in of her using the saya y manto.

Their minds were diverted by the eager desire of one of the young
officers to visit the silver mines. It had been an old promise to Mary
from her father to take her to see them; but in her former residence in
Peru, it had never been fulfilled. He now wished to inspect matters
himself, in order to answer the numerous questions sent by Oliver; and
Rosita, eagerly catching at any proposal which promised a variety, a
party was made up for ascending to the San Benito mines, some days'
journey from Lima. Mary and Rosita were the only ladies; but there
were several gentlemen, three naval officers, and Mr. Ward, who was
delighted to have an opportunity of visiting the wonders which had
been, for many years, within his reach without his rousing himself from
his business to see them. Tents, bedding, and provisions were to be
carried with them, and Mary had full occupation in stimulating Dolores
to bring together the requisite preparations; while Mr. Ward and Robson
collected guides, muleteers, and litters.

It was a merry party, seated on the gaily-trapped mules, with an idle
young midshipman to make mischief, and all in spirits to enjoy his
nonsense, in the exhilaration of the mountain air blowing freshly from
the snowy summits which seemed to rise like walls before them. The
steaming, misty, relaxing atmosphere of Lima was left behind, and with
it many a care and vexation. Mr. Ponsonby brought his mule to the side
of his wife's litter, and exchanged many a joke in Anglo-Spanish with
her and the lieutenant; and Mr. Ward, his brow unfurrowed from
counting-house cares, walked beside Mary's mule, gathered each new
flower for her, and listened to her narrative of some of the causes for
which she was glad, with her own eyes, to see Tom Madison in his scene
of action.

The first day of adventure they slept at a hacienda, surrounded with
fields where numerous llamas were pasturing. The next began the real
mountain work; the rock looked like a wall before them, and the white
summits were sharply defined against the blue sky. The sharper air
made Rosita shiver; but the English travellers congratulated themselves
on something like a breeze, consoling them for the glow with which the
sunbeams beat upon the rocks. The palms and huge ferns had given place
to pines, and these were growing more scanty. Once or twice they met a
brown Indian, robed in a coloured blanket, with a huge straw hat, from
b