use of by the natives, principally for thatching their buts, but also for packing up fish, salt, and other goods sent to the interior of the country, as it preserves them from rain.

The travellers found their journey tedious, and many parts of it dangerous in the extreme, their road frequently lying along the brink of frightful precipices, and often they had to ford rivers or pass over them on slender wooden bridges, not more than three feet wide, which shook at every step, and were without any kind of rail at the sides, so that one false step of the mule would inevitably have precipitated the rider into the torrent that rolled beneath. As their road approached the mountains, they gra dually felt the air becoming cooler, until at length, when arrived at a place called Tariga. gua, not many miles from Quito, they felt the change so sensibly that it was to them absolutely cold, while,at the same time, some persons whom they met coming down from the distant mountains, were congratulating themselves on having got into a warm climate, and actually enjoying the comparative heat. Philips for instance, was trying to warm himself at a wood fine which he had kindled, at the very moment that two young men, who were of the party from the mountains, lay stretched under the shade of a neighbouring tree, oppressed with the heat.

From Tarigagua, their way led up the moun tain of San Antonia ; the road was most rugged, and in danger surpassed any thing they had yet

experienced; in some parts, the descent was se steep, that the mules could scarcely keep their footing, and in others, the ascent was equaliy difficult. In many places, the road is so narrow, that travellers have scarcely room to set their feet, and at the side, lie the most frightful pre. cipices. These roads or rather paths, are full of holes from two to three feet deep, in which the mules set their feet, so that sometimes, they draw their own bodies and the riders' legs along the ground. These holes serve as steps, without which, the paths would be in a great meas sure impassable. But should the animal happen to set his foot between two of these holes, or not to place it right, he stumbles, the rider falls, and if on the side of the precipice, he is inevitably dashed to pieces. Nor would it be pos sible to perform this journey on foot, because if the traveller missed his footing in the least, the path is so narrow, that he would either fall down the precipice, or else slip into one of the holes, and be sunk up to the waist in the slimy mud, with which they are always filled from the frequent heavy rains. This danger is even greater when the holes are wanting, for as Philips found, the tracks, besides being steep and slippery, are chalky and wet, and therefore, the Indians are obliged to go before with spades to dig little trenches across the path. In one place, however, which was several hundred yards deep, and where there were no holes, nor a possibility of cutting the trenches, the whole

party came to a stand, nor would they consent to trust themselves to the mules, notwithstanding the guides assured them there was no danger, till they had seen one of them, with an Indian on his back, go down before them. Indeed, the instinct they show is most admirable:-they ap peared to be sensible of all the caution requisite in the descent; on coming to the top of the eminence they stop, and `place their fore-feet close together, as in a posture of stopping themselves; they also put their hind feet together, but a little forward, as if going to lie down. In this attitude, they stand for a moment, as if to take a survey of the steep which they are to descend, and then suddenly they slide down it with the swiftness of an arrow.

All that Philips had to do was, to keep himself fast in the saddle, without attempting to check the animal, for the slightest interruption to his course, might have caused the animal to stumble, in which case, both mule and rider would inevitably have fallen down the precipice. The address of these creatures was here truly wonderful,-for in this rapid motion, where they seem to have lost all government of themselves, they follow exactly the different wind. ings of the road, as if they previously had view. ed, and settled in their minds the track they were to follow.

The distance from Caracol to Quito, is less than one hundred miles, and yet so great are the difficulties of the road, that they were

enabled to go but a short distance each day. They were now rapidly ascending the mountain which it was necessary to cross, in order to ar. rive at Quito and frequently from the great height at which they were, Philips had opportunities of seeing the clouds rolling beneath him, the sky above being perfectly serene ;-sometimes also, these clouds settled nearer the foot of the mountain, which then appeared like an island rising out of the sea. Once, also, he heard the noise of a tempest discharging itself on the country below:-he saw the lightning issuing from the clouds, and then heard thunder rolling far beneath him, whilst over his head, the sky was clear, and the rays of the mid-day sun moderated the severity of the cold. Though these sublime appearances of nature, filled the mind of Philips with awe and astonish. ment, the fatigue he endured was so great, that it was with much satisfaction he at length fouud himself, about five o'clock in the evening of the sixth day, after leaving Caracol, approaching the city of Quito; after which, a couple of hours brought him, along with his companions to the gates.

As they passed through the town, nothing afforded them so much amusement as the extra. ordinary dresses of the inhabitants; the Spanish women in cloth petticoats, trimmed with coloured ribbons with a long black mantle, and a white head-dress, made of fine linen, bound round and round the head, and a long end of

the linen hanging down behind; those of high rank wear shoes which are highly esteemed as an ornament of dress, and are only worn by the wealthy, the custom of going bare-foot being so general, as to make it somewhat remarkable for a person to appear otherwise, especially out of doors. It added very much also to the interest of the scene, to see the Indians, who were clothed in white cotton drawers, and a black cotton frock or shirt, as coarse as horse hair, with their long black hair hanging loose on their shoulders, as low as the waist; for it is considered among them such a mark of disgrace to cut it off, that it is often the punishment inflicted on them for the greatest crimes.

Philips' object in going to Quito was not, as we have mentioned, connected with commercial views, but solely in order to gratify his wish of seeing a city, of which he had heard so much, since his arrival in South America. He had no intention of making any stay there, yet, so pleased was he with the singular appearance of the town and the inhabitants, that he felt almost inclined to change his plan;-but an attractive outward appearance is not enough to make us value a people, and Philips had not been two days amongst them, before he found that their customs and manners but ill suited with his own, and that, above all, their habit of drunkenness was sufficient to make him turn from them with disgust.

The miseries that this vice never fails to bring