But all is not smooth travelling with the hybrid beast of burden. The saddle mules were the best and strongest of the entire collection engaged by our friends, and on several occasions they manifested their sportiveness in a way that was far from reassuring. The second morning of the journey one of them began to dance just as his rider was putting a foot in the stirrup; the others caught the contagion, and in a very few seconds all the saddles were empty, and the travellers were scattered on the ground or surveying the scene with feelings the reverse of amiable. Fortunately, the incident took place in the corral, and the unruly beasts were not able to escape. One after another they were secured and held until the mount could be successfully accomplished. In the evening Frank made a sketch of the scene, which contained a good deal of action to the square foot of paper. [Illustration: A MOUNTAIN TRAIL.] The road increased in roughness as they ascended to the crest of the pass, and the descent down the eastern slope of the mountains was equally steep. As they crossed the pass, 14,750 feet above the level of the sea, the air was thin and cold, and the glittering crests of the snow-covered mountains seemed to be close at hand. Far in the east the Cordilleras filled the horizon; the party halted a few minutes, and Manuel indicated the route they were to follow among the mountains while descending into the valley of the Beni. It was too cold to stay long, and they were soon winding down the slippery path. [Illustration: HACIENDA AMONG THE MOUNTAINS.] Before nightfall they reached a hacienda, which was kept by an Indian for the accommodation of travellers. It was a sorry establishment, but as it was far better than no accommodation at all they passed the night there. The sleeping-quarters were open to the winds almost as much as the corral where the animals were secured; a cold blast blew from the mountains, and the temperature hovered in the neighborhood of zero. There was no fire, or even a fire-place, but by a judicious use of all their wraps and coverings the travellers managed to sleep fairly. By the next night they were considerably farther down the slope, and experienced no more trouble with the cold. As they descended the mountains they entered the region of moisture, much like that encountered on going down to Napo from the crest of the Andes, near Quito. Clouds swept over them, the rains fell, vegetation was everywhere about them, and the indications of a change of climatic conditions were plainly to be seen. By and by the wooded district was reached, and with each mile of advance the density of the growth increased.