quickness and certainty of a dog. On both hands the road is bordered
by the lofty forest-trees, with their bases matted together by canes.
When occasionally a long reach of this avenue could be beheld, it
presented a curious scene of uniformity: the white line of logs,
narrowing in perspective, became hidden by the gloomy forest, or
terminated in a zigzag which ascended some steep hill.
Although the distance from S. Carlos to Castro is only twelve leagues
in a straight line, the formation of the road must have been a great
labour. I was told that several people had formerly lost their lives
in attempting to cross the forest. The first who succeeded was an
Indian, who cut his way through the canes in eight days, and reached S.
Carlos: he was rewarded by the Spanish government with a grant of land.
During the summer, many of the Indians wander about the forests (but
chiefly in the higher parts, where the woods are not quite so thick) in
search of the half-wild cattle which live on the leaves of the cane and
certain trees. It was one of these huntsmen who by chance discovered,
a few years since, an English vessel, which had been wrecked on the
outer coast. The crew were beginning to fail in provisions, and it is
not probable that, without the aid of this man, they would ever have
extricated themselves from these scarcely penetrable woods. As it was,
one seaman died on the march, from fatigue. The Indians in these
excursions steer by the sun; so that if there is a continuance of
cloudy weather, they can not travel.
The day was beautiful, and the number of trees which were in full
flower perfumed the air; yet even this could hardly dissipate the
effects of the gloomy dampness of the forest. Moreover, the many dead
trunks that stand like skeletons, never fail to give to these primeval
woods a character of solemnity, absent in those of countries long
civilized. Shortly after sunset we bivouacked for the night. Our
female companion, who was rather good-looking, belonged to one of the
most respectable families in Castro: she rode, however, astride, and
without shoes or stockings. I was surprised at the total want of pride
shown by her and her brother. They brought food with them, but at all
our meals sat watching Mr. King and myself whilst eating, till we were
fairly shamed into feeding the whole party. The night was cloudless;
and while lying in our beds, we enjoyed the sight (and it is a high
enjoyment) of the multitude of stars which illumined the darkness of
the forest.
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