater consist ency : but here they were subjected to a new inconve nience, arising from the thickness and luxuriance of the forests. So close do the trees grow together in the lower part of the mountains, that they often found it difficult to force their way through them, and could not, in spite of the greatest precaution, prevent their heads from being entangled at every step among the branches, or the lower part of their bodies from being grazed by the trunks. The greater part of the road from Caracol to Tarigagua, lies along the banks of the river Oxibar, which they were obliged to ford no less than fourteen times. The fording of this river was often attended with considerable difficulty and danger, arising from the depth and rapidity of the current, and from the channel of the river being strewed with immense fragments of rocks. Towards the close of the second day of their journey, they were much perplexed at not being able to discover any hut in which they might rest for the night, and shelter themselves from the heavy rains which now began to assail them. From this difficulty, however, they were soon relieved by the activity and address of their Indian guides, who, in less than an hour, erected a sufficient number of huts, composed solely of the branches of trees cut into stakes, and covered with the large leaves of a plant called Vijahua.
On the 17th they set out from Tarigagua, and began immediately to ascend a very steep mountain, called St Antonio. Here their chief difficulties and fatigues seem ed only to commence. It is impossible, say our travel lers, to give an adequate idea of the appearance of the defile which we were obliged to pass in crossing this mountain. The ascent seemed every where almost perpendicular ; the road in some places was so confined, as scarcely to admit the passage of a single mule ; while at others it winded along the edge of a precipice which we could not regard without horror. What increased
their fatigues, and added considerably to the hazards of tie e ourney, was the singular state of the roads, or rather paths, by which they were compelled to search their way. During the whole of the ascent, the path is covered with large holes, in general two feet deep, in which the mules cautiously place their feet, and thus climb the mountains by a kind of stairs. Much here depends upon the address of the mules in stepping ; for, if by accident or carelessness, they fail to place their feet regularly in the holes, they infallibly bring down both themselves and their rider ; an event which, in some parts of the road, is attended with the most alarm ing consequences. But if, from apprehension of some sinister accident of this kind, the traveller attempts to walk, another inconvenience attends him of a less serious nature indeed, but sufficiently teazing ; for, owing to the nature of the soil, which is a kind of clay, and the heavy rains which incessantly fall in these regions, the holes are continually filled with a slimy mud, and at the same time so difficult to distinguish from the more solid part of the road, that it is almost impossible to advance a step without falling into some of these miry pools. Though this singular state of the roads is undoubtedly inconvenient to the traveller, and calculated to retard him considerably, yet, so necessary are these holes to his progress in these steep ascents, that when they are either filled up, or worn out by torrents of rain, the Indian guides are usually despatched before him to pre pare the roads by cutting new trenches.
After surmounting these various difficulties in the as cent, our travellers had to encounter new dangers, of a very singular nature, in descending on the opposite side. Owing to the clayey nature of the ground, and the de structive effect of the heavy rains, it is impossible to preserve, for any length of time, the holes or footsteps which contributed so much to the easy ascent of the mules ; and even if this had been possible, it is obvious, that such a state of the road could not have afforded the same facility in descending. Nothing, therefore, remain ed for our travellers, but to attempt the dangerous ope ration of sliding. It is wonderful to observe the instinct of the mules on these occasions, and to notice the skilful and cautious preparations which they make for engaging in this hazardous enterprise. After examining the na ture and extent of the declivity, they begin to arrange their feet, and assume that attitude of body which seems best fitted for enabling them to perform this singular operation ; and having walked a few steps, as if to try the nature of the descent, they at once commit them selves to their fate, and descend with a rapidity, which never fails to strike the beholder with fear and astonish ment. Meantime the rider remains firm and erect on the back of his faithful guide, and awaits the event with awful solicitude. Nor is there wanting just cause of alarm, when we consider the amazing swiftness of the motion, and the incessant windings of the narrow path, from which, if the mules should deviate in the smallest degree, they infallibly precipitate both themselves and their riders into the abyss below. The dexterity wits which the mules avoid such disastrous accidents, by accommodating their different movements to the turn ings of the road, is truly surprising. Nor are we less astonished at the intrepidity and boldness with which they engage in an enterprise of so formidable a nature. On some occasions, however, their courage deserts and they betray, by their cries, the strongest symptom of alarm and agitation. When this happens, it becomes necessary to send some of the Indian guides before them, who, by their cries and gestures, encourage them to make the first effort, and then they proceed in the usual manner.