THE CONSUL'S BATH. in the pools
it
of these pools
forms at every broad ledge of rock. called the Consul's Bath,
is
of scandal in which an
Enghsh
Liu-line
the three routes to Caracas from
but most
up
La
One
owing to a piece
was concerned.
Of
Guaii-a, the shortest,
and dangerous, passes
difi&cult
this ravine.
33
for
It is called the Indian's Path,
some distance and
actually
is
that which was used by the Indians before the Spanish conquest.
Between
and the present coach-road
it
is
the road
which was in use when Humboldt visited the country.
was anxious
to
make
trial
I
of all three, but being invited to
breakfast at the Eincon, or Corner, a pretty country-seat
beyond Maquetia, I determined to go by that road It
was 9
A.M.,
Guau-a, accompanied by terrifically hot,
first.
on the 10th of July, when I
my
friend
La
left
The smi was
and Juan.
but the j)rospect of being jolted over the
chaotic road to Maquetia being
more
terrible
we
still,
re-
solved to walk to the Rincon, and let the coach, which
had engaged said
for our exclusive use, pick us
up
there.
coach apj)eared to be considerably smaller than the
smallest four-wheeled cab in London, and was so up,
we
The
vamped
and moved so heavily, and with such a flapping of
doors, that I quite agreed with Juan,
when
he, imconscious
of a pun, called out to the di-iver to get on with his vampiro.
We
walked, as I have said, to Maquetia, and tiu'ned
gladly out of its
dirty streets
up a lane bursting with
flowering shrubs, which led to the Bincon.
were aware of two female evidently
of two
figui'es
Presently,
we
ahead of us, the figures
young and well-shaped Creole
ladies.
Before long, one of them dropped a kerchief and a prayerbook, which I picked up, and fomid they belonged to la Senorita Trinidad
Smith.
Not being used
to
Spanish