the narrow
glen or gorge up which they were slowly proceeding.

"In all our trabels we's nebber come to a place like dat. It looks like
de fag end ob creation. You couldn't git ober de mountain-tops 'cept
you had wings, an' you couldn't climb ober de pres'pisses 'cep you was a
monkey or a skirl--though it _am_ bery lubly, no doubt."

The negro's comments were strictly correct, though somewhat uncouthly
expressed. The valley was apparently surrounded in all directions by
inaccessible precipices, and the white peaks of the Andes towered into
the skies at its head. Within rugged setting lay a fine stretch of
undulating land, diversified by crag and hillock, lake and rivulet, with
clustering shrubs and trees clinging to the cliffs, and clothing the
mountain slopes in rich, and, in many places, soft luxuriance. It was
one of those scenes of grandeur and loveliness in profound solitude
which tend to raise in the thoughtful mind the perplexing but not
irreverent question, "Why did the good and bountiful Creator form such
places of surpassing beauty to remain for thousands of years almost, if
not quite, unknown to man?"

For, as far as could be seen, no human habitation graced the
mountain-sides, no sign of cultivation appeared in the valley, though
myriads of the lower animals sported on and in the waters, among the
trees and on the ground.

Perchance man over-estimates his own importance--at least underrates
that of the animal kingdom below him--and is too apt to deem everything
in nature wasted that cannot be directly or indirectly connected with
himself! Is all that glows in beauty in the wilderness doomed to "blush
unseen"? Is all the sweetness expended on the desert air "wasted?"

As the guide rode slowly forward, he glanced from side to side with
thoughtful yet mournful looks, as if his mind were engaged in meditating
on some such insoluble problems. As he neared the head of the valley,
however, he seemed to awake from a trance, suddenly put spurs to his
mule, and went off at a canter. The rest of the party followed at some
distance behind, but at so slow a pace, compared with that of the guide,
that the latter was soon lost to sight among the trees.

Somewhat surprised at his unusual state of mind Lawrence pushed on and
soon reached an open glade which showed some signs of having been
cultivated. At the end of it stood a pretty little cottage, in front of
which Pedro was standing motionless, with claspe