OUR JOURNEY OVER THE MOUNTAINS--WILD SCENERY--A RIDE ON A SILLERO'S
BACK--FEARS FOR THE SAFETY OF OUR SERVANTS AND HORSES--MAKING PROGRESS--
MY SILLERO AND I GET AHEAD--THE CRUEL CONDUCT OF THE SPANIARD, AND ITS
FEARFUL PUNISHMENT--OUR CAMP ON THE MOUNTAINS--AN ADVENTURE WITH A
JAGUAR--I KILL A TURKEY FOR SUPPER--OUR ATTENDANTS REJOIN US--SOUNDS AT
NIGHT--WE BEGIN TO DESCEND--DANGERS OF THE JOURNEY--WE PART FROM OUR
SILLEROS, AND PROCEED ON HORSEBACK--A VISIT TO THE FALLS OF TEQUENDAMA--
THEIR MAGNIFICENCE.
The road was as bad as could be,--often so steep, that it was like
climbing up steps; in some places, indeed, large trees had fallen across
the path. But our peons skipped over the trunks with as much firmness
as if they had been walking on level ground. Now on one side, now on
the other, were tremendous precipices, down which the traveller, by a
slip of the foot, might be hurled, and dashed to pieces. We had cloaks
and blankets, which we required during the night, for as we ascended the
atmosphere became very cold. We also maintained good fires to keep off
the jaguars, which frequently, we were told, attacked the mules. We
heard them roar during the night; while a dismal howling was kept up by
the red monkeys which abound in these deserts. Added to this, our ears
were saluted by the loud screeching of night-birds, which formed a
serenade far from pleasing.
The mountains were clothed with gloomy forests, which ascend almost to
the summit of this branch of the Cordilleras. In a few places, where
there were openings, we enjoyed extensive views, on either side, of
superb scenery--the mountain-tops concealed in the clouds. We also saw
numerous birds perched on the trees, or flitting among their branches--
many of the most brilliant plumage, such as I had never before seen in
the neighbourhood of Popayan.
I generally kept ahead with my sillero, who led the way. One of the
peons following carried the chief load; then came Mr Laffan; Domingo
and the rest of the people with the animals bringing up the rear. My
sillero, though an Indian, was called Manoel; being, as he said, a
baptised Christian. As I was anxious to gain information, which he
seemed willing to impart, I was tempted to break through the plan which
had been agreed on, and to speak a few words of Spanish, so that I might
ask questions. I began in a broken, hesitating sort of way, until at
length I forgot myself altogether, though Manoel did not appear at all
astonished.
"El senor speaks Spanish better than I should have supposed possible
from the short time he has been in the country," he observed.
"I can understand what you say, and that is all I want," I answered. "I
have heard other Indians speak as you do, and so I am more ready to
converse with you than I should be with a Spaniard."
I felt sure that I could trust Manoel, as, from one or two remarks he
had let drop, I was convinced that he was a Liberal, and had no love for
the Spaniards. While we were encamped at night, sitting round our fire,
we all talked away until it was time to go to sleep; but while
travelling, as we were compelled to move in single file, it was
difficult to carry on a conversation, except with the person immediately
in front or behind.
After we had proceeded some distance, we began to hope that I had been
mistaken in what I had heard the captain say to the sergeant, and that
we should escape any risk of being captured and prevented from
continuing our journey. Still Mr Laffan continued anxious on the
subject.
We had been travelling for some time, and I was beginning to feel more
tired than I had hitherto done. I had not as yet, indeed, quite
recovered my full strength, and was scarcely fitted to walk as I was
doing.
Manoel at length persuaded me to get on the silla. "It makes no
difference to me," he observed; "you are as light as a feather. You
English are very different from the Spaniards. They get on our backs as
if they were riding mules, and will often use a stick if we do not go
fast enough to please them."
I consented unwillingly, for I did not like the idea of any one carrying
me.
From the position I had now attained, I could look down the steep ascent
we had mounted, and I had an extensive view. I saw Mr Laffan standing
gazing back along the path we had come; the rest of the party were
nowhere, in sight. We shouted, but no reply came. Could the Spaniards
have acted as the captain had advised them, and captured our people?
"Stop, Duncan," cried Mr Laffan; "I do not like the look of things."
He soon overtook me, and expressed the same fears I entertained.