Ecuador : its ancient and modern history, topography and natural resources, industries and social development . ver cascades, and the trail ascendsby a series of terraces and often of rough boulder-steps, alternating with ponds, sloughs, and slipperyrocks, at times with danger of a fall into the ravinebelow. At such points where the rock escarpmentsreach the edge of the river the trail has perforce towind around these, on the face of the precipice, oras an alternative the river must be followed, withthe water perhaps up to the saddle-bags, a situationnot without discomfort or danger. The latte
Ecuador : its ancient and modern history, topography and natural resources, industries and social development . ver cascades, and the trail ascendsby a series of terraces and often of rough boulder-steps, alternating with ponds, sloughs, and slipperyrocks, at times with danger of a fall into the ravinebelow. At such points where the rock escarpmentsreach the edge of the river the trail has perforce towind around these, on the face of the precipice, oras an alternative the river must be followed, withthe water perhaps up to the saddle-bags, a situationnot without discomfort or danger. The lattermethod, however, is often preferable to the execrableascents and descents of the trail over the rocky spursand promontories. Added to these trials, in thedistricts where vegetation is thick, are the arms ofthorny shrubs, which tear the travellers clothing orflesh, and enormous entangling roots, among whichthe mule leaps wildly, whilst the continuous rain fallsday and night. Or otherwise, in the dry season,or in an arid region, the sun beats down throughoutthe day in tropical fury. In the primeval jungle a. MEANS OF COMMUNICATION 265 profound silence reigns, only interrupted by thechatter of monkeys or the shriek of parrots, variedby the cry of some approaching arriero, or mule-train driver. The mule train, in passing, may leavebut little of the narrow trail available, and if thepassage occur upon a precipitous stretch, with arocky wall rising on the one hand and a sheer chasmdescending on the other, the horseman is well advisedto keep the wall, and let the mule train take theouter side. Even thus the bulky articles carriedby the mules may cause the horseman considerablediscomfort as they pass him. At times, oppressedby the circumstances and surroundings, the travelleris almost disposed heartily to curse the road and thenegligent inhabitants whose territory it traverses, andto quicken his pace in order to escape from suchsurroundings. But, bathed in perspiration, bothanimal and
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1910, bookpublisherlondo, bookyear1914
