Page:The Rambler in Mexico.djvu/56

 50 existence and roll down on their short but furious course to the gulf.

It was just at this period of our journey, when toiling over the broken ground, amid the green twilight shed into the deep defile through an almost impervious canopy of the most gigantic forest trees, covered from the foot to the topmost twig with lithe creepers and enormous parasites, that the rain, which had now menaced for several days, began to descend upon us in torrents. If there was wind, we were not sensible of it at this depth; but the rain poured perpendicularly down, as from a water spout. At the same time every object became shrouded in mist. We nevertheless dragged ourselves forward, till it appeared as though the vale terminated in a cul de sac against the precipitous but forested side of the mountain, when a sudden turn was given to the track, and following it, it began to ascend to the right, by a steep zigzag mule path. Climbing and dragging our spent horses after us, we surmounted one turn after another, till we thought that we should never arrive at the last. There was no sign of our gaining the summit. Whenever the mist rose or shifted for an instant, we caught a glimpse of the steep flanks of the mountain to the left, which seemed but a stone's throw distant. At length, after nearly two hours' climb, we suddenly reached the plateau, and entered the principal street of Chicontepec. At this elevation we were above the region of the rain, and nearly above that of the clouds, for the mist was driving and thin, and an occasional gleam of sunshine gave us a glimpse of the objects around. The houses were much more substantial than any we had seen in the lower country, and a large church with a tower rose above a declivity we had surmounted. At what elevation Chicontepec is situated, I cannot guess, but it must be considerable. It is quite on the barren rocky crest of the mountains, which should be seven in number, according to the interpretation of the name; and must command a view of great extent, but of which we saw nothing. After some trouble we discovered a poor meson, where we were allowed to dry and refresh ourselves.