me that we would soon come to the mountains, where I knew I
should meet the much-talked-of equestrian difficulty.

We had not ridden long before it seemed to me our road came to a sudden
termination, for right before us rose a steep and rocky cliff. Too soon
I learned that we must scale this; so grasping my saddle firmly, I
prepared to hang on while the mule did the rest. Just in the worst part
of it, I became aware that the saddle was turning, and no effort or
skill of mine could save me from a fall. Vincent saw my danger and
shouted to me to jump, at the same time dismounting and hurrying to my
assistance. With all too brief a prayer for mercy, I let go of
everything except the bridle, and landed a shapeless mass, fortunately
one containing considerable adipose, directly under the mule and upon a
bed of jagged rocks.

My mule, bless her heart! never stirred, or I should either have had my
head crushed by her hoofs, or have been hurled into the depths below.

As it was I was only slightly bruised, and very shaky, but as soon as
the saddle was righted and firmly fastened, I was ready to mount and go
on.

Then I was not so anxious for my cousin's presence, though Vincent will
bear me witness that it was no fault of mine.

I learned during the day that the Spanish word for road is a most
expansive one. For miles we went up and down over smooth, glaring white
rocks, where no animal on earth but a Honduras mule could have found a
footing. When I saw any particularly rugged bit of scenery, a gorge, a
cliff, where surely human foot had never trod, I was told it was the
road. I never foresaw where we were going for one instant. I kept the
reins in my hand, but never pretended to guide the animal, whose
intelligence I now had to admit was superior to my own. When we were
going along the brinks of precipices so frightful that I dared not look
over, I fixed my eyes upon the ears wagging so complacently before me,
and imbibed courage therefrom.

Withal I was a trifle amused at the conviction that I, who had hitherto
not quite entirely trusted any one, not even a man, was now abandoning
myself to a most consuming confidence in a mule.

On in this way we went for six mortal hours, through pine forests with
the trees so far apart that we got no shade, over the white rocks that
nearly blinded us, and with the sun pouring down upon us in midday fury.

Then we began to ascend an almost perpendicular peak.

When little more tha