Only after vigorous complaints and threats were they actually ready.

The owner of the beast which I, myself, mounted went with us on foot, and a _mozo_ was supplied for carrying instruments.

In spite of fair promises that we would leave at three, it was 4:40 before we started, though we had risen at half-past-two.

Our _arriero_ was the best we ever had; far from sparing his good horse and grumbling at our speed, he was continually complaining at our slowness.

"Why don't the boys want to go fast ?" he would say.