Page:Mexico in 1827 Vol 1.djvu/561

Rh who, during the sickly months, resort thither with their families.

We stopped there a week to repair our wheels and carriages, which, on our arrival, were in a most dilapidated condition.

We left Coco on the 23rd, descended a hill rather rugged and broken, and again found ourselves on a most beautiful plain, where the oak, the elm, and the palm grew at such regular distances as almost to induce us to believe that they were planted by the hand of man: the verdure, luxuriance, and beauty of the wild plants exceeded any thing that I can describe: deer were seen in most extraordinary abundance, and Nature seemed to have exerted herself in forming for these timid creatures a safe and happy retreat. Our road, which was pretty good, led us for two days through this picturesque and fertile country. On the 25th, we passed through a small Indian village, the resident Missionary of which, together with his flock, treated us with a good deal of civility; we purchased a large stock of fowls and eggs of them: our journey on the following day, was a continual ascent: we halted about five o'clock in the afternoon at the top of a hill, which, on the other side, presented difficulties of no ordinary nature; as it was precipitous in the extreme, and so covered with wood and rocks, that nothing but great perseverance and exertion could have enabled us to descend it.

After having refreshed ourselves, a general muster of the drivers and others belonging to the party took place, when all hands began to hew trees, remove rocks, in a word, to form a road over which the carriages might pass. We worked nearly all night so effectually, that in the morning we were able to set about getting down the carriages. The steepness of the descent rendered bullocks quite useless, and our only plan was to lower the waggons down by means of ropes, which fortunately we had brought with us.

By three o'clock, the whole of the train was safely deposited at the bottom of the hill; and the same afternoon we proceeded on two miles farther, to a Rancho called Alamitas, five leagues from Coco, a journey which it took us nearly five days to accomplish.