The next morning we got up at 1.30 a.m., but did
not start till 3.30. The morning was starlight, with a
biting wind, but it soon grew dark and cloudy. We
had no end of petty misfortunes. My change horse,
being allowed to run loose, that we might go faster,
instead of following us, ran back to his pasturage of last




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As Xonels IRltie to Hfo

night. The mule I was riding insisted on following
him, and heeded neither bit nor whip, but nearly left
me in a ditch. Our cargo mule took advantage of
the scrimmage to bolt in an opposite direction. And
it was at this crisis especially dark and cloudy. We
lost nearly an hour in collecting again, as we could
not see each other nor any path. It seemed a very
long two leagues (eight miles) before breakfast. As
soon as it was light we could see a church tower of
Barbacena on a neighbouring hill, apparently about
three miles from us, but in reality fifteen miles distant.
