Page:California Inter Pocula.djvu/187

 hich and  into

well-worn holes  the  careful  and  sagacious  animal  placed his foot  tenderly,  knowing  that  an  inch  or  two  on  the wrong side  of  it  would  send  him  sliding  down  the  steep slope. Now we  would  be  under  a  canopy  of  creepers trellised with  palms,  now  winding  through  a  valley  of impervious  undergrowth,  rustling  with  serpents,  in- sects, and birds,  and  then  out  into  the  broad,  open, burning plain,  crossing  turbid  streams  and  mountain rills, wading  some  filthy  morass,  rounding  rocky  cliffs, and exposed  alternately  to  sun  and  rain. Descending with slow  and  cautious  step  the  steep  declivities  from the little  spot  of  table-land  round  Gorgona,  then  as- cendinor and  descendino;  ao;ain  and  again  until  tierra caliente is  reached,  the  scenery  is  ever  changing,  now captivating with  its  beauty,  and  now  thrilling  with its magnificence. Often we  passed  through  ravines which had  been  washed  out  by  the  rain,  and  so narrow  at  the  bottom  that  on  entering  at  either  end persons must  shout  in  order  to  notify  others  wish- ing to come  from  the  opposite  direction. Hearing the whoops  of  muleteers  within,  we  were  often  obliged to wait  until  they  should  emerge,  when  we  could  enter, and shout  for  those  coming  from  the  opposite  direction to wait  their  turn. Some of  these  gullies  have  been worn down  thirty  feet  and  more  by  centuries  of  travel, and are  so  narrow  at  the  bottom  that  a  loaded  mule can barely  get  through. Often when  travellers  met, one would  have  to  turn  back ;  and  again,  when  caught in tight  places,  horsemen  would  draw  up  their  legs, and so  let  the  animals  squeeze  past  each  other,  when this could  be  done. All along  the  way  crosses  marked the resting-place  of  those  overtaken  by  fever  or  assas- sin, while the  murderer  himself  found  unsanctified sepulchre beneath  a  pile  of  stones  at  the  cross-roads. Every now  and  then  we  would  stop  to  rest  at  a  way- side rancheria, where  bread,  warm  water,  and  vile liquors were  sold  at  exorbitant  prices. Then there were more  pretentious  houses  where  the  belated  trav- eller could spend  the  night,  the  '*  Halfway  House  "  and