One day we rode to the top of the next ridge, the Herradura, which
is six thousand feet high. The trail winds up along the face of
the slope and is very poor in places; a row of wonderful crags and
cathedral-shaped mountains stands like the ruins of a city on the
opposite side of the ravine. On the face of one of the cliffs we
saw what seems to be a gigantic serpent carved in the red sandstone
directly above two massive stones that stand as if forming a gateway.
The people say this is the entrance to a secret hiding-place used by
the Indians many years ago; or perhaps it might have been a prehistoric
shrine. The outline of the supposed snake can be discerned with ease,
and the body is marked with transverse black bands. It seems that the
natives have never taken the trouble to visit the spot, owing to the
difficulty of crossing the wild gorge.
We continued to the crest of the ridge; from this point of vantage it
was possible to secure a good view of the country to the east, but as
it did not differ from that we had just left, there was no reason for
going farther.
The vicinity of Vermejo had been headquarters of a band of brigands
that preyed upon travellers and caravans going to and from Santa
Cruz. They had had their rendezvous in one of the numerous caves, and
for a long time conducted their nefarious occupation with impunity.
Eventually, however, their depredations became so bold and wide-spread,
that a body of soldiers was sent against them. The bandits, brought to
bay among the hills, found it impossible to withstand the onslaught
of their assailants, and surrendered. It was said that a great many
horses and other property were recovered, and of the men captured a
number were taken to Santa Cruz, and others to Cochabamba and executed.
After that, thieving stopped for a while, but a new band was beginning
operations at the time of our visit.
The amount of traffic along the trail was surprising. Most of the
caravans were from Cochabamba; they took merchandise to Santa Cruz and
brought back cigars and low-country products.