: aus TRavEL Hey — AMONesT THE GREAT ANDES, ) OF THE EQUATOR by cS WHYMPER Pete sabesetszeseee California Aeademy of eae RECEIVED BY GIFT FROM Dr. E, C,. Van Dyke May 19, 1949 TRAVELS AMONGST THE GREAT ANDES OF THE EQUATOR wee! Pettis i a. a 7 Z ‘404 : é + * ’ tok 0 ? —% rs 7 - j So je Bes i i ») : ‘ ' te: ys , ? 1 6 rv Me: ~~ : ‘ “THE WHIRLING SNOW MOCKED OUR EFFORTS.” : GST THE GREAT ANDES is “EDWARD. WHYMPER ‘WITH MAPS AND ILLUSTRATIONS - Wo sit on rocks, to muse o'er flood arid fell, To slowly trace the forest's shady scene, nk Be Where things that own. not man’s dominion dwe'l , : And mortal foot bath ne'er, or rarely been ; To jettray the trackléss motiutain all unseen, . 4 hte wiot thine His Gok snus /Oonverse with Nature’s charms, and see-her stores unroll’d, Br ROK 3 \ 1.38 P.M. 29°17 t ; Se 55 14°62 4 ” 9 1.36 ,, 14°55 April.18,. 5. Es Ae 29°66 ; id ai 1490-3 14°81 at ra ee Starting from the level of the sea, the height attained in each case was about 19,000 feet, without injurious effects being felt. I am not aware that any one, upon the earth, has ever experienced a natural difference of pressure of fourteen and a half inches in less than four or five days. vili INTRODUCTION. extracts in support of the foregoing statements. Those who desire to pursue the matter in detail may usefully turn to the very com- prehensive summary in La Pression Barométrique, by M. Paul Bert,’ where 156 pages are devoted to experiences in high places, 25 more to aeronauts, and 120 more to theories. Evidence of a nature similar to that which is quoted by M. Bert continues to accumulate, and is often, apparently, of a contradictory character. For example, since returning from the journey which is described in the following pages, three writers upon Mexico? have mentioned that breathing is affected in that city by the ‘ rarefied atmosphere,’ although the altitude in question is less than 8000 feet above the sea; while on the other hand, quite recently (in speaking of the Southern Andes up to heights 13,800 feet above the sea), Dr. A. Plagemann says, ‘“‘ with regard to the effects of rarefied air on the body at high elevations, neither he nor his companions suffered at all.”* Still more divergent is the statement by Mr. W. W. Graham that he reached nearly the height of 24,000 feet in the Himalayas, and that ‘‘neither in this nor in any other ascent did he feel any inconvenience in breathing other than the ordinary panting inseparable from any great muscular exertion.” * This unique experience has met with little credence in India. 1G. Masson, Paris, 1878. This work has received the highest honours in France. ‘The experiments made by M. Bert upon himself at low pressures, although extremely interesting, left off sooner than could have been desired. In the first of the two experiments which I quote in the Appendix to this volume, he submitted himself to an artificial diminution of pressure somewhat greater than that which is experienced at the summit of Chimborazo, and in the second one to about the press- ure which would be enjoyed on the top of Mount Everest. But this was done for only a brief space of time. The first experiment extended over only sixty-six minutes and the second one over eighty-nine minutes; and, as soon as any ill effects com- menced to manifest themselves, M. Bert refreshed himself with oxygen. The experiments shewed that oxygen may exercise a beneficial influence. 2 See A Trip to Mexico, by H. C. R. Becher, Toronto, 1880, p. 73; Mexico To- Day, by T. U. Brocklehurst, London, 1883, p. 28; and Winter in the Slant of the Sun, in Good Words, 1887, p. 245, by the Bishop of Rochester. 3 Proceedings of the Royal Geographical Society, April 1887, p. 249. 4 Proc, Royal Geog. Soc., August 1884, p. 434. INTRODUCTION. ix It is, however, a certain fact that all individuals are not equally affected by diminished pressure, and that instances have occurred at such heights as 14-15,000 feet in which some persons have suffered whilst others have escaped, though the latter have not been exempt upon mounting to greater altitudes. But whilst this must be admitted; and also the probability that the effects of fatigue have often been wrongly interpreted ; and, further, that personal frailties are frequently manifested upon mountain ascents, or at great elevations, there is a large residuum which cannot be explained away; and any one examining the matter can hardly fail to arrive at the conclusion that mountain-sickness is a world- wide reality. This subject, long since, appeared to me to be worthy of inves- tigation for its own sake, more particularly for ascertaining the heights at which effects begin to manifest themselves ; the symp- toms ; and whether the effects are permanent. It seemed certain that, sooner or later, every one must be affected by diminished pressure, but the manner in which it would operate was uncertain, and whether its effects would be felt permanently at any given. elevation was unknown. Those who have been affected by mount- ain-sickness have always desired to be rid of the infliction, and have descended to lower levels at the earliest opportunity. Hence it had not been ascertained whether cures might be effected on the spot ; or, to put the matter in another way, whether one can be- come habituated to low pressures. ‘The remarks which have fallen from those who are most entitled to attention have not been of an encouraging nature, and it may be inferred from their general tenor that as the cause is constant and permanent so will the effects be constant and permanent. De Saussure, after finding himself through weakness, and diffi- culty in breathing, unable to make during a four and a half hours’ stay on the summit of Mont Blanc the experiments which he had repeatedly performed in less than three hours at the level of the b ¥ INTRODUCTION. sea, said he thought it probable that they would never be made at the higher station." Darwin, who visited the Portillo Pass in the Chilian Andes, although but slightly affected there (at 13-14,000 feet), said, ‘< cer- tainly the exertion of walking was extreme, and the respiration became deep and laborious. It is incomprehensible to me how Humboldt and others were able to ascend to the elevation, of 19,000 feet.” ? The Schlagintweits attained great heights in Asia, and made some remarks that are more to the point than any others which I am able to quote, although they do not go much into detail. In the second volume of their Results of a Scientific Mission to India and High Asia,* p. 484, they say, ‘‘ As to the beneficial effect of acclimatisation, we can speak from our own personal experience.” [By this expression, I understand them to say that they became somewhat habituated to low pressures.| But they add, in continu- ation, ‘‘what might have been the consequence had we prolonged our stay in these lofty regions it is impossible to say, the proba- bility, however, being that a longer sojourn would have told severely upon our health.” This is said in connection with an attempt that they made to ascend Ibi Gamin (Kamet), on Aug. 19, 1855, upon which occasion they reached the height of 22,230 feet. In a Report by them which was published at Madras in 1855 (and was reprinted at Calcutta) there is this further information :— ‘“At two o’clock at last it had become absolutely impossible to go 1 ‘““Quoique je ne perdisse pas un seul moment, je ne pus faire dans ces 4 heures & demie toutes les expériences que j’ai fréquemment achevées en moins de 3 heures au bord de la mer.’’— Voyages dans les Alpes, vol. iv, p. 148. “Je conservois l’espérance bien fondée d’achever, sur le Col-du-Géant, ce que je n’avois pas fait, & que vraisemblablement l’on ne fera jamais sur le Mont-Blane.”’— Id. § 2028, p. 215. 2 Narrative of the Surveying Voyages of His Majesty’s Ships Adventure and Beagle, vol. iii, p. 393. 3 London and Leipzig, 1862. 4 The height was deduced from observations of mercurial barometer, and it is the greatest as yet attained upon the earth which has been determined by observations on the spot. INTRODUCTION. xl any higher; two of our people who had got sick had remained behind, and we all the rest felt exceedingly tired and exhausted, as we certainly never were in our life... . We had got much used to the influence of height, especially during our Thibetan journey, but up there not one escaped unhurt; we all felt headache.” To attain results which might be of a more or less conclusive character, it appeared to me that it would be necessary to eliminate the complications arising from fatigue, privations, cold, and insuffi- ciency or unsuitability of food ; that the persons concerned should have been previously accustomed to mountain work; that the heights to be dealt with ought to be in excess of those at which it had been generally admitted serious inconveniences had occurred ; and that preparations should be made for a prolonged sojourn at such elevations. The Himalayas and their allied ranges offered the best field for research, and in 1874 I projected a scheme which would have taken me in the first instances on to the very ground where others had been placed hors de combat, and from these positions I proposed to carry exploration and research up to the highest attainable limits. But, just at the time when it was possible to start, our rulers entered upon the construction of a ‘scientific frontier’ for India, and rendered that region unsuitable for scientific investiga- tions. I was recommended by experienced Anglo-Indians to defer my visit, and I followed their advice. Equally debarred, by the unhappy dissensions between Chili, Peru, and Bolivia, from travel amongst the highest of the Andes, I turned to the Republic of Keuador, the most lofty remaining country which was accessible. As the main object of the journey was to observe the effects of low pressure, and to attain the greatest possible height in order to experience it, Chimborazo naturally claimed the first attention, on account of its absolute elevation above the sea;' and I proposed to 1 Its height, according to Humboldt, is 21,425 feet. See Recueil d’observations astronomiques, d@opérations trigonométriques, et de mesures barométriques, par Alex- andre de Humboldt, Paris, 1810, vol. i, p. [xxiii (introd.). xii INTRODUCTION. encamp upon this mountain, at gradually increasing heights, with the ultimate aim of reaching the summit. But as there was no cer- tainty that this could be done, and a possibility, at least, that the results of the investigations might be of a negative character, various other objects were kept in view, principal amongst them being the determination of the altitudes and of the relative posi- tions of the chief mountains of Kcuador, the comparison of boiling- point observations and of aneroids against the mercurial barometer, and collecting in Botany and Zoology at great heights. I concerned myself neither with commerce or politics, nor with the natives and their curious ways; and there are, besides, many interesting topics which might be dwelt upon that find no place in this volume. The Ecuadorian Loan, for example, is a capital subject, and a few pages might well be devoted to a matter in which the public takes so much interest, and from which it derives so little. Having only my own very small means to depend upon, my staff was necessarily upon the most modest scale. Three assistants were indispensable, and these I proposed to draw from the mount- ain-guides of Europe. My old guide, Jean-Antoine Carrel, of Val Tournanche,' aecepted my proposals, and two others also agreed to go but withdrew from their engagements shortly before the date for departure, and placed me in a great difficulty. After vainly endeavouring to obtain the services of some of the best-known men, I was obliged to instruct Carrel to bring any one he could. His cousin Louis (with whom I was already acquainted) came, but no one else could be procured at so short notice, and a third man had to be picked up in Ecuador, and proved, naturally, of no service when a knowledge of mountain-craft was wanted. It was not advisable to attempt to travel in Ecuador without recognition, and I sought the good offices of the then President of the Alpine Club in this matter. I cannot acknowledge too warmly the cordial co-operation of Mr. Charles Edward Mathews, and the 1 For the antecedents of J.-A. Carrel, see Scrambles amongst the Alps, J. Murray, 1871. INTRODUCTION. xiii personal trouble he took that my wishes might be efficiently re- presented in the right quarters. Through his instrumentality, I was put in communication with the Ecuadorian Consul-General in Great Britain (Mr. Edmund Heuer of Manchester), and subse- quently received from His Excellency the President of the Republic assurance that I should be heartily welcome in his country ; and, upon application at the Foreign Office, Lord Salisbury was pleased to direct Her Majesty’s representatives at Guayaquil and Quito to afford every assistance in their power—an instruction which they interpreted sympathetically. Upon the introduction of Mr. Mathews, George Dixon, Esq., M.P. for Birmingham, rendered most valuable service by undertaking to send out in advance and to place in secure hands at Guaranda and Quito a quantity of my heavy baggage. Through my old friend Mr. Douglas Freshfield, the Caucasian explorer, the projected journey became known to Freiherr von Thiel- mann, who had recently ridden through Colombia and Ecuador,’ and he most kindly met me at Ostend, to give the benefit of his experiences ; and from this accomplished diplomatist-traveller it was communicated to Dr. Alphons Stiibel, of Dresden, who with rare liberality presented me with a copy of the unpublished altitudes in Ecuador? which had been deduced from the observations made by him in 1871-73 in conjunction with Dr. W. Reiss. Many other equally friendly services were performed both by friends and strangers, especially by the fraternity of mountain-travellers, and amongst the very last communications which reached me, just before departure, came a cheering Jon voyage from the veteran Boussingault, who forty-eight years earlier had himself endeavoured to ascend Chimborazo. Similar good fortune continued on the outward voyage. My sincere thanks are due to the agents of the Royal Mail Steam Packet Company, and to the Acting-Consuls at Colon and Panama, 1 And made the ascent of Cotopaxi. ® Alturas tomadas en la Republica del Ecuador, Quito, 1873. Xiv INTRODUCTION. for their undeserved attentions, and particularly to the Right Hon. H. C. Childers (at that time chairman of the Royal Mail Steam Packet Company), who most courteously granted me the use of one of his cabins in order that work might be carried on uninter- ruptedly. Upon arrival at Guayaquil we were at once received into the house of Mr. George Chambers, H.B.M.’s Consul, and were treated with genuine hospitality. It is now my duty to acknowledge in the most prominent manner the invaluable services which were rendered throughout the journey by the cousins Carrel. ‘Travellers are not always fortunate in their assistants, and, occasionally, even fall out with them. Under circumstances which were frequently trying, our party, although exceedingly small, was always closely united. The imperturbable good temper of the one man, and the grim humour of the other, were sources of continual satisfaction. I trusted my person, property, and interests to their care with perfect confidence, and they proved worthy of the trust, and equal to every demand which was made upon them. We travelled through Ecuador unarmed, except with passports which were never exhibited, and with a number of letters of intro- duction which for the most part were not presented ; adopting a policy of non-intervention in all that did not concern us, and rigidly respecting the customs of the country, even when we could not agree with them: and traversed that unsettled Republic with- out molestation, trusting more to our wits than to our credentials, and believing that a jest may conquer where force will fail, that a bon-mot is often better than a passport. CONTENTS. CHAPTER I. FROM LONDON TO GUARANDA. ECUADORIAN POLITENESS—GUAYAQUIL—ENGAGE AN INTERPRETER—THE RAINY SEASON—SOME SNAKE STORIES—RIVER GUAYAS AND ITS TRIBUTARIES—ARRIVE AT BODEGAS DE BABAHOYO—INDECOROUS BEHAVIOUR OF OUR MULES—ALL ALIVE AT LA MONA—‘‘THE ROYAL ROAD”—A TROPICAL JUNGLE—ASCENT OF THE OUTER ANDES—TAMBO LOMA (THE HOTEL ON THE HILL)—SUMMIT OF THE OUTER RANGE—THE PACIFIC RANGE OF ECUADOR—DESCENT INTO THE VALLEY OF THE RIVER CHIMBO—ARRIVAL AT GUARANDA—MAPS BY LA CONDAMINE AND DON PEDRO MALDONADO—ROUTE MAP AND MAP OF CHIMBORAZO . Pages 1-18 CHAPTER II. FROM GUARANDA TO THE FIRST CAMP ON CHIMBORAZO. A CANDID MAN—INVISIBILITY OF CHIMBORAZO—THE GREAT ARENAL—VISIT TO TORTORILLAS—THE AUTHORITIES OF GUARANDA—TREASURES !—FIRST VIEW OF CHIMBORAZO—DISCOVERY OF ITS TWO SUMMITS—MAGNITUDE OF ITS GLACIERS —DISCUSSION OF ROUTE—THE SOUTH-WEST RIDGE—THE CARRELS START TO SELECT A CAMPING-PLACE—PRINCIPAL OBJECT OF THE JOURNEY—HUMBOLDT’S ATTEMPT TO ASCEND CHIMBORAZO IN 1802—BOUSSINGAULT’S ATTEMPTS IN 1831 —DIVINE SPEED—DISILLUSIONIZED—COMPARISONS OF THE BAROMETERS—A HOPE DISSIPATED—EXECUTED INSTANTANEOUSLY—RETURN OF THE CARRELS— MORE THAN 19,000 FEET HIGH ‘‘BY ANEROID ”—A PARTING BENEDICTION— ARRIVAL AT THE FIRST CAMP ON CHIMBORAZO , ‘ : 19-40 CHAPTER III. THE FIRST ASCENT OF CHIMBORAZO. INGRATITUDE—ROUTE UP THE VALLON DE CARREL—ON MOUNTAIN-SICKNESS— PLAN OF OPERATIONS—THE COMMISSARIAT—ARRIVAL AT THE SECOND CAMP— HORS DE COMBAT—CHLORATE OF POTASH—THE MERITS OF RED WINE—PER- RING DISTINGUISHES HIMSELF—SYMPTOMS OF MOUNTAIN-SICKNESS—LIFE AT LOW PRESSURES—REASONS WHY MERCURIAL BAROMETERS ARE BROKEN—PRECAU- TIONS—STRANGE BEHAVIOUR OF THE ANEROIDS—DESCRIPTION OF THE SOUTH- xvl CONTENTS. WEST RIDGE—EXPLORATION BY THE CARRELS—MORE THAN 19,000 FEET HIGH BY MERCURIAL BAROMETER—ESTABLISHMENT OF THE THIRD CAMP—THE OX- CHEEK OF CHICAGO—A LIBELLOUS STATEMENT—DESERTION OF THE INDIANS —ARRIVAL AND FLIGHT OF THE GUARD—‘‘ THE BONES OF SOME RUMINANT ” —ASSAULT OF THE BREACH—DISCOMFITED—SECOND ATTACK—PASSAGE OF THE BREACH—ARRIVAL ON THE SUMMIT OF CHIMBORAZO—ITS HEIGHT—DISCORDANT OBSERVATIONS — SANGAI IN ERUPTION— THE SOUTHERN WALLS—AN _ ICE- AVALANCHE—THE RETREAT ‘ : : : ; Pages 41-80 CHAPTER IV. FROM CHUQUIPOQUIO TO AMBATO, LATACUNGA AND MACHACHI. FROST-BITTEN—PERRING IS DESPATCHED TO AMBATO—AN ARISTOCRATIC INN- KEEPER—DESCRIPTION OF THE TAMBO OF CHUQUIPOQUIO—OUR APPETITES FAIL —HEIGHT OF THE BAROMETER ON CHIMBORAZO—WEATHER ON CHIMBORAZO— THE BASIN OF RIOBAMBA—DIMENSIONS OF CHIMBORAZO—RETURN OF PERRING WITH THE LITTER—THE ROBBER OF CHUQUIPOQUIO—THE HIGHWAY TO QUITO —MEASUREMENT ON THE ROAD—DOCTORED AT AMBATO—VISITS AND VISITORS— THE DRY SHERRY OF AMBATO—WAGNER’S ‘‘ ASCENT” OF CHIMBORAZO—MARKET- DAY—THE PUMICE OF AMBATO—WE CAPTURE A ‘‘ BISHOP ”—TUNGURAGUA— THE BASIN OF AMBATO—LATACUNGA—OCCUPATIONS. OF THE LADIES—ARRIVAL AT MACHACHI—‘‘ IT IS ONLY THE GRINGOS” . Bes : . 81-99 CHAPTER V. ON AN ASCENT OF CORAZON, AND WALKS IN THE LANES OF MACHACHI. A TRUTHFUL INN-KEEPER—LIFE IN THE INTERIOR—MY YOUNG FRIENDS AT MACHACHI—GREAT BEDS OF VOLCANIC DUSTS—THE BASIN OF MACHACHI—WE SEE A DEAD DONKEY AND MEET A SCORPION—LA CONDAMINE’S ASCENT OF CORAZON—DESCRIPTION OF THE SUMMIT—ON ‘‘ RANGE IN ALTITUDE ”—ENTO- MOLOGY AT GREAT HEIGHTS—HUMBOLDT’S YELLOW BUTTERFLY—A ZOOLOGIST’S PARADISE—WALKS IN THE LANES OF MACHACHI—ANTONIO RACINES INTRODUCES ME TO AN AMPHIPOD—THE DOGS OF MACHACHI Pio erin . 100-119 CHAPTER VI. ON COTOPAXI AND ILUINIZA. THE PROJECT—LOUIS BECOMES CONVALESCENT—WE GO TO THE FARM OF ROSARIO —COTOPAXI— ANGLES OF ITS SLOPES—ITS POSITION AND ERUPTIONS—ERUPTIONS IN 1877—DARKNESS CAUSED BY CLOUDS OF EJECTED ASH—LAVA BOILS OVER THE RIM OF THE CRATER—THE FLOODS THAT ENSUE—FIRST ASCENT OF COTO- CONTENTS. xvii PAXI BY DR. W. REISS—OTHER ASCENTS—ON ILLINIZA—PERPETUAL MISTS—WE ENCAMP AT 10,207 FEET—GLACIERS ON ILLINIZA—TUFTED SNOW-CORNICES— DEFEATED—WEATHER IN THE INTERIOR OF ECUADOR. . Pages 120-185 UBAPTER VEL. THE ASCENT OF COTOPAXI, AND A NIGHT ON THE SUMMIT. START FOR COTOPAXI BY FREIHERR VON THIELMANN’S ROUTE—PEDREGAL—ABUND- ANCE OF BEETLES ON THE PLAIN OF LIMPIOPONGO— COLPODES—BOMBS THROWN OUT BY COTOPAXI— WE CAMP AT 15,180 FEET— CULINARY TROUBLES— THE YANASACHE LAVA AND ITS SURROUNDINGS—ON VOLCANIC ‘‘ ASH,” DUSTS, SANDS, AND LAPILLI—THE INSINUATING NATURE OF VOLCANIC DUST — DESCRIPTIONS BY PROF, T. G. BONNEY—THE WORSHIP OF THE CROSS—NATIVE ATTIRE—SHOES OF STRING—PREPARATIONS FOR THE ASCENT—FLORA OF THE CONE—THE START —CUMULWS CLOUD SEEN 23,000 FEET HIGH—GLACIERS ON COTOPAXI—ARRIVE AT THE TERMINAL SLOPE OF ASH—THE PREVALENT WINDS—REACH THE EDGE OF THE CRATER AND GO PARTLY ROUND IT—ENCAMP AT 19,500 FEET—WARMTH OF THE CONE—COLDNESS OF THE AIR—A NIGHT ON THE SUMMIT—ARE WE ‘* HABITUATED ” ?—INSPECTION OF THE CRATER BY NIGHT—PERIODICAL STEAM- BLASTS—DESCRIPTION OF THE CRATER—‘‘ THERE WAS FIRE BELOW ’”’—A GREAT SAFETY-VALVE—THE HEIGHT OF COTOPAXI—DESCENT TO PEDREGAL—SOME MORE ‘‘ TREASURES ” ! : : : 5 ’ ; . 136-156 CHAPTER Vt. THE FIRST ASCENT OF SINCHOLAGUA. A SEVERELY SCIENTIFIC ASCENT—THE OLD STYLE—GIANTS WANTED—SINCHOLAGUA —OROSS THE RIO PITA— DECEITFUL GROUND— WARM SPRINGS — MANNER OF APPROACH TO THE SUMMIT— BEATEN BACK— THUNDER AND LIGHTNING — STEEPNESS OF THE IMMEDIATE SUMMIT— DEPARTURE FROM MACHACHI AND ARRIVAL AT QUITO : ‘ , : , : . 107-166 CHAPTER IX. ON QUITO AND THE QUITONIANS. THE BASIN OF QUITO — POPULATION OF THE CITY — QUEBRADAS — WATER AND WATER - CARRIERS — THE PANECILLO — MANNERS AND CUSTOMS AT QUITO —A INTERVIEW WITH THE. TRUCULENT INNKEEPER —ON HEAD-GEAR AND HATS PRESIDENT — HOW GENERAL VEINTEMILLA CAME INTO POWER — HISTORY — GARCIA MORENO — DEMONSTRATIONS — A PROMISING PEOPLE — MANANA — ECUA- DORIAN BONDS —INDIANS AT QUITO — PRICES IN ECUADOR — OPENINGS FOR COMMERCIAL ENTERPRIZE—ON BANKS AND MONEY—AN EASY WAY OF EARNING A DIVIDEND ; ; : : , , ; . 167-1838 XVlll CONTENTS. CHAPTER hi. THE FIRST ASCENT OF ANTISANA. THE BASIN OF CHILLO—AGUIRRE’S METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS IN THE COMPTES RENDUS—A CHAMPION MUD-HOLE—THE HACIENDA OF PINANTURA—RENCONTRE WITH SENOR REBOLLEDO— THE GREAT LAVA-STREAM OF ANTISANILLA — ARRIVAL AT THE HACIENDA OF ANTISANA—THE CLOUDINESS OF ANTISANA — BEATEN ON OUR FIRST ATTEMPT AT AN ASCENT—ON SNOW-BLINDNESS—START AGAIN, AND CAMP AT 15,984 FEET ABOVE THE LEVEL OF THE SEA—ENORMOUS CREVASSES —‘‘I FEAR AN AVALANCHE” — ARRIVAL ON THE SUMMIT — HIGH TEMPERATURES— THE HEIGHT OF ANTISANA— CRATERS AND CREVASSES — THE FLORA OF ANTISANA —ON CONDORS AND FLIGHTS OF THE IMAGINATION — THE RANGE IN ALTITUDE OF THE CONDOR— A GREAT, SOLEMN ASSEMBLY — THE COTTON FACTORY AT CHILLO—RETURN TO QUITO ; . Pages 184-206 CHAPTER. x UPON AN ASCENT OF PICHINCHA. A CURE FOR SOUR BLOOD—REMINISCENCES OF CHICAGO—THE ROUTE TO PICHINCHA —ITS TWO SUMMITS, RUCU- AND GUAGUA—EWSILLADAS—A TAME CRATER— NATURE OF THE HIGHEST POINT — RECURRING SPECIES — HUMMING-BIRDS — SALT FISH FOR DINNER : 5 : . 207-216 CHAPTER Xi. THE FIRST ASCENT OF CAYAMBE, THE ROAD TO THE NORTH—CAYAMBE—CROSS THE GREAT QUEBRADA OF GUALLA- BAMBA—ECCENTRICITIES OF THE ANEROIDS—A FIGHT FOR THE CHAMPIONSHIP —SPORT IN ECUADOR—A POTATO BED— START FOR THE ASCENT OF CAYAMBE MENACED BY A CONDOR — DISAPPEARANCE OF JEAN-ANTOINE AND ITS CON- SEQUENCES — INDIAN HOSPITALITY — INGRATITUDE — CAMP ON CAYAMBE AT 14,762 FEET— THE POINTE JARRIN AND THE ESPINOSA GLACIER — ASCENT OF CAYAMBE (19,186 FEET)—OUR FASTEST ASCENDING RATE—SARA-URCU—COLD QUARTERS : : ? : : : : . 217-287 CHAPTER Xr THE FIRST ASCENT OF SARA-URCU. LIFE AT LA DORMIDA (11,805 FEET) — EXPERIENCES OF GONZALO PIZARRO — THE TREASURES OF SARA-URCU — A CAMP IN A SWAMP — WATER-PARTING ON THE EQUATOR — THE CHUSQUEA ARISTATA OF MUNRO—CORREDOR MACHAI (THE HUNTERS REFUGE)—THE FATE OF THE BARK HUNTERS—TICKLED—INCESSANT RAINS—THE CHIEF OF THE STAFF IS ATTACKED IN THE REAR—A GLIMPSE OF SARA-URCU — TURNING AN ENEMY TO ACCOUNT — ARRIVAL ON THE SUMMIT— THE HEIGHT OF SARA-URCU—A SUPER-SATURATED PLACE—HUMBOLDT’S FIRE- PROOF FISH—WHO SHALL DECIDE WHEN DOCTORS DISAGREE ? . 288-255 CONTENTS. X1x CHAPTER XIV. ON THE PROVINCE OF IMBABURA, AND THE FIRST ASCENT OF COTOCACHI. IN QUEST OF ANTIQUITIES — DISCOVERY OF AN OLD INDIAN KETTLE !— THE PRO- VINCE OF IMBABURA—GO TO COTOCACHI AND MAKE FRIENDS WITH THE PRIEST —THE LATEST THING IN QUEBRADAS—UPHEAVAL OR SUBSIDENCE?—THE ASCENT OF COTOCACHI—THE WHIRLING SNOW MOCKS OUR EFFORTS—ON THE SUMMIT OF COTOCACHI (16,301 FEET)—SUNDAY SPORTS—THE TUMULI OF HUTANTAQUI— DESTRUCTION OF IBARRA—GO TO CARRANQUI—EVIDENCES OF A ‘‘STONE AGE” —STARS IN STONE— ARE THEY WEAPONS OR SYMBOLS?— TYPICAL STONE IM- PLEMENTS — HOUSEHOLD GODS — SCARCITY OF OBJECTS IN METAL— OLD INDIAN POTTERY—MUSICAL WHISTLES—‘‘ VASE-BUSTS ’—THE CONTENTS OF A GRAVE— A SMASH ON MOJANDA—RETURN TO QUITO. : . Pages 256-286 CHAPTER XV. A VISIT TO THE PYRAMIDS OF QUITO. JEAN-ANTOINE AND LOUIS ASCEND ILLINIZA—THE BASE-LINE OF THE FRENCH ACADEMICIANS — ERECTION OF THE PYRAMIDS OF QUITO— FUSS OVER THE INSCRIPTIONS—DESTRUCTION OF THE PYRAMIDS—DISCOVERY OF LA CONDAMINE’S INSCRIBED STONE—THE MODERN PYRAMIDS—SELLING OFF—‘‘ NO TRUST GIVEN ” —POPULATION OF ECUADOR— ENGAGE FRANCISCO JAVIER CAMPANA — FINAL DEPARTURE FROM QUITO . , ; , : © 287-295 CHAPTER. XVI, UPON A WALK ON THE QUITO ROAD, AND A JOURNEY TO ALTAR. ANOTHER ATTEMPT ON ILLINIZA— DAVID’S PET LLAMA — REPULSED — RATES: ON ILLINIZA—A WALK ON THE QUITO ROAD—THE POLITICAL TAILOR—THE MASTER OF CANDELARIA— AT CAMP IN THE VALLEY OF COLLANES (12,540 FEET) — DESCRIPTION OF ALTAR— RETREAT— A NIGHT AT PENIPE—HABITS OF THE ECUADORIAN MULE _.. : ‘ , : : . 296-309 CHAPTER: XV Et. THE FIRST ASCENT OF CARIHUAIRAZO. WE RETURN TO THE CHARGE—AN HONEST INDIAN —CAMP NEAR THE HIGH ROAD AND MEASUREMENT FOR ‘‘ A SCALE” — HIGHWAY ROBBERS — A THREATENED ATTACK — QUICKSANDS — CAMP ON CARIHUAIRAZO (13,577 FEET) — PEDRO DE PENIPE — SARA-URCU TACTICS —ON THE SUMMIT OF CARTIHUAIRAZO (16,515 FEET)—AN INSULAR FLORA—A CRATER WANTED—JOY TURNED INTO MOURNING —OUR DOG BECOMES SNOW-BLIND—CROSS ABRASPUNGO (14,480 FEET)—A GREAT LAVA-STREAM— FOURTH CAMP ON CHIMBORAZO (14,3809 FEET) — MONSIEUR DECEIVES HIMSELF! . 4 : ‘ ‘ : . 9810-319 ‘¢ xx CONTENTS. CHAPTER A2VitE ON THE SECOND ASCENT OF CHIMBORAZO. CHIMBORAZO FROM THE NORTH-NORTH-WEST — THE FIFTH CAMP (15,811 FEET) — PEDRO DECLINES AN ASCENT—AN ERUPTION OF COTOPAXI—CROSS THE GLACIER DE STUBEL AND SEE THE PACIFIC — A GREEN SUN — DIRECTION OF THE WIND REGISTERED — A FALL OF VOLCANIC DUST ON THE TOP OF CHIMBORAZO REGISTERS THE HEIGHT OF THE BAROMETER— THE GREATEST HEIGHT AT WHICH PHOTOGRAPHY HAS BEEN PRACTISED — A CALCULATION — TWENTY-FIVE THOUSAND PARTICLES TO A GRAIN !—CAUSE OF THIS ERUPTION—REDUCTION IN THE HEIGHT OF CHIMBORAZO—THE RATE OF THE SECOND ASCENT—ON A BAROMETRIC LEVEL—GREAT ARENALS—THE FLORA OF CHIMBORAZO—COMPLETE THE MEASUREMENT FOR ‘‘A SCALE” . : : . Pages 820-334 CHAPT HE, 2eLX. UPON SOME RESULTS OF THE JOURNEY. CONFIGURATION OF THE ANDES OF ECUADOR — PARALLEL CORDILLERAS — THE WALLS OF CHIMBORAZO — HUMBOLDT’S TRIANGLE — ALTITUDES OF THE GREAT ANDES OF THE EQUATOR — TEMPERATURES ON SUMMITS — ON THE SNOW - LINE AND GLACIERS—BOTANICAL RESULTS—ZOOLOGICAL RESULTS—UPON OUR EXPERI- ENCES AT LOW PRESSURES : : ; : : . 000-384 CHAPTER: XX RETURN TO GUAYAQUIL—CONCLUSION. A PUBLIC DUTY— DEATH IN THE NIGHT — REMAINS OF A COMBAT — DESCENT zp m ppp > Ce THROUGH THE FOREST — THE LAST CAMP — THE BRIDGE OF CHIMBO AND THE ECUADORIAN RAILWAY — YOUR EXCELLENCY HAS FORGOTTEN TO PAY FOR THE PINE-APPLES !—DEPARTURE FROM GUAYAQUIL. i ‘ . 3885-392 APPENDIX. PAGE ALTITUDES DETERMINED IN ECUADOR . ; ; : : 395 THE RANGE OF THE BAROMETER IN ECUADOR . : : ‘ 402 COMPARISONS OF THE ANEROID AGAINST THE MERCURIAL BAROMETER 405 UPON BOILING-POINT OBSERVATIONS . : : F : 417 TEMPERATURES IN ECUADOR. : ; ; ; . 421 UPON BODY TEMPERATURE : ‘ ; i d - 425 HUMBOLDT’S ATTEMPT TO ASCEND CHIMBORAZO ; ‘ ¥ 428 _ BOUSSINGAULT’S ATTEMPTS TO ASCEND CHIMBORAZO . . ; 431 DECLARATION OF FRANCISCO J. CAMPANA A : ; , 435 EXPERIMENTS BY M. PAUL BERT ‘ ; - i . 437 Seman Oo KF WW eH Sa Se et on Po wos aS eS SODA AS COTA ATL WWE LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. The drawings were made by F. BARNARD, A. CORBOULD, F. Dapp, W. L. Jonss, W. E. LAPwortH, W. H. OvEREND, P. SKELTON, E. WAGNER, E. WILSON, JOSEPH WOLF, and Others ; and were Engraved on Wood by EpwaRD WHYMPER. PULE PAGE KELUST RAT HONS. ‘THE WHIRLING SNOW MOCKED OUR EFFORTS ” (see Chap. XIV.) Frontispiece. CHIMBORAZO, FROM THE SLOPES ABOVE GUARANDA . To face page 24 CHIMBORAZO, FROM A LITTLE ABOVE THE THIRD CAMP . & 64 ‘‘ WE WERE THEN TWENTY THOUSAND FEET HIGH” . ; re 68 IcE-CLIFFS UNDER THE SUMMITS OF CHIMBORAZO ; ‘ = 76 CARRIED ON THE LITTER INTO AMBATO 2 ; ; ; 90 Coropax! (19,618 FEET), FRoM THE HactrenpDA or S. Rosario a 124 PART OF THE INTERIOR OF THE CRATER OF COTOPAXI ; ee 147 PART OF THE EXTERIOR OF THE CRATER OF COTOPAXI : a 150 ANTISANA (19,885 FEET), SEEN FROM THE HACIENDA . : a 190 ‘‘ THEY DASHED IN AMONGST THEM AND THREW THEIR LASSOS ” - 205 THE SECOND CAMP ON PICHINCHA (14,992 FEET) . F : e 209 ‘“THEY PROWLED AROUND US AT NIGHT, AND LEFT THEIR FOOTPRINTS IN THE SNOW” . : : : ; : oe 229 AT CAMP ON THE EHQuATOR, AT CORREDOR MACHAI . : s 242 SOME TYPICAL STONE IMPLEMENTS COLLECTED IN Ecuapor. te. 271 EXAMPLES OF OLD INDIAN PoTTERY COLLECTED BY THE AUTHOR 279 ‘‘IT ROLLED OVER AND OVER DOWN THE SLOPE” é ; Ms 285 ‘‘THE SKY WAS DARK WITH THE CLOUDS OF ASH” . , - 326 THE SOUTHERN WALLS OF CHIMBORAZO . ; é - fe 397 . SELECTIONS FROM THE BEDROOM COLLECTION AT GUAYAQUIL a 391 PN PRE OTTER, ON THE WAY TO BopDEGAS . : : : ; ; : : I A YOUNG PERSON OF GUAYAQUIL . : ‘ : ; ‘ 4 A HOUSE AT BopEGAs . ’ d ; : . : : ? ' 4) At La Mona F : ¥ ‘ : ; : a : : ii A COLLECTOR : : : : : , 9 NATIVE HOUSE AT GUARANDA ; ; ; : ; é / 18 CROSSING THE GREAT ARENAL . : ; : F : : ' 19 PoRTRAIT OF ALEXANDER VON HUMBOLDT . : : : : : 28 THE CHIEF OF THE POLICE . : ‘ ; ‘ A : : : 37 xxil LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. PAGE 10. THE POPULACE AT GUARANDA . ; ‘ : : : : j 39 11. ONE OF OUR ARRIEROS : s : ; : ; ‘ ; : 40 12. AIGUILLES ON CHIMBORAZO . A : : : 3 : : : 41 13. THE SECOND CAMP ON CHIMBORAZO (16,664 FEET) : : : - 48 14. MANNER OF PACKING THE BAROMETERS ? ; F d . ‘ 54 15. THE RIGHT AND THE WRONG KIND OF STAND : ; F ‘ ‘ 50 16. MrrHop OF SUSPENSION ; ) ; ; : : : : 4 56 17. THE THIRD CAMP ON CHIMBORAZO (17,285 FEET) . * - ; : 60 16.) *° LOWER. IT WOULD NOT..Go.” |. : : ; A : : : 69 19. SANGAI IN ERUPTION . : 4 : : . : ; : ¢ 74 20. THE HEAD OF THE EXPEDITION . : : : ; ; ‘ , 80 21. A RAGAMUFFIN AT CHUQUIPOQUIO 7 : ‘ : ? : i 81 22. Back OF THE TAMBO OF CHUQUIPOQUIO é ; : F : 2 85 23. THE ENTRANCE TO THE TAMBO . ; : : : : ; 4 88 24. SeNor Juan GuERRERO DuPpRAT : ‘ a 2 : : : 92 25. A PUMICE FILTER AT AMBATO . ‘ ; : . 2 : : 95 26. A ‘‘BisHorp” or AMBATO . 3 , F z ; ‘ : 96 27. ONE OF MY YOUNG FRIENDS . ; : : ; : ; : . £06 28. ECUADORIAN SPUR f ‘ : : ; ‘ : ; 2 i’ See 29. CARVED DRINKING-CUP . . ; , : , . ; ; . ae 30. ECUADORIAN RIDING-WHIP . ; ; : , ; . : 08 31. SECTION IN THE LANE AT MaAcHACHI , ‘ : ; F ‘ . . 104 32. MACHACHI AND CORAZON. A , : : 6 ; : ee 33. DRESSED ROCKS FOUND ON CoRAZON . : } : , ; . ae 34, INDIAN REED-PIPES ; , : 4 . : ; ; ; | iS 35. SNOW-CORNICES . : : : ‘ ‘ z h : ; . ae 36. CoTOPAXI IN ERUPTION IN 1743 . : : : ‘ , ‘ . - 228 37. AN ACADEMICIAN OBSERVING THE BAROMETER . ; ; es 38. A BOMB FROM COTOPAXI . : . ; ; : 5 , . 186 39. CoTOPAXI FROM THE FIRST CAMP. , ‘ : : ‘ : . ee 40. AN ALPARGATA . - Heel ah ; F , ; . . 148 41. THE FIRST CAMP ON CoTopaxi (15,139 FEET) ; : ‘ oe) ae 42. PosITION OF THE TENT ON THE SUMMIT OF COTOPAXI . : 4 . wias 43. ‘‘ THERE WAS FIRE BELOW ” : ; 2 : , d ; .. Cat 44, PLAN OF THE CRATER OF COTOPAXI . 3 ; : : : . 1a2 45. INDIAN CRUCIFIX . . : ‘ ‘ : F : ‘ ; .) ie 46. THE BELLS OF PEDREGAL . ; : F : : f : <, oT 47, SINCHOLAGUA, FROM NEAR PEDREGAL . . . : F ‘ alta 48, THE SUMMIT OF SINCHOLAGUA . ; ; : : 4 : » Bues 49. At PEDREGAL . . : ; : ; ‘ . : , 16s 50. ENTRANCE TO THE HACIENDA, PEDREGAL . ; : ; ; . .| 166 51. ECUADORIENNE EARRINGS . : . : , is : . ; 167 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. xxl PAGE 52. THE OLD WATER-CARRIER AT QUITO . ; ; ; i P “> 169 53. A LADY OF QUITO : , : ‘ , é ; : , ee Dad 54. Portrait oF GARCIA MorENO . ; ‘ ; ‘ , ; » V4 55. ECUADORIAN HAND-MADE LACE . : : ; : , ‘ ane 9) 56.. BEETLE-WING EARRING. , ‘ . : : ; ; : Pe 33: 57. THe HactENDA OF ANTISANA ; : : ‘ : : on Hh. 58. OUR BEST NOCTURNAL COLLECTOR : : ; : ‘ : . 200 59. DIAGRAM TO ILLUSTRATE FLIGHT OF THE CONDOR Ber hr ‘ 2 Oe 60. SNOW-SPECTACLES . ; : ‘ . ‘ : ; : ; |. 206 61. PicnincHa, FROM MAcHACHI : ‘ : : : : d es Be 62. ON THE ROAD 5 : ; f : : P : ‘ ¢ Ee 63. CHAMPIONS . d ‘ ; 3 : : é : ; ; ey eee 64. INGRATITUDE : E : ; ; ’ ; ‘ ; é . 228 65. CAYAMBE (19,186 FEET) FROM THE WEST : ; : B é 2) | a0 66. CHARMS? : : : ‘ : : ‘ , : F ? oh. Bow 67. LA Dormipa DE Mayorazzo : : i : : , é et Rae 68. A HIND-LEG OF A SPIDER FROM CORREDOR MAcHAI . é , . 248 69. SARA-URCU, FROM CoRREDOR MAacHaAl. ; ; y ; ; Yo 247 70. TURNING AN ENEMY TO ACCOUNT . : : , : 2 : » 248 "1. FouNTAIN ON THE PLAZA AT CARRANQUI . : : : F + 206 "2. *“‘ THIS IS VERY OLD, SENoR!” . : : ; : s = 25% 73. LANCE-POINT FOUND AT QUITO . : : ; ; : ; i OS 74, COTOCACHI, FROM CARRANQUI ‘ ; , : i 2 : . 268 75. STARS IN STONE . : : ; : : 5 : ; F i. 269 76. SOME UNUSUAL FORMS OF STONE IMPLEMENTS . A : : a wie 77. TooL-SHARPENERS ? : ; , 7 : , ‘ ; : ~ 24 78. MAIZE-HEADS IN STONE : : . d ‘ : : : ~ eto 79. HEADS IN STONE, FROM RIOBAMBA d : ; : : o> “26 80. THE HEAD OF AN OLD INDIAN SILVER PIN . , : : : to eee 81. SIX-KAYED STAR IN BRONZE. : . ; : ; ‘ : fie 82. BRONZE HATCHETS FROM CUENCA Sata: : : ; ; ee 83. ORDINARY FORMS OF OLD INDIAN POTTERY . : : ‘ ' d 78 84. SoME OF THE LESS COMMON FORMS : , : : : : <) 279 85. ORNAMENTATION OF POTTERY ; : ; : : ‘ : - ne 20 86. INDIAN MUSICAL WHISTLES . : : ! ‘ ; : ; 2 ee 87. Tue Don por. y : ; ; , : . ; : « «aoe 88. DoOUBLE-HEADED JAR OR VASE. , : ; ' , : 2 263 89. THE CONTENTS OF A GRAVE. t : : ‘ : s »- 284 90. Tor INCA VASE . ‘ : 2 : : ; : : . 285 91. THE MONEY-BOX . : ‘ ; : : : ; ‘ i . 286 92. La CONDAMINE’S INSCRIBED STONE. : : Yay? c 3: JROk 93. PLAN, SECTION, AND ELEVATION OF THE PYRAMIDS oF QUITO . », @Oo XxiV LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. 94, THE PYRAMID OF OYAMBARO, IN 1880 : ; : ; ; : “999 95. A STAMPEDE : : : : ; ; : ; : ‘ . 296 96. AT CAMP IN THE VALLEY OF COLLANES . ; ; : P . 805 97. THE BRIDGE OF PENIPE . ; ; : : ; : : 308 98. A THREATENED ATTACK . ; ; f : : : ; 310 99. PLAN OF CAMP . ‘ : é : ; : : 312 100. CARIHUAIRAZO, FROM THE SOUTH : : : : Pea 101. THE FOURTH CAMP ON CHIMBORAZO (14, 359 eee 318 102. CHIMBORAZO, FROM THE NORTH-NORTH-WEST . ' : . aap 108. COMMENCEMENT OF THE ERUPTION OF COTOPAXI, JULY 3, 1880. 323 104. A PuHasmMa FROM La DormiIDA, CAYAMBE . : s : : » ee 105. HuMBoLDT’s TRIANGLE ‘ : : é ; , ; ; . 3840 106. JEAN-ANTOINE AND THE BABIES ; : ‘ : : : ‘. (oa 107. Forcrers or AN EARWIG FROM CAYAMBE . . * : ‘ 354 108. Earwia From 13,853 FEET ON CHIMBORAZO . j : 3 .« See 109. PIERIS XANTHODICE, Lucas . : : , : ; : 3907 110. A Morn From 12,000 FEET ON PICHINCHA , ; : ; ~ | “3a6 111. Morus From 14,500 FEET ON CoTOCACHI, AND SUMMIT OF PicHINcCHA 359 112. HYALELLA INERMIS, S. I. SMITH : : P ’ 361 118. COLIAS ALTICOLA, GoDMAN & SALVIN 364 114, CoLrAas DIMERA, DovuBu. & HEw. 364 115. A TROPICAL DREAM , ‘ : ; ' : E ; ; . 885 116. ‘‘ WE CAME AGAIN INTO THE LAND OF BUTTERFLIES ” 4 : 388 117. CERTIFICATES OF EXAMINATION OF BAROMETER No. 558 397 118. CHIMBORAZO, FROM GUAYAQUIL . 442 MAPS, ETC. 1. GENERAL MAP OF Ecuapor, CoLomsia, &c. , : . To face page 1 2. PLAN OF QUITO, AFTER FatHER J. B. MENTEN . , ; ag 167 - S Map oF THE PROVINCE OF Quito, BY Don PEDRO Mauponapbo. Route MAP TO ILLUSTRATE ‘‘ TRAVELS AMONGST THE GREAT ANDES.” ERRATA. At page 12, note 1, ‘‘ Villavicensio’’ should read ‘‘ Villavicencio.”’ 5, 198, note 3, do. do. on 09; MOLE IE do. do. 112, note 1, ‘‘ Chap. XIT.’’ should read ‘‘ Chap. XIX.” At end of vol. In pocket. 114, note 1, ‘‘ Chapters VI, XIII, and XV.” should read ‘‘ Chapters VI, XIII, and XIX.’ _ TRAVELS AMONGST THE GREAT ANDES ~ S EA. WEST lg E i ‘ey | at 2) 1} | | 7 ee is | @ | q 8 n © 0 © ~~ mn ; WV Maipalol. ame INDIAN OR 4g. | “Ye fy F Ny Morrosquillo G) ¢. Marzo 2 Y . (a C. Corrientes pis > am) Chirambirak. ES et Buena ventura Lanam a 820 Thilo. Gorgonal- . (0? GuascamaP E57 Vagui?l to © : Gua * SARA-URCU C Pasadox 4 ANTISANA Manti Bb, "Baltia ¢. Loren Gi mnta By a beRicunga A. oSeamboenp C4Ambato Platal® Salan gol. & ci Rioban tba St Helena B.° - S | Gu va — Alone; Macs as Carnero P£S Puna t Ups Na Gulf of Guayaquil .~ iS. arth xe eh WLLINIZAS » ' COTOPAXI Guar. finda Bod boas ASANGAI * Zaruma [Do Lowa Stantords Geooraphical stab 200 =i . Fuchsh Miles ON THE WAY TO BODEGAS. CHAPTER I. WE landed at Guayaquil on December 9, 1879, after an un- eventful voyage across the Atlantic, and an unexpected deten- tion upon the Isthmus of Panama! Our ship had _ scarcely anchored before a Custom House officer sought me out, to deliver an ornate speech; which commenced, according to the manner of the country, with declarations that he himself, his property, and other things besides were mine, and terminated with the welcome intelligence that he had been ordered to pass my baggage without examination, and free of duty. Guayaquil is the chief port of the Republic of the Equator (Ecuador), and is second in population only to the capital, Quito.’ In 1879, it was a very busy place. The war between * See Zhe Contemporary Review, March, 1889. 2 It appeared to me to have about 28,000 inhabitants. No census has, I believe, yet been taken in Ecuador. All statements in regard to the population are to be received with caution. B 2 TRAVELS AMONGST THE GREAT ANDES. CHAP. I. Peru and Chili caused a large accession of trade, and filled it with a horde of refugees. Lodgings were scarcely to be had for money, and services were difficult to procure. Life seemed too easy for the lower orders at this place. At very trifling expense they can breakfast on chocolate, dine on bananas and cocoa-nut, and fall back at night on pine-apples. Lodging is not a difficulty with them, and dress is almost superfluous in a climate so equably warm. The elders go about in very lght attire, and the young people appear in the streets in the earliest mode of Eden. Workmen set an exorbitant value on their services, and the very labourers expected to be paid at the rate of little English Bishops. Not much was wanting to perfect our arrangements. Our principal need was a third man, as interpreter and general assist- ant, and it was supplied by Mr. Perring, an Englishman who had lived many years in Ecuador, and had frequently acted as Government courier between Guayaquil and Quito. This matter settled, there was time to look about, and I betook myself daily to the highest accessible ground—a hill at the northern end of the town—to endeavour to get a view of the Andes, and especially of Chimborazo. Up to this time we had scarcely had a glimpse of the Andes. On the first half of the voyage from Panama our course was at too great a distance from the coast; and, on approaching the Equator, although the nearer parts of the outer ranges could be discerned, their tops were in cloud, and the great snow - peaks were invisible. Several Captains of the Mail Steamers, who had long experience, said that they had only seen Chimborazo from the Pacific Ocean on three or four occasions in the course of thirteen or fourteen years; and Mr. Chambers told me that the mountain was not commonly seen at Guayaquil more than once or twice a month. I proposed to make my way to Chimborazo by the ordinary route to Quito, vid Bodegas and Guaranda. From Guayaquil CHAP. I. SOME SNAKE STORIES. 3 to Bodegas one takes the steamer, up the Guayas, and for the rest of the way transit is effected by horses, mules, or donkeys. As the rainy season was about to commence, and would impede or almost stop traffic whilst it lasted, there was an unusual demand for baggage animals, and it was expedient to arrange beforehand, to avoid detention at Bodegas. So we remained at Guayaquil, until information arrived that our train was ready. Whilst waiting for news from Bodegas, I prowled about the outskirts of the town in search of snakes, being desirous of acquiring the handsome and venomous ‘‘ Coral” which had not hitherto been acclimatized in Europe. I did not see a live snake ,of any sort or description whilst at Guayaquil. It was the end of the dry season, and they had gone out of town for a time; but I understood from Mr. Chambers that he had many Coral snakes on his property, and could spare a few without inconvenience, and he promised to have a living specimen ready against our return to Guayaquil.’ 1 A few years ago, a French traveller—Mons. André—made an endeavour to introduce it from Colombia. His specimen arrived alive at Lille, where the French douaniers, suspecting contraband, insisted upon opening the box in which it was secured. The snake immediately made its appearance, to take a look around, and the douaniers retired. It then walked out, and disappeared, and was heard of no more. This, according to M. André, was the first attempt to introduce the Coral snake into Europe. See Le Tour du Monde, vol. 35, p. 182, Paris, 1878. 2 Unfortunately, when that time came, they were too shy and could not be caught. Mr. Chambers was good enough to despatch another equally venomous reptile after me, to soothe my disappointment. The following sad story, how- ever, came to hand instead of the snake. It seems that it was shipped in a box by one of the Mail Steamers, and, being regarded with suspicion, was placed in a boat hanging from the davits. In the course of the voyage, about a dozen little snakes made their début, and, after crawling through a small knot-hole in the box, wriggled along the davits, and thence on to the deck. In the morning, when passengers came out to exercise, they found snakes already in possession. Quartermasters were set to clear them out, but one little snake managed to bite the second officer, and caused his arm to swell so much that he had to be taken on shore at Panama and be put in hospital. No one would venture to approach the box with the parent snake. The plug was knocked out of the bottom of the boat and it was + TRAVELS AMONGST THE GREAT ANDES. CHAP. I, On December 13 we received advice that our animals were ready, and left Guayaquil the same afternoon on board the river-steamer Quito, with a large and very miscellaneous freight,’ and arrived about midnight at Bodegas. Opposite to Guayaquil the Guayas is a noble river, more than a mile and a quarter across, with good depth of water. It is joined just above the town by its principal tribu- tary, the River Daule, and beyond the junction, though remaining fully a mile wide, it becomes shallow. At a distance of about thirteen miles N.N.E. of Guayaquil it receives the waters of an- other important tributary, A YOUNG PERSON OF GUAYAQUIL. the River Yaguachi, a stream which is formed by the union of the Chimbo and Chanchan. In their upper courses, these rivers are only mountain torrents— lowered into the sea. The box floated away and drifted on to Flamenco L., off Panama, where some residents fired through and through it until the snake was killed. Mr. Chambers subsequently received a special request not to ship any more passengers of that class. 1 The war in Peru caused an exodus of Italian organs from Lima, and thirty refugee instruments landed at Guayaquil just before our arrival. Four of these were on board the Quito, concentrated on the fore part of the upper deck, each playing a different tune. The Ecuadorians enjoyed the babel, but the alligators in the river seemed more sensitive. They came up and stared with open mouths, and plunged down again immediately, out of hearing. The Guayas and its tributaries are full of alligators. Ona trip up the river in July, 1880, I saw a large sandbank completely covered by a horde of them, lying peaceably alongside each other. The natives do not seem to be troubled by their proximity, though it is admitted they do occasionally chew incautious children. CHAP. I. BODEGAS DE BABAHOYO. 5 the Chimbo being the more important of the two, and taking the drainage of the whole of the eastern slopes of the Pacific Range of Ecuador, and of the western slopes of the great block of mount- ains to the south of Chimborazo. Above the junction of the Yaguachi the Guayas becomes narrower, though it still remains quite 2000 feet across for some miles above Zamborondon. It then branches out into the flat land in numerous canal-like rami- fications, and by the time Bodegas is reached dwindles down to insignificant dimensions. Although we had approached more closely to the Andes we still saw nothing of them. On the lower reaches of the river this was not to be wondered at, for the land was being cleared by firing, prior to the advent of the rains, and clouds of smoke rose thousands of feet in the air, obscuring everything, except the banks close at hand. At Bodegas we got beyond this; the sun shone brilliantly, but not a sign of a mountain could be seen, though I shortly found that we were less than thirty-five miles from summits 14-15,000 feet above the sea. Chimborazo, I was told, could be seen from Bodegas, and bore from that place N.E. by E., or thereabouts. The town of Bodegas de Babahoyo (called for brevity Bodegas) contains about 2000 inhabitants. It is the entrepot of Quito, where goods are temporarily stored, and where a number of agents dwell whose business it is to receive goods from the steamers and to ar- range for their transit into the interior. In the rainy season, the river rises here from A HOUSE AT BODEGAS. 6 TRAVELS AMONGST THE GREAT ANDES. CHAP. I. 30 to 35 feet, and, overflowing its banks, turns the country into a vast lake. Hence many of the houses in this district are built on piles or posts. The area over which the floods extend is indicated by the houses that are constructed in this manner. We left Bodegas at 1.20 p.m. on December 14, and crossing by a bridge to the right bank of the river commenced the journey over some open, flat, sandy ground. All went comfort- ably for a time. Jean-Antoine Carrel headed the caravan, mounted,’ carrying one of the mercurial barometers and some other instruments; I followed, similarly equipped ; then came the baggage animals, and the muleteers (arrieros) with Louis and Perring brought up the rear. Just one hour after the start, when we were jogging quietly along, the leading mule suddenly became possessed by ten thousand devils, and rushed hither and thither, throwing its heels high in the air; and succeeding in loosening its load, which turned round under its belly, it then commenced a series of violent fore and aft movements with its hoofs, to try to pulverize my photographic camera, and the other things which it carried. In course of time we got to regard such episodes as a part of the daily routine. The most outrageous performers were generally the animals with the lightest loads; and, unless their extravagancies were promptly checked, their example became contagious, and the whole troop scattered, some galloping away, while the rest engaged themselves in madly battering their loads with the intention of dislodging them. A load on the Quito road usually weighs more than 300 lbs., and we probably com- mitted a mistake in giving our beasts too little to carry in the low country.’ 1 In order to travel quickly, a considerable part of my baggage was sent out in advance, and was placed in secure hands at Guaranda and Quito. I am much indebted to Mr. Theakston, a forwarding agent at Bodegas, for his atten- tions there and at other places. 2 All my cases were made with a view to transit by mules, and none weighed more than 75 lbs. Two of these and a few small articles were allotted to each CHAP. I. ALL ALIVE. vi We made a short march on the first day, and stopped about 4 p.m. at the little, straggling village La Mona. Our house stood on posts, and like most others in this neighbourhood was built of bamboo, and was thatched with leaves. We passed the night, according to the custom of the country, in string ham- mocks, which were slung on the verandah on the first floor. Sleep was enlivened by superabundant animal life. Bats flapped GAYLE SC AT LA MONA. our faces, and thousands of insects swarmed down upon the candles, while scuttling things of all sorts ranged the floor and invaded our boots. A change was made in our arrangements next day. From this time onwards, Jean-Antoine took charge of both the mer- curial barometers, to leave me free to attend to the details of animal. Thus our loads seldom weighed more than 160 lbs., and this was as much as was good at great elevations. I saw many donkeys on the Quito road carrying eight dozens of wine or beer in four cases. Such loads cannot have weighed less than 280 lbs. 8 TRAVELS AMONGST THE GREAT ANDES. CHAP, 1. the caravan whilst passing along ‘‘the Royal Road.” This is the title which has been given for many generations to the route from Bodegas to Guaranda. Although republican Ecua- dorians have done much levelling, and amongst other things have abolished titles of nobility, they have omitted to level their roads, and cling with curious tenacity to the pompous title of this primitive track. In the matter of mud it did not come up to expectations. It was not so pre-eminently filthy as to be entitled to precedence over all other roads in this country; though it certainly was, in some parts, what Hcua- dorians call ‘savoury.? The mud is compounded of decaying animal and vegetable matter, churned up with earth, and the product is a greasy and captivating slime. The interesting series of ridges—termed camellones—crossing the track at right angles to its course, are generally considered by travellers to have been originated by the regular tread of animals." Typical examples have a furrow of liquid mud upon each side of a ridge of slippery soil, with a difference of level of two feet or more between the top of the ridge and the bottom of the furrows ; and man and beast struggle over the one and wallow in the others upon this grande route to the interior. The traffic at this time was considerable both upwards and - downwards, and the loads were often very miscellaneous in char- acter. Champagne assorted with iron bedsteads seemed to travel | well, while sheets of corrugated iron laid flat across the backs of donkeys gave rise to much bad language in narrow places. Coming down from ‘the interior, on their way to the coast, we met numerous teams, often twenty or thirty in a troop, bringing huge bales of quinine bark, accompanied by gangs of unkempt 1 Though they are maintained and deepened by the tread of animals, it is questionable if they were originated by them. Upon some new road which was being made to the south of Otovalo, I noticed furrows being dug, and there were already amongst them (without the assistance of traffic) many first-class puddles, which promised to make this, in a short time, a worthy continuation of ‘* the Royal Road.”’ CHAP. I. A ROYAL ROAD. 9 Indians, who humbly doffed their hats as they passed by. All day long, in front or behind, there could be heard a subdued murmur of snortings, braying, smashing, and objurgation ; and from time to time, at fresh bends in the road, another caravan would appear,—horned cattle doing duty as well as horses, asses, and mules—the exclamations and whip-cracking became louder, A COLLECTOR. and we could distinguish the cries of the arrieros — their ‘Burros !’ and ‘ Burras!’ ‘ Mula ha has,’ and ‘ Cholos,”’ mingled with many ‘Lados!’ and expressions which will not bear translation. For most of the way from Bodegas to Savaneta the Royal road was just such a beaten track as may be seen on many English commons. Next it led through shady jungle, and after Playas was passed it began to rise, jungle gradually changed to forest, and the road became damp, dirty, and confined. When a gleam of sunlight pierced the interlaced branches, we could C 10 TRAVELS AMONGST THE GREAT ANDES. cHapP. I. see the great Morphos sailing in security amongst the hooks and spines of the tropical vegetation, and epiphytals thriving in gloom on stagnant air. But we could not tarry, for the rains had already commenced, and every one advised us to press on.! The second night found us at Mufiapamba, a regular stopping- place, 1837 feet above the sea, where a hut, called a Tambo, was surrounded by a motley throng of beasts, and bipeds who were practising the revolting habit that is referred to more par- ticularly in Chapter IV.; and we passed an uneasy night in the open air upon plank beds, which were the only couches known -at this establishment. At 7 a.m., on Dec. 16, we left the tambo, and crossed to the right bank of a little stream, called the 8. Jorge River. The Andes were still invisible, although we were actually upon their lower slopes. Everything was enveloped in mist, and a few 1 In consequence of having been detained for ten days upon the Isthmus of Panama, we only just escaped the coast wet season. The intention to collect en route was abandoned, as we were constantly warned by persons we met on the road that rain was falling heavily on the mountains. Amongst the few species secured on the first day’s journey, there have been found an undescribed Ant (Camponotus), a Bug (Pnohirmus), and two Beetles (Epitragus and Prionocalus), These are described and figured in the Supplementary Appendix which is published simultaneously with this volume. The Prionocalus that is described by Mr. H. W. Bates under the name P. trigonodes was picked up close to La Mona. It is one of the larger of known beetles, and being the finest we got during the day I looked at it attentively while putting it into alcohol. It gathered its limbs together, and appeared to expire almost instantaneously, without a struggle. The same happened with nearly everything that was obtained in Ecuador, with lizards, frogs, fish, etc., as well as with insects. The genus Prionocalus was founded by Adam White upon specimens received from Mexico. It has also been found in Peru, and some years ago Mr. Water- house described a fine species from Ecuador (locality unknown, but supposed to have been on the eastern or Amazonian side of the Andes) under the name P. Buckley, from specimens collected by the late Mr. Buckley. I obtained 2. Buckleyi at the height of about 4000 feet on the Royal road, and subsequently, through a collector, a third species of the genus, which was taken at the height of about 6000 feet, in the country to the west of Quito. CHAP. I. PRE BOTED ON THE HILL. 11 hundred yards was the most one could see in any direction. The path rose more steeply and continuously than upon passes which are commonly traversed by mules in the Alps, and degenerated as we ascended. It became a mere rut, hollowed out on the face of the mountain, without provision for drainage, and was left entirely to take care of itself. Earth that fell on to it from the banks at the side was trodden into the general filth. If pools accumulated, there they remained. Animals dying en route were left to rot, and were not removed. We passed two disabled mules, stuck fast, abandoned to their fate. In two hours from Mufiapamba we arrived at the village of Balsabamba, and after a brief halt continued the steep ascent ; soon after noon entering the zone where rain had been falling during the last eight days, and then every one pressed forward to seek the nearest shelter, at Tambo Loma. Whilst toiling up the greasy zigzags, we were overtaken by a genial man, made up of straps and buckles, who was riding extra-post to Quito, and were guided by him across the quagmire that surrounded the ** Hotel on the Hill” to the principal apartment, a window- less den about nine feet square and six feet high. There was neither bed nor bedding, food nor firing at this place.” We slept on our packing-cases. On the morning of the 17th we quitted Tambo Loma soon after daybreak, piloted by the friendly courier. The muleteers said that the road was nearly impassable, and during a rise of 3000 feet. we found it a morass, a sea of mud, into which our animals sank up to their knees or deeper. At length, when a little less than 10,000 feet above the level of the sea, we gradu- ally topped the mists, and obtained our first view in the Andes. 1 An Ecuadorian tambo is meant to give shelter to drovers and mule-drivers. These classes commonly carry food with them, for economy, and are content to sleep in pig-styes. The tambo meets their requirements, and seldom contains accommodation or food for the few others who travel in Ecuador. At La Mona we put up at a private house. Savaneta, Playas, Mufiapamba, and Balsabamba are recognized stopping-places, and have tambos. 12 TRAVELS AMONGST THE GREAT ANDES. CHAP, I. In a dim way, we could make out the buttress on which ‘Tambo Loma was placed; but, although overlooking the mists, we could see neither the tambo, nor Mufiapamba at the bottom of the valley, the flat land, the Pacific, nor anything to the west except mist,—lght and thin above, dense and black below. Towards the east it was nearly clear. A few hundred feet above us, our road led to a gap, or pass in the mountains. We made at once for this place, and in a few minutes left the steaming Pacific slopes behind, and passed, as it were, into another world. The view from this place was a revelation. From Bodegas until our arrival at this spot we had not been able to see as much as a mile in any direction. We passed through forest; the track constantly rose; the barometers told us we were getting high; but in what direction our road would lead, whether it would keep to the east, north-east, or south-east, was not known. From the existing maps of Ecuador? it did not appear that any important mountains intervened between Guaranda and the coast, and until this moment I had supposed that the western slopes of Chimborazo led continuously towards the Pacific. For the best authority upon this parti- cular district, Mr. Richard Spruce, says, ‘‘On the western side” (of Chimborazo) ‘‘I can find no positive break from the summit down to the plain. There is no intervening salient peak, and no ridge whose origin may not be traced to the peak of Chim- 1 Namely, the map by Don Pedro Maldonado, the map in La Condamine’s Voyage, and the map accompanying the work Geografia de la Republica del Ecuador, by Manuel Villavicensio, New York, 1858. In the portion of the Maldonado map that I have reproduced (which is placed at the end of this volume), it will be seen there is no suggestion of ‘an important range of mount- ains to the immediate west of Chimborazo and the valley of the R. Chimbo, and in several places, notably just north of the words Rk. Yaguachi, the map suggests flat, forest-covered land. On the map of La Condamine this district has evidently been copied from Maldonado, and some of the hill-work given by the latter authority is abolished, making the land appear flatter still; and in the Villavicensio map this process is still further carried out, and there appears to be nothing except unimportant hills between Guayaquil and Chimborazo. CHAP, I. THE PACIFIC RANGE OF ECUADOR. 13 borazo.”* In this matter he is, however, incorrect. It is more convenient to give at this point all that need be said on the subject than to recur to it again. The place where our road crossed the mountains was a true pass, leading through a gap, from the head of one valley on the western to another on the eastern side of a large and important range of mountains. Two small huts on its summit were termed Tambo Gobierno.? I read the two mercurial barometers here at 10 a.m., and there was a nearly corresponding (11 a.m.) observation by Mr. Chambers at Guayaquil, and from these observations it appears that the height of Tambo Gobierno is 10,417 feet. A short distance from us, both to the north and to the south, there were points from 1000 to 1500 feet higher ; and to the north, I found subsequently, the general elevation of the range increased, and that there were a number of summits 13 —14,000 feet above the level of the sea,—some, I believe, closely approaching the height of 15,000 feet. The general elevation diminishes when proceeding southwards, though it re- mains considerable to its furthest extremity, where the River Chimbo, suddenly changing from a nearly north and south course to an east and west one, skirts its base. At this end, the slopes rise abruptly from a few hundred feet above the level of the sea to 7-8000 feet, and are magnificently wooded. On December 19 and 26, when proceeding from Guaranda to Chimborazo, I had unclouded views of the eastern side of this range; and from December 27 to January 12, whilst encamped upon Chimborazo, I commanded and looked down upon the eastern side of the whole of the northern part of it. In the following July, whilst making the circuit of Chimborazo, I saw that that mountain was everywhere well separated from the » 1See page 7 of his Report on the expedition to procure seeds and plants of the Cinchona succirubra, or Red Bark Tree, London, 1861. 2 They contained accommodation for neither man nor beast, and nothing edible except one very shrivelled, old Indian woman. 14 TRAVELS AMONGST THE GREAT ANDES. cHap. t. range on its west; and subsequently, after skirting the great block of mountains to the south of Chimborazo, I came upon the range again at the Bridge of Chimbo, passed around its southern extremity, and saw its western slopes at that end dying out in the neighbourhood of Barraganetal. They also extend as far as Mufapamba. Its northern extremity, and north-western slopes, I have not seen at all. The range has, however, an ascertained length from north to south of 65 miles, and is in breadth 18 to 20 miles—that is to say, it is at least twice the length and breadth of the range of Mont Blanc. The range is bounded on the east by the valley of the River Chimbo, and the course of this valley is well seen in the neighbourhood of Guaranda. To the north of that town it opens out into a very large basin, which receives the whole of the drainage of the western side of Chimborazo. South of Guaranda, the valley for a long distance runs north and south. At Guaranda the river is 8530 feet, and at Chimbo (formerly called the Bridge of Chimbo), according to the Railway authorities, it is 1130 feet above the level of the sea. These facts suffi- ciently show that Chimborazo itself, and the great massif of which it is the culminating point, are separated by a large and, profound valley from the range of which I have spoken; and, as this range is not yet known by any distinctive appellation, I propose to call it the Pacific Range of Ecuador.’ At Tambo Gobierno we passed as it were into another world. The slopes of the Pacific Range were densely wooded right up to their crests on the side facing the Ocean, while their eastern ones were almost absolutely bare of vegetation. In a few hundred yards the track lost its royal character, and on the other side of the ridge became as dry as the Sahara. SS a a i Di a l \ \\\ \\ \ AY, i \\ \\ \ Ny \( N LEZ SS SZ SLE Z So Zz EE se SEES, Ze: SZ EE ZEEZ ZE= = SEES WH h | ; : =F \ i \\ \\\ N i a CHIMBORAZO, FROM THE SLOPES ABOVE CGUARANDA, CHAP. II. THE SOUTH SIDE OF CHIMBORAZO. 25 slopes and schrunds, clouds came and went ceaselessly. We cherished the idea that we were unfortunate in the weather, and that presently they would be dissipated. It took time to learn that they were a great and permanent feature of the mountain, due to the condensation of damp air coming from the Amazonian region. A direct approach to the eastern summit from the side of Guaranda could not be contemplated for a moment; for the glaciers streaming from the two domes fell over cliffs, and above nearly perpendicular precipices of rock there rose per- pendicular walls of ice, which broke away as the glaciers progressed, and rolled into a basin, of which we only saw the head. We could trace the grooves and scorings on the slopes below made by falling bodies, and knew that we could not venture there. Underneath the western summit, and leading nearly south- west, there appeared to be a ridge coming down to the Arenal, and to the west of this there was another basin, filled with rather tumultuous glacier. This was succeeded by another ridge, bearing on its crest a number of sharp pinnacles of rock. We could only conjecture what came behind this. The view was terminated on the extreme left by a very long snow-slope, which seemed to be remarkably free from impedi- ments, and appeared to stretch continuously almost from the snow-line up to the western dome. ‘This ridge was a considerable distance away, and we could not learn whether it was possible to reach its inferior end. Choice of route was narrowed to it and the south-west ridge, and I gave a casting vote in favour of the latter, being largely influenced in arriving at this decision by the supposition that it was in this direction Humboldt and Boussingault made their memorable attempts to ascend the mountain. There was one point upon this ridge (hereafter referred to as the south-west ridge of Chimborazo) which, in our united E 20 TRAVELS AMONGST THE GREAT ANDES. CHAP. I. opinion, was likely to present difficulties.’ If this place could be passed, I reckoned that we should be able to reach the top of the mountain. a) summit on the surface of the earth. It looked very large from Guaranda. The snowy part that was visible (and this was only a fraction of the whole) extended nearly over a point of the compass (ten degrees and a half). We were more than twice the distance from it that the Brévent is from Mont Blanc, yet at that distance its crevasses and schrunds appeared larger and more formidable than the crevasses on Mont Blane which can be seen from the Brévent. It was clear that an ascent was not to be effected without labour. The route that I proposed to take seemed the easiest if not the only way by which it could be ascended on the side of the Arenal. While the Carrels were away prospecting, I gave attention to the barometers, for measurement of atmospheric pressure was the first consideration, as this was at the bottom of all the work which was to be undertaken. Itook to Ecuador two mountain mercurial barometers of the Fortin pattern,’ as well as boiling-point ther- mometers and aneroids. Although the employment of aneroids, and the boiling-water method are recommended in works of authority* for the determination of differences of pressure, I 1 Juan and Ulloa made it 21,615 feet ; La Condamine, 20,592 feet ; Humboldt, 21,425 feet; and Reiss and Stiibel, 20,703 feet. 2 This teaching seems to have prevailed at a later date, for in the first and second editions of E. Barrett Browning’s Aurora Leigh, published in 1856-7, the following passage occurs :— ‘‘T learnt the royal genealogies Of Oviedo, the internal laws Of the Burmese empire, ... by how many feet Mount Chimborazo outsoars Himmeleh.”’ 3 And left a third one (Kew pattern) with Mr. Chambers for simultaneous comparisons at Guayaquil. 4 See Hints to Travellers, sixth edition, pp. 89, 305, 309, ete. F o4 TRAVELS AMONGST THE GREAT ANDES. cuap. tt. felt that observations made by them would not command confi- dence ; but as the transport of mercurial barometers is a ticklish matter, and they seldom survive prolonged use, I carried boiling- point thermometers and aneroids as a reserve in case of accident, and took every opportunity to compare the indications of the three kinds of instruments, to instruct myself how far they agreed when used in the field. All the instruments arrived at Guaranda in safety... From London to Bodegas they had been in my own charge, and I then handed the two Fortins over to Jean-Antoine, who, to ensure the safety of these delicate instruments, walked the greater part of the way from Bodegas to Guaranda. From the unceasing attention that they required, the barometers were nicknamed ‘‘the babies,” and many children would be fortunate indeed if they were tended with the loving care which he bestowed upon those mercurial infants. The two Fortin barometers were verified before departure at Kew Observatory,? and were hung alongside each other at Guaranda. The mean of the readings of these two barometers, reduced to 32° Faht., was the standard to which all the other observations were referred. The boiling-point thermometers were in two series (150°— 185°, and 180°—215°), in order to have each degree a good length ; and a number of experimental comparisons were made with them, upon which a few general observations are offered in Appendix D. Seven aneroids were taken to the interior of Ecuador.’ Atl of these were made for the journey, and they were frequently 1 Except one aneroid, which was either lost or stolen. During our halt at S. José de Chimbo, an Ecuadorian who heard that I carried aneroids was very urgent to buy one. I shewed him mine, and on arrival at Guaranda found that one of them had disappeared. A reward was offered for its recovery, without result. 2 A facsimile of the Certificate of Verification of No. 558 is given in Appendix C, 8 And an eighth was left with Mr. Chambers at Guayaquil, as a reserve in case of accident to the mercurial barometer. CHAP. II. COMPARISONS OF THE ANEROIDS. 35 tested before departure under the air-pump, and compared with the Makers’ Standard, as well as compared with my own standards which had been, as I have said, verified at Kew. The prime reason for carrying so many aneroids was the apprehension that, despite the care which was taken of the mercurial barometers, I might be suddenly deprived of them by some unhappy smash ; and, having a number, the occasion was favourable for comparing the actual working of the two classes of barometers. Whilst aneroids are much recommended by some persons, by others they are much condemned. Though it is common to hear ~ them spoken of as unreliable it is certain that differences of pressure can be determined by them with marvellous accuracy. When I sought for information or instruction how and why they were unreliable I obtained no satisfaction, and I was unable to learn that any one had ever taken the trouble to compare the actual working in the field of aneroids against the mercurial barometer at low pressures. ‘he recommendations in favour of aneroids have been made, it is to be presumed, on the assumption that they do read against the mercurial barometer with the same degree of accuracy when employed in the field as they do when tested against it under the air-pump. This seemed to be a fit subject for investigation, and I entered upon the enquiry without prepossessions either for or against aneroids, cherishing the hope that the means of several — would closely accord with the mercurial barometer,—a hope that I entertained because these instruments seemed to be pretty equally divided between those which had a tendency to read too high and those which had a tendency to read too low. The idea was that the plus errors of some might or would balance the minus errors of others. This hope was speedily dissipated. I found that my aneroids did not read against the mercurial barometer when used in the 1 I] do not ignore Mr. Glaisher’s comparisons in balloon, See Appendix A, § 18. 36 TRAVELS AMONGST THE GREAT ANDES. cCH8AP. I. field with the same accuracy, or in the same manner, as they had done when tested under the air-pump, and that their behaviour was perplexing. Upon leaving Guayaquil (just above the level of the sea), one of the seven read higher than the mercurial barometer, and the six others all read lower than it, though not to a large extent. The mean of the readings of the whole of the aneroids was 0°055 of an inch lower than the mercurials, and the seven instruments differed amongst each other to the extent of 0°346 of an inch. It was to be expected that they would continue to differ amongst each other, and that the greatest difference would increase, as this is what is com- monly found to occur in most assemblages of aneroids. The object of comparison in the field was to determine whether increase of the differences amongst the aneroids would affect the mean error of the whole when compared with the mercurial barometer ; that is to say, would the mean error of the aneroids remain 0°055 of an inch, or would it become materially altered ? It became apparent at an early stage of the journey that the means of the aneroids shewed larger and larger depart- ures from the mercurial barometer. After a little time, each individual instrument indicated lower pressures than the mer- curial barometer... By the time we arrived at Guaranda the mean error of the aneroids had increased from —0:055_ to —0°520 of an inch, and it augmented daily.? In the course of the narrative I shall point out from time to time the exceedingly serious errors which would have been fallen into in determination of altitudes if I had been obliged to rely upon aneroids alone.’ When the weather was favourable I took out the camera, 1 Aneroid D, the one which read higher than the mercurials at Guayaquil, by the time we arrived at Tambo Gobierno had a minus error of 0°359 of an inch. 2 See Appendix C, § 5, and the tables showing the constant growth of the ‘““oreatest difference,’ and the ‘‘mean error of aneroids.”’ 3 Those who desire to pursue this subject are referred to the pamphlet How to use the Aneroid Barometer, which is published simultaneously with this volume. — CHAP. Il. INSTANTANEOUS EXECUTION. | 37 and photographed Chimborazo, and the Spanish girl with the lustrous eyes, and other objects of interest; which came to the ears of the Authorities, and then ‘hey wished to be photographed, along with their progeny. It was difficult to refuse, but I grudged a plate on them alone, and sent out Mr. Perring to pick up subjects with a stronger local flavour, to include in the group; and, with an excess of zeal, he pounced down upon the first person he came across, an old Indian woman, and drove her before him into the courtyard. She came in crying and screeching, clasping her hands, and appealing to the Almighty to save her from my cruelty. ‘‘ What have I done,” she shrieked, ‘‘that I should be seized and brought here to be killed ? Sefior Patron! spare my life! What have I done to be treated thus ?*”—a speech which drew a roar of laughter from the others, who were waiting to be executed.’ - The Carrels returned, very tired, at 8.45 a.m. on Dec. 23, bringing a good report. To shew the height they had attained, they had placed the pointer attached to the movable rim of the aneroid against 15°370 socher. » They had -traversed the ground _... coms or Tuk vouce. intervening between the Arenal and the ridge I proposed to follow, and Jean-Antoine had _ selected a camping-place upon it; but they thought that we should be unable to reach this spot comfortably, with a laden team, in one day from Guaranda, and spoke emphatically of the fatigue they had experienced in pounding up a sandy vadlon leading to it. They had accordingly selected another and lower camping-place 1 It was explained afterwards that her fright was due to the Chief of the Police, whose office was in our courtyard. Perring was supposed by her to be one of his myrmidons. 38 TRAVELS AMONGST THE GREAT ANDES. CHAP. U. on the northern side of the Arenal, at the base of the mountain, and proposed that on the first day we should not try to go farther. The needle of Aneroid F pointed to 15°370 inches when the Carrels were at the place that they selected for the higher camp, and as the corresponding figures on the ‘‘scale of feet” were 19,122 they could have fairly claimed to have reached that height ‘‘ by aneroid.” I estimated that they had only got about as high as 16,450 feet. The Aneroid F, at all stages of the journey, read dower than the mercurial barometers. At Guaya- quil its error was —0°172; at Munapamba it was —0°208; at Tambo Gobierno it was —0°629 ; and, upon arrival at Guaranda, —0°708 of an inch.’ Its error constantly increased. When they left Guaranda on Dec. 21 it amounted to —0°890 of an inch, and on their return upon the 23rd it had risen to —1-080 inches. I assumed that the error was regularly increasing, and that when they reached their highest point, soon after mid-day on the 22nd, it amounted to one inch. In that case, the true barometric reading would be 16°370 inches. The figures corresponding with 16°370 inches upon the “scale of feet” were 17,400, but from this amount I subtracted 950 feet, for the following reason. Aneroid F (like a great part of the aneroids which are in use) had its zero, or level of the sea, at 31 inches, and made 380 inches correspond with a height of 894 feet above the sea.” I assumed that atmospheric ' pressure at the level of the sea on Dec. 22 was a little less than 30 inches,? and deducted 950 feet accordingly. This 1 It should not be supposed that this was due to bad graduation. I had seen this aneroid, like all the others when tested under the air-pump, accord inch by inch with the attached mercurial barometer. 2 See How to use the Aneroid Barometer, pp. 56-7. 3 This could be assumed with some probability, as the variations in atmospheric pressure are small in Ecuador. See Appendix B. Upon return to Guayaquil, I found that Mr. Chambers had recorded 29°957 inches (mere. bar. reduced to 82°) as the reading at 11 a.m. on Dee. 22. DE a a i i, a er ee . i Oe CHAP. II. WH START FOR CHIMBORAZO. 39 reduced the height of the place they had selected for the second camp to 16,450 feet, and up to that spot, they said, animals might be taken. We now thought that there was nothing to hinder us from starting on the 24th, but upon discussing matters with the arrieros it appeared that our departure must be postponed, as they would not be absent from Guaranda on Christmas Day. At 9.45 a.m. on the 26th our troop of fourteen animals (ten for baggage and four for riding) filed out of the yard,’ followed by three arrieros and two Indians who were em- ployed to carry some long poles which were wanted for signals and other uses. The Priest blessed me and mine, and. all that we had. The Chief of the Police, dressed in his best, THE POPULACE AT GUARANDA. came to see us off; while the populace of Guaranda sat on a wall and regarded us with stolidity. The Indians were supplied by the Authorities, and proved an undesirable contingent. They lagged behind under various pretences, with the obvious intention of bolting, and would speedily have disappeared had not somebody kept in the rear to prevent their escape.” One of them, an exceptionally sulky 1 The price demanded for baggage or riding animals in Ecuador was generally very moderate. On this occasion it was a peso (equal to about 2s. 8d.) per day and forage. 2 They were paid in advance, according to the custom of the country, and had to be provided with shoes. Although natives of all sorts were continually f : 40 TRAVELS AMONGST THE GREAT ANDES. cCuAP. 1. and stubborn fellow, carried his poles in such a manner that they struck everything we passed, and by these and other antics delayed us so considerably that we occupied seven hours in getting to the Arenal. After crossing its summit, we left the usnal Quito track (which passes by Tortorillas) on our right, and under the leading of Jean- Antoine steered a nearly north- north-easterly course over the upper and level portion of the great plain. The sun was approaching the horizon, and threw immensely long shadows upon the luminous sand. Carrel guided us to the spot he had selected, just at the mouth of a vallon leading directly towards the western summit.’ We camped under a moonlit sky by the side of a tiny stream. The night was still and cold, and at meal-time we all—mountaineers, arrieros, and Indians—sat together round a blazing fire in the centre of the ONE OF OUR ARRIEROS. encampment. The temperature fell unexpectedly low. The minimum thermometer registered 21° Faht., and our little brook became a mass of solid ice. The remains of the soup in the cooking utensils were frozen up, cruelly hard,—but it was harder still to find in the morning that the Indians and five of the mules had disappeared. met with trudging bare-footed along the roads, whenever one was hired he found himself unable to walk without shoes, and that he had none. 1 Left Guaranda 9.45 a.m.; arrived at Ensillada 1.50 p.m. Halted 45 min. Arrived at summit of Arenal 4.45 p.m.; and at Camp 1 (14,375 feet) at 5.50 p.m. EE AIGUILLES ON CHIMBORAZO. CHAPTER TIt. THE FIRST ASCENT OF CHIMBORAZO. THE temperature in the night was unexpectedly low for so moderate an elevation as that of the first camp. Only a week before, at Tortorillas, we had experienced 56°.5 at mid-day, and I scarcely anticipated that the freezing-point would be touched at the height of 14,000 feet in the neighbourhood of the Equator.’ This sharp frost caused me to observe the nocturnal minima at our subsequent camps, and, from the table that is given in Appendix E, it will be seen that the minimum of the night of Dec. 26 was below the average. It occurred upon an excep- tionally fine night, with a clear sky. 1 The only information I possessed upon temperatures of any sort at considerable elevations in Ecuador was that published by Boussingault in the Comptes Rendus, in 1879, vol. lxxxviii, p. 1241. This relates to the Hacienda of Antisana (138,306 feet), and is referred to more particularly in my chapter upon Antisana. G 42 TRAVELS AMONGST THE GREAT ANDES. omar. m1. The disappearance of the mules and Indians was a more serious matter. ‘The arrieros could afford to take it coolly, as the hire of their animals had been paid in advance. Deprived of seven backs, two journeys became necessary to the second camp, and the best arrangement I could make was to despatch Jean- Antoine in charge of the caravan, whilst Louis and I waited below at the foot of the vallon, ostensibly to finish work there, but really to prevent any more desertions. Jean-Antoine went away at 10 a.m. on the 27th, with eight laden mules, the three arrieros and Perring. He was to remain above, to commence the establishment of the camp, and to send the team back as soon as it could be unloaded. One mule was retained below, for this beast seemed to be oppressed with such a load of melancholy (which I attributed to sore ribs) that I had not the heart to send it higher. Louis was well employed in collecting firewood, and in transferring surplus stores up the vallon to a depot; whilst I, after finishing my proper work, went aside, and stripped for a real good wash before going to regions where ablutions were unknown. Presently there was a noise, and I became aware that the mule had broken loose and was frisking about. ‘The animal rejoiced in freedom, and, intoxicated by success, went as near to standing upon its head as a mule can go. Its behaviour seemed to me supremely ungrateful, and - I went for that animal. It ran away; but it was handicapped, for it had a long halter, which trailed along the sandy plain, whilst I ran unimpeded, and gained on it at every stride. When I seized the halter it was I who was captured. The wretched beast dragged me unmercifully over the sandy soil until Louis came to my assistance, and we then towed it in triumph back to camp. On the side of the Great Arenal three vallons lead up into Chimborazo.t. One of these, narrow at its mouth and broader above, is bounded at its upper extremity by the glacier which 1 See the map of Chimborazo inset on the large general map. ee ee Ve Se ee eee ee, CC TS a * a a © CHAP. III. ON MOUNTAIN-SICK NESS. 43 is marked G upon my map. ‘This one we naturally termed the Vallon de Tortorillas. The next towards the west—the Vallon de Débris—leads to the glacier marked F. The third, still farther to the west, was that up which our caravan had gone. I called this the Vallon de Carrel. The Great Arenal stretches along the base of the ridges that divide these little valleys." In the vicinity of Tortorillas its soil is grassy, and affords pasturage to sheep and cattle; but vegetation becomes more and more sparse as one proceeds towards the west, and ultimately it almost entirely disappears. ‘The soil in the centre of the plain is composed of fragments of lava—much of it scoriaceous; they presently become smaller and more equal in size, and on the west of the plain the surface is composed of what can only be called fine sand, which drifts in this direction. This is partly volcanic dust, and probably is partly derived from attrition of the larger fragments. Much of the matter was no doubt ejected by Chimborazo, but it is certainly to some extent sup- plemented by the volcanic dust which is constantly floating about the country, and is borne by the prevalent winds towards: the south-west. This sandy soil was very loose, and toilsome to ascend even upon moderate gradients. Hence I was surprised that our caravan returned soon after 1 p.m., having occupied only a httle more than three hours in going to and returning from the second camp. After allowing the animals a rest, they were reloaded with as much as was good for them, and the remainder of the provisions and stores were left in depot at the entrance of the Vallon de Carrel. At this point I must stop to explain more particularly the manner in which it was proposed to conduct our operations. Neither of the two Carrels, nor I myself, had ever experi- enced the least symptom of mountain-sickness. None of us, 1 These vallons cannot be seen in the view facing p. 24. They are hidden by the ridge that stretches across the engraving. 44 TRAVELS AMONGST THE GREAT ANDES. cuHap. It. however, prior to this journey had been 16,000 feet high; and, probably, had never sustained so low a pressure as 17 inches. I had at various times been in the company of persons who said they were affected by ‘rarefaction of the air,’ and who were unable to proceed; but their symptoms, so far as I observed them, might have been produced by fatigue and unfamiliarity with mountaineering, and were not of the more acute kind. Although I attached little importance to such cases as had come under my own personal observation, I had never felt disposed to question the reality of mountain-sickness ; and on the contrary had frequently maintained that it is reasonable to expect some effects should be produced upon men who experience much lower atmospheric pressures than those to which they are accustomed ; and that it is much more remarkable to find that, apparently, no effects of a detrimental kind are caused on many persons who ascend to the height of 14-15,000 feet (or, say, sustain a pressure of seventeen and a half inches), than it is to learn that others have suffered at slightly lower pressures. ‘The thing that seemed most puzzling was that, at the greatest heights I had reached, instead of appearing to suffer any injurious effects, the effects seemed positively beneficial; and from this I thought it was not unlikely that we should be able to reach much more considerable heights, and to sustain considerably lower pressures, without being adversely affected. Some of my friends, however, who had been as high as 17-18,000 feet, competent mountaineers, and men who could speak without exaggeration, told me that they had not been at all comfortable at such elevations. It seemed certain that sooner or later we should suffer like the rest of the world, but I pro- posed to put off the evil day as long as possible; to mount gradually and leisurely, by small stages, so that there should be no abrupt transition; and to get to the lowest attainable press- ures (the greatest heights) by the simplest means that could be devised, and by the easiest routes that could be found, in : CHAP. III. THE COMMISSARIAT. 45 order that extreme exertion and fatigue should take no part in anything that might happen. This will explain why we pro- ceeded so deliberately. Should it be found necessary, I was prepared to devote the whole of the time that I could remain in Ecuador to Chimborazo alone. I did not see fit either before our departure from Europe, or at any period of the journey, to communicate the nature of my objects to my assistants, or what was likely to befall them. At starting, they were only aware that we should proceed to South America, and that they would be employed in mountain work, at great elevations. As it would be impossible to retain natives at our higher camps, and we ourselves might be detained at them by bad weather or from other causes even for weeks at a time, it was necessary to be well provided with food; and as it could not be expected that we should be able to obtain on the spot pro- visions which would keep for a length of time, I concluded, before leaving Europe, that to work with certainty we must make ourselves entirely independent of the resources of the country in the matter of the food which would be consumed at the greatest heights. A large quantity of the most portable and most condensed provisions accordingly went out for our use.} These provisions were packed in boxes measuring 28? x11} x 102 inches, weighing abcut 72 lbs. apiece. Each of these boxes contained three tin cases, measuring 93x 9x82 inches, and each tin case held food for four men for one day. The tins, being thoroughly soldered down, could be left exposed in the worst weather, or dipped in water without taking harm. ‘The contents comprised nearly everything that was requisite except water and firing. =——S — —> === — = —— = = = SS SSS WSS SS —— ——S = —— —— —— = = ——SS—— - SSSSESS == SS== WS SS SS: Ss ——— SSS SS —= SS LLSSSS== SSS = = = SS ————S = = S S SST == = == — == SS SS = = —— = — — == —SS — SS = —— = —— SS ——— = —=> =—— SS SS —— = = = S= i i - My SS SSS SSS SSS == = S=S=>S= CHAP. VII. THE OCHRATEAR BY NIGHT. 151 upwards, prepared for something dramatic, for a strong glow on the under sides of the steam-clouds shewed that there was fire below. Crawling and grovelling as the lip was approached, I bent eagerly forward to peer into the unknown, with Carrel behind, gripping my legs. The vapours no longer concealed any part of the vast crater, though they were there, drift- ing about, as before. ZB (« \ ik S ANE WW ‘* THERE WAS FIRE BELOW.”’ 152 . TRAVELS AMONGST THE GRHAT ANDES. cnHapr. vit. We saw an amphitheatre 2300 feet in diameter from north to south, and 1650 feet across from east to west,’ with a rugged and irregular crest, notched and cracked; surrounded by cliffs, by perpendicular and even overhanging precipices, mixed with steep slopes —some bearing snow, and others apparently encrusted with sulphur. Cavernous recesses belched forth smoke; the sides of \ ‘ NN I NX \ uit ENS ey ae Vo ST ii . NWS S S x » N WUR SIESTA | = 2 cracks and chasms no more than half-way down shone with ruddy light ; and so it continued on all sides, right down to the bottom, precipice alternating with slope, and the fiery fissures becoming more numerous as the bottom was approached. At the bottom, probably twelve hundred feet below us, and towards the centre, there was a rudely circular spot, about one-tenth of the diameter of the crater, the pipe of the volcano, its channel 1 The accompanying plan is made from measurements which were taken on the following morning. From A to B (600 feet) was measured by a line. Z repre- sents the mouth of the pipe at the bottom of the crater. C was the lowest point in the lip or rim, and A, D, E, were the highest ones. Se | . OMAP VII. A GREAT SAFETY- VALVE. 153 of communication with lower regions, filled with incandescent if not molten lava, glowing and burning; with flames travelling to and fro over its surface, and scintillations scattering as from a wood-fire ; lighted by tongues of flickering flame which issued from the cracks in the surrounding slopes. At intervals of about half an hour the volcano regularly blew off steam. It rose in jets with great violence from the bottom of the crater, and boiled over the lip, continually envelop- ing us. The noise on these occasions resembled that which we hear when a large ocean steamer is blowing off steam. It appeared to be pure, and we saw nothing thrown out, yet in the morning the tent was almost black with matter which had been ejected. These intermittent and violent escapes of (com- paratively) small quantities of steam proceeded with considerable regularity during our stay on the summit, but I cannot suppose they are continually happening. They can scarcely have occurred when we saw the clouds of steam quietly simmering out of the crater from the Hacienda Rosario (see p. 123), or from our camp upon Feb. 17, and upon numerous other occasions. My prede- cessors on Cotopaxi do not speak of them. ‘They were evidently of the same nature, though much inferior in force to those which we had seen emitted from Sangai a few weeks previously. I do not feel able to frame an explanation which would account for these outbursts if it is assumed that fluid, molten lava filled the pipe. I conjecture that the lava in the pipe leading from the bottom of the crater, although intensely hot, was cooling and settling down, closing fissures and imprisoning steam that desired to escape, which presently acquired sufficient force to burst through the barriers and effect temporary relief. I imagine that the settling and closing-up process recommenced after each outburst, until some unusually violent explosion estab- lished what may be termed a free vent. The steam then welled out unimpeded, in the manner we so frequently observed. After such occasions, the internal pressure being diminished, I presume xX 154 TRAVELS AMONGST THE GREAT ANDES. cuHap. vu. that the closing-up process went on with greater activity, and that the vent was sometimes entirely closed, causing the volcano to appear unusually tranquil. Steam unquestionably plays a leading part in the operations of Cotopaxi, and sometimes the quantity that issues is enormous. One morning in the following April, when encamped, at the height of 14,760 feet, on Cayambe, at a distance of about sixty miles to the north-north-east, just after daybreak, we saw Coto- paxil pouring out a prodigious volume of steam, which boiled up a few hundred feet above the rim of its crater, and then, being caught by a south-westerly wind, was borne towards the north- east, almost up to Cayambe. The bottom of this cloud was about 5000 feet above us; it rose at least a mile high, and spread over a width of several miles; and, as it was travelling a little to the east of us, we had a perfect and unimpeded view of it. I estimate that on this occasion we saw a continuous body of not less than sixty cubic miles of cloud formed from steam. If this vast volume, instead of issuing from a free vent, had found its passage barred, itself imprisoned, Cotopaxi on that morning might. have been effaced, and the whole continent might have quivered under an explosion rivalling or surpassing the mighty catastrophe at Krakatoa. We were up again before daylight on the 19th, and then measured 600 feet on the western side of the crater, and took angles to gain an idea of its dimensions. I photographed it,’ and made final observations of the mercurial barometer to deter- mine its altitude. From the mean of the whole, its summit appears to be 19,613 feet above the sea. In 1872-3, Messrs. Reiss and Stiibel (by angles taken from various barometrically measured bases) made its height 19,498 feet; and, by the same method, La Condamine, in the early part of last century, found that its height was 18,865 feet. As there is not much proba- 1 The engraving facing p. 147 has been made from this photograph. The whole of the interior of the crater was surrounded by cliffs and slopes of the same character. a io ares TS ee ee Se oe ie ee CHAP. VII. SOME MORE “ TREASURES” ! 155 bility of considerable error in any of the determinations, it would seem that Cotopaxi has materially increased its elevation in the course of the last century and a half. The time to descend had now arrived, and at 11.30 a.m. our Ecuadorians should have remounted to assist In carrying our baggage down again. ‘The weather, however, was abominable, and they preferred to leave the work to us. After depositing our more bulky stores at the foot of the great slope of ash, we tramped down to the first camp. The feet of Louis were still in a very tender state, and he could not take part in racing ; but Jean-Antoine and I went down as hard as we could, and descended the 4,300 feet in 110 minutes. ‘Two days more elapsed before animals could be brought from Machachi for the retreat, and it was late on the 21st before we got clear of Cotopaxi. The night was dark, and the path invisible; but guided by the bells we gained the hamlet, and encamped once more in the chapel of Pedregal. The rest of my Machachi men now returned home, and the authorities lost no time in interviewing them, for these poor noodles were possessed with the idea that we were in search of 9 gold. ‘‘ Tell us, what did they do Said my men, ‘‘ The Doctor, dressed like a king, went from one place to another, looking about; but after a time Sefior Juan and Sefior Luis seemed afraid of him, for they tied him up with a rope.” ‘‘ Enough of this ; tell us, did they find treasure?” ‘‘We think they did. They went down on their hands and knees searching for it, and they wrapped what they took in paper and brought it away.” “Was it gold?” ‘‘We do not know, but it was very heavy.” This, though true, was rather misleading. The “royal” attire which so impressed them consisted of the Ulster coat and dress- ing-gown underneath, crowned by the Dundee whaling-cap ; and the ‘‘ treasures” we carried away were samples of the jagged crest and débris of the terminal slope. 156 TRAVELS AMONGST THE GREAT ANDES. CHAP. vu. Cotopaxi shews no signs of approaching decrepitude, and for many centuries yet to come it may remain the highest active voleano in the world ; or perchance the imprisoned forces may find an easier outlet, through barriers offering less resistance, and either Sangai, Tunguragua, or Pichincha may become the premier volcano of the Equator. Whilst the great cone which buried be- neath glaciers more extensive than those of Cayambe or Anti- has so often trembled with subterranean thunders sana — will echo with the crash of the ice-avalanche ; its crater will disappear, and, over its rugged floor and its extinguished fires, soft snowflakes will rear a majestic dome loftier than Chimborazo. INDIAN CRUCIFIX. THE BELLS OF PEDREGAL. CHAP TGR WV TT. THE FIRST ASCENT OF SINCHOLAGUA. DvuRING our stay at the summit of Cotopaxi, we had remained continuously for twenty-six hours at a lower pressure than had been experienced during any twenty-six consecutive hours on Chimborazo,' without having a recurrence of what I have ven- tured to term the acute symptoms of mountain-sickness ; and this was satisfactory, as it indicated that we had become somewhat habituated to low pressures. It is material to observe that, although we were actively employed during much of the time, the work in which we were engaged did not tax our strength. It is by no means certain, if larger demands had been made upon it, that our condition would have remained equally sound. The ascent of Cotopaxi, however, was considered severely scien- tific by my men. Prolonged residences in exalted situations were 1 The highest reading of the mercurial barometer (reduced to 32° Faht.) at our camp (135 feet below the summit of Cotopaxi) was 14°808 inches, and the lowest was 14°761 inches. This (19,500 feet) was the most elevated position at which we encamped on the journey. 158 TRAVELS AMONGST THE GREAT ANDES. cuap. vut. little to their taste. They pined for work more in harmony with the old traditions ; for something with dash and go,—the sallying forth in the dead of the night with rope and axe, to slay a giant ; returning at dusk, with shouts and rejoicing, bringing its head in a haversack. I sacrificed a day to meet their wishes, and told them to select a peak, just as one may give a sugar-plum to a fractious child to keep it quiet. Giants were scarce in,the neighbourhood of Pedregal. My men looked upon Pasochoa with a sort of contempt, and at Rumifiahui with disfavour, as there were at least half-a-dozen ways up it; and their choice fell upon Sincholagua, an attenuated peak, appetizing to persons with a taste for Aiguilles, that had stared us in the face when we looked out of the window at Mach- achi,* which might be ascended in one way, and in one only. It may be described as forming a northern extension of the massif of Cotopaxi, and it stands to that mountain in much the same relation as Carihuairazo to Chimborazo. In.a section of Ecuador in this latitude, the ground (proceeding from west to east) falls continuously from the summit of Corazon * to the bed of the Rio Grande ; then ascends, to cross a ridge con- necting Pasochoa with Rumifiahui, and descends, gently, through 1 Its height according to Messrs. Reiss and Sttibel is 16,365 feet (4988 metres), and La Condamine 16,435 feet (2570 toises). It is probably the tenth in rank of the Great Andes of the Equator. 2? T am unable to say anything about the country on the Pacific side of Corazon. We did not see it, and it is possible that for some distance to the west of this mountain it has never been seen by any one. No reliance can be placed upon that part of the Maldonado map. Amongst the curious mistakes of detail in this map may be mentioned the insertion of the name of Rumifahui (Ruminaui) over the position actually occupied by Pasochoa, and the entire omission of the former mountain. On this map, nothing is made to intervene between Corazon and Cotopaxi. In La Condamine’s map, Rumifiahui occupies its proper position,—Pasochoa, however, is omitted. Ruminahui (15,607 R. & 8.) is a large and prominent mountain, though not one of the greatest of the Andes of the Equator. From north to south it extends over about twelve miles, and it fills the space between the eastern (right) bank of the Rio Grande, and our track from Pedregal to Cotopaxi. CHAP. VIII. THE BRIO: PITA. 159 Pedregal to the bed of the Rio Pita (about 11,300 feet). Sincho- lagua rises on the eastern side of this river, and forms the cul- minating point of a long ridge running northwards from Cotopaxi, which dies out in the basin of Chillo, and in a manner may be said to extend to the east and north-east until it meets the western slopes of Antisana.' As Sincholagua promised to give full occupation for a day, it was arranged to ride as far as animals could be used ; and we should have started before sunrise, only, when the right time came our mules were nowhere, or, speaking more correctly, they were everywhere, as the arrieros after carefully driving them into a yard where there was nothing to eat had left the entrance to it unclosed, and the animals very sensibly wandered out on the moorland, where they could browse. We sallied forth on Feb. 23, at 7 a.m., and after returning a few miles over the Cotopaxi track turned sharply towards the east, directly towards our mountain ; crossed the tiny Rio Pedregal and some moorish ground, and at 8.15 forded the Rio Pita.? The ravages of the great flood which descended from Cotopaxi on June 26, 1877, were fresh at that time, and it was clear that when it was at its highest this stream must have been about 1100 feet wide, and not less than fifty feet deep.* When we crossed this formidable river it had shrunk to a width of about two hundred feet, and was no more than three feet in depth. Sincholagua rose abruptly on its right bank. The Carrels went to the front, and in a few minutes Louis became embogged 1 Three weeks later, from the Hacienda of Antisanilla, I saw that the country between Antisana and Sincholagua might almost be termed table-land; having undulations, but no salient peaks, and an extreme elevation of 12-15,000 feet. 2 I did not observe the height of this point. It was probably about the same as that of the Hacienda of Pedregal (11,629 feet). 3 From the note at p. 126, it will be seen that the flood travelled the whole distance from Cotopaxi to Esmeraldas at about the rate of seventeen miles per hour. Owing to the steepness of the fall, the rate was no doubt much greater during the earlier part of its course, when it descended into the basin of Chillo, and erased the factories of the Aguirre family. 160 TRAVELS AMONGST THE GREAT ANDES. cHapP. viii. in some alluring and deceitful ground. In this country (and it may perhaps be said of the slopes of mountains in general) any spot that is especially verdant is sure to be swampy. In Ecuador, this is no doubt an indication that the earth in the immediate neighbourhood of such spots is vot fissured ; water is unable to drain away, and the soil becomes saturated.’ After all hands had extricated Louis and his beast from the morass, Cevallos (our principal arriero) took the lead. He was a capital horseman, and, unlike the majority of his class, had no objections to his animals going to great heights. We pushed on hard, and in two hours and a quarter rose three thousand feet,— half-way up coming suddenly upon three deer, gambolling about. These lower slopes, though steep, were easy to ride over, and up to 14,000 feet and higher were rather luxuriantly covered with grasses. At about the height of 14,800 feet our animals could go no farther, and were left in charge of Cevallos. This spot was just above the clouds which are underneath the summit in the engraving on the opposite page. All the grass land was below, and we were confronted with crags, precipitous enough for any one, crowned by fields of snow and ice, the birthplace of a fine hanging-glacier which crept down almost perpendicular cliffs, 1 The searcity of rills and streams upon most of the Great Andes of the Equator was continually remarked, and we frequently had trouble in obtaining a supply of water. It seems not improbable that the surface drainage infiltrates to great depths, and supplies much of the steam that escapes from the active voleanoes. Little of it reappears on the surface in springs. The only warm spring of any size that I saw in the interior was near Machachi, about fifty yards from the west (left) bank of the Rio Grande, and about fifteen feet above that river. It bubbled up freely in a considerable volume in a pool, twelve by ten feet across, with a quantity of gas escaping. The temperature of this spring at mid-day was 69° Faht., and of the air 65°°25. It was said that in the early morning the temperature of the water was higher. It was scarcely necessary to investigate the accuracy of this statement. The air temperature in the morning was generally below 55° Faht.; and, if the warmth of the spring remained constant, the contrast between the two temperatures would be greater then than at mid-day. People come both to drink at and to bathe in this pool. Its taste was compared to Vichy water. CHAP, VIII. SINCHOLAGUA. 161 clasping the rocks with its fingers and arms. We tied up, and steered north-east over some rugged ground. The manner of approach had been settled before- hand. The south side of Sincholagua was inaccessible; garnished with pin- SINCHOLAGUA, FROM NEAR PEDREGAL. x 162 TRAVELS AMONGST THE GREAT ANDES. CHAP. VIII, nacles like the teeth of a saw, and terminated at the immediate summit by sheer precipice. ‘The western side was equally un- assailable, and the only way by which the top might be reached was from the north, along the snow aréfe at the crest of the mountain. In two hours we rose more than another thousand feet, and (having turned sharply to the right and climbed the snow on the left of the engraving) passed under the cliffs of the minor (northern) peak. We were nearly sixteen thousand feet high, with a clear sky, and the summit not far off ; men in good spirits, rather inclined to crow, and to vaunt the superiority of the old style, when— Heaven knows where it came from—a _ hailstorm sent us flying for protection to the cliffs, crouching in their fissures, covering our faces with our hands to save them from the half-inch stones which bounded and ricochetted in all directions, and smote the rocks with such fury that they dislodged or actually broke fragments from the higher ledges. T'wice we left our refuge and were beaten back. ‘These ice-balls were as unpleasant as a shower of bullets. Then came a lull. Snow began to fall, at first mixed with the hail, and afterwards in large flakes, thickly. The hail ceased, and was succeeded by lightning. Emerging from our retreat, we traversed the glacier to a small island in its midst,' and stormed the slope banked-up against the wall which forms the summit ridge, and found the drifted snow along its crest surmounted a sheer precipice on the eastern side. The narrow way along the top led to the foot of the final peak. The route could not be mistaken, though the summit was invisible and our aréte, rising at an increasing angle, disappeared in the thunder- clouds. Hitherto the flashes had only glanced occasionally through 1 This was the fifth mountain in the neighbourhood of the Equator upon which we had already found glaciers. The others were Chimborazo, Carihuairazo, Illiniza and Cotopaxi. CHAP. VIII. AT THE SUMMIT OF SINCHOLAGUA. 163 the murky air, each followed by a single bang, which is all one hears when close to the point of discharge." Around the peak they blazed away without intermission, several often occurring in a single instant. The whole air seemed to be saturated with electricity, and the thunder kept up an almost continuous roar. + THE SUMMIT OF SINCHOLAGUA, With ice-axes hissing ominously, and confined to the crest of the ridge by the abruptness of its sides, we gradually approached the summit. The last few yards were the steepest of all. The snow was reduced to a mere thread (too small to be shewn in the annexed engraving’), leaning against the rock, and it was marvellous that it stood firmly at such an angle. Steps at an ordinary distance apart could not be made. The leading man stretched forward to scrape away a small platform, flogged it 1 See Scrambles amongst the Alps, pp. 172-4. 2 Which gives an accurate sectional representation of the final peak from north to south. Our track is shewn by the dotted line, and the summit lies underneath the cross. From east to west the top of this mountain is much smaller than in the other direction. 164 TRAVELS AMONGST THE GREAT ANDES. CHAP. vit. down to make it cohere, then dashed his axe in as high as he could reach and hooked himself up, while number two drove in his baton as far as 1t would go to prevent the snow from breaking down.’ In this manner we arrived at the summit. Its top was too small to get upon, and, by exception, was solid, unshattered rock right up to its very highest point. Jean-Antoine. knocked off its head with his ice-axe whilst I operated a few feet below. Having performed this important ceremony, we immediately descended, face inwards for the first part of the way, with lght- ning blazing all around as far as the end of the summit ridge. Then it ceased ; we ran down to Cevallos, and, driving the beasts before us at a trot to the bottom of the slopes, recrossed the Rio Pita higher up than before, and pushed the pace hard all — the way to Pedregal.” The giant was slain, and we returned, rejoicing, with its head* in a bag, though with little to shew besides, and nothing that need be mentioned except a sedge (a variety of Carex Jamesoni, Boott) which was obtained at the height of about 14,500 feet. 1 Both here and in other places we should have been beaten if the snow had not been moist and tenacious. Dry, flour-like snow will not stand at such angles as were traversed at the top of Sincholagua. 2 Left the summit at 2.30 p.m., and arrived at Pedregal 6.50 p.m. The time occupied on the ascent and descent (excluding halts) was 9 hs. 25min. The mean of the ascending and descending rates was about one thousand feet per hour. Bc A compact dark-coloured rock, with a slightly rough fracture, containing numerous small crystals of whitish felspar, generally not exceeding ‘1 inch in the longer diameter. Under the microscope, the ground-mass is seen to be a felted mass of minute elongated crystallites, probably felspar, and of specks of opacite ; there is probably a residual glassy base, but so numerous are the crystallites that it is by no means easy to be sure. In this ground-mass are scattered larger crystals of plagioclastic felspar similar to those already described, augite, with probably some hypersthene and magnetite. The rock is thus an augite-andesite, probably hyperstheniferous.’’—Prof. T. G. Bonney, Proc. Roy. Soc., Noy. 1884. In the paper already cited in Hist. de ’ Acad. Roy. des Sciences, Paris, 1751, La Condamine says :—‘‘ Sinchoulagoa, Volcan en 1660, communiquant avec Pitchincha.”’ I do not know his authority for these statements. No semblance of a crater was seen on any part of it. CHAP. VIII. DEPARTURE FROM MACHACHLI. . 165 Louis now (after seven weeks’ rest) was sufficiently restored for active exertion, and I proposed to make my way to Antisana. Being advised that it would be easiest to proceed vid Quito, I AT PEDREGAL. decided to shift head-quarters to the Capital, and we re- turned to Machachi to make the necessary preparations. When the time came for de- parture, quite a little crowd assembled. We had entered the place strangers, our ways appeared odd to the natives, and we could not converse with freedom. But in course of time a good understanding had arisen. The language of kindness is under- co stood everywhere. They had been use- ful to us, and we had not been un- mindful of them; and now, when about to leave, all our young friends (with the little girl in blue), David and his wife, Gre- gorio, Lorenzo, the poncho-maker, and many others came together to say good-bye; while Antonio Racines, arrayed in his best, accompanied us several miles on the road, and took leave with many good wishes and profound salutations. 166 TRAVELS AMONGST THE GREAT ANDES. cuHap. vu. On crossing the Tambillo ridge (10,090 feet) Quito made its appearance, looking very insignificant at the foot of Pichincha. Upon entering the city we went at once to the Hotel Giacometti, where rooms had been already secured by the good offices of the British Minister, Mr. F. Douglas Hamilton. ENTRANCE TO THE HACIENDA, PEDREGAL, ECUADORIENNE EARRINGS. CHAPTER IX. ON QUITO AND THE QUITONIANS. THE Capital of the Republic of the Equator is situated at the bottom of the eastern slopes of Pichincha, close to where they abut against the Puengasi ridge; and between these two mount- ains the drainage of the area which may properly be termed the basin of Quito escapes, through a cleft, on to the Plain of Tumbaco. This basin extends from the city to the Tambillo ridge, and is bounded on the west by Atacatzo and part of Pichincha, and on the east by Puengasi. Previous writers have spoken of the valley of Quito ; and (ignoring the natural lines of drainage which have been enumerated’) have even applied that term to the whole of the interior embraced between Riobamba and the Plain of Tum- baco. The only area to which this designation can properly be given is that which is indicated above; and even this, it seems to me, is more aptly called the dasin of Quito. The population of the city is commonly said to range from 60,000 to 80,000; but, from comparison of the spaces known to be covered by towns whose population has been ascertained, I 1 See pp. 86, 97, and 105. 168 TRAVELS AMONGST THE GREAT ANDES. cnuap. 1x. feel confident that the number of its inhabitants is far beneath the lower of these estimates.‘ The compact part of Quito does not cover a square mile ; and, I think, at the most, the city proper cannot contain more than 30,000 persons. ‘The total may, per- haps, amount to 34,000 or 35,000 if the suburbs which extend along the roads going north and south are included. The northern is some hundreds of feet higher than the southern end of Quito.” Several ancient guedradas run through the heart of the city ; and, as the whole of the ground upon which it stands is sloping, there is a natural drainage into these fissures. This fact, and the daily occurrence of sharp showers which cleanse the place, doubtless account for its freedom from bad smells, and immunity from pestilence. It had no proper supply of water. The populace depended upon the public fountains and their sur- rounding basins in the Plazas, which were contaminated with abominations. Very particular persons had two pennyworths of water brought every morning, several miles, in large pots;* but, judging from the limited number of water-carriers, the fastidious class formed a select minority of the population. ‘There was one old water-carrier, with white hair and a pink face, who was a well-known figure in Quito. I offered to take his portrait, and told him that he should have a shilling if he stood quite still and only fourpence if he moved. ‘‘Sefior,” said the old fellow, ‘‘though several gentlemen have proposed to do the same, you are the first who has suggested any remuneration.” 1 Dr. W. Jameson says (Journal of Royal Geog. Soc., 1861, p. 185): ‘On several occasions the Government has been desirous of ascertaining the actual number of in- habitants, but without arriving at a satisfactory result. The people became alarmed, from an idea that the formation of a census is a preliminary step towards the im- position of a tax.’? Mr. Church (in Report to Mr. Blaine, dated 1883) says the same. 2 The accompanying Plan is after one made by Father J. B. Menten, 8.J., who was Director of the Observatory in 1880. Corrections and additions have been introduced into it. The names of the streets have been changed since the original was made, and it would be useless to give them. ° A medio (equal to twopence) was the regular charge for a jar like that borne by the water-carrier I have engraved. REFERENCES. FROM A PLAN BY J. B. MENTEN I. GOVERNMENT OFFICES. 2. GRAND PLAZA. 1875 3. ARCHIEPISCOPAL PALACE. _Scale of English Feet 4. THE CATHEDRAL. 5. THE JESUIT'S CHURCH. 6. GIACOMETTI'S HOTEL. 7. RESIDENCE OF THE CHILIAN MINISTER. 8. RESIDENCE OF THE BRITISH MINISTER. 9. PLAZA. 10. CHURCH OF S. ROQUE. I. DO. S. MARCOS. 12, DO. S. BLAS. 13. DO. S. SEBASTIAN. 14, DO. STA. BARBARA. 15. DO. S. JUAN. 16, DO. DE LA RECOLLECCION DE LA MERCED 17. DO. S. DIEGO. I8. POLYTECHNIC SCHOOL 19. THE OBSERVATORY. 20. PUBLIC GARDEN. 21, ESTABLISHMENT OF THE JESUITS. 5 < 22, SCHOOL OF THE CHRISTIAN BRETHREN. Ws Z LY } A= Wy Wr. 23. PLAZA. 7 24, BRIDGE & ROAD TO MACHACHI & THE SOUTH. 25. ROAD TO THE NORTH. & 1 7 i ZN 26. SCHOOLS. . oa om a \\\ Y Ye} Ye 7 * ‘ \ 27. ROAD TO TUMBACO, PIFO, & PAPALLACTA. Ye 4 i él ss 87) 28. CHURCH & CONVENT OF S. FRANCISCO. 28 . ee Goa e. 29. —DO. Do. LA MERCED. 30; DO. DO. S. AUGUSTIN. | Soe Se YP j VA Marl , Wu - AGE } A Y y 3l. bo. DO. S. DOMINGO. Yy, 47 82. CHURCH OF THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION. 33. DO. DEL CARMEN ANTIGUO. 34. DO. DEL CARMEN MODERNO. 85. DO. OF STA. CLARA. 86. DO. DO. CATARINA. 87. HOSPITAL CHURCH. 88. HOSPITAL. 39. HOSPICE. 40. CHAPEL OF JERUSALEM. 41. QUEBRADA UNDER QUITO. 42. OPEN SPACE, 43. CONVENT. — To Lloa & Pichincha CHAP. IX. THE PANECILLO OF QUITO. 169 The best near view of the city is obtained from the top of a regularly formed Panecillo, which is just within the range of the Plan,’ and from the same spot there is an admirable panorama of the Great Andes in the immediate neighbourhood of the Equator. Looking north, first comes Cotocachi (16,301), a rather sharp peak, THE OLD WATER-CARRIER. of pyramidal form, referred to in a later chapter; next, turning eastwards, there is Mojanda (14,083 R. & 8.), which perhaps covers a greater space than any other mountain in Kcuador; then Cay- ambe (19,186), a grand, snow-clad extinct volcano lying just north 1 The Panecillo is a recognized playground for the children of Quito. It was covered with grass and patches of dwarf shrubs. At the summit there was a quantity of moss of the genus Macromitrium, and abundance of the lichens Physcia chrysophthalma, DC., and P. flavicans, DC. Amongst this vegetation I collected about thirty species of spiders, beetles, etc., including those which are enumerated in the Supplementary Appendix, Preface, p. ix. Z 170 TRAVELS AMONGST THE GREAT ANDES. CHAP. IX. of the Equator; followed by Sincholagua, Cotopaxi, Pasochoa, Rumifiahui, the three hills of Chaupi on the Tiupullo ridge, Cor- azon, Atacatzo, and Pichincha.’ The majority of the dwellings in the city have only a ground- floor with one story above, and the streets mostly have a tame appearance from the small height of the houses and want of objects breaking the sky-line. Any one looking down upon these five hundred acres of flat, featureless roofs will appreciate the artistic value of chimney-pots. Quito has neither chimneys nor fireplaces. Its temperature is supposed to be sufficiently high to dispense with artificial warmth, and no provision is made for heating apartments. As a matter of fact, it ¢s usually high enough for comfort,’ though fires would be agreeable when it falls a degree or two lower than usual, for small variations are more felt in this equable climate than in places where the range in temperature is greater. It is customary here, when a visitor takes off his hat upon entering a room, to beg him to put it on again; and, in the absence of permission, leave is generally requested. This, it is said, arises from apprehension that cold will be taken by remaining uncovered. The same persons, upon going out of doors, take off their hats to flashes of lightning, no matter whether rain is falling; and, when the streets are busy and lightning is abundant, a grotesque effect is produced by these salutations, which seem to be regarded a duty by well-behaved persons, and are performed as punctiliously as the homage which is paid to religious processions, when they are in sight. Our hotel was nearly in the centre of the city. It was kept by a truculent Corsican, who habitually stuck his arms akimbo and frowned at his guests, as if ready to knock them down or eat off their heads. One day, at the table @héte, he fought a pitched 1 I did not see Llliniza from the Panecillo, and am unable to say whether it is ever visible from it. 2 For temperatures at Quito, see Appendix E. CHAP. IX. MANNERS AND CUSTOMS. 171 ‘battle in his own salle-a-manger. Conversation turned upon the merits of the Napoleons, and Giacometti entertained strong opinions about them, which did not coincide with those of a young Frenchman who had served in the cavalry, and taken part in the combats around Metz. Presently, the gentlemen called each other liar and coward, and then all at once they jumped up and charged —Giacometti seizing a chair by its back and raising it with both hands to brain his guest, who, however, eluded the blow, and grappling with the maitre @hoétel soon had him sprawling on the floor, kicking and raving like a madman. Glasses and crockery flew about, and the result would have been very serious (for the china) had not two persons fallen upon the combatants and dragged them apart. No sooner was the innkeeper released than he snatched up a bottle, and again made towards the cuirassier to break it on his head, but they were parted, and dragged yelling from the room to finish the fray outside. The coarseness of their language would have done credit to Billingsgate. I could not see that it was in the least diminished by the low pressure reigning at Quito. From my windows at the hotel I looked out on one of the prin- cipal streets, and had excellent opportunities of viewing the little peculiarities of the Quitonians. Here, as well as in other parts of South America, it is correct for ladies to cover up their features when walking abroad, but I found there was great laxity in this inatter, and that the lower orders paid no attention to such proprieties. The straw hats of local manufacture were not fashionable. Men wore the black, chimney-pot hat of civil- ization, and I have a story to relate about something which ee so befel a black hat in Quito. 172 TRAVELS AMONGST THE GREAT ANDES. cnap. Ix. Upon the day following our arrival, His Excellency the President of the Republic sent a very polite message through Mr. Hamilton, intimating his wish to see me. He received us without formality and with much cordiality, dismissing a visitor (who was, I believe, a Colonel in the Ecuadorian Army) to the farther end of the apartment. Out of regard to his time, after a little general conversation, we rose to go; but he insisted upon our remaining, and presently inquired if there was anything he could do for me. I answered that there was. At this, just a shade of displeasure appeared on his mobile features, though he kindly asked, ‘‘In what way?” I said that it would afford me gratification if he would permit his name to be connected with one of the Great Andes. ‘‘ With the highest point of Chim- borazo,” I went on, ‘‘one cannot meddle. Its second peak has not been christened, and I ask permission to be allowed to associate your name with it.” The President now became interested in Chimborazo, and desired to know its height, and upon hearing it expressed sur- prise, saying, ‘‘I should have thought it was thirty thousand feet high, at the least.” ‘* Pardon me, your Excellency,” I replied, one could not have proposed to associate the name of Veinte- milla with a peak ¢hirty thousand feet high.” He forgave this impromptu by asking for an account of the ascent, and Mr. Hamilton engrossed the General’s attention with a graphic description of it. Presently, finding himself im want of a black- board, and seeing nothing more like one than a black hat which was upon the table, he used it to illustrate the spiral ascent, and excited my admiration by the vigour and accuracy with which he traced our route, as he drove a deep furrow through the shining nap, to shew how we sank in the snow. While this ¢éte-d-téte was progressing, the President leaning forwards on his elbows, intently following Mr. Hamilton’s dis- course, I noticed a movement at the other end of the room; and, glancing round, found that the Colonel was writhing in CHAP. IX. AOSBTORY ABOUT A. BLACK HAT. 173 agony. It was his hat, and he was on the point of exploding with suppressed rage at seeing his Sunday head-gear used as a black-board for ‘that wretched gringo.’ He glared and scowled and seemed ready to spring forward and assassinate all three of us. Mr. Hamilton was quite unconscious that he was raising a storm, but the President noticed my glance, and, turning his head, immediately perceived the state of affairs. His smile then caused our Minister to look, and to drop the hat instantly. With grim humour (which I fear made the Colonel go over to the Revolutionary party), the President requested Mr. Hamilton to continue, as he was much interested; and then by a few light touches, which fortunately went in the direction of the nap, the ascent was completed. His Excellency General Ygnacio de Veintemilla came into power by a combination of stratagem and force, and went out fighting. It is difficult to procure information upon the modern history of this country; and, in default of a more authoritative source, I make the following extract from the Catecismo de Geo- grafia de la Republica del Kewador, by Juan Leon Mera, Quito, 1875, pp. 180-184. ‘“‘Puring the Presidency of Garcia Moreno,” he says, ‘‘the nation entered upon a new life; order and economy were introduced into the national finances, part of the floating debt was redeemed ; Brethren of the Christian Schools, Sisters of the Sacred Heart, and Jesuit Fathers were brought in to direct public instruction ; and some important public works were begun, particularly the high road between Quito and Guayaquil. At the end of 1863, in the interior, a Liberal Revolution was suppressed. . . In 1864 another Revolution was discovered, and there were revolutionary movements in Manabi. . . In 1865 the Revolutionists of Guayaquil seized the steamer Guayas. The President made, personally, the necessary arrangements, and went after the enemy. Those ringleaders who fell into the hands of the conqueror were put to death. . . Peace being re- established, Jeronimo Carrion succeeded Moreno as President” ; he resigned in 1867 and Javier Espinosa was elected, but (in 1868) ‘‘ the effervescence of parties continued ; people talked openly of a Liberal Revolution, the Conservative party saw their danger and hastened to make one by re- 174 TRAVELS AMONGST THE GREAT ANDES. cuav. tx. nominating Garcia Moreno on Jan. 16, 1869. The President resigned the same day, and the Revolution spread over the whole Republic. Meanwhile, a Revolution in Guayaquil broke out (Mar. 19) which was suppressed. . . In December of the same year a conspiracy was discovered in Quito, and a new Revolution in Cuenca was suppressed. Since that time order has been established and peace assured, and Ecuador continues on her path of material and moral progress under the shelter of Republican institutions, based on the catholic principles which she has determined to adopt.” This little book concludes by stating that Garcia Moreno was assassinated on August 6, 1875.’ He was succeeded by Dr. Borrero, who recalled General Veintemilla from exile, and placed him in command at Guayaquil. The General ad- vised his patron that he ex- pected the occurrence of an- other Revolution, and requested the troops might be sent from Quito. Having obtained them, and denuded the Capital of soldiers, Veintemilla made the Revolution, and ejected Borrero. The new President had been in power about two years at the time of my visit, though not always in peaceful possession. i ae At the end of 1877 some rebels from the north, joined by a number of Quitonians, compelled the General to intrench himself in the heart of the city. Presently the insurgents ran short of ammunition and the others sallied forth and defeated them. Four hundred were said to be killed in this affair. It was no secret in 1880 that plots were 1 He was brutally murdered on the Grand Plaza, in front of the Government Offices. Moreno is admitted to have been the strongest President of modern times. He deserved well of his country by the construction of the great road through the interior, and the introduction of compulsory education. CHAP. IX. PRESIDENTS OF THE REPUBLIC. 175 on foot to remove him, and the conspirators would have endeav- oured to accomplish this at an earlier date if they had seen their way past his three thousand breechloaders. The Clericals lost no opportunity of perambulating the streets with religious processions, and these were treated with respect. The President made counter-demonstrations with his troops, by parading them every day. I noticed that individual Priests walking about were treated with scant courtesy, and possibly on this account they appeared little in public. By his opponents, General Veintemilla was frequently termed the head of the irreligious party, from his want of harmony with the Church.’ Under his rule, newly-arrived ecclesiastics were refused admittance to Ecuador,’ and the Jesuits, though not expelled, went more or less into hiding. He was ultimately ejected in July, 1883, after six or eight months of yevolution, and Caamafio was elected President. His term of office expired in 1888, and now Sefior Antonio Flores rules the Republic.’ 1 The Church property, though somewhat despoiled, is still very extensive. The Cathedral, the Jesuits’ Church, and the Church of the Immaculate Conception are the most important religious edifices. The latter was partly destroyed by fire while I was at Quito, on the night of March 25, 1880 (the night preceding Good Friday). At a time when the building was crowded, a candle on the High Altar tumbled over and set the surrounding decorations in a blaze. There was a panic amongst the congregation and several lives were lost. 2 This was the fate of some who arrived at Guayaquil on the same steamer as my- self. They were sent on board again, having been previously informed that there were too many of their profession already in the country and recommended to go to Lima. They could not have looked more unhappy if they had been told to go to Jericho. 3 A President is practically Dictator. See the Report to Mr. Blaine by Mr. Church from which I have already quoted. He states that the Congress is com- posed of a Senate and House of Deputies, and that it assembles (usually for sixty days) every second year. The executive power is confided to the President, who is assisted by a Council of State. ‘‘ The large majority of the Council are named by the President, and are his willing servants.’’ According to Article 80 of the Constitution, the Council ‘‘ may confer extraordinary powers ’’ upon the President, and authorize him ‘‘ to increase the army, dispose of the public funds, collect taxes in advance, impose forced loans, change the capital of the country, expatriate or imprison citizens, etc.”’ 176 TRAVELS AMONGST THE GREAT ANDES. CHAP. Ix. I feel it unnecessary to say much respecting the manners and customs of the Kcuadorians. They are a promising people. Mr. Hassaurek (who was for several years United States Minister- Resident at Quito) says*:— The ‘*custom of making high-sounding promises is universal among Keuadorians. .. If you make the acquaintance of one of them, he will overwhelm you with offers of his services. He will beseech you to ‘count him as one of the number of your friends’; he will place his house, his haciendas, his horses at your disposal ; he will ask you to treat him con- fidentially, and to speak to him frankly, whenever you should need anything that he can supply; he will protest his ardent desire to be your friend and to serve you in every possible manner. . . Should you really apply to them for any of the services so pompously proffered, you must expect, as a general rule, that they will find a well-sounding excuse for refusing.” Mr. Hassaurek seems inclined to consider these protestations as of no greater value than the words ‘‘ your very humble and obedient servant” at the end of a letter, and as regards the majority of them his view is possibly correct. No one except an idiot would be disposed to treat them literally. The difficulty experienced by strangers is to discriminate between expressions which are simply flowery, and those which are meant to be sub- stantial. On various occasions, houses, haciendas, and horses, were actually placed at my disposal, and gentlemen went out of their way to render valuable services and unexpected courtesies ;' and it would be exceedingly ungracious to ignore these disinterested actions, even though there were a large number of unredeemed pledges, and flowers which did not blossom into fruit. As regards these it is charitable to think with Mr. Church that ‘‘the enthusi- astic kindness of their hearts frequently causes Ecuadorians to 1 See Four Years among Spanish-Americans, by F. Hassaurek, New York, 1867. The descriptions in this work of the natives and their ways are generally accurate. In other matters, this author is often unreliable. At p. 119, he says, ‘‘ For leagues round Quito scorpions have never been heard of. . . Flies, even, are very rare. There are no lizards, or even bugs or beetles in the grass or on trees.’? These state- ments are untrue. CHAP. IX. ECUADORIAN BONDS. 1a make promises small, and great, which afterwards escape their memory or are beyond their ability to perform.” Amongst their other salient peculiarities one may point out that Punctuality, which is esteemed a virtue by some, they seem to consider a pernicious vice. ‘Their inveterate habit of procras- tination, and use of the word mafana, has been a theme upon which every one has written who has dealt with Ecuador. Nothing is to be done fo-day. Everything is promised for to-morrow, and when the morrow arrives it will be promised for mafiana again. The equality of the temperature, and the equality in the length of the days, and the presumption that to-morrow will be like to-day, in my opinion, have much to do with this. ‘‘It would be good for these people,” said Jean-Antoine, ‘‘to have a winter.” The Alpine peasant, well acquainted with its inconveniences and hardships, felt that upon the whole they acted beneficially by promoting habits of industry and forethought. It is less possible to make allowances for their general dis- position to disregard the sacredness of agreements, to repudiate contracts, and to advance ulterior claims. Following these prac- tices, as a natural result, there is universal distrust and want of confidence. They do not think the same as other people about these matters; or, to put it in a different way, their code of honour is different from ours. In many countries it is considered complimentary to say ‘* Sir, your Word is as good as your Bond ” ; but, for reasons which need not be pointed out, one is debarred from the use of that phrase in Ecuador. A foreigner at Quito, concerned in trade, who from many dealings with the Ecuadorians was able to speak with some authority, said to me, ‘‘I never consider a transaction terminated unless I give my customer a whipping.” It appears that, in this country, the marks of the whip answer in the place of a receipt-stamp. These observations apply solely to the white and to the hybrid population. The Indians have the same hospitable instincts as the Spanish-Americans, and I am inclined to characterize as their 2A 178 TRAVELS AMONGST THE GREAT ANDES. cwmapr. Ix. principal infirmity an extreme timidity, heightened by the general, and all-pervading distrust. The Indian population in Quito bore a larger proportion to the whites than in the towns we had already visited." I am told that a number still remain of pure descent, whose ancestors have never contracted alliances with the con- querors. On the other hand, it is said that such a thing as a Spanish family of perfectly pure descent is not to be found in the country. For the most part the Indians lived in the suburbs. They flocked in every morning, and kept daily market with their baskets of wares on the three great plazas. I bought from them the examples of hand-made lace that are given on p. 179, which competes successfully with importations. It was remarked, too, that preference was shewn for the thread and calico made at Chillo, and for the coarse woollens produced at some local fac- tories, over similar English manufactures, notwithstanding that the foreign goods could sometimes be obtained at lower rates than the native ones. Prices in Ecuador generally ruled high, though there was a large difference in some matters between what was asked on the coast and in the interior. Labour at Guayaquil was absurdly dear, and rents were extravagant, while in the interior both were low. Foreign goods were expensive all over the country, and seldom sold for less than three or four times European prices. A nominal quart bottle of Bass cost one and eightpence to two shillings at Guaranda, and two shillings at Ambato. At Latacunga it had risen to three shillings and fourpence, and that was the price at all places farther to the north.* They asked two shillings and threepence for a threepenny cake of soap at Ambato. A piece of sponge which might have been obtained for less than sixpence in England cost me a peso at Quito, and 1 This continued as we progressed northwards. In Cotocachi, Otovalo, and the surrounding neighbourhood Indians largely outnumbered the whites. 2 Bass’ Ale was found all over Ecuador, and was highly appreciated there. At Quito, an enterprizing German was endeavouring to brew. Each of his pint bottles yielded about a gallon of froth and a tea-cup of beer. CHAP. IX. SPN ee VeVi CE MATE MMe setae VOOUONT Ca btteare ae bh 3s a i’ ce} BB a. ike vel ATHY 0h att eee C J ys Ti Ves) aeay S00) Ai Yee OY i L Wu i CC eRe ' D sowent OTRAS. YORU) - M0 Ad rt) yh ‘eit ! TUNA poe 101 ee 111 SP ae i) AY Mer Se Spe s no drieaedes nist) ae sh ete ain erae eres e py) NU (sean inewy ee tore Pe OR OC ae ee ' ‘ona Beene Veieeg@oataiae ae ‘ Vesta ) AO OO mi a8 gs ne ot POV atinartee 1S a CR ate ne Re ws SS Viaasabagr deed three shillings and fourpence (ten reals) was Capital per pound for BSB versa | BB ona Bo PRICES. SOCSU CATAL OTE Igmrrteeikane t y if ‘ u egy: C yy teens parent Se AULD PUP are ane ROCHEEC tte Y Panties a0 7 rere Be Sie Bice D 1 TORVACGINL AS AVRT ay A Avav vara foyr's UPLB Lear thin a adeactecerseande eusirttergeee VCnstavey u yee Hate tr piet Wireran) ry ue a UL) avin if Yientiny _2) eon s POU ra ee) nn anh ta a DBLe Varennes ty iat atatiyaat OMI Pi ere Tee ae TALC, te Ty ike Ty tebe nm 2 ot Be ie nn) ECUADORIAN English salt. Bieri: Hoge yeitiecata ” m TS BR BB tare Swe a ay Deve HAND-MADE LACE, it Ait i ane Qi HO Coe Wh on PO tt TY Se eu (: 1 Bal yin ong reOCURUEOL TOG rT AA YT Mm di eee itauceeriee @ii ith = 1 ea7aT A ( on BHI ea tot eH ST u k=) P " a ON 2 ie iti | z ay SIPCTRBLOVE LONG aye oar PeVDPDCPIMEN ba yy aero wise " PPL TENE Ty Mies beae ' Ls ve “ or Sl) Nyy orgh th De es as rey: Sener ES me avTteS _ SOG aoe eh Be the price at the All glass and china was very 180 TRAVELS AMONGST THE GREAT ANDES. CHAP. Ix. dear there, partly through the large amount of breakage in transit, from bad packing. Native productions were often by no means low in price. Meat (when it could be got) was cheap, and generally ranged from twopence-halfpenny to threepence per pound. In the north, fresh eggs could be bought for four a penny ; while in Guayaquil, and in the more southern parts, one to two pesos apiece were demanded for miserable chickens. Spirits of wine cost me three shillings per pint at Guayaquil, and tenpence at Quito! At Otovalo, Cayambe, and other places, brown sugar and unroasted coffee were each tenpence per pound, though raised in the district. Common raisins cost three shillings, and camphor four shillings per pound in Quito.’ The high prices of foreign commodities were attributed to ex- cessive duties and the expense of transit. Still, there appeared to be a good margin left, and I doubt if any one was satisfied with less than a hundred per cent. profit. Everywhere there appeared to be openings for commercial enterprize, either for retailers or for wholesale transactions, yet the country seemed to have little attraction to Englishmen, for at the time of my stay there were only three in Quito.* Personally, I should not advise any one to embark a single shilling in Ecuador. ‘There are an unknown quantity of earthquakes and revolutions to be taken into account. A man may be rich in one day and wrecked the next. These possibilities invest trade in this region with the excitement of gambling, and the trader should also bear in mind that the repudiation of agreements and the non-fulfilment of contracts will often upset his calculations and blight his hopes. These references to prices lead me to conclude this chapter 1 Medicines and fancy goods were sold at larger differences from European prices. I could have sold my stock of sulphate of quinine for more than its weight in gold. 2 Namely, Mr. Hamilton, British Minister- Resident; Mr. Jones, a shopkeeper; and Mr. Verity, an English mechanic out of employment. Of other foreigners there were about twenty-five French, a dozen Germans, and ten Italians, Danes and Swedes. CHAP. IX. MONEY. 181 with a few words upon the money and the Banking institutions of Ecuador. At the time my journey was made, money was reckoned in Pesos and Reals.’ Eight Reals made a Peso. The coins most frequently met with were the silver Peso, silver pieces worth one and two Reals, and half- Real pieces, termed Medios. There was a gold coinage not in circulation, and a silver quarter - Real which was seldom seen. In Guayaquil (and I believe on the coast generally) bronze coins were not current ; though they were in general use in the interior, and were said to be legal tender as far south as Riobamba. At this time the English Sovereign was worth sixty Reals, and the Peso, there- fore, was equal to two Shillings and eight Pence. There were only two banks, namely, the Bank of Ecuador at Guayaquil, and the Bank of Quito at the Capital. Both of these institutions issued notes (down to the value of one Peso), which were accepted as readily as silver, at their full value, and were very convenient.’ I travelled in Ecuador by means of a Letter of Credit, entitling me to draw up to the amount of a sum which was deposited in a London Bank before the letter was issued. I drew something from the Bank of Ecuador, and received from that institution a fresh letter of credit to the Bank of Quito. The amount taken from the Bank of Ecuador was princi- pally in paper. For small payments it was necessary to have a considerable quantity of reals and medios, and these were handed over the counter in a closed bag. Upon being examined, it appeared that the arithmetic of the Bank differed from that in common use. Anyhow, the money was short by a serious 1 I am informed that the present manner of reckoning money is based on the hard or ten real Dollar. The old feso is no longer recognized. This hard Collar is called a Sucre, and is of the same nominal value as the Peruvian Sol, and the Chilian and Colombian Dollars. 2 The notes of the Bank of Ecuador circulated everywhere. Those of the Bank of Quito were accepted in the interior generally, but were refused at Riobamba and at places more to the south. 182 TRAVELS AMONGST THE GREAT ANDES. cuHap. 1x. amount ; but, inasmuch as it was not counted before being taken away, it was useless to make reclamations. When proceeding into the interior, these coins were often declined; for it appeared that the natives have a child-like desire to see the image and superscription, and absolutely refuse to take payment in coin that has got into the condition of an elderly British sixpence. It curiously happened that in about one half of the cash I received at Guayaquil one could not distinguish obverse from reverse. No one would accept it, and at Quito I sold it off as old metal, at less than half its nominal value, preferring to put up with the loss rather than be incom- moded any longer by a bag of coin which would not pass. This is all I have to say at present concerning the Bank of Kceuador. At Quito money was drawn when it was requiréd, and before my departure I proposed to -close accounts and to take the balance. The Bank Manager deducted about four pounds sterling for what he was pleased to term his ‘advances.’ I was unable to regard as ‘ advances” monies which were paid on account of a sum which had been deposited several months before, though he assured me that ‘‘it was their usual custom.” Said I, ‘‘ your custom is novel and interesting, and it shall be mentioned in a book that I intend to write upon my journey, as it is a thing that ought to be known,” and supposed that this would be the end of the matter. Shortly afterwards, however, the Bank Manager expressed a desire to see me, and tendered the money he had stopped, not, he said with some emphasis, because I was going to write a book, but because he thought ‘‘it would be more regular” to charge the amount to the Bank of Ecuador. I mentally con- trasted ‘‘it is our usual custom’ with ‘‘it would be more regular,” and only remarked that perhaps the Bank of Ecuador would not take the same view; and upon return to Guayaquil my surmise proved to be correct, and I found that the Bank of Ecuador had snapped its fingers at its brother in the Capital. CHAP. IX. CAUSES AND RESULTS. 183 This is all I have to observe about the Bank of Quito, except that it is said to be a flourishing institution, paying good dividends. The two Banks enjoy, I am told, the privilege of re-issuing their notes until they are worn out, and refuse payment of them when certain marks and numbers disappear. Though this manner of earning a dividend is exceedingly simple in operation and certain in results, and seems to be accepted by the people with perfect resignation, it is possible that it is one of the various causes which produce the universal mistrust of each other and of everybody that is exhibited throughout the country. BEETLE-WING EARRING, THE HACIENDA OF ANTISANA,. CHAPTER "Xx. THE FIRST ASCENT OF ANTISANA. We’ left Quito for Antisana on March 4, the day following my interview with the President; and crossing the Puengasi ridge, descended into the basin of Chillo. This is another of those large (almost saucer-shaped) depressions which it seems to me are more appropriately termed dasins than valleys. It is, however, often called the valley of Chillo, after a small village on its southern edge, where there is a cotton factory belonging to the Aguirre family.’ 1 To replace Mr. Perring, who left me at Quito, I engaged a Mr. Verity, an English mechanic who had recently terminated an engagement at the Chillo factory. He continued with me until the beginning of May, and I found his acquaintance with the country round Quito very useful. 2 This is one of the old, noble families of Ecuador. Under the Republican levelling they were deprived of their title, Marquis de Selvalegre. CHAP. X. THE BASIN OF CHILLO. 185 This basin is bounded on the east by Antisana, which is one of the loftiest of the Equatorial Andes, and is amongst those that extend over a great space of ground. From east to west, that part of it which is 12,000 feet above the sea or higher, covers about twenty miles,’ and from north to south it is not much less extensive. On the south, the basin is enclosed by Sincholagua ; on the west, by Pasochoa and the Puengasi ridge; and on the north by the southern end of an important block of mountains (of which there is no indication on my map) called Guamani,’ that extends right up to the Equator, and on the west almost touches the village of Pifo. The drainage of this basin, united with the Rio Pita (coming from Cotopaxi), and with the Rio Grande from the basin of Machachi, intersects the Plain of Tum- baco, and falls ultimately into the Rio de Guallabamba. During our passage across the basin of Chillo, I did not at any time get a glimpse of a single one of these surrounding mount- ains; and seldom saw more than two or three miles in any direction, often not so much as a mile. I did not see a single feature from which bearings for positions could be obtained, and our track as far as the Hacienda of Antisanilla is accordingly laid down from dead reckoning. The bottom of this basin is consider- ably lower, and its temperature is appreciably higher than that of Quito.* Shortly before my departure from HKurope, Boussingault pub- lished in the Comptes Rendus of the French Academy of Sciences 1 On the west, Antisana may be considered to extend as far as the Hacienda of Pinantura (10,308 R. & 8.) 2 The ramifications of Guamani, so far as I am aware, have never been explored. Nothing is known of its eastern side. In the month of April, I overlooked this region from the north, and found there were no peaks in it fairly within the snow-line. 3 Though the land here was more under cultivation than the greater part of the country we had traversed, the inhabitants were miserably off for food. Potato soup was the only article of diet that could be relied upon. All our provisions were taken from Quito. 2B 186 TRAVELS AMONGST THE GRHAT ANDES. cnap. x. some Meteorological observations’ which were said to have been made by Sefior Carlos Aguirre, thirty-three years before, at the Hacienda of Antisana. These observations had a particular in- terest for me, for they gave information respecting the weather we were likely to experience at great heights in the neigh- bourhood of the Equator. It appeared from them that the elevated farm where they were made enjoyed a very equable temperature, and was abundantly provided with fogs. Tempera- ture was highest in January and lowest in August, and the mean for the year (1846) was found to be 5°18 C. (equal to a little more than 41° Faht.). In 375 days there were recorded 130 of fog, 122 rainy, 36 with snow, and only 34 on which the sky was visible.” After crossing the Rio Pita,’ the weather kept up its character, and black thunder-clouds gathered in all directions. Foreseeing the tempest, we hurried for shelter to a large farm, the Hacienda Colegio, and just escaped a tremendous downpour. ‘The sudden irruption of a score of men and beasts was treated as a matter of course. We were received with the greatest urbanity, and on leaving at 4.45 on the following morning were provided with a guide as far as the small village of Pintac — midway between the 1 Détermination de la hauteur du mereure dans le barométre sous Véquateur ; amplitude des variations diurnes barométriques d diverses stations dans les Cordilléres, par M. Boussingault. Comptes Rendus hebdomadaires des séances de V Acad. des Sciences, tome 1xxxvili., No. 24. 2 Upon my return (through a reference made by Dr. W. Reiss) I found that these observations had also appeared in the Comptes Rendus in 1851 (tome xxxii.) There are numerous discrepancies between these papers. In the one published in 1879 it is stated that the greatest observed diurnal variation of the barometer (in 1846) was 1:65 mm., on April 27; while in the other paper there is a record of 1°69 mm., on March 12, 1846. The mean annual temperature is said in vol. ]xxxviii. to have been 5°18 C., and in vol. xxxii. it is seen to have been 4°°86C. It is desirable that some one should point out which of these two papers is to be considered authoritative. 3 The Rio Pita was running very rapidly here. Our animals crossed it by swimming, and were carried down about a quarter of a mile before they came to land. _— cHap. x. RENCONTRE WITH SENOR REBOLLEDO. 187 two places passing over some road that was several degrees worse than the Camino Real between Mufiapamba and Tambo Gobierno, with mud two to three feet deep. I had been rebuked in Quito for objecting to that ‘ Royal’ route, because our animals had sunk halfway up their flanks. Upon asking my monitor what he con- sidered a bad road, he said, ‘‘ A road is bad when the beasts tumble into mud-holes and vanish right out of sight.” This nearly occurred at one place. Our narrow track (at this spot, a mere rut between two walls of earth) divided. On the right there was a steep and greasy passage, and on the left a pool, eight or ten feet across. My animal stopped on the brink, unwilling to pro- ceed. Dismounting, I gave it a touch with the whip, it went head first into the slough, and emerged on the other side a miserable object, dripping with filth, which for a second had risen above its hindquarters. ‘This mud-hole was about four feet deep, and was the finest we discovered in Ecuador. On quitting Pintac, however, the track became better, and highly interesting; at some parts leading between deep, mossy banks laden with semi-tropical ferns and creepers, underneath branches and roots, and crossing sparkling streams—rare things in this country. After passing the large farm of Pifiantura,’ our ardour was damped by one of the afternoon deluges, and when this ceased we found our path ran roughly parallel to a great stream of lava, which descended from the clouds, and spread out into the valley of the Isco. Whilst winding in and out of the bends, amongst the arched foliage, in advance of the others, I was surprised — not having met a soul in the course of the day —to see a grave and very unshaven man approaching, well mounted on a fast ambler; by dress, as well as by demeanour, evidently no common wayfarer. He drew rein, and there was scarcely time to wonder who was this dis- tinguished stranger before another horseman cantered round the 1 Insects were abundant here, and several novelties were secured whilst on the march. See Supp. App., pp. 20 and 60. 188 TRAVELS AMONGST THE GREAT ANDES. cmap. x. farther corner, and another, and then they came by twos and threes, until I saw thirty or more, rising and falling over the undulating ground like buoyant ships on a breezy sea; jovial, wild-looking fellows, picturesquely attired in sombreros and with legs encased in hairy buskins, all riding powerful horses, and sitting like men born in the saddle. As they came up, they halted at a respectful distance behind their lord. I sent Verity forward to make enquiries; and then, after formally saluting, each party went its way. I was not aware until the train had swept past that we had met Sefior Rebolledo, the owner of Antisana, of the farms of Pifiantura, Antisanilla, Antisana and all the intervening country, and other large estates; the proprietor of a princely domain, unlimited on the Amazonian side. If one enquired how far it extended, they answered, ‘‘ As far as you can go to the Hast” —it had no boundaries in that direction. They had been engaged in a grand stock-taking ; and, as the cattle ranged over many miles and had to be driven in from long distances, the work was too much for the usual hands, and major-domos had been borrowed from the surrounding properties to assist in the operation. Judging from their hilarity, the census was satisfactory. Sefior Rebolledo heard somehow that we were without cheese, and sent a quantity after us. A messenger came daily to the Hacienda of Antisana to learn our wants, and I had only to express a desire to have it satisfied. ‘‘Tell me,” I said, when we were better acquainted, ‘‘why do you shower these civilities upon me?” and received no other answer than ‘I took to you from the first.” In a short time after passing this splendid troop, the track dipped down to cross the Isco rivulet, and we arrived at the Hacienda Antisanilla (12,342 feet), a small place built alongside the lava-stream of which I have spoken —rather densely. popu- lated by savage dogs, and by herdsmen who were not so refined in the matter of cleanliness as one might have wished. I could CHAP. X. THE HACIENDA OF ANTISANA. 189 not trust myself upon the beds which they politely vacated (loose straw strewn over wooden bunks) and passed the night by preference on the top of a four-foot table. The length of the lava-stream of Antisanilla can hardly be less than seven to eight miles. I clambered to the top, and got little reward, for the farther side, as well as its upper and lower extremities, were lost in mist. Its red colouring is probably superficial, and the nucleus of the mass, I conjecture, is a very dark and compact lava, specimens of which were broken out with some labour.. The surface was extremely rugged, and bore an amazing quantity of the lichen Usnea florida, Fries. On the morning of March 6 we left for the Hacienda of Antisana, led by one of Sefior Rebolledo’s people, who dismounted from time to time, and lit the grass to shew the way to our laggards. ‘The Hacienda was a barn-like building, occupying one side of a large enclosure for herding cattle; and had remained, I was told, unaltered since the visit of Humboldt. We took up quarters on the first floor, and kept constant watch from its little gallery for the appearance of Antisana, which had _ been completely invisible during the last few days. We should not, indeed, have had the slightest suspicion that we were in the neighbourhood of a mountain of the first rank, or a mountain of any kind, if the herdsmen had not told us the contrary. In the course of the afternoon the mists opened lazily, and revealed bits here and there, and then drifted across and shut them out.” These occasional glimpses lasted only a few minutes 1“ A black, sub-vitreous rock, containing small crystals of white felspar, whose diameter is commonly not more than 0°125 inch. The general aspect of the specimen shews it to be one of the darker varieties of andesite, a member of the group of rocks that have been variously named melaphyre, pitchstone-porphyrite, etc. . . The rock on the whole agrees best with augite-andesite. Its specific gravity, determined by Mr. J. J. H. Teall, is 2°656.’"—Prof. T. G. Bonney, Proc, Toyal Soc., March 13, 1884. 2 The view facing p. 190 has been constructed from several photographs which I took at this time. We did not see so much of the mountain at any single moment. 190 TRAVELS AMONGST THE GREAT ANDES. cHap. x. or seconds, and shewed that the mountain had not the simplicity of form that we had supposed. At such distances as it had previously been seen (25 to 30 miles) the minor details were indistinguishable, and the crest had seemed to be a long, un- interrupted, snowy ridge. It now became apparent that its structure was more complicated ; and, if the mountain had been viewed for the first time from the Hacienda, we might have been in doubt as to the position of the highest point.* From these fragmentary glimpses, I made out that the upper 3500 feet of Antisana were almost absolutely covered by snow and glacier, and that on an ascent we should not touch rock at all. The summit bore 50° E. of N. (magnetic) from the Hacienda, and the base of the nearest glacier had almost exactly the same bearing. The main course of this ice-stream occupied the hollow in the centre of the view, and at its superior extremity was fissured by large and very long crevasses; higher still there were many compound fractures, and the summit of the mountain was protected by an enormous schrund, forming a moat, which was obviously impassable on the west and north. I proposed to make for the nearest glacier ; and, after ascending the trough or hollow, to bear to the left with the view of reaching the summit from the south. Anticipating that nothing would be gained by waiting, I gave the order to march. We started from the Hacienda of Antisana at 4.35 a.m., on March 7%, and steering N.E. (under the guidance of some of the herdsmen, who had a perfect acquaintance with the lower slopes) got to the base of the glacier (15,295 feet) at 6.40; having lost some time by the disappearance of a certain impetuous person who could not brook local leaders.* Our animals were left here, 1 The true summit of Antisana lies underneath the asterisk at the top of the engraving. 2 This glacier is concealed by clouds in the engraving. 3 Jean-Antoine always endeavoured to be in front, and on several occasions caused trouble by getting out of touch. He was cured of this habit by something that occurred on Cayambe. AX INS S AN \\ : a A ‘ \ J j ii EN FROM THE HACIENDA (18,806 FEED, C ANTISANA, (19,8385 FEET) St CHAP. X. BEATEN ON ANTISANA. 191 and we proceeded on foot, by moraine on the northern side (right bank) of the glacier, nearly seven hundred feet higher in forty minutes; and then, arriving at the termination of land, dismissed the natives, who up to this point had carried the baggage. The elevation of this place was 15,984 feet above the sea. We roped up at once,’ and took to the ice at 7.30 a.m. Only the first part of it was free from snow, and it was highly crevassed ; but, as the fissures were small at the beginning, we were able to keep a direct course for about an hour, at this time passing alongside the serrated ridge that is shewn on the right of the engraving,’ having the upper part of the mountain free from cloud. The glacier then steepened, and became broken up into séracs (nearly invisible from below) which required much cutting, and beating down to consolidate the snow-bridges lead- ing from one to another. Some of these passages were very complicated, and extensive circuits had to be made to avoid the largest crevasses. At 10.30 a.m. the mists caught us up, and half an hour later we arrived at a prodigious schrund, not less than two hundred feet deep and some sixty feet wide. We wasted more than two hours in attempts to cross it, and I spoilt my eyes by vainly endeavouring to see into the invisible. At last it was found that we had run into a cz/-de-sac, and had to retreat. At 1.20 p.m. we turned to descend,* and by 5.55 were back at the hacienda. 1 Although not necessary to do so at this stage, it would have been at a later one. It conduced to regularity in the march. To the advantages to be derived from the use of the rope in mountaineering which are set forth at pp. 372-377 of Scrambles amongst the Alps may be added that it tends to produce a better average rate of speed. The pace of a party is deter- mined by that of its slowest member. When tied up, the rapid or impetuous ones cannot rush away, and the slow-coaches are urged on. 2 The points on this ridge were decorated with tufted cornices. See p. 153. ‘3 The place at which we turned back was 17,623 feet above the sea. It was found afterwards that we had borne too much to the right, and had been going away from the summit. 192 TRAVELS AMONGST THE GREAT ANDES. CHAP. Xx.’ It appears from a passage in the Comptes Rendus (vol. lxxxviii., p. 1241)* that Boussingault was affected on Antisana by snow- blindness, and I had a similar unpleasant experience on the 7th of March. Though the harm was done between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. (through uncovering the eyes to use my field-glass), it did not manifest itself for some hours later. In the course of the even- ing I became unable to see, and remained in that condition for twenty-four hours. Verity sat up through the night handing rags dipped in a solution of sulphate of zinc, changing them when they grew hot, and this occurred in a few minutes after each application. The affection that is termed ‘ snow-blindness’ is inflammation of the eyes. ‘They become extraordinarily sensitive to light. The lids refuse to open; tears come freely, and coagulating round the lashes glue the lids fast. ‘T'o apply a lotion effectively, the lids must be forced open, and the instant this is done the patient will imagine that red-hot needles are being driven through the eyes into the brain. The pain is acute, and sometimes makes strong men howl.’ | Snow-blindness has long been known to Indians dwelling .in the Andes. Acosta, writing three centuries ago, mentions a remedy that they appled, which reminds one of the raw beefsteaks used by prize-fighters. 1“ Pendant mon ascension, je fus atteint subitement d’une ophthalmie des plus graves, causée par la réverbération des neiges. Obligé de retourner a4 Quito, je dus renoncer a continuer les observations que j’avais commencées 4 la métairie.”’ 2 Medical men recommend two or three grains of sulphate of zinc to an ounce of water. In practice, I find that the solution may be made stronger, with safety and benefit, and that six, eight or ten grains to the ounce is not too much to use. Although the inflammation may be reduced quickly, and the absolute inability to see May soon pass away, the eyes remain tender and weak for a long time (after a bad attack, even for weeks or months) and they are more liable to be affected than before, unless extra precautions are taken. Puffing and cracking of the skin, and snow-blindness, can be avoided by keeping the face covered, and by using tinted snow-spectacles. My usual appearance at great elevations on this journey is shewn at p. 80. bi, i y, j : uke Guke. xX. SNOW- BLINDNESS. 193 ‘‘Comming,” he says, ‘‘one night into a Tambo or Inne, being much afflicted with paine in mine eies, thinking they would fall out, the which dooth commonly happen in those partes, for that they passe thorow places covered with snow, which is the cause of this accident, being troubled with this paine, and out of patience, there came an Indian woman, which said to me, ‘ Father, lay this to thine eies, and thou shalt be cured.’ It was a peece of the flesh of vicufias, newly killed and all bloody. I vsed this medicine, and presently the paine ceased, and soone after went quite away.” ! On the evening of March 8 I began to recover sight,” and planned another attempt to scale the misty mountain. I cherished great expectations of a boundless view on the eastern side, when looking down upon the basin of the Amazons — the largest forest- covered region in the world. The only two known ways out of Ecuador, through the Andes, to the great South American river, are those which lead through Papallacta’ for the Napo route, and through Bafios for the Pastassa. These places are about ninety miles apart, and nothing is known of the intervening country, or of that more north and south. The trails on these routes pass through forest. No distant vistas are possible, and our knowledge of the region has scarcely advanced since it was first made known, shortly after the Spanish Conquest. I conjectured that the atmospheric conditions on Antisana strongly resembled those which prevailed on Chimborazo, where it had frequently been noticed, from our Second and Third Camps, that the clouds sank below 16,000 feet at the approach of night, and left the higher regions clear. With the return of day they again mounted, or were re-created, around the summits. The complicated ice-navigation near the top of Antisana could not 1 Quoted from The Natural and Moral History of the Indies, by Father Joseph de Acosta (reprinted from the English translated edition of Edward Grimston, 1604, for the Hakluyt Society, 1880; vol. 1, pp. 287-8). 2 The right eye remained painful for two months, and did not recover until return to Europe. 8 Papallacta, according to Dr. M. Villavicensio, means ‘country of potatoes.’ It is the name of a small village, lying, I am told, about as far to the north of the summit of Antisana as the Hacienda of Antisanilla lies to the west of it. 2C 194 TRAVELS AMONGST THE GREAT ANDES. cHap. x. be effected in a fog. It was necessary to see where we were going, and to arrive at this part at an early hour, before the mists had risen. It was therefore arranged to camp out, at the edge of the glacier, as high as natives could be taken. On March 9, at 12.55 p.m., we started again; got the caravan to the foot of the moraine at 2.40, and all the baggage up to the camping - place (15,984 feet) by 4 p.m. Our natives with Verity then returned to the hacienda, leaving us at the extreme top of the moraine’ on the right bank of the glacier, which forms a tail or lower prolongation of the basin in the centre of the engraving. A fierce hail-storm occurred while we were on the way, and snow fell heavily afterwards; yet the temperature did not descend s0 low as the freezing-point in the night, and at 4 a.m. on the 10th it stood at 40°°5 Faht. The weather seemed very doubtful in the morning, and we delayed until daybreak, to see how it would develop. The Carrels and I got away at 5.38 a.m., and travelled quickly, through deriv- ing considerable benefit from the track made on the 7th, which was well seen, although several inches of snow had recently fallen. At 7.30 a.m. clouds formed around the highest point of the mount- ain, and it remained invisible until the afternoon. At about 8 a.m., when approaching the summit ridge, we got into a labyrinth of crevasses, and had difficulty in finding a way amongst them. The chasms in the ice on the upper part of Antisana are of great 1 The moraine on which we encamped contained samples of the upper rocks of Antisana that had come from various heights and directions. All were lavas,— some compact and others scoriaceous. Several of the more compact varieties are very handsome rocks when polished, in colour ranging from lavender-grey to purple- black. No rocks could be obtained higher than the camp. Such as were exposed were in inaccessible positions. My collection has been examined by Prof. T. G. Bonney, and is described by him at length in the Proceedings of the Royal Society, Mar. 13, 1884, ‘‘ The rocks which form the actual peak of Antisana,’’ he says, ‘‘ are augite-andesites, containing at any rate occasionally hypersthene, and to the same group belongs, though perhaps it is slightly more basic, the rock of the great lava-stream which has descended to Antisanilla.”’ CHAP: X: ON THE SUMMIT OF ANTISANA. 195 size,— some, as much as half a mile long, two hundred and fifty feet deep, and sixty to eighty feet across. One of the larger ones was crossed by a snow-bridge; and, although tied widely apart, all of us were on the bridge at the same time. Above this the slopes steepened, and ominous cracking sounds occurred. All 1 But ao three exclaimed simultaneously, ‘“‘I fear an avalanche.” snow-slip happened, and presently the gradients lessened, ceased, and the slopes fell away in front.” My cherished dream of. a boundless view over the Amazonian basin was annihilated in that instant. Nothing could be seen through the mists that encircled the mountain. ‘The snow still rose on our left, and we bent round to the north, and after a few hundred yards it fell away on that side. Then we bore north-west, west, south-west, south, south-east and round to north again, always keeping the rising snow against the left shoulder. At last we could perceive no tendency to rise or fall in any direction, and came upon a nearly level plain of snow, lost in mist on all sides. This was the summit. It was still early in the day, and we reposed upon the snow, around the barometer, in air so calm that it could scarcely be said to blow from any quarter. At 10.20 a.m. the barometer 17 overruled Jean-Antoine on this occasion. He wished to take the slope trans- versely, and I insisted upon going straight up, holding the opinion that that course was less likely to disturb the equilibrium of the slope than by making a groove across it. These cracking sounds are produced by snow on the lower parts of slopes slipping down and being divided from the snow above. Sometimes the fissures that are caused are nearly invisible (scarcely the eighth of an inch across) or they may be inches or feet wide. This depends upon the extent of the slip. If the snow above has got good hold it may remain immovable, notwithstanding the division ; but, more usually, through being deprived of support, some of it slips down against the part which has already yielded, and the shock causes the face of the slope to peel off in an avalanche. See the impressive narrative by Mr. P. C. Gosset in the Appendix to Scrambles amongst the Alps. 2 We struck the summit-ridge about half an inch to the right of the asterisk on the engraving. 196 TRAVELS AMONGST THE GREAT ANDES. CHAP. x. (reduced to 32° Faht.) read 15°129 inches, with air temperature 53°°5, and at 11.20 a.m. (red. to 32° Faht.), 15°154 inches, air temp. 56° Faht. In the hour and forty minutes we remained on the top’ temperature in the shade ranged from 44° to 60° Faht.,’ though the highest temperature observed at the Hacienda during our stay there was only 49°. Thus, the lowest tempera- ture experienced on the summit of Antisana (44°), more than 19,000 feet above the level of the sea, surrounded by ice and snow in every direction for several miles, was only 5° less than the highest temperature observed at the farm, six thousand feet lower. Such an occurrence is unprecedented in my experience. Mr. Ellis, in calculating the height of Antisana, has employed, at my request, the means of the readings at 10.20 a.m., and 11.20 a.m., in conjunction with an 11 a.m. observation by Mr. Chambers at Guayaquil (merc. bar. red. to 32° Faht., 29°912 inches, with air temp. 80° Faht.), and his deduced altitude for the summit is 19,335 feet. If this determination and_ that subsequently made of Cayambe are correct, Antisana is the third in rank of the Great Andes of the Equator.’ 1 We arrived on the summit at 10 a.m., and left it at 11.40 a.m. 2 March 10, 1880, Summit of Antisana (19,335 ft.) . 10.20 a.m. 53°°5 Faht. Do. do. (AOE 4. 50707 ta, Do. do. » Oey wapeae «| Do. do. . 1045 ,, 4°00 ,, Do. do. ends |, BOO, Do. do. Y 130: 4, nee es I used on this occasion the thermometer attached to the mercurial barometer ; a mercurial maximum thermometer; a quick-acting plain mercurial thermometer ; and a spirit minimum thermometer. The first-named of these was verified at Kew Observatory, and was re-compared upon return. I give in Appendix A a facsimile of the Kew certificate of verification. At 10 a.m. on March 9 at the Hacienda of Antisana, temperature in the shade was 43°°5 Faht.; at 10 a.m. on March 11 it was 45°; and at 11.40 a.m., on the 6th, it was 48°. 3 See my remarks on this subject in Appendix A. According to La Condamine and Reiss & Stiibel, Antisana is the fowrth in rank of the Great Andes of the Equator (La Condamine, 19,313; R. & S., 18,885 feet). CHAP, X. CRATERS AND CREVASSES. 197 After we had descended a short distance the clouds cleared sufficiently to let it be seen that we had been on the top, and to shew that the snowy portion of the mountain extends for a long distance to the north-east. As there was still time to spare, we made a detour, in search of craters, to the curved ridge which connects the nearer peaks of Antisana with the more distant ones in the engraving; and looked down upon some exceedingly precipitous glacier on the other side. We saw no open crater, nor anything suggestive of one on any part of Antisana ; though, on March 7, when arrested at the edge of the great crevasse, several puffs of strongly sulphurous vapour reached us. Dr. W. Reiss, however, says,‘ in the Proceedings of the Geo- graphical Society of Berlin for 1880, that there is a crater, opening towards the east, filled with a glacier (from which a stream flows that is impregnated with sulphur), and I presume that he must refer to the glacier basin we saw beneath us. An hour later we were at the bottom of the snow-slopes, with only about a mile of slightly descending and nearly flat glacier between ourselves and the tent,—having just discussed whether the rope should be taken off, to move with greater freedom, and decided against it, as we were so near home; striding along at our best pace, about fifteen feet apart, Louis in front and Jean-Antoine last, keeping step as we walked. In the twinkling of an eye the surface gave way, and I shot down, as it were through a trap-door, nearly pulling both men over; and in the next second found myself dangling between two varnished walls of glacier, which met seventy feet beneath. The voices of the cousins were nearly inaudible, for the hole was no bigger than my body, and they could not venture to 1 “Der Antisana umschliefst einen tiefen, nach Osten geoffneten Krater, in dessen Grunde die tber die steilen Wande herabziehenden Schnee und Eismassen sich zu einem machtigen Gletscher ansammeln. Dem Gletscher, dessen unteres Ende in 4216 m. Hohe liegt, entspringt der sauere, mit Schwefel geschwangerte Bach der Quebrada ‘ Piedra Azufre,’ dessen Namen schon auf eine, wenn auch noch so geringe vulkanische Thatigkeit hinweist.”’ 198 TRAVELS AMONGST THE GREAT ANDES. CHAP. x. approach it. With slow and anxious pulls they hauled away, fearing that the rope would be severed by the glassy edges ; but, before my head touched the bridge, more of the brittle structure yielded, and I went down again. ‘This was repeated several times, and then Jean-Antoine, seeing that their efforts must be ineffectual so long as they were on opposite sides, leaped the chasm ; and, with united pulls, the two cousins landed me with a jerk, through the frozen vault and its pendent icicles, on to the surface, poorer by a cap, though not otherwise the worse for the immersion.’ In twenty minutes we arrived at the camp, where the others were already in waiting, and by 6.40 p.m. we were back at the Hacienda, having spent some time on the way in adding to our collections,’ The Hacienda of Antisana is reputed to be the highest farm in Ecuador, and it owes its existence to the grazing that is afforded by the surrounding slopes. The cattle seemed to find upon them quite sufficient pasturage, though the grasses in general were not so luxuriant as upon Chimborazo, and other places at 1 It is usually considered unnecessary to be tied up when traversing glacier that is not covered by snow. This incident shews the contrary. After my extrica- tion, we examined the crevasse, and found that it was several hundred feet long, and seven feet wide where I broke through. It differed from all others that we had ever seen in being bridged by ice. This was only an inch or two thick in the centre, though more substantial where it sprang from the walls of the crevasse. It could neither be detected by any ‘droop’ on the surface nor by ‘sounding’ in the usual manner. We had crossed it three times without being aware of its existence. Its formation was no doubt due to the peculiar meteorological conditions which prevail in the Andes of the Equator ; and, as there was a strong probability that there were more of the same kind, we considered it advisable to use a double rope on subsequent traverses of Ecuadorian glaciers. ? The ascent of Antisana was effected at a better rate than usual, owing to the assistance derived from our old track. Leaving camp (15,984 feet) at 5.38 a.m., at 10 a.m. we were on the summit (19,335 feet). Including halts, this ascent was therefore made at the rate of 767 feet per hour. We started from the summit at 11.40 a.m., and were back at camp by 2.20 p.m. Including the loss of time from the detour and the crevasse incident, the descent was made at the rate of 1340 feet per hour. CHAP. X. FLORA OF ANTISANA. 199 greater heights than thirteen thousand feet. The flora here, whilst interesting from its characteristic Andean species, had few other attractions,— yet the flowers of Gentiana foliosa, H.B.K., were somewhat showy; the downy heads of Culcitiwm were not without a certain grace; and not far from the Hacienda, at about 14,000 feet, we found the elegant fern Polypodium heteromorphum, Hook. & Grev. This was, with one exception, the highest position at which we obtained ferns in Ecuador. ‘The examples of the Orders which are mentioned in the footnote,’ marked by asterisks, were found on the western slopes of Antisana at greater elevations than the same species were noticed elsewhere.? 1 The following is a list of our gatherings upon Antisana. Lichens :—Lecidea sp., Antisanilla (12,3842); Newropogon melaxanthus, Nyl., at our camp (16,000) ; Stereocaulon sp., Antisanilla (12,342); Stereocaulon sp. at our camp (16,000); Usnea florida, Fries, Antisanilla (12,342). Fungi:—Omphalia umbellifera, Fr. (13,000) ; Psilocybe sp. (18,000), both from the slopes below the Hacienda of Antisana. Lycopodiacez : — Lycopodium Saururus, L. (15-16,000). Filices:— Polypodium vulgare, L., Antisanilla (12,342), and P. rigidum, Hook. & Grev., Antisanilla (12,342), both growing among hollows on the margin of the lava-stream close to the Hacienda; P. heteromorphum, Hook. & .Grey., on the slopes above the Hacienda of Antisana (14,000). Graminex :— Deyeuxia recta, Bonpl. (13,300- 15,000); Deyewxia sp. (14,000); Luzula alopecurus, Desy. (14,000); Poa sp. (14,000) ; Hestuca mollis, Kth. (14,000). Gentianacee :— Gentiana foliosa, H.B.K. (14- 15,000); G. srupicola, H.B.K. (14-15,000); G. sedifolia, H.B.K. (14,500). Ericacee :— Pernettia Pentlandii, DC. (14-14,500); * Vaccinium pencoides, H.B.K. (15- 16,000). Compositz :—* Achyrophorus, near setosus, Wedd., at our camp (16,000); Baccharis alpina, H.B.K. (14-14,500); Culeitiwn adscendens, Kth. (14-15,000) ; C. nivale, Kth. (14- 15,000) ; * C. reflerum, Kth. (15- 16,000) ; * Lori- earia ferruginea, Pers. (15-16,000) ; Perezia pungens, Less. (14,500); Werneria sp. (14,500); Werneria densa, Benth. (15-16,000). Leguminosve :— Astragalus gemini- Jlorus, H.B.K. (14-15,000); * Lupinus microphyllus, Desv. (14,500); Zupinus sp. (14-15,000); * LZ. nubigenus, H. & B. (15,000). Geraniacer :— Geranium sp. (14,500). Malvacee :— Malvastrum phyllanthos, Asa Gray (15-15,500); * I. Pi- chinchense, Asa Gray (15-16,000); Malvastrum sp. (15,000). Carophyllacee :— * Cerastium sp. (14-15,000). Cruciferee:— Draba vbovata, Benth. (14-15,000); * D. arctioides, H.B.K. (15-16,000); Draba sp. (15-16,000); D. imbricata, C. A. Mey. (15-16,000). Ranunculacee :— Ranunculus Peruvianus, Pers. (14-15,000). ? For fuel at our camp on Antisana (and at the higher ones generally) we depended principally upon Lycopodium Saururus, L., and Loricaria serruginea, 200 TRAVELS AMONGST THE GREAT ANDES. CHAP. x. The Beetles that were obtained in the neighbourhood of the Hacienda were mostly new to us at the time.’ Diptera were represented by about half a dozen species, and several hymenop- terous insects (including Jehnewmonide) attained their greatest altitude here. For the reception of a slender Bug that we cap- tured, Mr. Distant has erected the genus Neomiris. Of Butterflies we saw only four species, three of which (Lymanopoda tener, Hew., Lycena kod, Druce, and Pieris xan- thodice, Lucas) are amongst the most common and most widely distributed in Ecuador; but the fourth, a small Colias taken in the immediate vicinity of our camp, had not been seen since we left Chimborazo.2. As we sat in the quaint little gallery of the Haci- enda after our return from Anti- sana, our poor, old, battered lantern OUR BEST NOCTURNAL COLLECTOR. again proved our best nocturnal collector, and attracted a numerous company of Moths, from which I secured seven species in about as many minutes.® On the next day we turned our attention to Condors. In Pers. Drabas and Wernerias were abundant and came in usefully. It was, however, always difficult to obtain fuel, and a large part of the time of my assistants was usually occupied in collecting the quantity necessary for cooking. At the higher camps, we could never afford to have fires for the sake of warmth. 1 Seven species were new to science, and are described in the Supplementary Appendix, namely, Pterostichus (Agraphoderus) Antisane, Bates (p. 10); P. (Agraph.) liodes, Bates (p. 11); Colpodes megacephalus, Bates (p. 18); C. alticola, Bates (p. 21) ; Bembidium fulvocinctum, Bates (p. 22); Clavipalpus Antisane, Bates (p. 27); and Hilipus longicollis, Olliff (p. 75). Several of these were discovered by my assistants, who worked zealously while I was incapacitated. 2 Described as Colias alticola by Messrs. Godman & Salvin, Supp. App., p> 107. 3 Three belonging to the genera Cidaria, Dariza, and Scordylia, and four other very distinct species which have not yet been identified. CHAP. X. FLIGHTS OF THE IMAGINATION. 201 Aspects of Nature, vol. 2, p. 4, Humboldt says this bird often soared over his head ‘‘above all the summits of the Andes”; and at p. 41 of the same volume he observes, ‘“‘It is a remarkable physiological phenomenon, that the same bird, which can fly in circles for hours in regions of the atmosphere so rarefied, should sometimes suddenly descend, as on the western declivity of the Volcano of Pichincha, to the sea-shore, thus passing rapidly through all gradations of climate.” Mr. James Orton, late Pro- fessor of Natural History in Vassar College, improves upon this, and states that the Condor ‘‘ can dart in an instant from the dome of Chimborazo to the sultry coast of the Pacific.” The shores of that Ocean are nowhere less than one hundred and twenty miles from the mountain; and if my schoolboy readers will multiply sixty by sixty, and then by one hundred and twenty, they will find the rate (in miles) per hour, at which the Condor can fly, according to Professor Orton.’ They will probably wonder at the keenness of eyesight which enabled him to trace this light- ning rapidity; and will be disposed to enquire how he was advised of the arrival on the shores of that sultry coast of the particular Condor which started from the frigid dome. As these flights of the imagination may lead some to suppose that the Condor has a very great range in altitude on the Equator ; that it habitually soars at extraordinary elevations; and that it flies with immense rapidity, I venture to give some of our own observations. When we were upon Chimborazo, I was, at first, a little appre- Between Antisanilla and Pinantura I also captured a species of Opisogonia ; and, in the lower part of the Chillo basin, an Agrotis, Hupyra regalis, Her. Schf. (the most handsome moth I saw in the interior of Ecuador), Sangala necyria, Feld. & R., and Scotosia dubiferata, Walk. 1 Professor Orton, along with four others, travelled from Guayaquil to Quito in 1867, and thence down the Amazons to Para; and subsequently wrote a book entitled Zhe Andes and the Amazon. This journey ‘‘ was made under the auspices of the Smithsonian Institution.’”? The quotation is from p. 106 of the English edition, published by 8. Low, Son and Marston, 1870, 2D 202 TRAVELS AMONGST THE GREAT ANDES. CHAP. x. . hensive that we might attract the attention of these formidable birds. They were numerous round about the mountain. When the atmosphere permitted us to look below, we commonly saw a dozen on the wing at the same time. ‘They were seen daily, and it was their ordinary and everyday habit to sail to and fro at a moderate elevation above the ground they were watching, where there were cattle and sheep. On no single occasion did we see a Condor rise so high as the Second Camp (16,660 feet), nor, I think, approach within a thousand feet of its level. Condors were very numerous upon the lower slopes of Anti- sana. A score or more continually hovered over the pastures, keeping ordinarily about 1500 feet from the ground—an elevation which they have no doubt learned by experience is sufficient for practical purposes. They did not ‘dart’ upwards or downwards, but rose rather slowly ; and, when they had attained their usual height, maintained themselves at it by nearly imperceptible move- ments of the wings, and floated, balancing themselves in the air, turning to this or that side, gradually descending ; and then, by a few leisurely strokes, regained their former level ; continuing to float and circle in this manner by the hour together. We did not either when upon or in the neighbourhood of the summits of Chimborazo and Antisana, or near the summits of any other mountain, see a Condor in our vicinity upon a single occa- sion, and I think never observed one so high as 16,000 feet. I believe Humboldt to have been mistaken in supposing that he often saw the bird soaring above all the summits of the Andes. Any one, however skilled in judging distances, may be deceived in such a matter. In the accompanying diagram, let H stand for Hacienda; S for the summit of Antisana; the line WR indicate the level of our camp ; and A, B, a pair of Condors, hovering over the lower slopes. An observer at H might naturally suppose the birds to be higher than the summit, though to another at W it would be apparent that they were below his level. While there may, possibly, be occasions when the Equatorial Condor departs from its CHAP. X. RANGE OF THE CONDOR. 203 usual routine, I think such instances must be rare; and that the upper limit of its habitual range cannot be higher than 16,000 feet. 19,000 | 18,090 17,000 16,000 15,000 | 14,000 Though some of these birds were in captivity at Quito, we saw none at liberty so low as 9000 feet, and were unable to learn that they ever visited the sea. Mr. J. 8. Wilson, who had lived for twenty-five years in Kcuador, and passed the greater part of that time upon the coast, told me that he had never known one to come down to the plains, or heard of such an occurrence. I imagine, therefore, that the Equatorial Condor very seldom descends to the Pacific. It seems, indeed, probable that it never does so. It is said that those which are despatched (in confine- ment) from the interior to the coast invariably die before reaching Guayaquil.” Yet it is an undoubted fact that Condors frequent the sea-shore in more southern parts of South America. Whether the same individual birds also soar to great heights, and are speci- fically the same as the Condor of the Equator, are questions that I am unable to answer. If there are no marked points of differ- ence between them, it will be ascertained that this species has a range in altitude of about 16,000 feet (not in any one country, but spread over thirty degrees of latitude) and this is perhaps the greatest that is possessed by any bird. On the few occasions upon which we were approached by Condors in a menacing manner, we became aware of their presence 1 This happened to some which were sent by Baron Gabriel de Gunzburg from Quito to Guayaquil, while I was in Ecuador. 204 TRAVELS AMONGST THE GREAT ANDES. cmap. x. from their shadows being cast upon us by a nearly vertical sun. They never came near when the sun was concealed, and if they hovered in our neighbourhood they always kept the sun at their backs. This cannot be their invariable habit in a country where the sun is so often invisible, though possibly it is adopted when- ever there is a chance, and the motive is obvious. The objects to be attacked are dazzled by the sun’s rays, while the assailants are able to examine their brilliantly-lighted, intended victims at their ease, whose eyes are picked out at the earliest opportunity, and are thus rendered completely defenceless. 'The herdsmen on Antisana had lifelong familiarity with the Condor, and did not stand in awe of it. They told me that the bird was particularly addicted to old horse and young calf, and might, after feeding, be easily caught with the lasso. Sefior Rebolledo said that it would be a mercy to slaughter some of. his worn-out steeds, and one was killed and laid out in order that his people might display their dexterity. We all descended to Antisanilla on the afternoon of March 11, and the baggage went on the next morning to Pifiantura ;* while I was taken to a neighbouring valley to see how wild cattle were captured, and after witnessing some clever horseman- ship was led a mile or two towards the south. The slaughtered horse had been laid out on high ground, in a hollow surrounded by little knolls; and watchers, posted in concealment, counted the company as it assembled. A scout stopped us while still a mile away, saying that the feast had scarcely commenced, although eighteen Condors had arrived, and he kept us lying for several 1 The following times were occupied between the places which have been named in this chapter. Quito to top of Puengasi ridge, 75 min.; thence to the commence- ment of the flat ground on the other side, 1 h. 55 min. There was a good made road so far. Hacienda Colegio to Pintac, 4 hours ; Pintac to Hacienda of Pifiantura, 2 h. 25 min. ; Pifantura to Hacienda of Antisanilla, 4h. 15 min.; Antisanilla to Hacienda of Antisana, 3 h. 5 min. (without the baggage train). Hacienda of Antisana to Antisanilla, 2h. 55 min. (with the baggage). Antisanilla to Pifantura, 2h. 30 min. (without the baggage). cA My ee ee Ae See ea ~~» SS NYRR i \ HN ——— SA ——————F i MY i) SSS 5 SS SSS are SSS N) at SS —— xo Ss —s cs Oe eee _ a a “THEY DASHED IN AMONGST THEM AND THREW THEIR LASSOS."? CHAP. X. HOW TO CATCH A CONDOR. — 205 hours hidden in the grass, while this great, solemn assembly sat watching the dead horse. Our time being exhausted, we stalked up to within two hundred yards, and then mounted, without uttering a word, expecting every moment that we should be perceived. But the birds sat still as mutes, out of sight in the hollow ; and we crept nearer, with the herdsmen leading, and on the signal being given they dashed in and threw their lassos, and all the eighteen Condors flew away,’—scared and hurriedly, yet without the lightning rapidity that is attributed to them by Professor Orton. From Pifiantura, I despatched the baggage to Quito in charge of the Carrels, and paid a visit to the cotton factory at Chillo, accompanied by Mr. Verity.” The mill was 193 feet long, in the form of the letter H,—the legs being one storey and the line joining them two storeys high. ‘The interior was made up of four large rooms (card-room, spinning-room, weaving-room, etc.), each about 80 feet long and 24 feet wide. They were ginning their own cotton with gins made by Platt of Oldham, and producing calico and thread. Sixty hands were employed — entirely Indians—working sixty hours per week. Each family had a house rent-free, with about an acre and a half of ground attached, and all kept pigs and fowls, while some had as many as six or eight cows and oxen. ‘The whole of the machinery came from Lancashire, and was being worked by a turbine. This 1 This business was spoiled by want of attention to orders. The horse should have been killed on the 11th, and the job was put off until mavana. We found that the Condors had hardly eaten anything. 27 met Senor Carlos Aguirre at Chillo; and, congratulating him upon his valuable observations in the Comptes Rendus, expressed surprise that he should have isolated himself for so long a time, at such a dismal place, in the service of science. Senor Aguirre informed me that the observations were not made by himself, but by a young Ecuadorian whom he deputéd to do the work. Some weeks later, I paid another visit to Chillo, and was again unable to fix its position. It should come somewhere on my map between the words Pasochoa and Hac. Colegio. The height of Chillo, according to Humboldt, is 8576 feet above the level of the sea. 206 TRAVELS AMONGST THE GREAT ANDES. cHAP. x. mill was in constant and profitable employment, scarcely able to keep pace with the demand for its productions. The yarn was all bought up direct by Indians and woven by them into ponchos. The excellent order and cleanliness of the establish- ment, with the contented aspect of the people, were a most agreeable surprise, and said much for its Manager, Mr. Daniel Slater, who was the only foreigner employed. Daylight had long departed when we set out to recross the Puengasi ridge to the Capital. It was near midnight when we arrived at the hotel, and except for Verity’s familiarity with the place there would have been some difficulty in finding it, for Quito is lighted very economically. The law is that every householder must put a lighted candle at dusk in front of his dwelling. The law does not concern itself with the length of the candle, and householders think that the fag-ends of tallow dips are best suited for the purpose. Hence, at an early hour of the night, the city is in total darkness. SNOW-SPECTACLES. PICHINCHA, FROM MACHACHI, CHAPTER XI. UPON AN ASCENT OF PICHINCHA. ON my return to Quito I found Jean-Antoine was indisposed. Externally, there did not seem to be much the matter with him. He said that his complaint was an imternal one, and that his blood had been turned sour by the crevasse episode. This dangerous malady, however, yielded to the benign influence of the universal remedy (see p. 50), and in a short time he declared himself fit for active service. There was something else, too, calculated to sour the temper. The stench of the putrid ox-cheek pervaded everything, and each day the Carrels took a load of foul tins down to the Machangara (a rivulet that runs through Quito) to try to rid them of the abominable odour by scouring them bright with sand; a very mean and menial occupation —almost as bad as carrying home 208 TRAVELS AMONGST THE GREAT ANDES. cnap. x1. washing for a Chinaman, which on the Pacific Coast is considered the lowest depth of degradation that can befall a human being. Before proceeding to the north, we made an excursion to the top of Pichincha. So far as extent is concerned, this is an im- portant mountain. The part of it that is 10,000 or more feet above the level of the sea is quite fifteen miles from North to South, and its summit rises 6000 feet above Quito. Yet there is little about it of a thoroughly mountainous character. It is composed principally of undulating, grassy slopes, over which one can ride higher than 14,000 feet. It is impossible to feel great respect for an eminence that can be climbed on donkey - back, and the truth is that the ascent of Pichincha is scarcely more arduous than that of the Eggischorn. We left Quito on the 21st of March, at 7.55 a.m., with a team of seven animals and three arrieros; passed to the west of the Panecillo (by the road shewn on the Plan) through the village of Magdalena, and (leaving Chillogallo on the left’) commenced to mount the slopes of Pichincha; going at first over a small col, and descending on the village of Lloa, then ascending through meadows, followed by a considerable stretch of wood. In an unctuous rut between walls of earth, one of our mules floundered and fell with its legs doubled underneath ; and our chief arriero —a Chillogallo man—after a few feeble efforts, would have aban- doned it on the spot. Then we experienced the usual afternoon shower-bath, and, getting into the clouds, became perplexed as to our whereabouts. Camped at 4 p.m.? in sleet and drizzle, unable to see a hundred yards in any direction, and sent the animals and natives back to Lloa. At night, when the atmosphere cleared, it was seen that we had camped about midway between the two peaks of Pichincha, 1 The village of Chillogallo is principally occupied by arrieros. It is seldom possible to obtain horses or mules in Quito itself. If wanted, they have to be procured from Chillogallo. 2 The height of this camp was 14,007 feet above the sea. "(1994 266'bL) YHONIHDId NO dWVO ONODIS FHL ALIH3A TayyHvO SINOT WaHHvVO "We"? ae ese OSS Oe ee —t ZA —— SS CHAP. XI. SECOND CAMP ON PICHINCHA. 209 which we conjectured were those that are called Guagua and Rucu.! Although there are numerous allusions in the works of previous writers to these summits and to the craters of Pichincha, and we had met various persons in Quito who claimed to have visited the craters (for it was said there were several), I was unable to tell from anything that had been said or heard what was the relative position of the summits,’ or where the craters were located ; and when these two peaks made their appearance we were not certain which of the two was the higher. The right hand or eastern one appeared to be the lower and the easier to ascend, and I sent Louis to tackle it, while Jean-Antoine and Verity went to pay their attentions to the other. During their absence I mounted to the depression in the ridge connecting the two peaks, or ensillada as it is termed,’® and found that on the other side it descended very steeply. So far as mist would permit one to see, this was the head of an ordinary mount- ain valley. I awaited the return of my people, and, as their reports agreed that the western peak was the higher, shifted our camp in the afternoon up to a sort of cave that had been dis- covered by Jean-Antoine,* a convenient place (where some cavities in the lava were protected by overhanging masses) roomy enough to let each one select a nook for himself; and my assistants, con- sequently, were able to snore ad libitum, without having their ribs poked with an ice-axe. From this refuge, which was just 1 According to Dr. M. Villavicensio, Rucu-Pichincha means old Pichincha, and Guagua-Pichincha means young or child Pichincha. From this it would appear that, traditionally, the highest point is of less age than the lower one. ? Rucu is said to be the most eastern one. Besides these two peaks, others are sometimes referred to. I saw only two. 3 There are many ensilladas in Ecuador. The term is the equivalent of ‘saddle’ as used in the Alps. 4 By taking a more circuitous route, mules might have been brought to this place, 14,992 feet above the level of the sea. Three hundred feet above it I found the minute mushroom (Cantharellus) which has been described in the Journal of Botany, June 1890, by Messrs. Massee and Murray. This (15,300 feet) was the greatest height at which Fungi were obtained. ae 210 TRAVELS AMONGST THE GREAT ANDES. cuHap. xt. a thousand feet below the top of Guagua-Pichincha, there was an extensive prospect to the south and east. We saw the summits of Illiniza and Corazon rising immediately over that of Atacatzo ;? and Cotopaxi and Antisana (each nearly forty miles away) by moonlight.? In the night I heard, at irregular intervals, roars (occurring apparently at no great distance) exactly corresponding to the noise made by the escapes of steam from the crater of Cotopaxi. The minimum temperature at night was 29° Faht. On the next morning (March 23) all four of us followed Jean- Antoine’s track, and upon striking the western ridge of Guagua I found there was a very precipitous fall on the other (or northern) side, where the crater, presumably, was located. We crossed this ridge, and after descending about four hundred feet saw that we were in the valley that I had looked down upon from the ensillada. While the upper part of it was rocky, precipitous, and bare, the slopes below were covered with a good deal of vegetation ; amongst which there was neither smoke, steam, fissures, nor anything that one would expect to see at the bottom of the crater of a volcano which is said to have been recently in eruption. This however, no doubt, is a crater of Pichincha.’ Its depth, reckoning from the highest point of the mountain, is probably not less than two thousand feet; its breadth is fully as much, and the length of the part we saw was at least a mile. It had none of the symmetry of the crater of Cotopaxi. The western extremity was clouded during the whole of our stay on the summit. 1 The summits of the four mountains Illiniza, Corazon, Atacatzo, and Pichincha are nearly in a line; that is to say, a line drawn from the former to the latter passes almost exactly through the summits of the two others. From our second camp on Pichincha I found that the top of Corazon was 8°15’ more west than Atacatzo, and Illiniza was 3°45’ more west than Corazon. 2 The large snow or glacier plateau on the north-east of Antisana appeared an important feature of that mountain, when seen from Pichincha. 3 In a paper published at Chalons, in 1858, by the Society of Agriculture, Commerce, Arts and Sciences of the Department of the Marne, entitled Ascencion du Pichincha, M. Jules Remy refers to this valley when speaking of ‘‘ the crater”’ ; and he states that it leads to another one, farther to the west, from which it is CHAP, XI. THE SUMMIT OF PICHINCHA. 211 ‘4 In the view placed at the head of this Chapter, Guagua- Pichincha is the little peak that is almost exactly in the centre of the engraving; and the other one, a quarter of an inch on its right, is that which was ascended by Louis Carrel. The bottom of the depression between the two is the ensillada, and it was here I had my first view of this crater-valley. Subsequently, by passing to the left and skirting the base of Guagua-Pichincha, the same valley was seen again. I think it is likely that others have acted similarly, and through not observing that they have looked down upon one and the same valley have made two craters out of one. We then reascended to the aréte of the ridge, and followed it until Jean-Antoine said that the top was reached. ‘The rocks fell away in front, and there was no reason to doubt him; but, while the barometer was being unpacked, some crags, a long way above, loomed through the mist. ‘‘ Carrel,” I said, “if we are on the summit of Pichincha, what is that?” He was struck dumb for a time, and gasped ‘‘ Why, I never saw that before!” We shut up the barometer, and went on, and in half an hour were really on the top of Pichincha. Nothing more need be said about the ascent than that it might be made alone, by any moderately active lad. The right way up the final peak is by the ridge leading to the west, and it is probable that this route has been taken before, for on the other sides, although not inaccessible, the last eight hundred feet are very steep. I found that the summit of Guagua-Pichincha was a ridge of separated by a wall of rock. This statement must be made on the strength of information, for a farther crater evidently was not seen by M. Remy. His companion Mr. Brenchley went to the bottom of the crater-valley by rolling head over heels, happily, without taking harm; and set to work to examine ‘a bed of sulphur and a fumarole’ that had been seen from above. The following sentence contains the whole of the information that is given about them. “II n’y ani feu ni laves de formation récente.’’ This paper was kindly communicated to me by M. Remy after my return to Europe; and, having compared it with the several other accounts given of the eraters of Pichincha, I have come to the conclusion that their authors were gifted with much imagination. 212 ' TRAVELS AMONGST THE GREAT ANDES. cuHap. XI. lava about one hundred and: fifty paces long, mainly firm rock, though strewn with loose, decomposing blocks, amongst which there were a number of lumps of pumice, up to a foot or rather more in diameter.’ Close to the very highest point (15,918 feet),? 1 Professor Bonney says :—‘‘ In the rock from the summit of Guagua-Pichincha, the external surfaces have a slightly scoriaceous aspect; and, where the lichen- growth is chipped away, are of a dull grey to rusty-brown colour. The fractured faces shew the matrix to be of a dull, but not dark colour, in places slightly vesi- cular, the walls of the hollows being coated with a pellicle of iron rust. In the matrix are scattered pretty thickly whitish felspar crystals, not generally exceeding 0°2 inch in diameter, and granules of a black mineral, less than 0°125 inch in diameter. . . The rock is a hornblende-andesite.”’ The specimen ‘“‘from the highest point of Rucu-Pichincha”’ (the peak ascended by Louis Carrel is presumably Rucu) ‘‘is a compact grey rock, containing scattered crystals of a glassy felspar up to about 0°2 inch in diameter, and smaller specks of a black pyroxenic mineral... Grains of magnetite occur. .. The matrix is often darkened by specks of kaolin and ferrite. . . The rock is a hyperstheni- ferous augite-andesite.’’—Proc. Royal Soc., Jan. 31, 1884. 2 At 11.15 a.m., on March 23, the Mercurial Barometer, reduced to 32° Faht., read 16°974 inches, with air temperature 46° Faht. The 11 a.m. reading at Guayaquil (reduced to 82°) was 29°882 inches, air temperature 80° Faht. Messrs. Reiss and Stiibel give the height of 15,706 feet (4787 métres) for Guagua- and 15,542 feet (4737 métres) for that of Rucu-Pichincha. These elevations were determined by A, not by barometrical observations on the summit. According to them, Guagua is the western and Rucu is the eastern summit. La Condamine, at p. 33 of his Journal du Voyage, gives. 24380 toises as the height of his ‘‘ station on the highest point of Pichincha (station sur le plus haut sommet de Pitchincha)’’; and at p. 56 of his Mesure des trois premiers Degrés he gives the same amount (2430 toises) as the height of the eastern summit. As the highest summit of Pichincha is the western one, I feel somewhat perplexed. Humboldt makes various references in his works to Pichincha, and in such a way as to lead one to suppose that he had been upon the very highest point of the mountain. I feel unable to say whether he did attain the highest point. At p. 28 of the section entitled Nivellement Barométrique in his Recueil d’ Observations Astro- nomiques, he gives 4854 métres as the height of Rucu-Pichincha, ‘“‘the most eastern of three rocky towers.’’ This is equal to 15,925 English feet, which closely corre- sponds with the height I found for Guagua-Pichincha. He further puzzles me bya footnote, at the beginning of which he states that Pichincha has fowr principal summits, and speaks of a fifth one at the end; and he completes my bewilder- ment by saying that M. de la Condamine did not measure Rucu, although that gentleman gives 2430 toises as the height of the eastern summit, which all are agreed is Rucu-Pichincha. CHAP. XI. RECURRING SPECIES. 213 a little pile of stones had evidently been put together by the hand of man. Snow-beds were somewhat numerous in fissures, yet the top of this mountain scarcely touches the snow-line. The whole of the summit-ridge had an appearance of age, and bore a large quantity of lichens (Gyrophora sp., Lecidea sp., and Newropogon melaxanthus, Nyl.); and within fifty feet of the extreme top there was a large plant, with thick, woolly leaves, and a nearly white, pendent, downy flower—I presume, a Cudci- tiwm — which was one of those that constantly attracted attention by recurrence at particular altitudes.‘ It made its appearance whenever we reached the height of 14,000 feet, and was never seen much lower. From its size and prominent characters it was not readily overlooked, and I cannot be far wrong in esti- mating that its range in altitude extends from about 13,500 to 16,000 feet above the level of the sea. Twenty-one species of Beetles were collected upon Pichincha between the heights of 12,000-15,600 feet, belonging principally to the Carabide, Otiorrhynchide, and Curculionide. The whole are new to science. Some, like the Astylws described by Mr. Gorham, inhabit the interior of Ecuador generally, and attain here the upper limit of their range. Their delight is in leaves and branches, and they cease to be seen when _ arborescent vegetation is left below. Hight species were found only on Pichincha. The remainder were obtained on other mountains, either at similar, or at somewhat higher or lower elevations. Two of these (namely, Helicorrhynchus vulsus, Olliff, and Macrops celorum, Olliff)? were afterwards taken again, one hundred miles away, at 16,000 feet on Chimborazo.? 1 It was found also within a few feet of the extreme top of Corazon (15,871 feet). The specimens that we attempted to preserve turned out badly, and were thrown away. Several clumps of it were growing round about our second camp, and are shewn in the engraving facing page 209. 2 Figures of these are given in the Supplementary Appendix on the Plate facing page 60, and upon page 72. 3 Examples of recurring species are mentioned in Chapter XIX. 214 TRAVELS AMONGST THE GREAT ANDES. c#ap. XI. The first competent naturalist who devotes his whole time to this mountain will reap a splendid harvest. After he has satiated himself with beetles and butterflies, he will be able to feast his eyes upon the ruby and emerald breasts, and cyanine tails, of the numerous humming-birds abounding upon it and in its neighbourhood, which include some of the most remarkable and beautiful forms that are known. The tiny Soldado (Mul- sant’s Wood-star) barely three inches long, and the not much larger Prelado (Myrtis fannye, Less.) affect the plain of Tumbaco ; Pterophanes Temmincki, Boiss. (the largest Ecuadorian species, measuring nearly nine inches across its wings) is said to be limited to the foot of Corazon ; Petasophora anais, Less., locally called ‘the Royal Humming-bird,’ is common in the basins of Quito and Chillo; and the long-tailed Cynanthus and Lesbias are diffused on the western side of the mountain generally. Not fewer than eight others, including the extraordinary ‘ Sword-bill’ (Docimastes ensiferus, Boiss.),’ and three ‘ Puff-legs,’ are common on the mountain itself. ‘There is reason to believe that, when more attention is paid to the habits and habitats of these birds, it will be found that several at least of the species which are said to be confined to particular localities will be discovered at other places at equivalent altitudes. Humming-birds in Ecuador are obtained through the Indians. Information as to localities is principally derived from them, and probably is frequently misunderstood. So far as it could be done, I procured the local names of the species which were obtained,’ and have brought them together in the accompanying list, arranged according to the classification of the British Museum Gwide to the Gould collection. 1 In my specimen, the bill is three and a quarter inches long. 2 J am greatly indebted to Dr. P. L. Sclater, F.R.S., for naming this collec- tion. Several of the localities mentioned in the list, not visited by me (8. Domingo, Nanegal, Mindo, Canzacoto, Gualea and Nono), will be found on the Maldonado map. The valley of Chota (in the extreme north of Ecuador) is not given upon either map. 215 HUMMING-BIRDS ON PICHINCHA. CHAP. XI. ‘VOSONW AANINO "INZV VZaavo ‘oaqvuod “ONVHONIHOId “VONVId VWIVd "OdSIaO “ONIA "INZV VI00 ‘VOUVI VIOO ‘OdV1dud ‘oadva'los ‘adITGA SINT ‘vIdnd Idd AaGNINO ‘VAIVW VIVAVUO “"VONVId V'IV ‘ODUVI OOId ‘OSanuy 1a “OLOOVZNVO “ALNAOIA ‘IVaU AAGNINO ‘OZVUOUNIHO AG VITAULSA ‘OONVTd OHOUd ‘OUNAN OUANVIVId ‘“OAUMNO ONId : ‘ oovquiny, Jo ure|g SE Shoup aO AelTe A. ; ; * Byouryord * eyouryorg Jo sedojs puv ‘ouoN ; ; : * enseinsuny, ByoUuryor “Boy'y OJIN’) daoqe vYyouTYysIg Fo sedojg ; ouo N pu ‘u0ze1og Jo oo ; : * Byouryotg om 10U05 OPIS JSO\\ PUB [BSOUBNT ‘ojo ‘ooequiny, ‘OUON ; i : od ooequiny, JO ule[g oden puv volensy (vIqMIOTOD) BTang O[R[[q puv volensy : . : ; ‘op “od * ByoUTYyar “Bory UOZBION JO JOO * OJOORZURD : * opuly pute [esouvN : ue pue oOT[IYyO Jo suse : : ozetoq WIYyO eset x wuestyjuy ‘oquiviéeg : * [esouRN * SOpBIOT[OD SOT op OSuTMIOG °S . . . . e ‘OWIBN [vo0'T «, SLUINATUD ,, ;, SHNIHdAVS ,, ‘og , SOUT-dind ,, «, SNVHA-NAS ,, oq ,, STIIG-NUOHL ,, ‘od , SUTUVAG-NIVUL ,, , SUVAS-COOM ,, UVLS-GOOM S,.LNVSTON ,, , SHAWAN-GOOM ,, ‘od «, SIHONV-NOS ,, SHATLLNOWA-UVIES ,, «, WTId-CUOMsS ,, « ONIM-TUIHdAYS ,, «, SLVOUHL-OVTIT ,, «, SHOVE-NAAAD ,, «, SUV-LUTIOIA ,, od , SUVLS-TTIH ,, ,, SLINUAH AUTIIVI-DNOT ,, «, STTIM-ATHOIS ,, oe : ‘oInog ‘INVAAHONd NOMTIILSOUOTHD ‘omnog 9 “44B[Eq ‘IAVUN VIVHdaoa : " ‘1498TOq ® ‘olnog ‘VuAndsON "W : ; ; * “oIMOg ‘SILSHATWOIN “HT : ‘ ; * ‘ssery ‘VLILSHA “WY : : * ‘oIMog ‘INVIONT SINANOOIN suo] FY “QBO ‘SITVINOLVAOW SILOVa INDY : : * ‘sslog ‘WOHONAHUOUOIN “Y : * ‘q48[0q ‘INVYYAH NOWOINOHANVY . ‘ydeyg ‘SAYNNVAO SQNHINVNAO : : * ‘olmog ‘SITIAUVWY VIasary *“ssory “WANNVA SILYUAT ‘oInog “ILNVSTIONW IWnULsHOVy plnoy ‘sdHOILUAA VINVUATVH, . . ‘718 J F *SUOT ‘IIMVAAZUVd VHAAULOTTA YY plnoy ‘SANVIHdOULS SATADNVITAP " "4yepoq ‘WILaLAT VaAHINVIIS]] ‘sslog “SOUMAISNA SALSVWIN0G *ssIOg ‘IMONINNGL SUNVHdAOUdLg ; * p[noy ‘sSTIVIYOLVAOW VNR 1IOWHG ; : ‘OINOg ‘IINIGUVE SHLIIAONVG ; * ‘ssory ‘SIVNVY VUOHdOSVLEg ; * ‘olnog 9 *4)e[0q ‘OZVYOMNIHO ‘GC ‘OINOg ‘VHONIHOId SATIHOOULOTUCO ‘OInOg ‘Inovuve SINYOHLAVHG ; : * ‘omnog “‘vIIndv saugxoLaq *AIITBOO'T ‘OUIBN] UOWUIO;) ‘OWIBN OYTIUIIOG 216 TRAVELS AMONGST THE GREAT ANDES. cmap. xt. We got back to the second camp soon after mid-day; and, as there was no prospect of improvement in the weather, packed up and returned to Quito. It was now close upon Easter, and we could not leave again until Good Friday was over. Giacometti, on that day, at considerable trouble to himself, thoughtfully provided his guests with salt fish for dinner; and though this nauseous diet was eaten with meekness and resignation by all good Catholics, one of the boarders—a Yankee Jew—protested, in language which would have been rough in the Western States, against the subtraction of his customary pound of flesh as a fraud on his stomach, and against the substitute as an insult to his religion. The next day we left Quito by the road to the North, on our way to Cayambe, and did not return again to the Capital before the third of May. ON THE ROAD. CHAMPIONS, CHAPTER. XI. THE FIRST ASCENT OF CAYAMBE. Two roads lead out of the northern end of Quito. One, passing to the east of the Observatory, descends through a narrow gorge rather rapidly on to the Plain of Tumbaco, and is used by persons going to the village of the same name, to Pifo, or to Papallacta. The other, on the west of the Observatory, is the road to the North, and it was this one we took on the 27th of March, on our way to the great Equatorial mountain Cayambe. I had seen Cayambe from the cone of Cotopaxi, and at Quito from the Panecillo, but these views were obtained at too great distances (62 and 43 miles respectively) to distinguish details; and enquiries were made at Quito to learn the names of inhabited places, contiguous to the. mountain, where informa- tion might be procured as to the best manner of approaching it. From Sefior Carlos Aguirre I heard that one of the properties belonging to his family, a large farm called Guachala, was situated 2F 218 TRAVELS AMONGST THE GREAT ANDES. cmap. xt. on its southern outskirts, and he favoured me with a letter to his tenant. The village called Cayambe was the nearest place of any size to the mountain, and the only one where food was | likely to be obtained. The party on this journey consisted of the two Carrels, Verity, and the principal arriero (Cevallos) we had taken several times before; who was assisted by a second mule-driver of a jovial temperament, much given to strong waters, and by a very willing and pleasant-tempered native, David Beltran. These three men came from Machachi, and formed an excellent working team. Four beasts were taken for riding, and four others for baggage. After proceeding a few miles from Quito, we quitted the main road,’ and turned to the east, towards the Plain of Tumbaco, which was at a lower level, gently sloping towards the north. It was on the eastern side of this (upon what they called the Plain of Yarouqui) that La Condamine and his associates measured their famous base-line in Oct.—Nov., 17365; and the little pyramid of Carabourou, marking its northern end, caught the eye, a glittering speck of light, as we approached the edge of the great Ravine or Quebrada’ of Guallabamba.’ This immense chasm forms a boundary to Mojanda (also called Yana-urcu), a mountain which is seldom referred to in geograph- ical works, although it rises to the respectable elevation of 14,000 feet, and covers, perhaps, a greater area than any other individual mountain in Ecuador.* While for the most part its 1 This road to the North is a fairly good track, not a metalled road. 2 (Quebrada is a word that is heard very often in Ecuador. A ditch is a quebrada, or an earthquake crack a few feet across, or a chasm more than 2000 feet deep, such as the great ravine of Guallabamba. 3 Multitudes of lizards were seen in passing between Quito and Guallabamba. We secured several specimens of Liocephalus trachycephalus (A. Dum.), and there were I think at least two species that we failed to catch. Compare this with the passage quoted at p. 176 from Mr. Hassaurek. 4 Its slopes on the south-west terminate at the Quebrada of Guallabamba, and on the north extend almost as far as the town of Otovalo. —v pes CHAP. XII. THE QUEBRADA OF GUALLABAMBA. 219 slopes are not steep, the abruptness of its cliffs bordering the quebrada can hardly be exceeded ; and there is nothing elsewhere in the neighbourhood of Equatorial America equalling the grandeur of this profound earthquake fissure." Just where the ground commenced to fall steeply, I halted to examine the barometers, for the purpose of determining the depth of the ravine, and for reading the aneroids against the mercurial ; as this was a favour- able occasion for comparing the indications of the two classes of barometers. No reference having been made to the aneroids since p. 72, it may be supposed that they were put aside, and were neglected. This was not the case. Systematic comparison of the barometers was part of my daily routine, though regarded almost as waste of time; for it was difficult to see what advantage could be derived from employing instruments which all read lower than the truth, and differed to a large extent one from another. The comparisons which were made since we left Chimborazo shewed that the index-errors of all the aneroids remained nearly constant at any given pressure ; and had a tendency to augment while ascending (that is, with pressure diminishing) and _ to lessen whilst descending (pressure increasing).? At Quito, on the 20th of March, the mean error of the whole amounted to —1:009 inches; that is to say, the mean of the whole of the aneroids indicated a pressure more than an inch foo low at Quito. If this mean had been employed for determination of altitude, in conjunction with the Guayaquil observations, it would have made the height of the Capital above the level of the sea about 1,400 feet in excess of the truth. Although it appeared to me that these aneroids were worth- less for determination of elevation above the level of the sea, I had already remarked that their indications often accorded 1 A few remarks upon this and other quebradas are made in a later Chapter. 2 See the Table at the end of Appendix C, giving the mean error of the aneroids. 220 TRAVELS AMONGST THE GREAT ANDES. CHAP. XIt. extremely well with those of the mercurial barometer when observing. differences of level, when the observations were made quickly, —that is to say, when only a short interval of time elapsed between the readings at the lower stations and the upper ones, or between the upper and lower ones, as the case might be. At the Ravine of Guallabamba I expected to descend about 3000 feet’ in two hours, and looked forward with curiosity to see whether upon this large difference of level I should observe the same satisfactory accordance between the aneroids and the mercurial barometer as had previously been noted upon minor ones. At the top of the descent, at mid-day, the reading of the mercurial barometer No. 558 (reduced to 32° Faht.) was 21°692 inches. The two aneroids I carried (marked A, B), at the same place and time, read 21°140 and 19°940 inches respectively. Aneroid A, thus, had an index-error of—0°552 inch, and B an index-error of—1°752 inches. At 2.30 p.m., on the bridge at the bottom of the ravine, the reading of the mercurial barometer (red. to 32° Faht.) was 23°929 inches; of Aneroid A, 23°400 inches; and of Aneroid B, 22°200 inches. The increase in the pressure shewn by the three barometers, therefore, was Mercurial Barometer, No. 558 : ; 2°237 inches. Aneroid A ; : ‘ ; ; 2°260 ,, De; "8 : : ; ‘ ’ 2°260_,, The result, although in one sense highly satisfactory, was puzzling ; for here were two aneroids, one with an index-error of —0°552 of an inch, and the other with an error more than three times as large, each indicating precisely the same increase in pressure, and differing in the measurement from the mercurial barometer only to the extent of 0°023 of an inch (an error of a shade more than one per cent in the measurement). 1 From my barometric observations, the depth of the ravine from the commence- ment of the descent to the top of the bridge amounted to 2834 feet. With the addition of the part below the bridge, the total depth is a little less than 3000 feet. _tai-w as, @ ast. ie of ete A |) _—_ —_—* bs — : id aa CHAP. XII. ECCENTRICITIES OF THE ANEROIDS. 221 Or the matter may be put in the following way. When we were at the bottom of the ravine, and the mercurial barometer No. 558 read 23°929 inches, the barometer at Guayaquil was standing at 29°900 inches. The actual difference in the atmos- pheric pressure between the upper and lower station was there- fore 5°971 inches. Aneroid B, however, at the bottom of the ravine, read 22°200 inches, and thus made it appear that there was a difference of pressure of 7°700 inches. The error therefore of B in a measurement of 5°971 inches was 1°729 inches, or more than 28 per cent. Yet this same instrument, it was seen just now, in a measurement of 2°237 inches, differed only to the extent of 0°023 of an inch from the mercurial barometer. Comparisons of this nature were continued, though no more are quoted in the course of my narrative. I returned to England, and remained for several years, entirely unable to understand this anomalous behaviour.’ We stopped for the night at the village of Guallabamba (7133 feet), a pleasant little place, with an agreeable tempera- ture,” embowered in foliage, where we bought oranges shaken 1 It appeared inexplicable to several of the leading instrument-makers and meteorologists under whose notice it was brought. The prominent manner in which it was referred to in a paper communicated to the Royal Geographical Society (see Proc. Roy. Geog. Soc., 1881, p. 450) also failed to draw elucidations from any one. I coutinued to investigate the matter ; and, after working during several years in tabulating and comparing the original observations, subsequently occupied several years more in experiments in the workshop, with the results which will be found in the pamphlet entitled How to use the Aneroid Barometer. See also Appendix C. As even a condensed summary of this investigation necessarily extends to considerable length, I have thought it best to issue it separately from, though simultaneously with the present volume. 2 At 8 p.m., 67° Faht. Strangers seldom come here. The natives said it was two years since they had seen a gringo. The place was badly off for food. There was of course no meat. Bread only came once a week from Quito. At the bottom of the Ravine of Guallabamba, at 2.30 p.m., temperature in the shade was 75°°5 Faht., and this was the highest we experienced in the shade anywhere in the interior of Ecuador. 222 TRAVELS AMONGST THE GREAT ANDES. cmap. xt. from the trees at the rate of four a penny; and on the 28th left for Guachala, passing at mid-day the village of Cousobamba (about the same elevation as Quito), where there was chicha, but no water. The track wound through a large diversity of scenery, sometimes amongst woods, or dipping into quebradas, and this must be one of the grandest rides in the universe when the surrounding mountain panorama is visible. We arrived at Guachala,* however, without having had a single glimpse of Cayambe; and, finding that the tenant was absent, rode over the next morning to Cayambe village, in quest of information. I brought a letter of introduction to the Jefo-politico, and learnt that he was on the plaza, engaged in an affair of import- ance. He was surrounded by a large part of the male population, crowding together, jostling and pushing each other to get a good view of the business which was being transacted. It was the concluding round of a cock-fight for the championship of Cayambe, and when it was over the Jefo-politico had leisure to attend to me. He promised that a guide should be provided ; but, say what I would, the conversation invariably bore round 1 In the garden at the back of this establishment, before breakfast on the 29th, I collected fourteen species of bugs and beetles, eleven of which prove to be new to science. The bushes were loaded with the Astyluws described by Mr. Gorham (Supp. App., pp. 52-3). Whilst engaged in this occupation, the sun came out (at 8 a.m.) brightly, and drove me into the house. This was the only occasion upon the whole journey that I felt the rays of the sun were dangerous. The people in general at Cayambe and Guachala seemed to me to have even lighter complexions than those at Quito, which implies that they do not feel the sun very often. Between Guallabamba and Guachala I dismounted twice to secure fine beetles which were literally crossing our path, belonging to the Dynastide. One of these is a known species (Heterogomphus Bourcieri, Guerin); for the reception of the other, Mr. Bates has instituted the genus Praogolofa (Supp. App., p. 34). The following times were occupied in going from the capital to Guachala. Quito to the top of the Quebrada of Guallabamba, 4 hours 50 min. ; descent to the bottom of the ravine (cutting the zigzags) 1 h. 35 min., those following the path took 2 hs. 30 min.; bridge to the village of Guallabamba, 70 minutes. Guallabamba to Cousobamba, 3 hs. 20 min. ; thence to Guachala, 5 hours, he Se le “CHAP. XII. EQUATORIAL SPORTS. , 229 to cock-fighting, which in this region is considered the most rational and delightful of all sports. He expressed incredulity when told that in England it was only enjoyed by the lower orders, though he would have readily believed that the Lord Chancellor comes down every morning to the Law Courts with a fighting-cock under each arm. ‘‘ You surprise me,” said the Jefo-politico, “‘for all the best cocks come from England.” Three weeks later I passed two nights at this village, and found that to each pillar in the courtyard of my host’s house a fighting-cock was tied. His champions passed their spare moments in attempts to carry on a desultory warfare; and, when night came, chased sleep away by screams of defiance. I growled to the schoolmaster that they disturbed the sacredness of midnight. ‘‘ Oh,” said he, ‘‘ they always crow at the even hours”; and it was the fact that they raised their voices at twelve, two, and four, and let one, three, and five slip by un- noticed ! The Jefo-politico, Sefior Antonio Jarrin de Espinosa, was the owner of Cayambe mountain, of five thousand head of cattle, and a man of large possessions ; and when he invited us to quit comfortable quarters at Guachala, and to sleep at his Hacienda Chuarpongo, I anticipated we were going to enjoy a rather good time, in a country house, suitable for a person of his distinction. Chuarpongo was on the outskirts of Cayambe, and looked down upon the Equatorial village. The building was composed of little more than one room, which was filled with raw potatoes —if they had been cooked it would have been all right. Mashed potatoes would make a nice bed, being of a plastic and accommodating nature ; but these raw potatoes of Chuarpongo were uncompro- mising, and left a strong impression on both mind and body. I think it must be assumed, from the exceptional courtesy he shewed, Sefior Espinosa was unaware that we had to repose upon beds of raw potatoes. The guide he provided was himself. He arrived at 4.a.m., on the 31st of March, at Chuarpongo, with 224 4 TRAVELS AMONGST THE GREAT ANDES. CHAP. XII. two of his major-domos (and a third one from a neighbouring estate), accompanied by five fine deerhounds; and led us in the darkness a long way east-south-east, before beginning to approach the summit of our mountain.’ At about 8 a.m., at a bend of ‘the Monk’s Valley,’ they stopped to enquire where I wished to arrive, and upon indicating a rocky point, at the edge of the glaciers underneath the summit, they proceeded up the ridge dividing the Monk’s Valley from another on its south-east.’ At 10.15, on coming to the point where the heads of these two valleys met, we halted for a meal, with the sun shining brilliantly. While resting on the grass, a great shadow suddenly appeared in our midst, and made us all alive. A Condor had dropped down, and was hovering with outstretched wings about five-and- twenty yards above. The deerhounds ran in, cowering with terror, and casting furtive glances at the huge bird, whilst pressing against us, trembling with fear. It was remarkable to see the fright that possessed these big dogs, when they were in perfect security amongst our large party. Shouts drove the assailant away, and presently we proceeded.* The course now led up very steep ground, that formed a step to another valley above, and the passage of this part occupied some length of ‘time, as the animals had to be unloaded. When all were got to the top, Jean-Antoine was missing,* nor 1 Our courses during the remainder of this Chapter and for Chapter XIII. can be followed on the inset map of part of Cayambe that is given at the top of the large, general route map. 2. On this part of the way we passed several Falcons. One, sitting on a rock about fifty feet off, would not fly away when shouted to. 3’ This bird had been seen hovering about for some time. It seemed to drop down upon us, and for an instant came within twenty yards. The largest Ecuadorian Condor of which I have heard is said to have measured 10 feet 6 in. from tip to tip of the wings. Most of those we saw on Antisana and elsewhere would not I think have measured so much as nine feet. 4T had despatched him in advance (so that the barometer should not be im- perilled by the floundering of the animals) with instructions to wait for us above. CHAP. XII. UNPREMEDITATED EXPLORATIONS. . 225 could any one tell where he was. Halting the others, and handing all the things I usually carried over to Louis in order to move quickly, I scrambled a couple of hundred feet up the ridge on the northern side of the valley, and descried the Chief of the Staff about half-a-mile ahead, picking his way through some swampy ground. Just then a deer galloped down the cliff; the hounds went off in hot pursuit, and holding us entranced by their splendid bounds down break-neck rocks gave the errant man a still longer start. When they came back, discomfited and panting, we went on, and for a time held parallel courses — the others down below on the flat floor of the valley, and I on the top of the ridge, so close that we could keep up conversation. Presently they got out of sight and hearing. I continued, however, to progress along the aréte, intending to rejoin them when the cliffs between us became less precipitous. At mid-day clouds formed about our neighbourhood. I had arrived close above the spot where we were to have encamped, but could not see twenty yards, or get a response to continual whistling and shouting. About this time I was joined by one of the hounds, who seemed to share my perplexity, and ran about in all directions, stopping to listen. I then bore round to the south, and finding no track concluded that the others must have passed over rock, and left no trace; so proceeded higher up, and doubled back, purposely selecting such ground as would allow a good track to be made on it. Presently we came to some bits of climbing which were too steep for the dog, and, whilst rendering him assistance, a few specks of snow commenced to fall. They quickly changed to flakes; in a few minutes there was a blinding snow-storm, and the track was com- pletely obliterated. I continued to search for two hours more, and then considered it was time to attend to my own safety. We were nearly 16,000 feet high ; without compass or instru- ments, food, protection or the means of making a fire, for Louis 2G 226 TRAVELS AMONGST THE GREAT ANDES. cuap. Xt. had taken everything. We went down, regardless of direction, | solely occupied with the view of getting to a lower level. Any valley on this side of the mountain, if followed to its extremity, would bring one on to the plain of Cayambe. At about 4 p.m., getting out of cloud-land, we came upon the head of an unknown valley, which was joined some distance off by another, each with its own little torrent. There was a slope of sand, perhaps eight hundred feet high, between us and the nearest stream, and leaving a track on it that could be seen a mile away I marched across to the right bank of the valley, but had to come back again, as my four-footed friend stopped howling on the bank, refusing to take to the water. I carried the big baby across in my arms. ‘The streams were unfordable when united, and presently fell into a wall-sided ravine with impassable cliffs on the left bank. The opposite slopes, being fissured by earthquake- cracks, were nearly as impracticable; and we were forced to keep to the bottom, in morass, covered with reeds; and for two hours more I waded through slime, clutching the stems, not daring to leave go, lest I should be swallowed up. It was nearly dark when we escaped from this horrible bog, and came upon steeply descending ground; where I descried a little thicket, the first semblance of shelter that had been seen. Preoccupied in finding a refuge of any sort, I did not at first notice that we had hit upon a lair, or sleeping-place, of some of the cattle who from time to time escape to the mountains from the tyranny of man. We had been warned to avoid them, as they pay no regard to anyone, and become savage and dangerous wild-beasts, with marvellous agility. The idea that several might bounce in, inclined to resent this unauthorized occupation of their brush-wood bed, gave something to think about through the eleven hours of darkness. We left the lair at earliest dawn, and, after descending an abrupt step, found that the lower part of the valley was densely wooded. Ispied the remains of a track, a very old one, evidently ee CHAP. XII. INDIAN HOSPITALITY. 227 unused for a long time, overgrown and obliterated in many places, or closed by interlaced branches. ‘The dog crept under- neath without much trouble, and found the way instinctively ; whilst I was driven to make long detours, and several times should have lost myself had not the sagacious animal stood on the track and waited, or come and led me back. Much sooner than I anticipated, sky became visible through openings in the branches, and about 7.30 a.m. we suddenly emerged on to the open; and at the foot of a grassy hill saw a little Indian hut, emitting blue smoke, curling upwards in front of the plain, with a man and woman outside busy at their morning work. I smelt breakfast, and pounced down on them like a hawk. “Have you locro?” ‘* Yes, Sefior.” “Give me some locro” (said very peremptorily). ‘‘That I will, Sefior” (said heartily), and he brought out a basonful at once, with another for the dog, and we all sat outside in the sunshine eating potato-soup together. They were an old, homely couple, unencumbered either by bash- fulness or servility. He pressed us to take more, and came down the river’s side until the outlying houses of the village were seen, and then with a polite salutation was about to take leave ; but I detained him, and, pouring my loose money into his hand, left him in stupefied adoration, uncertain whether he had seen a vision or entertained a gringo. When I reappeared soon after 9 a.m. on the Ist of April at the house of the Jefo-politico, a messenger was despatched to advise the others; and Sefior Espinosa, Jean-Antoine, and Verity arrived in the course of the afternoon, with congratulations upon my safe return from this circular tour. The day was too far advanced to make another start for the camp. Having time on our hands, we wandered about the village, and formed the acquaintance of priest and schoolmaster; and discovered that one could buy two-pennyworth of bread at a time, and no more. If you want a larger quantity, you may buy another medioworth, and so on, but on no account will a shilling’s worth be sold at 228 TRAVELS AMONGST THE GREAT ANDES. cuap. xu. once. Later on, attracted by the sound of music, we came upon a minstrel, with upcast eyes, appealing to his star. Then there was 2 flash, and a quickly following splash, for she suddenly INGRATITUDE. appeared on the balcony to. damp his ardour, according to the manner of the country ; and made us go back, wonder- ing at the ways of womer,— resolved never to play a guitar under a first-floor at Cayambe. Our mountain looked im- mense from the village, and we saw on the 2nd of April that, like Antisana, its upper 38-4000 feet was almost com- pletely buried under snow and glacier. On the west, its slopes die out very gradually on the Plain of Cayambe,* and upon this side they do not become steep until one gets higher than 13,000 feet. On the south the angles are more abrupt, and upon its eastern side the mountain is precipi- tous. It was formerly sup- posed to be the only great mountain, anywhere in the world, immediately upon the Equator, and it has become improbable that a loftier one will ever be discovered exactly on the Line. ‘The Plain of Cayambe is bounded by Cayambe, Imbabura, and Mojanda. Its drainage falls into the Rio de Guallabamba, and by the Esmeraldas into the Pacific. SS “THEY PROWLED AROUND US AT NIGHT, AND LEFT THEIR FOOT-PRINTS IN THE SNOW," mr es CHAP. XII. THE ESPINOSA GLACIER. 229 Leaving Verity behind to continue buying two-pennyworths of bread until he had accumulated a sackful, I went up to the camp, and was received with open arms, as one risen from the dead. The ten men searched until they found my track, and divining my intentions had given me up for lost. They passed the night of the 31st of March in lamentations, for the White Valley down which I had made my way, Sefor Espinosa told them, was pathless, inaccessible, and full of wild beasts. He said it was useless to attempt to follow, and the thing to do was to return to the village, to organize a search for my bones. Pumas, indeed, were rather numerous in this neighbourhood. A young horse belonging to Sefior Espinosa had just been killed by one, and an Indian we passed reported that he had noticed another roving about. Yet we never saw any, although they prowled around us at night, and left their footprints in the snow. The camp (14,762 feet) was established at the eastern end of’ an upper prolongation of the Monk’s Valley, and was com- manded on the north by the precipitous cliffs along which I had gone. On the east (that is to say, at the head of the valley) there was a ridge descending a little to the west of south from a secondary peak of Cayambe, and on the eastern side of this there was a large glacier —invisible alike from our camp and from the village — which my people had discovered during my absence. ‘This glacier was one of the finest we found in Ecuador, having its birth in the snows at the upper part of the mountain, and a length of several miles after it streamed away from the central reservoir. The part nearest to the camp descended steeply, in what is termed an ice-fall. There were no moraines nor even stray rocks upon it, though there were two small, lateral moraines upon its western side, which shewed that rocks had risen above the ice in former times, and that the glacier had been larger. Our course led alongside and partly over these moraines to the top of the secondary peak of which I have already spoken, that juts out from Cayambe like the Aiguille du Gouter on 230 TRAVELS AMONGST THE GREAT ANDES. cnap. xu. Mont Blanc, and affords a perfect stand-point for. studying the western side of the mountain. Its position is sufficiently indi- cated by saying that it is at the head of-the Monk’s Valley and the White Valley; and it cannot be mistaken if it is added that it lies south-west of the highest poimt of Cayambe, and is elevated 16,164 feet above the sea.’ The extreme top of this peak was flat, and the lava in situ was strewn with small pieces of pumice and a number of varieties of other lavas’ (all, however, having a strong family resemblance to each other) which doubtless were morainic matter, and had been deposited there when the contiguous glacier rose to a higher level. Growing amongst them, there was a quantity of Andrewa striata, Mitt., a moss of unattractive character, which seemed to thrive in most exposed positions, and grew both on naked lavas, amongst snow, or in damp volcanic ash.* 1 On April 3, at 11 a.m., the mercurial barometer No. 558 (reduced to 32° Faht.) read 16°924 inches, air temperature 55° Faht. The 11 a.m. reading at Guayaquil, reduced to 32° Faht., was 29°915 inches, air temp. 79° Faht. 2 **The rocks of Cayambe are very uniform in character, and of the same general type as those of Chimborazo, Antisana (in part), and Pichincha (in part). They are andesites, but as they contain hornblende and augite, as well as mica, it is difficult to give them a distinctive name. . . Perhaps it is more appropriate to classify these rocks with the augite-andesites, using the word hornblendic as a qualifying epithet, except in the case of the second specimen described, which might perhaps be termed a mica-andesite.’’—Proc. Royal Soc., June 19, 1884. 3s It had been already collected around the Second Camp on Chimborazo, upon the summit of Corazon, and had been seen in the neighbourhood of the snow-line generally. In the Journal of the Royal Geographical Society for 1861, at pp. 184-190, there is an account of a journey made by the late Dr. William Jameson, of Quito, to Cayambe in 1859. He visited the lower slopes of the northern side of the mountain. Botany was his principal object, and a list is given of seventy-eight species of plants that he collected between the height of 10,000 feet and the neighbourhood of the snow-line. In consequence of Dr. Jameson’s labours, I did not devote any time to the flora of Cayambe. The altitudes given in this paper are generally too high. For Cayambe village he quotes 9724 feet. According to my observations it is 9323 feet above the sea. Messrs. Reiss & Stiibel say 9357 feet. =T 4 CHAP. XII. ROUTH UP CAYAMBE. 21 I called this peak the Pointe Jarrin, and the glacier the Espinosa Glacier, after their proprietor. Cayambe culminates in three domes or bosses, all completely enveloped by snow-covered glacier. The only visible rock high up on the western side is a small cliff, about 800 feet below the northern of these three summits, which is capped by a vertica! section of ice, similar to that shewn in the plate facing p. 76. From examination of this mountain at great distances, it was known that the central boss was the highest. It bore north-east from the Pointe Jarrin, and appeared to be more or less accessible, though decorated at its crest with overhanging cornices and surrounded by large crevasses. The course agreed upon was 20° East of North for the first part of the way over the lower glacier; with the intention of bearing round to the south, and steering directly for the summit, after having got clear of the fissures at the head of the ice-fall. To save time on the following day, I caused steps to be cut up the rounded slopes of the glacier where they pressed against the Pointe Jarrin, and in the course of the afternoon advanced food and instruments to the edge of the ice. On the 4th of April we left the tent at 4.40 a.m., and walked by lantern-light as far as the top of the Pointe Jarrin. The morning was fine and clear, and the view at this time embraced almost all of the mountains which have hitherto been enumerated.’ After traversing some flat and easy glacier, we 1 On the 6th of April I again ascended the Pointe Jarrin, and was more fortunate than usual in getting angles for position. I observed the bearings on this occasion of Mojanda, Imbabura, Cotocachi, Pichincha, Atacatzo, Corazon, Illiniza, Cotopaxi, and Antisana. Ruminahui, Pasochoa, and Sincholagua were clouded, and Cayambe shut out the whole of the view to the east. The two peaks of Illiniza, 72 to 73 miles away, could be readily distinguished, and at this distance were 0° 45’ apart. Antisana (more than 40 miles away) looked huge, and we again saw the large, snowy shoulder on its north-east. Below this, there was a wonderfully level ridge running out in the same direction, perhaps four or five miles farther. After that, the slopes appeared to descend towards the east with great rapidity. 232 TRAVELS AMONGST THE GREAT ANDES. cmap. xt. became involved in a complicated maze of snow-covered crevasses at the head of the ice-fall of the Espinosa Glacier, which had to be threaded cautiously. This was followed by moderately- inclined slopes, and we then entered upon a large plain that took three-quarters of an hour of steady going to cross. This we called the Grand Plateau. Afterwards the slopes became steeper, with occasional large open crevasses and numerous con- cealed ones, and were rapid near the top, which was gained soon after 10 o’clock in the morning. Early in the day mists began to form and gather beneath us, and we pushed on to endeavour to have a view from the summit. At 9.30 a.m., when quite a short distance below the highest point, we were well seen by a crowd assembled on the Plaza of the village; but in a few minutes more the clouds caught us up, and we did not get out of them until the close of the day. The true summit of Cayambe is a ridge, running north and south, entirely covered by glacier. Its height (deduced from the mean of two readings of the mercurial barometer at 10.45 and 11 a.m.) is 19,186 feet, and this mountain is therefore the fourth in rank of the Great Andes of the Equator. Of the other two summits the northern one is the higher, and it is well-nigh inaccessible, being almost surrounded by gigantic crevasses, and surmounted by tufted cornices. The central or true summit pre- sented fewer difficulties, though it was not altogether easy of access. It was a stroke of good fortune to find a snow-bridge across the highest crevasse, just under the place where there was a break in the coronal cornice. Glacier departs in all directions from the summit of Cayambe 1 The mean of these two readings (reduced to 32° Faht.) was 14983 inches. The 11 a.m. reading at Guayaquil (red. to 32° F.) was 29°915 inches, air tempera- ture 79° Faht. At some future date it may perhaps appear that Cayambe is third, and that Antisana is the fourth in rank. There is, I imagine, a very slight difference in the elevation of these two mountains. CHAP. XII. ON THE SUMMIT OF CAYAMBE., 233 CAYAMBE (19,186 FEET), FROM THE WEST. in a manner that is seldom seen on mountain-tops. From the huge schrunds that surrounded the three bosses of the summit-ridge, on al/ sides, I think that there are at no great depth beneath the surface several pinnacles like those which form the summits of Sincholagua and [lliniza. By persons who are familiar with glacier-clad eminences it will be apprehended without saying that a slight diminution in the thickness of the superincumbent ice may cause the apex of this mountain to become inaccessible. During the 83 minutes we remained on the summit, tem- perature fluctuated between 32°-41° Faht. On arrival, the wind was light, without any very pronounced direction. It strengthened as day advanced, and soon after 11 a.m. blew in squalls from the east, and we retired. The upper part of this mountain was a regular battlefield for the winds. On several occasions in the succeeding fortnight, when encamped southwards, we saw their struggles for victory. If the east wind conquered, the whole mountain became invisible; but if, as happened some- 2H 234 TRAVELS AMONGST THE GREAT ANDES. cnap. XxIl. times, a north-west wind prevailed, then the western side, and even the rest, was seen.! It being still early in the day, we diverged to the north to get some samples of the highest rocks; and then followed our track literally, as the mists were dense,— proceeding very cautiously, ‘ sounding ** at almost every step in consequence of the increased softness of the snow, and grovelling on hands and knees across the rotten bridges. We returned to camp at 3.40 p.m. So far as I am aware, no attempt has hitherto been made to bring together rates of speed which have been attained upon mountains. Probably, they are not often well ascertained ; for persons engaged in mountain-travel, or in mountaineering, generally have their attention too much absorbed by inevitable details, or by the novelty of their surroundings, to observe and note with precision the times occupied, and the duration of halts. It was necessary to observe the rates we attained in order to form an opinion as to the effects of low pressures on the bodily powers ; and, whenever it was practicable, our times were noted.* Upon Cayambe we attained our fastest ascending rate. We left camp (14,762 feet) at 4.40 a.m., and arrived on the summit (19,186) at 10.12 a.m.; the only positive halt being one of ten or twelve minutes at the top of the Pointe Jarrin, to put on rope and gaiters. In 320 minutes of actual going we rose 1 The east wind was damp, and comparatively warm. There was a notable difference in the height of the snow-line on different sides of the mountain. On the west, there was no permanent snow so low as 16,000 feet above the level of the sea. 2 The rock (lava) of this cliff closely resembled that which had been taken lower down, and Prof. Bonney informs me that microscopic examination shews that the differences are only varietal. ‘‘ Hornblende, iron-mica, and augite are present, the last being the less conspicuous constituent.’ 3 Those who are acquainted with the technicalities of mountaineering are referred to Scrambles amongst the Alps, p. 375, where a figure is shewn in the act of ‘sounding.’ 4 Several of our rates, which were well ascertained, are brought together in a tabular form in Chapter XIX. ont fee CHAP, XIT. RATH OF ASCENT. 235 4424 feet, or 13°85 feet per minute (= 831 feet per hour).’ Some may say this is not a fast rate; or others may entertain a contrary opinion, and argue that the ascent must have been very easy to have permitted us to travel so quickly. It was no part of my aim to make or to break ‘records’ ; and, personally, I have no objection to the adoption of either of these opinions. Whether fast or slow, I remarked that both of the Carrels commenced to give indications of fatigue when we were about 18,000 feet high. Jean-Antoine was a man who always wished to be in front, and if he yielded up the lead voluntarily it was a sure sign that he was tired. In ascending the last twelve hundred feet, although the axes were little used and we seldom sank more than a foot in the snow, the men changed places, and took the lead alternately, perhaps a dozen times. Louis had no desire to retain it,— indeed, I think it may be said that ‘neither of them could have held it for any length of time. Although these changes scarcely occupied a minute apiece, I found the little stoppages very convenient. Instead of hindering, they probably assisted progress; and it should be added, to the eredit of the cousins, that this ascent was made without a fault. There was no retracing of steps, and doing work twice over. Due to this, our ascending rate, on that day, was better than the average. We had now paid some attention to the first, second, third and fourth of the Great Andes of the Equator. There was no likelihood of finding their supremacy disputed; for my prede- cessors agreed that these mountains towered head and shoulders above all the rest, and they were in general agreement as to the order in which the others followed. According to La Condamine, and Reiss and Stiibel, Altar, Sangai and Illiniza were next in rank. 1 The descending rate is not known, on account of the detour. We left the summit at 11.35 a.m.; arrived on Pointe Jarrin at 2.40 p.m.; stopped thirty minutes, and then went down in another half-hour to the camp. 236 TRAVELS AMONGST THE GREAT ANDES. cnuap. xt. In the Geografia de la Republica del Heuador of Dr. M. Villa- vicencio I had, however, lighted upon a reference to a mountain called Sara-urcu, which is not, I believe, mentioned either by La Condamine, Humboldt or Boussingault. Its height, according to Villavicencio, was 17,276 feet (6210 varas). As this closely approximated to the elevation assigned to Altar, Sangai and Illiniza, it seemed not impossible that the mountain might prove to be the fifth in rank; and before quitting the neighbourhood I proposed to hunt it down, being the more moved to do so because it was. said to be situated well to the east, and might afford another chance of having a glimpse of the great, unknown Amazonian basin. At Quito I was unable to procure any information as to the location of Sara-urcu. . Few persons were acquainted with the name; but when Sefior Espinosa heard me mention it he said that the mountain (and all the country to the east) belonged to him, and that he would indicate its direction. When we first started for Cayambe, Sefior Espinosa did point out a vague something in the clouds which he said was Sara-urcu. We did not actually see the mountain until the 4th of April, and then it appeared only for a few seconds, just long enough to obtain an idea of its position. In those few seconds we saw that we should in all probability be able to ascend it, if its base could: be reached. Before leaving Cayambe, I sent Jean-Antoine with David in advance, to see if they could light upon another camping-place in the right direction; retaining Louis and Verity to assist in collecting. In the neighbourhood of the camp (that is to say, either a little above or below 15,000 feet above the level of the sea) we found the nine beetles that are mentioned below,’ 1 *Oolpodes pustulosus, Bates (Supp. App., p. 14); *C. rotundiceps, Bates (p. 15) ; *0O. fusipalpis, Bates (p. 17); C. steno, Bates (p. 20, with Figure); *Zrechus sp. ; Bembidium fulvocinctum, Bates (p. 22); Naupactus parvicollis, Olliff (p. 67); * Listroderes inconspicuus, Olliff (p. 69); and Hrirrhinus glaber, Olliff (p. 16). Those marked by asterisks were found only on Cayambe. CHAP. XII. COLPODES. 237 including three species of Colpodes which were obtained only at this locality. We had already obtained members of this genus at great heights on several other mountains, and on Pichincha had been struck by the fact that they existed in considerable numbers amongst frozen soil. ‘he two which have been named by Mr. Bates C. megacephalus and C. Pichinche came from Guagua-Pichincha, the former from the summit-ridge (at 15,600 feet), and the latter from the second camp (14,992 feet). In each case they were discovered whilst breaking out rock speci- mens, and were found in colonies, thriving amongst stones which were cemented together with ice. Some species of Colpodes come from more genial zones, but the larger part of those we obtained enjoyed life under very frigid conditions. The minima of the four nights Ap. 2—Ap. 5 inclusive, were 27°, 31°, 24°°5, and 24° Faht. respectively, degrees of cold sufficient to hard freeze the surface of the soil; which, further, was usually covered with snow in the morning. The scouts returned, bringing a good report; declaring that they had found a regular palace —an old Indian dwelling, planted all round with shrubs—which would permit the tents to be dispensed with; and we broke up camp on the 6th, to go to this wonderful place, expecting they had either dropped upon an edifice of prehistoric age, or on some relic of the dusky Incas. CHARMS ? LA DORMIDA DE MAYORAZZO., CHAPTER AIL THE FIRST ASCENT OF SARA-URCU. Upon leaving Cayambe on the 6th of April, we came down three thousand feet by a buttress or ridge running out towards the south-south-west, and then turned to the east; camping that night in the ‘palace surrounded by shrubs’*—the structure represented at the head of this chapter— which was called La Dormida (the sleeping-place) de Mayorazzo (11,805 feet), a good thing of its kind, though not very palatial; and at this lower level we got again into a warmer climate. In the daytime temperature was higher than 50° Faht., and the lowest minimum was well above freezing-point (38°°5). La Dormida was a hut occasionally used by herdsmen when searching for strayed cattle, and was situated in a wood — almost a forest; surrounded by fallen and decayed trunks, laden with cHAP. xl. GONZALO PIZARRO CROSSES THE ANDES. 239 mosses’ growing luxuriantly, thickly caked and interlaced upon the rotten bark. In the clearing around the edifice little birds hopped about fearlessly, and at night clouds of moths’ sailed into the tent, attracted by the lghts. The valley in which La Dormida is situated forms the southern boundary of Cayambe; and at its head, two or three miles more to the east, there is the divide or water-parting of the streams flowing into the Pacific and Atlantic. The whole of the drainage of the eastern side of Cayambe goes into the Atlantic. Most of the streams flowing down its southern slopes, and all of those upon its west, fall into the Pacific. Somewhere not far away, perhaps over this very ground, Gonzalo Pizarro, ‘the most dexterous with the lance of any man that ever passed into the New World,’ ‘the most beloved man in all Peru,’ crossed the Andes in 1540 (it is said) with 340 Spaniards, 4000 Indians, and about 4000 Swine, to look for ‘the Land of Cinnamon’; on the memorable expedition which resulted in the discovery of the River Amazons by his lieutenant Orellana, and in the death of the greater part of the explorers.’ The exact route taken by Gonzalo Pizarro cannot I think be told with certainty from the relation of Garcilasso de la Vega.* It is, however, certain that he crossed and recrossed the 1 Thuidium delicatulum, Lindb. ; Sematopkyllum subscabrum, Mitt.; S. pungens, Mitt. ; Didymodon, near acutifolius, Jaeg. ; Porotrichum variabile, Hampe; Neckera Jamesoni, Tayl.; Lejeunia sp.; Aneura sp.; and Dicranum speciosum, Hook. & Wils. 2 Hurimene excelsa, var. (very numerous) ; Halsidota suffusa, H.S.; Agrotis sp. ; Epiolus sordilus, H.S.; and others. 3 See The Royal Commentaries of Peru, by Garcilasso de la Vega (translated by Sir Paul Rycaut), fol., Lond., 1688, pp. 601-7, 631-3. 4TIt is said that upon starting Pizarro went through ‘the Province of Quixos, which lies North from Quitu’; that he returned to the north of his outward route; and that when he re-arrived in the interior some of the inhabitants of Quito went thirty leagues to succour him. Little dependence, I imagine, can be placed upon the figures. Inasmuch as the trail through Papallacta is the only known way across the Eastern Andes, at the present time, in the neighbourhood 240 TRAVELS AMONGST THE GREAT ANDES. cwHap. xi. Andes somewhere near the Equator; and that this valiant leader, and his picked band of hardy adventurers, found that to over- come the natural difficulties of the region was a harder task than the Conquest of Peru. ‘‘ The most irresistible of all was Hunger, that grievous and cruel Enemy of Man and _ Beast, which hath been so fatal to both in that uninhabited Countrey.”? From what we could learn of the people of Cayambe (and this was very little) the natural difficulties of the neighbourhood had not been overstated. It was not of course for a moment believed that we were attracted here by any such ridiculously transparent motive as the determination of the elevation of a mountain. In their eyes there was another allurement. Sara- urcu was said to contain boundless riches—much gold and silver —which, it was delicately hinted, we: might perhaps discover. Upon arrival at La Dormida two men were found in waiting ‘to assist” us. One of them—a very old Indian — being physically an infant, I sent back to his village. The other was a tough- looking half-breed, whom I called ‘The Spy’; and in order that he might do that for which he was sent I despatched him, with of the Equator, it seems probable that Gonzalo Pizarro went by that route. It is still customary for persons proceeding by it to go a few miles to the north on leaving Quito, though they speedily bear round to the east. The words Rio de los Quixos will be found on the Maldonado map, to the east of Antisana. 1“ By reason of the continual Rains, and moisture of the Earth, their woollen Cloths and linen being always wet, became rotten, and dropped from their Bodies, so that from the highest to the lowest every Man was naked, and had no other covering than some few Leaves. . . So great, and so insupportable were the Miseries which Gonzalo. Picarro and his Companions endured for want of Food, that the four thousand Jndians which attended him in this Discovery, perished with Famine. Likewise of the three hundred and forty Spaniards which entred on this Discovery, two hundred and ten dyed, besides the fifty which were carried away by Orellana. . . Their Swords they carried without Scabbards, all covered with rust, and they walked barefoot, and their Visages were become so black, dry and withered, that they scarce knew one the other; in which condition they came at length to the Frontiers of Qwituw, where they kissed the Ground, and returned Thanks to Almighty God, who had delivered them out of so many and so imminent dangers.’’— The Royal Commentaries of Peru, p. 682. Fe ee oe a. CHAP. XIII. A CAMP IN A SWAMP. 241 most of the others, on the 7th, 8th, and 9th to explore in the direction of Sara-urcu. , | At this time I was feverish, and found my internals going wrong, from the last few days’ experiences; and remained in the hut under a pile of ponchos, directing operations. The scouts came back with bad reports. The animals, they said, could go no farther ; there was an end to paths and trails, except occasional wild-beast tracks; there was nothing whatever to eat, and everything must be carried; there was no place to camp upon, the whole country was a dismal swamp; and everlasting rain was falling; so much so that, although they supposed they had been near to Sara-urcu, they were quite unable to be sure. On discussion, 1t was concluded that the tents must be left behind, as we were not strong enough to carry both them, the wraps and food. Hence it was indispensable to find a place which would afford some protection against weather, and wild- animals; and on the third day they reported an overhanging cliff which would answer sufficiently well. It was arranged that Cevallos should remain at La Dormida to care for his beasts, with the Jovial Man to go to and fro between the village and the hut transporting provisions, which were to be brought to the front by Verity and the Spy; while David acted as camp- keeper at the advanced post, and the Carrels and I pursued exploration. April 10. From La Dormida towards Corredor Machai. We made a forward move, leaving Cevallos and his assistant at the hut to tend the animals and keep up communications; half of the rest going in advance, while the others including myself waited for some additional food from Cayambe village. This arrived late, and delayed us so much that we could not reach the next camping-place by nightfall, and had to stop in a swamp, on a spot where, if you stood still, you sank up to the knees in slime. This place was just on the divide, nearly 13,000 feet above the sea, and during the greater part of the eleven hours 21 242 TRAVELS AMONGST THE GREAT ANDES. CHAP. XII. night sleet or rain fell, rendering it well-nigh impossible to keep up a fire out of the sodden materials. For me the men con- structed a sort of floating bed, cutting down reeds, and crossing and recrossing them, piling them up until they no longer sank in the slime. For themselves they made smaller platforms of a similar description, and sat on their heels during the whole night, trying to keep up a fire. April 11. At Corredor Machai. We advanced and rejoined the others, having to pass through country more difficult than any we had hitherto traversed. ‘The land was entirely marshy, even where the slopes were considerable; and upon it there was growing a reedy grass to the height of eight to ten feet,’ in such dense masses as to be nearly impenetrable. The machetas were found inadequate. It would have taken several weeks’ labour of our whole party to have cleared a track over a single mile. The only way of getting through was by continually parting the reeds with the hands (as if swimming), and as they were exceedingly stiff they sprang back directly we let go, and shut us out from each other’s sight. The edges of the leaves cut like razors, and in a short time our hands were streaming with blood, for we were compelled to grasp the stems to pre- vent ourselves from sinking into the boggy soil. On this day we crossed the divide, and the streams now flowed towards the Atlantic. The whole country was like a saturated sponge. We joined the others in due course, under an overhanging cliff of silvery mica-slate,’? which we afterwards found was known by the name of Corredor Machai, or the hunter’s refuge. It 1 This has been identified by Prof. D. Oliver with the Chusquea aristata of Munro,—a reedy grass which is only known to grow in this region. 2“ A rather fine-grained micaceous gneiss. The slaty formation is evidently due to arough cleavage traversing the rock, on the planes of which a silvery mica has been rather largely developed. . . The structure of the rock is perplexing ; it must undoubtedly be classed with the crystalline schists, but I suspect that the very marked schistosity is a secondary development due to crushing.’’—Prof. T. G. Bonney, Proc. Royal Soc., Nov. 27, 1884. er WS Ah Sh UL NLA NS AN ARs Sih i HM Me THE BEDROOM THE KITCHEN AT CAMP ON THE EQUATOR, AT CORREDOR MACHA! (12,779 FEET). ‘ - CHAP. XIII. WH ARE TICKLED. 243 was almost the only spot where it was possible to camp, and it afforded good protection on one side, of which we there were numerous tracks of bears, pumas and other wild-beasts about. The lurch forward of the cliff prevented rain falling directly upon us, unless it blew from the north-east; but everything burn- able was dripping with moisture,’ and the sur- rounding land was so wet that water oozed or even squirted out in jets when it was trodden upon. Corredor Machai was placed on the southern side of a small valley, descending north-west, with several depressions (passes ?) at its head. At mid-day despatched two men across the valley to advance provisions in the direction in which we supposed Sara-urcu was situated. It had not yet been seen, and our view was limited by the mists to the immediate surroundings. They returned with a human skull which they had picked up not far away. ‘‘I know that skull,” said the Spy ; ‘fit belonged to a man who went out search- ing for quinine bark. ‘There were twenty of them altogether, and four came back. ‘This one laid down to sleep, a snow-storm came on, and he did not wake again.”? Sent some of the people to bring up more food from La Dormida, and made the rest hew down reeds to construct ‘one man bed-rooms.’ Laid the reeds sloping against the foot of the cliff, leaving room enough behind to creep into. Many spiders about ; some very ticklish. Examined one with a lens, and found out why. were glad, as A HIND-LEG OF A SPIDER FROM CORREDOR MACHAI. 1 We found paraffin oil of great use in starting fires when fuel was damp. It was employed here, and at all our high camps. A few pints of it were always carried. 2 Searching for Chinchona trees, to strip them of their bark, is a favourite occupation in this country. 244 TRAVELS AMONGST THE GREAT ANDES. CHAP. xmI. April 12. Corredor Machai to Camp on Sara-urcu. Advanced with the Carrels to the place where food was deposited yesterday, and left the others at Corredor Machai to keep up communica- tions. Whilst descending to the bottom of our valley, saw a large bear walking along the other side, going straight ahead through the reeds as if they interposed no obstacle. Shouted to it, but it scarcely deigned to notice us, and only just turned its head aside for a moment, and went on into a thicket of scrub. ‘Tracks of wild animals afforded assistance, as the reeds had often been trodden down. Passed several cattle lairs. The slopes here were as swampy as upon the other side. Seldom saw two hundred yards in any direction on this day. Rain fell incessantly in a steady mizzle. Encamped in the afternoon against a bit of cliff with very slightly overhanging rock, at the height of 13,754 feet,‘ not knowing where we were, though believing we were close upon Sara-urcu. No fire possible. Minimum in night 35°; and, at 6 a.m. on the 13th, 36°°5 Faht. April 13. In Camp on Sara-urcu. Made small excursions, to find out where we were. Discovered nothing, beyond a large glacier on the north, which we conjectured proceeded from our mountain. Sent the Carrels out in different directions exploring, and endeavoured to improve shelter. Built a low wall of clods and stones round the open side,—an addition which made the place as comfortable as an ordinary ditch on a winter’s night. Jean-Antoine came back hurriedly in the afternoon, looking behind him nervously. ‘‘ Why, Carrel, man, what 7s the matter ?” ‘* Monsieur,” said he, ‘‘just now I was over there, looking at the glacier to find a way down, when I heard a noise behind, and turning round saw two big bulls a few yards off, with their heads down, ready to pitch me over the precipice. I ran away up a rock, and they came after me; and one stood on one 1 The Mercurial Barometer at 6 p.m. on April 12 (reduced to 32° Faht.) read 18°278 inches, air temperature 40° Faht. The simultaneous reading at Guayaquil (red, to 32°) was 29°917 inches, air temperature 78° Faht. CHAP. XIII. INCESSANT RAINS. 245 side, and the other on the other; and when I tried to escape on one side they both came there, and when I tried the other side they both went there, but at last I escaped, and here I am, quite out of breath.” ‘‘ Monsieur,” he said, ‘‘on my word of honour, they were as fat as butter, and skipped about like chamois !” April 14. From Camp on Sara-urcu to Corredor Machar. It rained all night. Temperature in our hole was 36°°75 Faht. at daybreak. This was a miserable place for protection against the weather. Nothing reasonably overhanging could be found. The loose stones, lying about, were either boulders too large to move, or too small to be of use. Shelter consisted solely of our three mackintosh ponchos, suspended from the Manilla rope. Large seams of massive quartz were a feature here. Nothing more golden was found than some glittering pyrites. Rain continued without intermission. No one at Cayambe had spoken about these incessant rains. From the aspect of the country (so different from any other part of Ecuador), from the saturation of the hills, the innumerable small pools, streamlets and springs, | am convinced they are nearly perpetual. Being thoroughly sodden, and without the means of drying ourselves, we descended in the afternoon to Corredor Machai. Arrived drenched from the waist downwards. Occasional glimpses of the country to the south (between Sara-urcu and Antisana) shewed that it contained a number of small ranges, without any single peak rising notably higher than the rest. Many were loftier than our station, and the highest are probably about 14,500 feet above the sea. No mountain was snow-covered, though there were numerous small patches of snow upon many of the peaks. I imagine that this district is entirely uninhabited. Found five men who had come up with a letter to Verity from the Jefo-politico, saying that there was a strong report in the village that we were lost. Got rid of them as soon as 246 TRAVELS AMONGST THE GREAT ANDES. cuAP. xItt. possible, as they brought nothing, and ate up food we wanted. People grumbling, and wanting to return. April 15. At Corredor Machai. Started Verity and David at 4 a.m. to hurry up provisions, as we are now reduced to biscuit and water. It continued to rain incessantly. This night while dozing in my den, I thought the stars had at last come out. Found that the light proceeded from a luminous beetle. Caught it, and put it into methylated spirit.? ‘* Disputes have been, and still prevail, From whence his rays proceed, Some give that honour to his tail, And others to his head.” . Or, at least, so says a Poet. Though this insect must have expired in a minute or two after immersion, it glowed for several hours; and gave enough light to tell the time by my watch, and to read the small writing in my Journal. The light was emitted from the two abdominal segments next above the lowest one. Min. temp. at night 39°°5 Faht. April 16. At Corredor Macha. At mid-day temperature rose to 58° Faht.! In the afternoon, the Jovial Man and the Spy arrived with meat, bread, and other things just at the right time, and soon afterwards it left off raining. With the exception of about twelve hours in all, it has rained continu- ously from the night of the 10th until now. At 4 p.m. mists cleared away a little, and at 5 we saw Sara-urcu. Got its bearing and sketched it.2 In a few minutes the mountain was invisible again. Arranged for a forced march to-morrow. All the reeds round about our platform at the base of the cliff had been cut or beaten down, so that the view should not be impeded. The mountain appeared nearly in the place we 1 Mr. Gorham identifies this insect as a male Photinus longipennis of Motschul- sky, and says it is common in Colombia. I had previously obtained a female at La Dormida. See Supp. App., p. 48. 2 It was useless to try to photograph in this misty atmosphere. One could not work with the camera with the same certainty as with the pencil. — SS CHAP. XIII. SARA - URCU. 247 expected, on the northern side and at the head of the valiey. Saw that it was surrounded by glaciers on the south. The summit seemed to be a sharp snow peak. This appearance we knew was delusive. April 1%. Ascent of Sara-uwreu. Left Corredor Machai at 5.30 a.m. Foggy. Went as before across the valley, a little to the north of east. Rain fell 6 to 8 a.m. Passed camp on Sara-urcu at 8.55, picking up necessaries which had been left there in readiness. Then steered east; rounded the slopes 248 TRAVELS AMONGST THE GREAT ANDES. cuHAP. ximt. of the ridge bounding the southern side of the large glacier pro- ceeding from our mountain; passed the base of a small lateral glacier and took to the ice at 10.50 a.m. Put on the rope. Could not see a hundred yards in any direction. Steered east- south-east. The summit of Sara-urcu bore almost exactly due east from Corredor Machai, and an _ east-south-east course was calculated to bring us right upon it. To return steering by compass was more dubious. We did not apprehend losing ourselves on land ; nor upon snow and glacier, even in a fog, if our track was not obliterated. There was every probability that it would be quickly effaced ; while it would be necessary, to escape from the glacier, to hit off the exact place where we took to it. It was by no means certain that we could do this, trusting to the com- pass alone ; for it is very difficult to hold to one general course in a fog, when courses have to be changed every other minute, as they must necessarily be upon crevassed glacier. To ensure our return, Louis therefore carried a quantity of four-foot lengths of the reed tops, to place as guide-marks on the glacier; and planted TURNING AN ENEMY TO ACCOUNT. CHAP. XIII. ON THE SUMMIT OF SARA-URCU. 249 another as soon as the last one he had fixed became dim. While this scarcely hindered progress, it allowed us to proceed with greater confidence. We rose steadily, crossing many cre- vasses; and when about 15,000 feet high suddenly emerged from the clouds, and found ourselves face to face with the pointed snow peak. Behind this, a wall of snow’ led to the true top. } With out-turned toes we went cautiously along the crisp aréée, sharp as a roof-top, and at 1.30 p.m. stood on the true summit of Sara-urcu; a shattered ridge of gneiss—wonder of wonders, blue sky above’—strewn with fragments of quartz, and mica- schist similar to that at Corredor Machai,*® without a trace of vegetation. The usual atmospheric conditions prevailed. Cay- ambe and all the rest was shut out by unfathomable, impenetrable mists, limiting the view to a few hundred yards around the summit, which was surrounded by glaciers on all sides.* Tem- perature rose and fell as puffs of steamy air came from the great cauldron on the east. The barometer stood at 17:230 inches,’ and thus it was clear that Sara-urcu was nof the fifth 1 This is nearly concealed in the view upon p. 247. 2 But no sunshine. The sun, I believe, was not seen by us from the 5th to the 20th of April. 3 In the moraine at the margin of the ice where we first took to the glacier there was much ferruginous quartz, and iron pyrites, the origin perhaps of the rumoured treasures of Sara-urcu. i The rock in situ at the summit was ‘‘a rather fine-grained gneiss, containing quartz, felspar, dark mica, with probably a little chlorite and epidote. . . All the specimens brought from Sara-urcu are metamorphic rocks. They do not, indeed, belong to the earliest types, such as the coarse gneisses of the Hebrides, but still they are greatly altered.’’—Prof. T. G. Bonney, in Proc. Royal Soc., Nov. 27, 1884. 4 We could not at any time see the full length of the large glacier on the west of Sara-urcu, or even across it. It appeared to bend round towards the north. The glaciers on the south side of the mountain are small. There was another one, descending towards the north-east, which, so far as could be seen, was more considerable. 5 On April 17, at 1.45 p.m., the Mercurial Barometer (reduced to 32° Faht.) read 17°230 inches, air temperature 46° Faht. The 11 a.m. and 6 p.m. observations 2K 250 TRAVELS AMONGST THE GREAT ANDES. cwHap. xt. in rank of the Andes of the Equator, and indeed was less in height than several of the minor peaks which had been already ascended. Surprised by darkness before we could arrive at Corredor Machai, another miserable night had to be passed at the upper station. On the 18th we descended, and took ourselves off as speedily as possible. After the reed, the chief Botanical feature of the valley in which the ‘ Hunter’s refuge’ was placed was the extraordinary manner in which the twigs and branches of such trees as were there were laden—almost stifled—with the lichen Usnea barbata, Fries. This lichen and the Chusquea were the two dominant species, and put nearly everything else out of sight. The flora here is probably extensive. Close to the rock there were Currant bushes in flower, a Fuchsia (/., Lowensis, H.B.K.) at the greatest height these plants were seen, and Ferns were numerous, although concealed.’ But all the botanical treasures in Keuador would not have enticed us to stop. We turned our backs on this super-saturated place with the greatest possible pleasure ; passed the nights of the 18th and 19th at La Dormida, and on the 20th returned to Cayambe village, understanding better than when we left it why Gonzalo Pizarro kissed the ground when he stood again on ¢erra firma. Such information as I brought from Sara-urcu differs materi- at Guayaquil (red. to 32° F.) were 29°912 and 29°859 inches, air temperatures, respectively, being 80° and 81° Faht. During our stay on the summit, temperature fluctuated between 43°°5—55° Faht. Flies, evidently stragglers, of three distinct species were captured on the summit. Like the rest of the Diptera, they remain undescribed. 1 The following were some of the more common species round about Corredor Machai. Lichens:—Beomyces imbricatus, Hooker (abundant); Parmelia Kam- tschadalis, Eschw.; Sticta laciniata, Ach. (abundant); Sticta sp.; and Usnea barbata, Fries (very abundant). Mosses:—Breutelia sp.; Daltonia bilimbata, Hampe ; Hypnum cupressiforme, Linn., var.; H. Schreberi, Willd. (abundant); Metzgeria claveflora, Spruce; Mnium rostratum, Schrad.; Plagiochila sp.; and Lhizogoniwm mnioides, Schimp. Ferns :—Cheilanthes scariosa, Kaulf.; Hymenophyllum sericeum, Sw.; and Polypodium subsessile, Baker. CHAP. XIII. THE HEIGHT OF SARA-URCU. 251 ally from the statements made about that mountain by Villavi- cencio. He gives in his Geografia 6210 varas as its height ;* upon his map, places it south of east of Quito and south-south-west of Cayambe (mountain), near Papallacta; he quotes from Velasco * to the effect that it was a volcano which formerly emitted fire, and he says it has latterly ejected ashes, producing consternation in the Capital, whence it is distant thirty-five miles.° I found that Sara-urcu is only 15,502 feet high, and is placed south-east by south of Cayambe (mountain); that it is not a volcano, and cannot have emitted fire and ejected ashes; and that it hes con- siderably to the north of east of Quito, at the distance of about forty-five English miles. Instead of being the fifth in altitude of the Great Andes of the Equator, it proved to be the lowest of all the snow-peaks, and considerably inferior in elevation to several which scarcely reach the snow-line. Before we left Cayambe I pursued enquiries for Cyclopiwm (Pimelodus) cyclopum. In the first volume of the Zoology of Humboldt and Bonpland’s Journey, a description,* and a figure drawn on the spot by Humboldt himself, of this fish are given, which is said (p. 23) to be the only one found in the ‘ Kingdom of Quito’ at heights above 8752 feet (1400 toises). This state- ment is in itself somewhat remarkable, and the information which 1 Reckoning the vara at 2°782 English feet, 6210 varas are equal to 17,27 English feet. I am not aware what foundation he had for this statement. Possibly, he heard that the mountain bore large glaciers, and conjectured that its elevation must be near those of the other glacier-bearing Andes. 2 T have not been able to find a reference to this mountain in Velasco. 3 “Segun refiere el P. Velasco en su historia de Quito, este volean ha arrojado llamas por dos veces; mas, en estos Ultimos afios, ha arrojado gran cantidad de cenizas volcanicas, por Diciembre de 1843, i por el mismo mes, en 1856. La primera de estas erupciones duré dos dias, i puso en mucha consternacion 4 los habitantes de Quito, i 4 sus pueblos circumvecinos. La altura de esta montana es de 6210 varas sobre el mar... Esta situado 4 35 millas E. de Quito.’’—Geografia de la Republica del Heuador, por Manuel Villavicencio, 8vo, New York, 1858, pp. 52-53. 4 Vol. i, pp. 21-25, Pl. 7. Mémoire sur une nowvelle espéce de Pimelode, jetée par les volcans du Royaume de Quito. 252 TRAVELS AMONGST THE GREAT ANDES. cHap. xii. accompanies the description is extraordinary. Humboldt says that during minor eruptions of Cotopaxi, Tunguragua, and Sangai, and eruptions or convulsions of Imbabura and Carihuairazo, immense numbers —thousands—of these fish (which he calls Pimelodus cyclopum) are thrown out; that they are sometimes ejected from the craters at the summits of these mountains, and sometimes through fissures in their slopes; curious to say, ‘‘ con- stantly at the elevation of 15,986-16,626 feet (2500 to 2600 toises) above the sea.” He speaks of this as a regular occurrence in the case of the first three named mountains, and says that the pestilential odours which arise from the decay of these fish cause fevers, etcetera. The most wonderful part of the story has yet to come. These fish, which are supposed to be ejected from the craters of fiery voleanoes 17,000 to 19,500 feet above the sea, or from fissures at heights of 16,000 to 16,600 feet, are said to reach the plains alive, after they have tumbled or have been washed all the way down the sides of the mountains. The distinguished traveller adds, cautiously, ‘‘this fact does not appear to me to be sufficiently vouched for” ; but says, immediately afterwards, ‘‘ What is certain is that, amongst the thousands of dead fish one sees come down from Cotopaxi there are very few sufficiently disfigured to let one believe that they have been exposed to great heat. This fact becomes more striking when we consider the soft flesh of these animals. . . It appeared very interesting for Natural His- tory to verify the nature of these animals.” For the rest let me refer the reader to the original, or to Aspects of Nature, vol. ii, p. 231, where the same story is given in different words. It will, I think, be gathered from the original, that Humboldt did not himself see any of the fish which were said to have been “ejected.” He identified them with the fish which are found in ponds, lakes, and streams throughout the interior of | Ecuador, and it was one of these latter that he figured and described. He commits himself, however, to a belief in the story by the passage CHAP. XIII. A FIRE-PROOF FISH. 253 commencing ‘‘ What is certain,” and especially by the title of his paper (Memoir upon a new species of Pimelode thrown out by the Volcanoes of the Kingdom of Quito). In Aspects of Nature he says that these fish live in subterranean reservoirs in the Vol- canoes. There seems no limit to the credulity of man. All these marvels have been frequently embodied in works treating upon Natural History, without protest. I venture to point out that from 12,000 feet upwards the slopes of Cotopaxi are wninhadited ; that the height of 16,000 to 16,600 feet is an altitude to which the natives of Ecuador never go under ordinary circumstances, still less would they be there during an eruption; and that no one can possibly affirm from personal knowledge that these fish have ever been thrown out from the crater, or from fissures at the height of 16,000 feet. From 15,000 feet upwards the cone of .Cotopaxi was found to be so warm as to quickly lquefy snow which fell upon it (see p. 142). At 19,500 feet the face of the slope was observed to have a temperature of 50° Faht., and at the depth of eight feet 110° Faht. (see p. 148). At this height, water boiled at 179°-1 Faht. It was clear that at a very moderate distance below the surface the boiling-point of water would be reached. A _ subter- ranean reservoir of quite small dimensions would necessarily be surrounded by rock at a temperature probably much exceeding the boiling-point of water. As it is stated that the fish which are supposed to have been ejected from the crater, or to have been expelled from the subter- ranean reservoirs, were frequently alive, and had their flesh in good preservation, it appears to me there is stronger evidence against the notion that they dwell in subterranean reservoirs than in favour of it. Fish cannot emerge in this rough manner from boiling-water or from super-heated steam alive, and with their skins intact. Yet I do not like to abandon all belief in this pet story of childhood, as wonderful in its way as the history of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Possibly, after some eruptions 254 TRAVELS AMONGST THE GREAT ANDES. cHuap. xilt. and earthquakes large numbers of these fish have been found out of water, but this would not prove ejection by or from the volcanoes. Floods occasionally pour down the slopes of Cotopaxi, causing rivers to swell and to overflow their banks (see pages 127, 138, and 159); and it would be no marvel if during such inundations multitudes of fish were borne from their native haunts, and left stranded when the waters subsided. Also, during earthquakes, fissures opening in the earth may change the courses of streams ; or might, by intersecting the beds of pools, drain them and leave shoals of fish high and dry, living and unscathed. In these possi- bilities there is, I imagine, the sub-stratum of truth upon which a mountain of fable has been raised. In an indirect manner, the statement that Pimelodus cyclopum is the only fish found in the interior above 8750 feet has been questioned. Other travellers have brought home fish from this region, on several occasions, which have been described under various names. In a paper in the American Naturalist for 1871 (pp. 694-5), Dr. Putnam, however, advanced the opinion that the whole of these so-called different species should be referred to one, somewhat variable, species; and as the descriptions had been based upon a small number of examples I thought it was advisable to collect freely, in order that the matter might be re-investigated. Machachi was the first place where enquiries were made, and I introduced the matter there to the tambo-keeper, who at once declared that several kinds of fish could be found in the neigh- bouring streams. ‘‘ My good Antonio,” said I, ‘“‘if you will only shew me ¢wo kinds I will give you five pesos.” ‘This manner of approaching the subject commended itself to the landlord, and he soon brought examples; but, although there were differences amongst them, Antonio Racines did not earn the reward; for when they were placed side by side he was obliged to confess that they were all one kind. Yet he maintained to the last that other fish were to be found in the interior of Ecuador, and that they grew six, seven to eight inches long. CHAP. XIII. A FISH DINNER. 255 From the Machachi specimens I selected young and old, and those presenting most variety ; and at Cayambe made friends with the schoolmaster, and induced him to send his scholars to scour the streams and ponds. Nothing could have suited the urchins better. Pimelodus cyclopwm began to arrive from all points of the compass. They filled a bucket, and I had to ery “Stop!” Again I made a selection, and enquired ‘‘ What shall we do with the rest?” ‘* Eat them,” said the Jefo-politico ; and they were cooked and consumed, and were found not to be more nasty than other small fry composed principally of heads and tails. Here again slight differences could be noted, but no one could venture to say that there were two species. At Chillo, and Riobamba, I again procured a large number, with similar results. Out of the many hundreds which passed through my hands, none exceeded four inches in length. Fifty-one were preserved, and submitted upon my return to the independent examination of the late Dr. F. Day, who coincided with the views expressed by Dr. Putnam, and therefore upheld the statement originally made by Humboldt.' Pimelodus cyclopwm (proposed by Dr. Putnam to be called Cyclopium cyclopum) is found throughout the interior of Ecuador generally, from 8500 to 10,000 feet above the sea ;” in streams flowing both into the Atlantic and Pacific ; and in ponds, pools and lakes quite disconnected. It swims with a wriggly action; comes frequently to the surface to breathe; and often appears to be blind, or at least to see very imperfectly. It should be repeated, however, that a number of Ecuadorians stoutly maintained that there were other fish in the streams, as much as a foot in length; and I have no reason to doubt their sincerity, although they failed to produce examples. 1 Dr. Day’s remarks will be found in the Supplementary Appendix, pp. 137-9, accompanied by figures of this fish seen from above, below, and in profile. ? And perhaps much higher. I was unable to investigate the numerous ponds and pools on Antisana, the small lake at the foot of the cone of Cotopaxi, and the larger one upon Mojanda. ———— aN fi Ry VOyes yet ste ; ties Cats y - = Sg 1mm \T, \\ y ¢ a FOUNTAIN ON THE PLAZA AT CARRANQUI. CHAPTER XIV. ON THE PROVINCE OF IMBABURA, AND THE FIRST ASCENT OF COTOCACHI. Upon the 21st of April we left Cayambe, and crossed the depres- sion between Mojanda and Imbabura to the village of Otovalo ;* having two objects in view—an ascent of Cotocachi, and collection of Antiquities in the district which has been in the past, and is still, the most densely populated in Kcuador. I went to that country possessed with the notion that there must have been an Equatorial ‘“‘ Stone Age,” though without positive information that stone implements could be found ; or knowing whether during Incarial times weapons and implements of stone were in common use. MHaving nothing to shew, for a 1 There was a fair track all the way, and from the Lake of St. Pablo to Otovalo there was a respectable road. a a: ee ae eee ee eee Oe. : CHAP. XIV. A SHARCH FOR ANTIQUITIES. : 257 long time there were no results. If one talked of the Incas the natives enquired with surprise ‘‘Who were they?” and they seemed equally unacquainted with the works of their (probably) much more remote ancestors. So we fell back upon asking for old things, and then came shabby umbrella tops, battered scissors, and broken pottery —objects which were rejected because they were not nearly old enough. At length we seemed to have struck oil. One night, when at supper, the door was stealthily opened ; and a rough head peeped round, peering out of a dilapidated poncho that concealed a bulky object. ‘*‘ You have something to shew?” ‘Yes, Sefior.” “‘Isitold?” ‘That itis”; and, tossing aside his ragged garment, he displayed his treasure, saying, triumphantly, ‘this is very old, Sefior!” At Machachi, by per- sistent enquiries, Perring at last discovered a_bat- tered stone axe, and thus gettmg a start, through having something to shew, we picked up others as we progressed northwards ; though south of Quito an- tiquities of any kind were rare, and in the Capital it was scarcely more use to look for them than to search for Chelsea ware “THIS 1S VERY OLD, SENOR1” in Chelsea, or for Caxtons in Westminster. Still a few things were obtained, even there,— amongst others, the lance-point given on the next page,’ which was found in an old wall that was being pulled down. Every one said, ‘‘ Try Imbabura. Go to Ibarra, and to Carranqui the birth- place of Atahualpa.” 1 This was one of the two chipped objects which were obtained. The whole of the rest were polished. 2 L 258 TRAVELS AMONGST THE GREAT ANDES. cuap. xiv. So we went to Imbabura,* gradualiy acquiring things in stone as we rode along — accosting every person and enquiring at all the houses — sometimes spying them hanging as ornaments or charms around the necks of Indian women,’ or used as weights by weavers on their looms, or as toys by children. Verity was a tolerably efficient assistant, and I found a more acute one presently at Otovalo in the person of the Yankee Jew who had anathema- tized the salt fish on Good Friday ; and succeeded in enlisting the sympathies of several other persons who were not insensible to the value of the Almighty Dollar. Time was becoming precious, for this north- ern journey had occupied longer than was intended ; and it was arranged that Cotocachi should be dis- posed of first, and that I should pursue my quest for antiquities with Verity and Cevallos, whilst the Carrels returned southwards to make another attempt to ascend Illiniza. At Otovalo we were informed that our mountain was unapproach- 1 Imbabura is bounded on the north by Colombia, and on the west, east, and south by the Provinces of Esmeraldas, Oriente, and Pichincha. It is divided into four cantons, Tulcan, Ibarra, Cotocachi and Otovalo, which are subdivided into twenty-nine parishes. Ibarra is the chief town. The mountain called Imbabura occupies a large part of the Province. 2 See the illustration on page 287. —— ee ee ee. PS . — | 0 iat ee fn aiid CHAP. XIV. THE “ASCENT OF COTOCACHL 259 able from that direction, on account of earthquake fissures, and were advised to proceed to the village of Cotocachi, and seek the good offices of the Priest. On the 22nd of April we went there, and found him high up on a scaffolding, acting as master-builder for a new church, surrounded by scores of his parishioners, busy as bees. A good man was this Priest. He lodged and fed us, wrote a letter of recommendation to the owner of the highest property on the mountain, and got us off at 6.35 a.m. next morning, provided with a guide for the first part of the way. From studying Cotocachi at a distance, it had been settled to make an ascent from the south or south-west. When sweeping the horizon on the top of the Pointe Jarrin, I found that it was much the most elevated and the only snow-clad mountain in the north of Ecuador, and had determined that the more southern of its two peaks was the loftier. The Chief of the Staff, on the contrary, maintained that the northern was the higher point. I overruled him, for on the cross-wire of the theodolite, when we were nearly on a level with the top of Cotocachi, there was a marked, though small, difference between the two peaks in favour of the southern one. Our guide led westwards, through lanes whose banks and hedges were laden with ferns’ (all different from those which had been met with before), and adhered to this course for about six miles, skirting the base of the mountain and apparently taking us away from the goal; moving parallel to an impassable quebrada, generally about seventy feet wide (which had been formed in 1868), until he came to a place where the walls had fallen in and choked the cleft. We crossed this natural bridge, and then steered north-north-west to Iltaqui (10,049 feet)—a very diminutive hacienda and the highest house upon the mountain — which was in charge of one old Indian. 1 Asplenium trichomanes, L. (abundant); Cheilanthes myriophylla, Desv. (abundant); Cystopteris fragilis, Bernh.; Notholena sinuata, Kaulf.; Woodsia mollis, J. Smith ; and others. 260 TRAVELS AMONGST THE GREAT ANDES. cuap. xiv. When looking back from this place it was seen that there was good reason for bringing us by a circuitous route. The lower slopes of our mountain, and the comparatively flat ground at its base, were rent and riven in a most extreme manner. In no other part of Ecuador is there anything equalling this extraordinary assemblage of fissures, intersecting one another irregularly and forming a perfect maze of impassable clefts. The general appear- ance of the country between the villages of Cotocachi and Otovalo is not very unlike that of a biscuit which has been smashed by a blow of the fist. The cracks are all V shaped, and though seldom of great breadth are often very profound, and by general consent they are all earthquake quebradas. Several, at least, have been formed within the memory of man, while others are believed to be centuries old. It was not to be expected that any one would be found who had actually witnessed their formation,’ or possessing certain knowledge of the immediate cause of their production. Some persons would probably have said with Shakespeare that ‘“Oft the teeming earth Is with a kind of colic pinch’d and vex’d By the imprisoning of unruly wind Within her womb ; which, for enlargement striving, Shakes the old beldame Earth, and topples down Steeples and moss-grown towers.” If, however, they had been caused by upheaval, there could scarcely have failed to have been some irregularities in the surface ; and I imagine that they arise from a succession of se¢tle- ments in this particular area. Whether they have been caused by upheavals or subsidences, it is clear that at the time they were produced the surface of the earth was 7 a state of tension. After leaving Iltaqui, we were guided by the Indian up a small valley leading towards what may be termed the southern ridge of 1 The quebrada we skirted was one of the largest, and was not less than six miles in length. It opened in the night. I am unable to give a view of this very remarkable scene. The photographic plates that were exposed at Iltaqui were smashed in the accident which occurred on the way back to Quito. aE — - = © CHAP. XIV. IN A TOURMENTE. 261 Cotocachi, and when this was struck turned sharply to the right, towards the summit. Cracks and fissures in the crest of this ridge again suggested that settlements were occurring. Our guide led well, and got us soon after mid-day up to the foot of the final peak, and more than 14,000 feet above the level of the sea. The ground then became too rugged for the mules, and we halted to consider. From this direction, Cotocachi appears pyramidal rather than conical ; and has a face on the east (fronting the basin of Imba- bura) that is precipitous; and another less abrupt one on the west, largely covered with snow. This was to be our way; and catching sight of a small bit of flat ground a little higher, in the right direction, all hands set to work carrying baggage to it. The second trip upwards was being made when a transformation scene occurred. SE da fae Sixth s; j , «., Made ee 11 35 Seventh ,, ‘ ; eee 5S ew : Total time . wie ee Th) 47 Mean rate per mile Ee 4 (nearly) 11 58 (nearly) Max. temp. during walk . 67°°5 Faht. 60°°5 Faht. Min. :,; we oo! pee. | 49°0__—,, Mean ,, _ ODP" TD 55, 54°°75 ,, Winds. . : 8.8.W. (force 3-5) gusty §8.S.E. (force 3-4) CHAP. XVI. DEPRECIATED. 301 On each of these occasions, the first mile was intentionally traversed at a quicker pace than the rest. Over the remainder (with the exception of the last mile at Machachi), at each place, I endeavoured to walk at exactly the same rate, mile per mile, and at Brompton did the next three miles in 11 min., 10.58 and 10.59 respectively. In the fifth and sixth miles heavy rain fell, and caused a marked diminution in the rate, which was improved in the last mile with better weather, and I left off feeling that another seven miles could certainly have been covered in /ess time. Although endeavouring to accomplish the first mile on the Quito road at the same rate as in London, it took nearly half a minute longer, and the difference was larger on the second one.’ The next three miles were walked at a tolerably regular pace, and I quickened up on the sixth, and left off feeling that I could scarcely improve the rate, and certainly could not walk another six miles in 71 min. 47 seconds.’ It is nearly impossible upon two such occasions to have the conditions exactly alike. At Machachi there were the advantages of being 10 Ibs. lighter than in London and walking with tempera- ture 11° Faht. cooler, and the disadvantage of being impeded by traffic. In London, though the track was kept clear, there was the disadvantage (during part of the time) of walking in dragging clothes, soaked with rain. All things considered, the conditions were pretty evenly balanced; and, as I am unable to assign the depreciation in my ordinary and habitual rate to any other cause, 1 This was partly caused by having to pass three times through a large flock of sheep. 2 Before this walk at Machachi my temperature was 98°°5 Faht., and 98°-4 35 minutes after it was over. Pulse before the walk 73, and 101 half an hour after it was over. [M. Paul Bert has shewn that, when sitting still, the rate of the pulse can be raised by reduction of pressure. See Appendix J.] Some years later, after walking six miles at a much faster rate, on a measured half-mile on a Surrey road with a gradient selected to correspond with that on the Quito road, I found that my pulse was only raised from 72°5 (mean of two minutes) to 96 (mean of four minutes). Owing to the failure of a medical gentleman to keep his appointment, my pulse and temperature were not observed on Aug. 6, 1879. 302 TRAVELS AMONGST THE GREAT ANDES. cuHap. xvi. I consider it was due to the fact that on the 11th of June, on the Quito Road, atmospheric pressure was a little over 21 inches, instead of the 29—30 inches to which I was accustomed. Some persons’ disbelieve in the reality of mountain-sickness, and seem reluctant to credit that human beings can be affected by diminution in atmospheric pressure, and to them, perhaps, this experiment will prove nothing. As regards myself, it appeared to me to be conclusive that a marked effect was produced, and an effect of a kind which I had never suspected at corresponding altitudes (pressures) in the Alps, where there was no possibility of applying a similar test.? On the 12th of June we finally left Machachi, and marched (without change of animals) in three successive days to Latacunga,® Ambato, and Riobamba. ‘The Jovial Man (who had sometimes been a cause of embarrassment) was replaced by a strong and very willing lad, named Domingo — otherwise the caravan was composed as before. The 15th was consumed in preparations for Altar, and in enquiries as to route. After balancing a number of opinions, it 1 Including Men of Science. Prof. Piazzi Smyth, F.R.SS. L. & E., etce., etc., says in his Teneriffe, an Astronomer’s Experiment, at pp. 381-2, ‘If a windlass or a treadmill were erected in London, and a gentleman in easy circumstances set some fine morning to perform at one of these ingenious machines an amount of work, equal to the mechanical task of raising his own weight up through the height of 10,000 feet perpendicular in seven hours,—I believe that, though breathing air, of a density of thirty mercurial inches, he would be distressed as much as the traveller who, by ascending a mountain, performs the same.’’ The remainder of the passage should be read. 2 It would be interesting if pedestrians, who have ascertained to a nicety the times within which they have frequently covered such distances as one hundred yards or a mile, would endeavour to repeat their performances on the flat pieces of road which can be found at the tops of some of the Alpine carriage passes. 3 In returning from Machachi to Latacunga, we took the old road, past Mulalo, on the left bank of the Cutuchi, and visited the so-called Inca’s house which is situated a short distance to the south of Callo. The small amount of the original structure still remaining has been embodied in some modern farm-buildings. The stones were finely dressed, and fitted without mortar or cement. I sawnone measuring more than 18 x 12 x 12 inches. CHAP. XVI. THE MASTER OF CANDELARIA. 303 was decided to proceed via Penipe, and we went to that place on June 16, leaving part of our animals at Riobamba to recruit.’ At Penipe, the Jefo-politico was also the village tailor. He administered the law and mended trousers alternately ; and created a favourable impression on five minutes’ acquaintance, after declar- ing, according to the manner of the country, that his house was ours, by adding with uncommon frankness, ‘‘ but, Sefior, | would recommend you of to go in-doors, for the fleas are numerous, and I think your Excellencies would be uncomfortable !” Having obtained some information from him, we went on in the afternoon to a small hacienda called Candelaria, a miserably poor place, where nothing eatable could be had ; and, being advised that mules could not be used much farther, negotiated transport with several young louts who were loafing about. for eighteen- pence each per day, and food, four of them agreed to go to the end of their world —that is to say, to the head of the Valley of Collanes. | The master of this ragged team could hardly be distinguished from his men. He was a young fellow of three or four and twenty, who wore a tattered billycock hat, and no shoes or stockings. His very sad countenance probably had some connection with his obvious poverty. The farm could scarcely have been more bare of food. There was general want of everything — of yerda for the beasts, who had to go back for forage; for ourselves there was nothing; and food for the porters had to be fetched from a dis- tance and sent up after us. The master volunteered to come on the same terms as his men, and to this I consented, on condition that he worked ; though feeling that it was somewhat out of place to have one of the great landed proprietors of the country in my train. ‘This shoeless, stockingless, and almost sans-culottian youth 1 Riobamba probably covers nearly as much ground as Quito. Its principal Plaza is large, and the streets are made of very unusual width, as a precaution in case of earthquakes. For the same reason the houses mostly consist of one floor only. It had an empty and deserted air, and in 1880 cannot, I think, have contained more than 7000 inhabitants. 304 TRAVELS AMONGST THE GREAT ANDES. CHAP. XVI. claimed (I am informed, truly) to be the absolute owner of a princely domain. His land, he said, stretched from Candelaria to the Volcano Sangai. In the vicinity of the farm its boundaries were defined, ‘‘but elsewhere” (said with a grand sweep of the hand) ‘‘it extended as far as you could go to the east.” Ata moderate estimate, he owned three hundred square miles. On the 17th of June, in“two hours from the farm, we came to a patch of open ground in the middle of a forest, and the Master of Candelaria, who acted as guide, said mules could go no farther. Cevallos was left here with the animals, while we continued on foot, traversing at first a dense wood, which was impenetrable until three men with machetas had cleared a way, and then 800 very steep feet up the buttress of an alp.t. This brought us to a track winding, at a high elevation, along the northern side of the Valley of Collanes. At the latter part of the day we crossed from _ the right to the left bank of the valley, and encamped (at 12,540 feet) in a little patch of trees, close to the foot of the highest peak of Altar. This valley of Collanes was well watered. Rain fell all the way, and during nearly the whole of the succeeding four days. Its slopes were adapted for grazing, deep with luxuriant grass, yet without a house, or hut, or sign of life. ‘‘ Why are there no cattle here ?” ‘* No money,” replied the youth, gloomily. ‘‘ Well,” said Jean-Antoine, ‘‘if Z had this valley I would make a fortune.” When returning, we asked the Master if he would sell some of this land, pointing out a tract about six miles long by three or four broad —say twenty square miles, and he answered in the affirmative. ‘‘ For how much?” He reflected a little, and said ‘*one hundred pesos.” ‘‘ For three hundred and fifty frances, Carrel, the land is yours!” It was just one farthing per acre. As he was so moderate, I thought of buying Altar for myself, and asked what 1 There were some very steep bits on this journey ;— from the Bridge of Penipe to the village (about 350 feet) ; between Penipe and Candelaria, 950 feet in one con- tinuous ascent; and then the 800 feet mentioned above. The track in the Valley of Collanes itself was more level and less undulating than usual. cHaP. xvI. AT CAMP IN THE VALLEY OF COLLANES. 305 he would take for the whole mountain. ‘‘ No! no! he would not sell at any price.” ‘‘Why not?” He was reluctant to answer. ‘“ Why will you not sell Altar?” ‘‘ Because there 1s much treasure there !°’ The treasures of Altar have yet to be discovered. The mount- ain is an extinct Volcano, having a crater in the form of horse-shoe (larger than that of Cotopaxi), open towards the west ; Ty \s Hye, See AT CAMP IN THE VALLEY OF COLLANES. with an irregular rim, carrying some of the finest rock peaks in Ecuador. The culminating point’ is on the southern, and the second peak (which is only slightly inferior in elevation to the highest point) lies opposite to it on the northern side of the crater. The walls of the cirque are exceedingly rugged, with much snow, and the floor is occupied by a glacier, which is largely fed by falls from ‘ hanging-glaciers’ on the surrounding slopes and cliffs. The 1 According to La Condamine its height is 17,458 feet; Reiss & Stiibel say 17,730 feet. It is probably the jifth in rank of the Great Andes of the Equator. 2K 306 TRAVELS AMONGST THE GREAT ANDES. chap. xvi. highest peak rises about 3500 feet above the apparent floor of the crater in cliffs as precipitous as the steepest part of the Eigher. June 18. In Camp in the Valley of Collanes. Finding that we were nearly under the highest peak, and (from such glimpses as could be obtained through the clouds) that there was very little chance of an ascent being effected from the inside of the crater, I sent off J.-A. Carrel at 5.30 a.m., with two of the porters, to examine the owtside, and Louis with another to the outside of the second peak. Soon after mid-day Jean-Antoine returned, and reported unfavourably ; and at 4 p.m. Louis came back, saying he had no view of the second summit during the whole day, but thought we could go as far as he had seen." Determined to shift camp to the north side of the mountain, outside the crater, if weather would permit. Min. temp. this night was 33°°5, and on the 17th; 29° Faht. June 19. In Camp in the Valley of Collanes. High wind from the south-east nearly blew the tent over in the night, though it was well protected by trees. At daybreak there was a hard gale, and we were unable to move the camp. All the peaks of Altar were clouded, and much new snow had fallen on the lower crags. 1 They brought back rock samples from the highest points which were reached. J judge, from the aneroids supplied to them, that Jean-Antoine’s party got to about 15,500 feet on the south side of the highest point, and Louis’ to about 14,500 feet on the north-west side of the second summit. In regard to the specimen broken by Jean-Antoine from rock in situ Prof. Bonney says (Proc. Royal Soc., Nov. 27, 1884),— ‘“A very dark compact rock, with fairly numerous specks of a greyish felspar, and with occasional minute vesicles. Under the microscope the ground-mass is found to be a glass, in itself almost colourless, but so crowded with opacite as to appear almost opaque with low powers; in fact its true structure can only be seen in very thin sections and with high powers. . . It is a little difficult to decide whether to retain this rock in the augite-andesites, or to term it a basalt.’? The rock from the northern peak of Altar is ‘‘a reddish-grey trachyte, studded with crystals of rather glassy white felspar, roughly about ‘1 inch diameter, and containing some minute vesicles. The ground-mass appears to be a clear glass, with numerous lath-like crystallites of felspar, but is so thickly crowded with ferrite and opacite, especially the former, as to be all but opaque except in the thinnest part of the section. . . The rock is an augite-andesite, probably containing some hypersthene.”’ CHAP. XVI. ‘ANOTHER SARA-URCU.’ 307 Same state of things continued all day. Wind dropped at night. Min. temp. again 33°°5 Faht. Watched for the peaks all day. Saw that the highest point near its summit was guarded by pinnacles as steep as the Aiguille du Dru. The face towards the north carried several hanging- glaciers. Frequently heard the roars of avalanches tumbling from them on to the glacier in the crater, the true bottom of which probably lies several hundred feet below the ice. This crater- glacier, in advancing, falls over a steep wall of rock at the head of the Valley of Collanes, in a manner somewhat similar to the Tschingel Glacier in the Gasteren Thal. Some of the ice breaks away in slices, and is re-compacted at the base of the cliff, while part maintains the continuity of the upper plateau with the fallen and smashed fragments. This connecting link of glacier (seen in front) appears to descend almost vertically. June 20. From Camp in the Valley of Collanes to Camp in the Valley of Naranjal. Broke up camp and left at 7.25 a.m.; crossed a small ridge running out of the north-west end of the crater, and descended into the Valley of Naranjal. Spied a big rock surrounded by small trees, and camped against it (13,053 feet). The Valley of Naranjal skirts the outside of Altar on the north. Was told that in six hours it would bring one to the village of Utufiac. The second peak of Altar was almost exactly due East of camp. | In afternoon went with Jean-Antoine to the crest of the ridge on the north of our valley, to try to make out a route and for angles to fix our position. Descended after waiting two hours and seeing nothing. Great quantities of smoke rising from the bottom of our valley. Found camp nearly surrounded by flames—Louis Carrel having set fire to the grass to amuse himself. All hands had to work for an hour to beat out the flames and cut down bushes, and we narrowly escaped being burnt out. Continued windy and misty all night, and nothing could be seen. ‘‘ This is going to be another Sara-urcu,” groaned Jean- Antoine, whose 308 TRAVELS AMONGST THE GREAT ANDES. cmap. xvt. thoughts were in the Val Tournanche. Min. temp. in night 34° Faht. June 21. From Camp in Valley of Naranjal to Penipe. Settled overnight to return to Riobamba if there was no improve- ment in the weather. In morning, as before, fog right down to bottom of valley, with steady drizzle. Master of Candelaria said this was the regular thing, and gave no hope of improvement. Waited a little, and got occa- sional glimpses of second summit. Saw a hurri- cane was blowing near the top, the snow curling and eddying round in tourmentes. Broke up camp THE BRIDGE OF PENIPE. in despair, recrossed ridge at north-west end of Altar,’ descended Valley of Collanes rapidly, and arrived at Penipe at 5.5 p.m. Remembering the advice of the worthy tailor, I endeavoured to 1 Round about the summit of this pass between the two valleys, rather more than 13.000 feet above the level of the sea, on ground where snow had fallen every day during our stay, I collected twenty-six species of flowering plants in flower, including several Valerians and Geraniums, and five Gentians (Gentiana cerastioides, Griset ; G. cernua, H.B.K.; G@. foliosa, H.B.K.; G. Rima Don, Ruiz & Pavon; and G. sedifolia, H.B.K.) In the same neighbourhood the lichens Usnea cornuta, Koerb., and Stereocaulon tomentosum, Fries, and the moss Grimmia amblyophylla, C.M. were abundant. CHAP. XVI. A NIGHT AT PENIPE. 309 sleep outside the house on a plank form—a thing with length and no breadth ; and finding that this, through being near the ground, allowed the curs of Penipe to browse on my boots, shifted in the course of the night to the top of a table (which had breadth but no length), and curled myself up, as printers might say, into the shape of C, grotesque. Little refreshed by slumber, we returned across the rickety bridge to Riobamba; without incident except a furious stampede of our animals, who took this way of shewing that they had benefited by their sojourn in the forest. As a general rule, Ecuadorian mules display no eagerness to get either onward or upward, and upon flat, open ground, where there is plenty of room, each one seems to wish to be Jast ; while on approaching narrow places, and ruts in greasy earth where only one can pass at a time, suddenly galvanized into life, they dash forward with outstretched necks, racing to get through first ; and deaf to command, persua- sion or entreaty outstrip the arrieros, unheeding their shouts and **lado’s,” and rush at headlong speed, cannoning each other and dislodging their loads. Then arises Hullaballoo! while the corners of packing-cases are splintered and their sides stove in, to the future dismay of consignor and consignee. After six months’ experience of the manners and customs of the Ecuadorian mule, one began to understand why glass was dear in Quito. A THREATENED ATTACK, CHAPTER XV 41. THE FIRST ASCENT OF CARIHUAIRAZO. ALTHOUGH compelled by force of circumstances to leave Chim- borazo for a while (see pp. 78-80), nothing had occurred to alter my determination to ascend that mountain again; and indeed it was strengthened, because I perceived that a repetition of baro- metric observations would have, for the measurements of pressure which had been made since the first ascent, much the same value as a ‘ base of verification ’ in a triangulation. There was no longer reluctance on the part of my assistants— they were my most willing and obedient servants — and we expected to have the com- pany of Campafia and David, both of whom had shewn some aptitude in keeping on their legs. When preparations were com- pleted at Riobamba, I proposed first to execute a measurement on CHAP. XVII. A THENDER CONSCIENCE. all the Quito road to get ‘a scale’ for Chimborazo; next to ascend Carihuairazo, to test the snow-going abilities of the aspirants ; then to cross between the two mountains and to ascend Chim- borazo by the long snow-slope which had been remarked from Guaranda (see p. 25); and lastly to complete the circuit of the mountain. Though little margin of time was left for the unfore- seen, if everything went happily, it was possible to do this by the 8th of July, the date on which it would be necessary to leave, to catch the steamer going north from Guayaquil. Before starting from the town, we took advantage of market- day to lay in additional stores ; and as my people fancied the bread — of the country, which was brought in for sale by Indian women, Jean-Antoine and I went to the Plaza, and bought a sackful. We then moved off to continue purchasing in another part, and pre- sently found ourselves followed by one of the women, who talked elibly in some incomprehensible aboriginal dialect, proffering an armful of bread, which apparently she wanted to sell. We shook our heads and tried to get rid of her, but she would not be rebuffed, and became an annoyance by creating ‘a scene.’ It was at last explained by one of the bystanders that she wished us to take the bread gratis, that it was our due, she had not given enough for the money that had been paid ; and nothing would induce that woman to go away until it was accepted, and her conscience was satisfied. June 25.. Krom Riobamba to Camp on lower slopes of Chim- borazo. Despatched the Carrels, David, Campafia, Cevallos, and Domingo at 9.15 a.m., with eleven beasts, and followed at 11.15. Made for the depression between Chimborazo and Carihuairazo, and camped about two and a half miles to the north-east of Chuquipoguio.” Rainy day. Min. temp. at night 30°°5 Faht. June 26. Measurement on road, &c. Sent out Domingo to cut 1 At the place marked Camp 7 on Map of Chimborazo. 2 On the 24th, I received a letter from Mr. Chambers (Guayaquil), which had been written, and despatched by the ordinary post, on April 38. All letters in this country are liable to be opened and delayed. In 1880, it was said that the British Minister’s letters were the only ones which were exempt from this treatment. 312 TRAVELS AMONGST THE GREAT ANDES. CHAP. xvii. firewood ; Campafia and David to Mocha and the neighbouring villages to collect antiquities and to buy food ; and went with the Carrels to commence measurement on the high road, where it runs across the Paramo of Sanancajas. On return to camp found that Domingo had been assailed by two men, who took away his macheta, and would not restore it until he had given up all the money he possessed. At dusk a horseman rode up (who was recognized as one of the men attached to Chuquipoquio), and in a very insolent manner demanded payment for permission to camp, and for the grass our beasts were eating. Had it explained to him that he had better take himself off, and he rode away shouting that he would come back with others at night and steal our animals. About 9 p.m. Campafia and David came in, very excited, saying that a few miles off, on the high road, two men had spread a white cloth before their beasts, to try to frighten them, and had then rushed in. There was a tussle, and my men scampered off, with the loss of a few trifles. Putting these several things together, it seemed that Sefior Chiriboga must have again come up from Riobamba ‘‘ to watch over and care for us” (see p. 82), and it became necessary to avoid his attentions. The position of the camp was excellent for defence, though it had not been selected with any such view. There was a small torrent on the north side, and a narrow but deep earthquake fissure on the south. The two united towards the east, and our camp was placed on the west (at A, B). When the animals were driven into Z, no one could get at them without passing us. Kept watch until past midnight, and then roused Louis to take a turn for an hour, but before his time was half over he was snoring again. Continued to watch, and at 2 a.m. heard whistling, and low voices of persons CHAP. XVII. A THREATENED ATTACK. — Bye approaching. Said nothing; took my whip and aroused the others; hung out the lanterns to shew them the way, and shouted defiance. Apparently, the thieves thought they might have a warm reception and went off. Night being very dark, we saw no one. After this my people considered that it might be as well to keep watch, and I went to sleep. A windy, rainy night. June 2%. From Camp near High Road to Camp on the south side of Carihuairazo. At 8.15 a.m. a muleteer from Machachi (known to Cevailos) came in and said that eleven beasts had, been stolen from him last night, a few miles on the other side of the tambo. Even the loss of one animal would have caused us great incon- venience, — probably would have upset everything; and, as there were evidently cattle-stealers about, we abandoned the measure- ment, and moved upwards out of their reach, and beyond the attentions of the robber of Chuquipoquio. At 1.30 p.m. broke up camp, and proceeded by the valley between Chimborazo and Carihuairazo, called Yacu-larca, passing a number of half-wild cattle, with lashing tails and twitching heads, who could have made a very pretty mess of us if they had charged; and about 3.30 crossed the stream. In the bed of this river (the Rio Blanco) there were quick- sands, of which I became aware by being nearly shot over the head of my animal ;* and the slopes on the farther side were found to be very swampy. Large thickets high up on the flanks of our mountain, with trees of considerable age, lead one to suppose that it was long since it was an active Volcano. We steered for a rather prominent clump, in a val/on running north and south, and camped at 13,377 feet on its western or right bank, nearly due south of the two principal summits of Carihuairazo. Violent wind at night from HE. to N.E. Min. temp. 33° Faht. ? As the Rio Blanco was a trifling stream, we began to cross it in three or four places at once. Several of the animals passed over without trouble. My own refused to advance, until whipped, and in the very next step it plunged into a quicksand. All hands coming quickly, it was speedily extricated. 28 314 TRAVELS AMONGST THE GREAT ANDES. cHuap. xvi. June 28. In Camp. Kept indoors. Had not got the bearing of the summit, and would not start. Clouds nearly down to our level all day, and from 12 to 8 p.m. rain, sleet or hail fell unceas- ingly. After that saw stars for a short time and got bearings. Prepared for an early start to-morrow. Cut bundles of branches and twigs to mark line of ascent. Rain and snow recommenced at 9 p.m., and continued to fall nearly all night. June 29. Ascent of the middle peak of Carthuatrazo. Left camp at 5.50 a.m. by lantern-light, with the Carrels, David, and Campafia,—the two latter being taken to test their snow-going abilities by a little preliminary exercise. Fitted them out in some of our old boots and socks, with gaiters extemporized out of coarse waterproof. Was also accompanied by a four-footed volunteer. At the village of Penipe there were many dogs, and one of them followed our caravan, and could not be driven away. Pos- sibly somebody had given it a bone, or shewn it a little kindness ; and as the mongrel was grateful it became a pet, and then of course had to be named, and finding it answered to Pedro it was known thenceforward as Pedro de Penipe. When we left camp our dog insisted upon accompanying us, and it went to the top of the mountain. From the reconnaissance on the 15th of January (see note to page 87) it was known that Carihuairazo had two principal peaks (lying not far to the north of the camp), and another minor one away to the west. The easternmost was the highest of the three, and we had marked a prominent ridge leading up to it, and observed that this ridge was on the west of our vallon. The ascent could not have been made without this previous knowledge. The summit was not seen until we were actually upon it, and during the day it was seldom possible to see more than one hundred and fifty feet in any direction. The leader was often invisible to the last man on the rope. Snow-spectacles frequently could not be used. Commenced by steering N.W. up the hillside, and when the CHAP. xvi. ON THE SUMMIT OF CARIHUAIRAZO. 315 crest of the ridge was reached changed the course to N.N.W., and followed the aréte. Although this was only a little above 14,000 feet, every step was through deep, new snow.’ About 7.30 entered on the glaciers surrounding the summits. Tied up, and placed David last on the rope, with the sticks to mark the route. Glacier soon steepened and required cutting. Small crevasses were snowed up, and the big ones looked immense, seen through the mist. Traversed several large snow- bridges, which drew exclamations of wonder from the Ecuadorians, who had never seen the like before. Snow steepened, and at last became a wall, nearly or quite as rapid as the final slope of the Wetterhorn. At this stage Pedro wanted to give in, and sat down and whined. Handed him up from one to another. By a stroke of good fortune stumbled on a snow-bridge crossing the highest bergschrund. Then the wall became too steep to ascend directly. Made short zigzags, and presently saw a gigantic cornice looming through the fog—an indication that the summit was near. Con- sultation ended in going straight ahead, and we happily penetrated the most assailable point. | Temperature on the top of this mountain ranged from 38 - 40° Faht., and the mean of two readings of the Mercurial Barometer at 11 and 11.15 a.m. (reduced to 32° Faht.) was 16°519 inches.’ This was not so low as I expected the barometer to fall, and while still on the summit I told the men that probably we were not on the highest point. Our peak terminated in a snow cone too small to stand upon, with a little patch of rock* peeping out a short 1 In January this ridge was free from snow. 2 The 11 a.m. observation at Guayaquil (reduced to 32° Faht.) was 29-928 inches, air temperature 74° Faht. 3 *¢This rock breaks with a rather rough irregular fracture. The colour on this is a warm purplish-grey mottled with darker spots, and speckled with small rather light-coloured crystals of felspar with a rather satiny lustre. A few minute vesicles may be perceived under the microscope. . . Enclosures of glass or various micro- liths are occasionally seen, but the majority of the crystals are fairly clear, though a few are very dirty, and have a corroded look at the exterior. There is also present in the ground-mass a fair number of crystals of augite of a yellowish-green colour, d16 TRAVELS AMONGST THE GREAT ANDES. cHuap. xvit. distance down upon the north side, bearing some lichens (Lecidea and JZecanora) and, for such a situation, a not inconsiderable quantity of a Moss which has been dubiously identified as Grimmia apocarpa, Hedw. This same species was found in the previous January near the second camp on Chimborazo, at the rather exceptional height (for a Moss) of 16,660 feet ; but it was more remarkable to find it on the very apex of Carihuairazo (16,515 feet), completely surrounded as it was by permanent snow and ice upon all sides, as truly insulated as if it had been upon an island surrounded with water. Carihuairazo forms the northern end of the massif of Chim- borazo, and is separated from the greater mountain by a depression called Abraspungo.* Its northern slopes extend almost to the town of Ambato, and the Quito Road may be considered its boundary on the east. Historians say that it was formerly loftier than Chimborazo, and that a portion of its apex fell during a great earthquake which occurred at the end of the 17th century.? I cannot imagine that it was ever 4000 feet higher than it is at present. The ruins of such a peak would make a prodigious heap, — yet we saw nothing indicating that a fall of great magnitude had occurred. The present summit-ridge possibly formed the southern and western sides of a crater, of which the northern and eastern sides may have fallen, and now lie buried under the glaciers at the summit. ‘This, however, is pure conjecture. not exceeding about ‘03 inch in length, and two or three which in structure, dichroism, and parallel extinction agree with hypersthene. There are scattered crystals of hematite and scales of iron-glance. . . The ground-mass appears to be a clear glass thickly studded with dusty ferrite, and with minute crystallites in part, at least, felspar. The rock is, therefore, an augite-andesite.’’—Prof. T. G. Bonney, Proc. Royal Soc., June 19, 1884. 1 There is a rough track all the way up Yacu-larca to Abraspungo. As we did not descend by this path on the western side, I am not aware what direction it takes, after crossing the pass. 2 It would be interesting if this tradition could be verified, as it might give a clue to the age of the glaciers which now completely envelop the top of the mountain. CHAP. XVII. SNOW-BLIND AGALN. 317 F« _£%- 4 FEY — Occasional glimpses were obtained through the clouds for a few hundred feet in various directions, CARIHUAIRAZO, FROM THE SOUTH. but whilst on the summit we neither saw Chimborazo nor the other peaks of Carihuairazo ; and we returned to camp uncertain where we had been. At 4 p.m. the clouds opened, and shewed that we had stood on the western of the two principal peaks (that nearly in the middle of the engraving), which is distinctly, though slightly, lower than the eastern one. The rate of ascent on this day was eleven feet per minute (3138 feet in 285 minutes). Taking into consideration that this was their first experience upon steep snow, David and Campatfia came out well, and they were greatly elated at the prospect of their promised ascent of Chimborazo. Presently their joy was turned into mourning. In a few hours the whole of us were 1 Left camp 5.50 a.m. and arrived on summit 10.385 a.m. Left at 11.45 a.m.; came down fast; never lost sight of the sticks we had planted (though in some instances they were nearly covered by drifting snow), and got to camp at 2.5 p.m., without halting. 318 TRAVELS AMONGST THE GREAT ANDES. CHAP, XVII. incapacitated by snow-blindness. Foreseeing what was coming, a brew of Sulphate of Zinc was made in our largest can, and served out wholesale. It was piteous to hear the Ecuadorians wailing under their little booth. Not knowing what had befallen them, they imagined they had lost their sight for ever. Pedro joined in the lamentations, and went moaning and _ stagger- ing about, knocking his ~ : ~ < oy ce A ji 7 ) Se 7, Le ie ‘ Y RR ae ease ton mie * £5 S b in = = . 2 Re 7 at Te A Seg S Ee Avg r AW e ft Rig aan meen Calis *. S * ¥. > it : : de PRR eae Nie \ Si i Ai p42 M SNA head unwittingly against the branches. June 30. At Camp on Carthuairazo. All snow- blind, unable to move. De- pended for assistance on FOURTH CAMP ON CHIMBORAZO (14,359 FEET). Cevallos and Domingo. July 1. From Camp on Carthuairazo to Fourth Camp on Chim- borazo, across Abraspungo. Broke up camp at 10 a.m. ; descended the vallon, and ascended Yacu-larca to Abraspungo, Jean-Antoine and Campafia travelling with bandaged eyes, and the rest wearlng blue spectacles. Stopped on the summit of the pass to read the CHAP. XVII. FIFTH CAMP ON CHIMBORAZO. 319 barometer, and found that the height (14,480 feet) was a little above that of the Great Arenal. After crossing it we kept for some time on a level,’ and were then driven downwards to turn the 2 end of a large stream of lava.” Rounding the base of this, we came upon an excellent place for camping, against a little rivulet, with plenty of firing, and made there our fourth camp on Chimborazo (14,359 feet). Min. temp. in night 30° Faht. The fourth camp was not high enough for a starting-point, and on the 2nd of July we continued a few miles farther in a south- westerly direction, and established the fifth camp at the height of 15,811 feet, against a very large block of lava® (apparently, a loose mass imbedded in the soil, that had either been ejected or had fallen from the cliffs above) a little to the north of the ridge which hereafter will be termed the north-west ridge of Chimborazo.* I identified this as the long ridge seen from Guaranda, and knew that it led directly towards the summit. Jean-Antoine, however, maintained that I was mistaken. ‘‘I tell you what it is,” said the Chief of the Staff, ‘“‘Monsieur deceives himself, prettily.” 1 A few hundred yards on the west of the pass, the swampy soil suddenly gives place to firm ground ; and a little farther on the sandy slopes commence which stretch uninterruptedly round the north-west and western sides of the mountain. 2 This prominent lava stream appeared to issue from the glaciers at the height of about 18,000 feet,—one could not see precisely where, owing to the large quantity of new-fallen snow. 3 There was great difficulty in breaking specimens from this mass, which was unlike any other rock that I saw on the mountain. When broken,.it crumbled somewhat in the manner of loaf-sugar. Prof. Bonney says :—‘‘A rather crumbly rock of very irregular fracture, having a very dark grey ground-mass, in which crystals of glassy- white felspar, up to about ‘2 inch long, are imbedded. When examined microscopically, it does not appear to differ materially from some of those already described . . . is different only in the colour of the ground-mass, and is best named a hypersthene-andesite.’’—Proc. Royal Soc., June 19, 1884. 4 The direction of this ridge is not strictly north-west. It is more nearly north-north-west. CHIMBORAZO, FROM THE NORTH-NORTH-WEST. CHAPTER 2OVEr. ON THE SECOND ASCENT OF CHIMBORAZO. THE aspect of Chimborazo from the north-north-west was quite unlike its appearance from any other direction. The two summits could not be seen,’ and the mountain seemed to terminate in one very flat dome. I found that this apparent summit was actually at C on my map, and was part of the glacier which J have named Glacier de Reiss, after Dr. W. Reiss of Berlin. Under this great flat dome there were vertical sections of glacier, crowning precipices of rock, in.a manner similar to those which are repre- sented in the plate facing p. 76; and falls of ice occurred over these cliffs, as the glacier advanced, like those that are described upon page 78.7 In order to be beyond the range of these ice- 1 The highest of the two summits could be seen from the fourth camp, rising over the glacier that I have named Glacier de Spruce. The very highest point was, probably, concealed. 2 The blocks of ice that fell from the faces of glacier marked E, E (on the inset Sketch plan of part of the south side of Chimborazo), over the cliffs B, C, sometimes rolled down the Glacier de Débris as far as Station 4. st ae .) a oe b) - CHAP. XVIII. PEDRO DECLINES AN ASCENT. d21 avalanches, I kept the camp about three miles from the base of the cliffs. The north-west ridge led up to the western end of ‘the Northern Walls,’' and the tent might have been placed upon it even higher than the third camp on the south-west ridge (17,285 feet). To have done this would have cost much labour in porterage, and, balancing things, it seemed preferable to stop below, closer to things burnable; although the starting-point would be nearly fifteen hundred feet lower than upon the first occasion, and the ascent, consequently, would be that amount longer. We had come to our very last day. In one way and another all our margin of time had been dissipated, and unless the ascent was effected on the 3rd of July it could not be made at all. This was in no sense the fault of my people. Hach man had his allotted tasks, knew them, and did them; and during these last days every one worked with a cheerfulness and alacrity beyond praise. Without bidding, Jean-Antoine now went to reconnoitre the ridge; Louis, David, and Campafia made things comfortable ; Cevallos and Domingo drove away the animals to pasturage ; and on the 3rd, while it was still night, all were in readiness, booted and gaitered, waiting for the signal to start. Whilst chafing hands around the camp-fire,? Domingo and our four-footed friend appeared out of the darkness. The arriero-lad came to volunteer his services. I said *‘No; a couple of tyros are enough on a rope.” ‘Then a sudden idea seized us. Let us take Pedro. He was already entitled to bow-wows from all dogs who had stood on inferior eminences,—let us enable him to take pre- cedence over the entire canine race. ‘‘Ha! Pedro; good dog, come here!” Pedro was sociable, and came willingly so long as we were round the fire; but moved away when we began to load, and 1 1 conjecture this was the ridge by which Dr. Stiibel endeavoured to ascend Chimborazo. On the 8rd of July, from 17,000 feet upwards, it was entirely covered ‘with snow, and down to 16,000 feet there were many patches upon it. 2 The minimum this night was 25° Faht. PAs i 322 TRAVELS AMONGST THE GREAT ANDES. CHAP. xVIIrt. looked doubtfully. We took up the axes—he went farther off. Calls were in vain, and finally he put his tail between his legs and bolted down hill as hard as he could scamper. ‘‘ No, my masters. You may go up, but / shall go down—no more snow-blindness for me.” At 5.15 a.m., when tones began to change to detail, we left the camp; and this day, for once, the heavens seemed to smile upon us. ‘The sky was bright—the air serene; and long before dawn, sixty miles away, we saw the cone of .Cotopaxi clear cut against a cloudless horizon, and remarked how tranquil the great Volcano looked, and that not a sign of smoke was rising from its crater.! Soon a cold wind sprang up. I lingered behind, to beat my hands and feet, and whilst resting back against a rock, looking towards the north, saw the commencement of an eruption. At 5.40 a.m. two puffs of steam were emitted, and then there was a pause. At 5.45 a column of inky blackness began to issue, and went up straight in the air with such prodigious velocity that in less than a minute it had risen 20,000 feet above the rim of the crater. I could see the upper 10,000 feet of the volcano, and estimated the height of the column at double the height of the visible portion of the mountain. ‘The top of the column, therefore, was nearly forty thousand feet above the level of the sea. At that elevation it encountered a powerful wind blowing from the east, and was rapidly borne towards the Pacific; remaining intensely black, seeming to spread very slightly, and presenting the appear- ance of a gigantic — drawn upon an otherwise perfectly clear sky. It was then caught by wind from the north, and, borne towards us, appeared to spread quickly. Meanwhile the others progressed steadily over the snow-beds and stony débris on the crest of the ridge, and I did not catch them for nearly an hour. At 6.50 a.m. we tied up, as the snow 1 This was the only occasion on which we saw the crater quite free from smoke and steam during the whole of our stay in Ecuador. 2 I did not note the time it took to rise to this elevation. My impression is that it was an affair of a few seconds. . CHAP. XVIII. JHAN-ANTOINE BECOMES DEAF. 323 became continuous, and proceeded along the aréte until it came to a termination at the extreme western end of ‘the Northern Walls’ ;* and then bore away horizontally to the right, to an islet of rock, and halted at 8.35 a.m. for breakfast.2 The barometer said that we had risen 3000 feet in three hours and _ twenty minutes ;—the mercury had sunk from 16°950 to 15°177 inches, while temperature had risen from 30° to 46° Faht. We were already 18,900 feet above the sea. In a half-hour the march was resumed. ‘The slopes here were too steep for direct escalade, and we still bore away to the south (traversing the head of the glacier which I have named after Dr. Alphons Stiibel of Dresden), opening out the valley of the Chimbo, and an immense pro- spect beyond. ‘‘ Hi! Carrel ! what is that ?” ‘*Guaranda, Monsieur.” ‘‘ Guaranda! Monsieur deceives himself, does he?” but the man in front suddenly became deaf, and could not hear a word. At this time the view was magnificent. We could see to the bottom of the basin of the Chimbo, eleven thousand feet below, and overlooked the country on the west by four or five thousand feet. Between us and the sea, the whole expanse from north to south was filled by the Pacific Range of Ecuador, with countless peaks and ramifications— COMMENCEMENT OF THE ERUPTION OF COTOPAXI, JULY 3, 1880. 1 This is just beyond the range of the engraving on p. 320, on the right. 2 At the spot marked Z on the Map of Chimborazo. 324 TRAVELS AMONGST THE GREAT ANDES. cap. xvi. valleys, vallons, dells and dales, backed by the Ocean,’ rising above the haze which obscured the flat coast land. Now we turned back to the north, and zigzagged to and fro to ease the ascent, getting into the direct rays of the sun, which was already more than fifty degrees high. The clouds from Cotopaxi were bearing down upon Chimborazo, seeming to rise higher and yet higher in the sky, although they were actually descending. For a full hour we saw the immense column still rising from the crater, and then the clouds which were drifting towards us shut it out. When they commenced to intervene between the sun and our- selves the effects which were produced were truly amazing. We saw a green sun, and smears of colour something like verdigris green high up in the sky, which changed to equally extreme blood- reds, or to coarse brick-reds, and then passed in an instant to the colour of tarnished copper, or shining brass. No words can convey the faintest idea of the impressive appearance of these strange colours in the sky—seen one moment and gone the next — re- sembling nothing to which they can properly be compared, and surpassing in vivid intensity the wildest effects of the most gorgeous sunsets. The terms that I have employed to designate the colours which were seen are both inadequate and inexact. Their most striking features were their extraordinary strength, their extreme coarseness, and their dissimilarity from any tints or tones ever seen in the sky, even during sunrises or sunsets of exceptional brilliancy. They were unlike colours for which there are recognized terms. They commenced to be seen when the clouds began to pass between the sun and ourselves, and were not seen previously. ‘The changes from one hue to another had obvious connection with the varying densities of the clouds that passed; which were sometimes thick and sometimes light. No colours were seen when they moved overhead, and surrounded us on all sides. 1 The part seen was probably distant 200 or more miles. cHaPp. xvil. THE SECOND ASCENT OF CHIMBORAZO. 325 At 11 a.m., getting into the direct rays of the sun, the heat became oppressive, and David, exhausted by his flounderings in the snow, wished to return. ‘‘Impossible, David; it is now or never.” Campafia, a light weight, sank in slightly, and shewed no signs of fatigue. At 11.30 a.m., we were again facing Guaranda ; and striking the former route, made as before for the plateau between the two domes, bending round at first to the north, and subsequently to the east; avoiding the lowest part of the hollow, yet occasionally sinking up to the knees. At 1 p.m., when close to the very highest point, a great clamour and cackling broke out amongst the men, for the regular sweep of the dome was inter- rupted by some object. It was the top of our ten-foot pole sticking out of the snow, with a few tattered fragments of the red flag still attached. Nature had built a wall of ice about six feet long on the eastern (or windward) side, and the flagstaff stood clear of it in front, with the frayed remnants of serge stiff frozen, pointing like fingers to the south-west, registering the direction of the wind that had prevailed !? During this time the clouds from Cotopaxi had been constantly approaching, and about mid-day they passed overhead.* ‘The sun had become invisible, and temperature had fallen; and our first care was to dig a trench to leeward of the flagstaff to obtain pro- tection, for the wind felt dangerously cold. Shortly after the barometer was hung up, it read 14°050 inches, with air tempera- ture 20° Faht., and it continued to fall until 2 p.m., and then, with the thermometer at 15° Faht., the mercury stood at 14:028 inches, and lower it would not go.* When the clouds from Cotopaxi first passed overhead, they 1 All except the few scraps shewn in the engraving facing p. 326 had been blown away by the wind. 2 We arrived on the summit at 1.20 p.m., having occupied four hours and a quarter over the ascent of the last sixteen hundred feet. 8 They had taken six hours to travel about eighty miles. 4 At 2 p.m., when the Mercurial Barometer (red. to 32° Faht.) was 14:044 inches, the Aneroid E read 12°990 inches. 326 TRAVELS AMONGST THE GREAT ANDES. CHAP. xvimi. were still, I think, not less than 5000 feet above us (or 25,000 to 26,000 feet above the sea), and they extended far to the south before the dust of which they were composed began to fall upon the summit of Chimborazo. It commenced to settle about ten minutes after our arrival, and in the course of an hour caused the snowy summit to look like a ploughed field. It filled our eyes and nostrils, rendered eating and drinking impossible,’ and at last reduced us to breathing through handkerchiefs. The brass and glass of the mercurial barometer, like everything else, became coated with this all-pervading dust, but the vernier afforded pro- tection to the portion of the tube which was behind it, and this protected part remained reasonably bright, while all the rest of the tube above and below was thickly encrusted. The height of the barometer on the summit of Chimborazo, on July 3, 1880, was registered in this manner by a volcanic eruption which occurred more than sixty miles away! The surrounding country became obscured as soon as the fall- ing dust reached our level, and thus our last ascent in Ecuador, like all the rest, rendered no view from the summit. By 2 o’clock in the afternoon even the Pointe Veintemilla could not be seen, and the darkness continued to increase so much that by 2.30 p.m. we thought it was best to depart. The last thing done, before leaving, was photographing the top of Chimborazo. The sky was dark with the clouds of ash, the people shivered under a tempera- ture of 15° Faht., the wind fluttered everything that could move, the snow gave a poor foundation for the stand, and the gloom made focussing uncertain. All the conditions were favourable for the production of a bad photograph, and the result was just what might be expected. It is reproduced literally here, without em- bellishment, an authentic record of a memorable occasion.’ 1 My observed temperature on the summit of Chimborazo, on July 3, was 96°°3 Faht. See Appendix F, 2 An ‘instantaneous’ plate was exposed for one minute, and it was necessary to keep wiping the lens during the whole of the operation. The engraving shews the dust commencing to settle among the ripples in the snow. i en . hr arr vn es CAMPANA J.-A. CARREL DAVID “THE SKY WAS DARK WITH THE CLOUDS OF ASH," FROM A PHOTOGRAPH TAKEN ON THE SUMMIT OF CHIMBORAZO, JULY 3, 1880. — CHAP. XVIII. THE DESCENT. 327 The surface of the snow had hardened under the increasing cold, and we slipped along quickly,— Louis first, followed by David ; then Campafia in my charge; while Jean- Antoine came last, and acted as sheet-anchor. Though the little Interpreter tumbled about gloriously, he tugged no more than a good - sized fish at the end of a line; and we descended boisterously, cutting the zigzags, and finding great advantage from sticks which had been planted to mark the route, in the same manner as upon Sara-ureu and Carihuairazo. About 4.45 a brief halt was made to get an observation of the mercurial barometer for the height of the snow-line (16,700 feet), and then, casting off the rope, we put on full steam, and arrived at camp at 5.10 p.m.’ By this time the coarser particles of the Volcanic Dust had fallen below our level, and were settling down into the valley of the Chimbo (the bottom of which was still 7000 feet beneath us), causing it to appear as if filled by thick smoke. The finest ones were still floating in the air like a light fog, and so it continued until night closed in. The tent was laden with the dust, and a large quantity had slipped and fallen down its sloping sides. I collected more than three ounces from the roof, and this was not the half of what remained upon it. Subsequently, I found that at the town of Ambato, between 11 and 11.15 a.m., upon a piece of paper one foot square, spread out to receive it, four ounces were 1 I have felt it unnecessary to say much about the second ascent of Chimborazo, beyond indicating the direction that was followed. The north-west ridge (that referred to upon p. 25, and shewn on the left of the engraving facing p. 24) leads with remarkable directness towards the summit, and its crest or aréte is unusually free from impediments. At the upper end, where it abuts against the Northern Walls (or, perhaps it should be said, where it issues from them, for I suspect that this is another lava-stream), one is already 18,900 feet above the sea, and so far as this point ice-axes are not required. It is then necessary to bear towards the south, and a certain amount of cutting is obligatory whilst traversing the head of the Glacier de Stiibel. Crevasses there, though numerous, are easily avoided, and the steepest angles of the slopes do not exceed 35°. Beyond this, the route joins that described in Chapter III. Neither upon Jan. 4 nor July 3 were there any open crevasses in the plateau between the two domes, 328 TRAVELS AMONGST THE GREAT ANDES. cmap. xvut. collected ; and that at Riobamba, upon paper similarly exposed, about as much fell per square foot as upon Chimborazo. From these data I have calculated the minimum quantity which must have been ejected upon this occasion. Drawing two lines radiating from Cotopaxi, one leading to Riobamba, and the other to an equal distance west of the fifth camp (within which limits it is certain that the dust fell), and estimating that from our camp to Ambato only one-eighth of an ounce fell on each square foot, and that from Ambato to the Voleano four ounces fell on each square foot, I find that, at the least, two millions of tons must have been ejected during this eruption... The quantity is under- estimated in several ways. The amount is ignored that was carried beyond the limits which have been indicated, though it fell over many hundreds of square miles.” The quantity only is taken into account which was actually found upon the tent— not that which had fallen from it, nor that which had still to descend ; and from Ambato northwards a fall of fifteen minutes only is reckoned, although it continued to settle for several hours.° I have found it interesting to compare the dust deposited upon Chimborazo with that which fell upon our tent when we were encamped on the summit of Cotopaxi (see p. 153), which was 1 This amount is equal to a column of solid lava (2°65 spec. gray.) 38 feet square and 18,600 feet high. 2 And on ships upon the Pacific Ocean. 3 As pure and undefiled Volcanic Dusts can seldom be procured, and are desiderata with students, I have placed the collections mentioned below in the hands of Mr. J. R. Gregory, 88 Charlotte Street, Fitzroy Square, from whom samples can be obtained. 1. Dust which fell at Quito (after an aerial voyage of 34 miles) from the great eruption of Cotopaxi in June, 1877 (see p. 125). 2. Dust which fell on the tent on Chimborazo (after an aerial voyage of 64 miles) from the eruption of Cotopaxi, July 3, 1880. 3. Lapilli and dust from the apex of the cone of Cotopaxi (19,500 feet). 4. Granular dust from sheltered places on Cotopaxi (see p. 141). 5. Lapilli from 15,000 feet on Cotopaxi. 6. Pumice lapilli from Ambato (see p. 94). 7. Fine dust from the ten-inch bed at Machachi (see p. 104). 8. Fine pumice-dust from the lowest bed at Machachi (see p. 104). ai ee ew le ——. a ee ee a ee a rae es eee cHaAP. xvill. DESCRIPTIONS OF VOLCANIC DUSTS. 329 ejected during intermittent discharges of steam, and, presumably, was torn off by the violence of the blasts. It is reasonable to find that there is a considerable difference in the weight and dimensions of the particles of these two dusts. The larger and heavier atoms naturally settle soonest, and the smaller and lighter ones travel farthest. Upon several occasions I have endeavoured to count the number of particles in a grain of the Chimborazo deposit, and have found that the smaller ones do not weigh so much as 35457 part of a grain, and that the finer atoms are lighter still.’ 1 Professor Bonney has examined the two dusts microscopically, and has favoured me with the following descriptions. No. I. (Dust which fell on the tent at the summit of Cotopaxi, Feb. 18-19, 1880). ‘‘ The grains range from ‘02 inch in diameter downwards, a considerable proportion varying between this and about ‘01 inch. They may be thus distinguished:—(A) rock fragments, (B) mineral fragments. (A). These consist of (a) chips of colourless or nearly colourless glass, sometimes almost clear, sometimes clouded with ferrite or opacite, and containing microliths of felspar, &c.—chips, in short, of glassy lavas. (6) rough opaque, or nearly opaque grains, sometimes translucent at the edges, and including microliths of felspar and augite ; these, when viewed with a dark background, have a scoriaceous exterior, and are greyish, blackish, or reddish-brown in colour; they are evidently minute lapilli of an andesitic lava. (B). Among these the following minerals may be recog- nized :—(a) felspar, showing occasionally plagioclastic twinning ; (6) more rare, augite and perhaps hypersthene. I notice fragments both of glass and of minerals even among the finer dust, together with black specks, probably magnetite.”’ No. II. (Dust which was ejected by Cotopaxi upon July 3, 1880, and fell upon the tent at the fifth camp on Chimborazo, distant sixty-four miles). ‘The grains which make up this interesting deposit, as indicated by a glance at the slides with the unaided eye, are, as might be expected, decidedly smaller than those which characterise No. I, a very few only attain to a diameter of ‘01 inch, and this is barely exceeded. Fragments measuring from *003 to ‘004 inch are common, and they vary from this size to the finest dust ; the characteristic of the deposit, so far as I can ascertain, being the presence of grains ranging from about ‘001 to ‘003 inch. They consist, as before, of rock fragments and mineral fragments. Among the former (A) the rough dark lapilli are rare; the majority being translucent, and apparently smooth externally. These are chips of glass, commonly of a pale brownish colour, in which acicular microliths, probably of felspar, are frequent, with specks of ferrite. . . (B). The mineral fragments are felspar, as above, with a little augite, and there is one well-formed hypersthene crystal ‘01 inch long, in which are enclosures of iron peroxide, &c., and, I think, minute cavities. Fragments of felspar and acicular crystallites are rather abundant among the finer dust.” 2U 330 TRAVELS AMONGST THE GREAT ANDES. c#ap. xvitt. The sole difference between this eruption and others which had been remarked of Cotopaxi, was, probably, only one of degree. If the pipe of the Volcano —its channel of communication with the depths below — had been filled with molten lava, a means of exit would have been afforded which would have prevented this great manifestation of energy. The outburst suggested explosion,—a violent deliverance of confined force ; and I conjecture that the steam which was constantly welling up, instead of being permitted to escape freely, or by intermittent discharges, was'more effectually imprisoned than usual [in the manner suggested upon pp. 153-4], and that thus the temporary quietude was produced which was noted in the early morning. During this time the subterranean forces were gathering strength, under constantly-increasing heat, due to augmented pressure; at last acquiring power sufficient to burst through the barrier, and then issued in a blast of inconceiv- able violence; rushing in a few seconds from depths with heat above the fusing-point of iron to cold beneath the freezing-point of mercury, rending the solid rock through which it passed into infinitesimal fragments, and driving millions of tons of this im- palpable powder vertically in the air, twenty thousand feet above the lip of the crater. The new readings of the barometer on the summit of Chim- borazo, agreeing closely with those which were taken upon the first ascent, gave assurance, whilst still in the country, that there was no material error in the measurements of atmospheric pressure which had been made in the interior of Ecuador; and the altitude which has been deduced from them for Chimborazo, by nearly according with that which was obtained from the previous obser- vations, renders it probable that the accepted height of that mountain is too great by about 927 feet." For a second time we saw the barometer standing nearly as low as 14 inches, without experiencing what I have ventured to term the acute symptoms of mountain -sickness; and, by a con- 1 See Chapter XIX. for some further remarks upon the height of Chimborazo. CHAP. XVIII. A BAROMETRIC LEVEL. 331 siderable improvement in our rate, had the opinion confirmed that man can become habituated to low pressures. ‘he ascent from the fifth camp (15,811 feet) to the summit (20,498 feet), excluding halts, occupied 445 minutes, and was therefore executed at the rate of 632 feet per hour. ‘The descent, excluding halts, was made in 145 minutes, or at the rate of 1939 feet per hour,—the mean of these being 1280 feet per hour ; a speed which, although comparing unfavourably with the superlative rates quoted upon pp. 31-2, was a distinct advance upon our first essay. On the 4th of July we continued the circuit of the mountain by a high-level route, intending to stop for the night at the position of the First Camp; and the march was made in a trifle over five hours (for most of the way at an elevation of 14,500 to 15,000 feet), without coming across any impediment worth mention! The bearing of the First Camp was not known at starting, and I undertook to lead the caravan by the guidance of the barometer. On the 26th of December, at the First Camp on Chimborazo, the barometer stood at 17°9 inches, and from daily observation of it I knew the great improbability that atmospheric pressure would be so much as one-tenth of an inch either higher or lower at the same spot. I proposed to intersect the Vallon de Carrel, a little higher than the First Camp, by keeping on a level with a pressure of 17°8 inches. For this purpose Aneroids were more useful than the Mercurials, inasmuch as they could be read on horseback while in movement, without checking the march of the caravan; and I trusted to them alone, after having ascertained their Index-errors by comparison with the Mercurial." Sometimes the nature of the ground drove us a little up or down, and pressure fell or rose as the case might be; but at the earliest opportunity the level of 17°8 inches was resumed, and no other means were employed to find the desired place. 1 It was indispensable to do this, in consequence of the large errors they had acquired. See How to use the Aneroid Barometer, § 66. doz TRAVELS AMONGST THE GREAT ANDES. CHAP. xvIti. Upon leaving the fifth camp’ we steered away from the summit for forty minutes, to turn the north-west ridge ; and then bore round to the 8. W., 8.8. W., and for a long distance went nearly due South, below the Glacier de Sttibel—the broadest glacier upon Chimborazo. After passing this, solely at the instigation of the aneroids, I changed the course to 8.E. by E., and about 4 p.m. had the satisfaction of pointing out to my people (through a gap in the ridge on the north side of the Vallon de Carrel) the place where we had encamped on the 26th of December. The part of Chimborazo traversed on this day was barren to the last degree, covered with beds of sand, extending upwards (as we had found in the Vallon de Carrel) nearly to the snow, and downwards farther than could be seen. All fissures and minor inequalities were entirely effaced. These sandy slopes and plains are not perceived while crossing Chimborazo by the ordinary route, or from Guaranda, and they extend uninterruptedly from a little to the west of Tortorillas right round the western and north-western sides of the mountain, nearly to Abraspungo. The portion which at present is called ‘The Great Arenal’ is, in reality, only a small part of them. They are an important feature which has not hitherto been pointed out, produced by the same cause as the slope of ash on Cotopaxi [see pp. 146-8], namely, by the predominance of easterly winds, which scour the voleanic dusts from the eastern sides of the mountains, and deposit them on the leeward or western ones ; and they form a most convenient highway, although sterile, infinitely more agreeable to travel over than the established route, through Chuquipoquio. 1 We scoured the surroundings before departure, and discovered sixteen small beetles of six species, three of which (Bembidium Andinum, Bates, Colpodes oreas, Bates, and Hrirrhinoides distinctus, Olliff) were obtained only at this locality. The others (Helicorrhynchus vulsus, Olliff, Naupactus parvicollis, Olliff, and Macrops celorum, Olliff) had previously been found at similar altitudes upon Pichincha and Cayambe. Descriptions of these beetles are given in the Supplementary Appendix. CHAP. XVIII. FLORA OF CHIMBORAZO. dB0 The stream was dried up in the Vallon de Carrel, and we con- tinued onward towards Tortorillas until water was found, and made our Sixth Camp (13,353 feet) some distance short of the tambo, at the mouth of the Vallon de Débris, in a little nook, concealed from the view of persons crossing the Great Arenal. The 5th of July was occupied in completing collections* and other 1 TI give here a complete list of our Botanical gatherings upon Chimborazo, exclusive of species which were obtained lower than 14,000 feet.—Lichens. Pur- melia, near centrifuga, south side (14-15,000 feet); Umbilicaria sp.? north-west side (15,800); Neuwropogon melaxanthus, Nyl., second camp (16,660); Alectoria divergens, Ach., second camp (16,660); A. ochroleuca, Nyl., second camp (16,660) ; Lecidea geographica, Fr. var., second camp (16,660); Stereocaulon sp.? second camp (16,660); Gyrophora or perhaps Hndocarpon sp. ? third camp (17,285) ; Lecanora (section Squamaria), second camp (16,660); Lecanora, section Placodium, second camp (16,660); and ZL. subfusca, L., foot of the Southern Walls (18,400). Mosses. Andreea striata, Mitt.; Brachymenium fusiferum, Jaeg.; Grimmia con- sobrina, Kunze; G. apocarpa, Hedw.?; G. fusco-lutea, Hook.; and Mielichhoferia longiseta, C.M., all from the immediate vicinity of the second camp (16,550-16,750). Fern. Polypodium pycnolepis, Kze., in Vallon de Carrel (14,900). Grasses. Festuca mollis, Kth., east side, above Chuquipoquio (14,000); and Loa sp.? south side (15,000-15,500). Flowering plants. Labiatze:— Stachys repens, M. & G., above Chuquipoquio (14,000). Scrophulariace :—Bartsia gracilis, Benth., north-east side (13-14,000) ; Calceolaria rosmarinifolia, Lam., above Chuquipoquio (14,000) ; Castil- leja fissifolia, L., south side (14,000-15,000). Gentianacee :—Gentiana cerastioides, H.B.K., north side (13,000-14,000); G. cernua, H. & B., south side (14,000-16,000) ; G. rupicola, H.B.K., south side (15,500-16,300); G. sedifolia, H.B.K., south side (15,500-16,000); and Halenia gracilis, Griseb., north-east side (13,000-14,000). Ericacez :— Vaccinium epacridifolium, Benth., north side (13,000-14,000). Com- posite :— Achyrophorus Quitensis, Sz. Bip., south side (15,500-16,300) ; Baccharis (Loricaria) ferruginea, Pers., Vallon de Carrel (14,000-15,000); Bidens humilis, H.B.K., south side (18,000-16,500); Chuquiragua insignis, H. & B., south side (14,000 -15,000); Culcitium nivale, H.B.K., near second camp (15,500~ 16,300) ; C. reflecum, Kth., Vallon de Carrel (14,000-15,000); and Werneria sp. ? south side (14,000-15,000). Valerianez :— Phyllactis latifolia, Spruce, north side (18,000-14,000) ; P. inconspicua, Wedd.? second camp (16,600); Valeriana alyssi- folia, Kth., Vallon de Carrel (14,000-15,000); V. microphylle aff., south side (13,000-14,000) ; Valeriana sp.? south side (15,500-16,500). Ribesiaces :— Ribes glandulosum, R. & P., north-east side (14,000). Leguminose :—Astragalus gemini- Jflorus, H. & B., south side (14,000-15,000) ; Lupinus humifusus, Benth., north-east side (13,000-14,000); Lupinus -sp.? (18,000-14,000) ; Lapinus sp.? south side 334 TRAVELS AMONGST THE GREAT ANDES. CHAP. XVIII. matters which had been cut short in January, and in the afternoon we transferred ourselves to Camp 7. ‘On the next day the bag- gage was despatched to Riobamba under the care of Louis ; whilst I with Jean-Antoine and Campafia resumed the measurement on the High Road for ‘a scale for Chimborazo’; carrying it up to the Tambo of Chuquipoquio, and thus completing our work amongst the Great Andes of the Equator. (14,000-15,000) ; and Vicia setifolia, H.B.K., near Chuquipoquio (12,000- 14,000). Geraniacee :—Geranium diffusum, H.B.K., Vallon de Carrel (16,000). Malvacez :— Malvastrum phyllanthos, Asa Gray, south side (14,000-16,500). Caryophyllacez :— Cerastium glutinosum, Kth., south and north-east sides (13,000-14,000) ; Cerastiwm sp.? south side (18,000-14,000) ; Stellaria leptopetala, Benth., near second camp (15,500-16,000). Cruciferee:— Draba grandiflora, Hook. & Arn., fourth camp (14,360) ; D. obovata, Benth., near second camp, etc. (15,500-16,660) ; Draba sp. ? south side (14,000-15,000); Draba sp.? near second camp (15,500-16,000). Ranun- culacee :—Ranunculus Peruvianus, Pers., north side (13,000-14,000) ; 2. premorsus, Kth., near second camp, etc. (15,500-16,500). Humboldt says in the pamphlet entitled Notice de deux tentatives d’ ascension du Chimborazo, dated Berlin, Sept. 1836 (pub. at Paris in 1838), ‘‘ Les derniers végétaux eryptogames que je recueillis furent le lecidea atrovirens (lichen geographi- cus, Web.) et une nouvelle espéce de gyrophora d’Acharius (gyrophora rugosa), a peu prés a 2820 toises d’altitude. La derniére mousse, le grimmia longirostris croissait a 400 toises plus bas.’’ Reckoning the toise at 6°3945 English feet, it appears that his highest Lichens came from 18,082, and the Moss from 15,475 feet. For the Zoological results, the reader is referred to the Supplementary Appendiz. The last thing obtained on Chimborazo (near Tortorillas) was the Hylodes with which my name is associated. This was another of the species that recurred at similar altitudes. It had previously been captured upon Pichincha, Cotocachi, and Altar. A PHASMA FROM LA DORMIDA, CAYAMBE. CHAPTER XIX. UPON SOME RESULTS OF THE JOURNEY. In a very short time it was found that there were things to be unlearned as well as discovered in Ecuador. It had been supposed that the slopes of Chimborazo led continuously, without a break, down to the flat land bordering the shores of the Pacific [see p. 12]. I saw that this was not the case, and, that an important range of mountains intervened between it and the Ocean. Next we ascertained that Chimborazo streamed with glaciers, although high - authorities state that it has none; and in course of time it became > apparent that the two ‘‘ parallel Cordilleras,’ which according to geographers are the great feature of the country, do not exist. The axis of the Andes of Ecuador, part of the backbone of South America, runs nearly north and south; and towards the western edge of the main chain there ¢s a certain sequence of peaks more or less in a line with each other.’ On the east of these summits there is a succession of basins,? of different dimensions 1 See page 210, and my Route Map. 2 See pages 85-6, 97, 105, 158-9, 167, 265, etc. 336 TRAVELS AMONGST THE GREAT ANDES. cHAP. x1x. and at various elevations, and the nearest mountains on the eastern side occur at irregular distances. There is no such thing as one great valley in the interior of Ecuador. The mountains Pasochoa and Rumifiahui are the only two which lie parallel to the others on the western side.’ The main chain of the Andes was created by upheaval at some remote date, but no one can say when this movement occurred, or whether it was an affair of a year or was spread over thousands of years. All of the Great Andes of the Equator rise out of, or upon and above the main chain.* With the exception of Sara-urcu, they are all mountains of volcanic origin,’ although they may not all have been active volcanoes. There will possibly be, for a long time to come, a diversity of opinions as to the manner of their formation. It seems to me probable that there were never many of these volcanoes in activity at any one moment. Some that are now extinct have evidently been alive; while others, ike Pichincha and Tunguragua, are either dormant or are not perpetually in eruption. Cotopaxi and Sangai alone are in a state of constant activity, and these two mountains seem to be increasing their elevation.* 1 The Pacific Range of Ecuador and the range running south from Chimborazo as far as the Rio Chanchan are, however, parallel to each other ; and the course of the River Chimbo, from Guaranda to Chimbo, runs through a valley, speaking properly. I have already endeavoured to make it clear that this Pacific Range lies owtside the main chain of the Andes. It has nothing to do with the ‘‘two parallel cordilleras.”’ 2 The elevation of the range in general, in Ecuador, although considerable, is not so great as it is farther to the south; and a railway might be carried there across the chain at a lower level than the Trans- Andean line which is at present being con- structed to connect Buenos Ayres with Valparaiso. 3 In Ecuador, the rocks that were previously at the surface are now almost entirely buried under lavas or volcanic-dusts, which have welled out of fissures or have been violently ejected. 4 The excellent observers M. de la Condamine, and the Doctors Reiss & Sttibel measured Cotopaxi and Sangai at an interval of 130 years. The former found the height of Cotopaxi was 18,865 feet, and Sangai 17,1389 feet. The Jatter found the heights were 19,498 and 17,464 feet respectively. “32Y3H GNNOA VOSNASENS WHONWI31 *X tLSSHSIH S.LINVONISSNOS GNV LGIOSWNH ‘4 “LIAWNS SHL NO Y¥3IDV1ID SHL JO NOILOSS IWOILYSA “3 *S434d119 YAMOT1 °C ‘S44dI1D WAddN *s *ISV9-HIYON ONIYOOT "VITINSINISA JINIOd YFONNM ‘OZVHORWIHO 40 STIVM NYSHINOS FHL Wik hy : CHAP. xIx. CONFIGURATION OF THE ANDES OF ECUADOR. 337 Of the extinct Volcanoes, Cayambe, Antisana and Chimborazo are the most important. ‘There are lava-streams upon the flanks of all three mountains,’ and I cannot doubt that they had craters of considerable size, though none can now be seen. ‘The space at the summit of Antisana is sufficiently large to admit of one as great as that of Cotopaxi, and I think it may be assumed that under the snowy domes which now form the summits of Chim- borazo there are rocky peaks which were formerly two of the highest points around the rim of a crater. There are no records of eruptions of Chimborazo.? It must have been an extinct volcano for many ages. ‘The complete burial of its crater, the thickness of the ice-cap at its summit and large size of its glaciers, the ruin and erosion of its lava-streams, and the height vegetation has attained upon its flanks are all indications that its activity ceased at a remote period. It is less regularly conical than Cotopaxi, Sangai or Tunguragua, and towards its summits has sheer cliffs,* that I have termed the Northern and Southern Walls, which it seems to me can only have been formed either by violent upheaval or by explosive blowing away of por- tions of the exterior of the cone. The Southern Walls are shewn in the illustrations facing pages 24, 64 and 76, and, more in detail, in the accompanying plate. They are in two series, B, B, and D, D. 1 In the matter of lava-streams I differ from Boussingault, who says that none can be seen anywhere among the Volcanoes of Tropical America. ‘‘ La masse du Chimborazo est formée par l’accumulation de débris trachytiques, amoncelés sans aucun ordre. Ces fragmens trachytiques, d’un volume souvent énorme, ont été soulevés 4 l’état solide; leurs angles sont toujours tranchans; rien n’indique qu’il y ait en fusion ou méme un simple état de mollesse. Nulle part, dans aucune des voleans de Véquateur, on n’observe rien qui puisse faire présumer une coulée de laves.”’ —Annales de Chimie et de Physique, tome lviii, 2me série, p. 175, Paris, 1835. I find this difficult to comprehend, as Boussingault visited Cotopaxi and the Hacienda of Antisana. See pages 138, 145, 187 and 189. 2 ““Chimboraco, Volean (on ignore l’époque de son éruption),’’—La Condamine in Hist. de V Acad. Royale des Sciences (année 1746), Paris, 1751, pp. 650-1. * There is some equally sheer cliff on the northern side of Cotopaxi, near the summit. 2X 338 TRAVELS AMONGST THE GREAT ANDES. cmap. xix. The latter stand in advance of the higher ones, and are passable at F (‘the breach’), or may be skirted at the base. The upper cliffs B, B are unapproachable, on account of being crowned by glacier, which falls at intervals in tremendous avalanches, shaving the face of the rock. This ice-section (E, E), at the top of the cliffs, shews the thickness of the glacier on the summit of Chimborazo. The faces of these precipices exhibit a large number of parallel bands (nearly horizontal in the lower series and distorted in the upper one) which are highly coloured, and upon the rare occasions that the cliffs are lighted by the sun they present a gay and attractive appearance. ‘The highest strata of the upper series are black,’ alternating with grey bands; warm grey, passing into strong red ; black, changing into thin grey and yellow strata; warm grey again, passing into deep red; and, at the base, warm grey, alternat- ing with thin strata of many colours, too numerous to recapitulate. The lower series commences at the top with a stratum of reddish- grey colour for about half the whole depth of the cliff; then a stratum of ashy grey, followed by a strong black band ; indian red, succeeded by more black strata; and terminating at the base with a bed about 200 feet thick, of strongly reddish hue. With the exception of the lowest rocks of the lower series, it is impossible to collect examples of these strata 7 situ, as the cliffs are well-nigh vertical; but specimens from all of the beds in the upper series (knocked off by the descent of the ice-avalanches) can be obtained on the surface of the Glacier de Débris, and they are found to be entirely volcanic products—principally andesitic lavas.’ The colouring is superficial, the result of weathering, or decom- position. The natural colours of these rocks range from steel and iron-greys to purplish-black. A great section of a somewhat similar nature was produced on 1 Tt is not unlikely that this is the rock we obtained at 19,400 feet upon the first ascent. See pp. 67-8. 2 Amongst these fragments on the glacier I found native sulphur. ) Pen eae ee ae a a. CHAP. XIX. POSITIONS OF THE GREAT ANDES. 339 the Island of Krakatoa by the blowing away of a portion of the cone during the convulsions which occurred in August, 1883 ;* and although it cannot be positively affirmed that the Southern Walls of Chimborazo have been fashioned in this way, one may go so far as to suggest that that which is known to have happened in the Straits of Sunda may also have occurred on the coast of the Pacific. The relative situations of the Great Andes of the Equator will be seen by reference to the Route Map, where, for the first time, they are placed in the positions that they actually occupy. The Altitudes which were determined on my journey are arranged in a tabular form in Appendix A, in chronological order. The height of Chimborazo will probably possess more interest than any other for the majority of my readers. I give below the data which have been used in its computation, and a few remarks upon the previous determinations of its altitude by others. My original readings are given here (mot reduced to.32° Faht.), and they were not taken until the attached thermometer had fallen to the tem- perature of the air. The Guayaquil barometer, it should be added, was 30 feet above the level of the sea. Date. Place. Barometer. Reading in Temp. of air inches. and att. therm. Jan. 4, 1880, 5.15 p.m. Summit of Chimborazo No. 558 14:100 21° Faht. 5 6p.m. Guayaquil : Z . No. 554 29°892 (312 | ena Deduced altitude above the level of the sea, 20,545 feet. July 3, ,, 1.40p.m. Summit of Chimborazo No. 558 14°050 me 5: 2p.m. Summit of Chimborazo . No. 558 14:028 : (Saas ae Meanoflla.m.&6p.m. Guayaquil No. 554 30°021 0” Pi iag Deduced altitude above the level of the sea, 20,461 feet. Besides these two results (20,545 feet from the observations made on Jan. 4, and 20,461 feet from the 2 p.m. observations on July 3), Mr. Ellis has obtained a third one (20,489 feet) by 1 A representation of this forms Plate 25 of the Albwm accompanying the interesting work KArakatau, by R. D. M. Verbeek, Brussels, 1885-6; and it has been reproduced in the feport of the Krakatoa Committee of the Royal Society, Lond. 188, Pi. II. TRAVELS AMONGST THE GREAT ANDES. CHAP. xix. employing the mean of the observations at 1.40 and 2 p.m. The altitude I adopt is the mean of his three results, namely 20,498 feet. The height, however, which at the present time is accepted and quoted for Chimborazo is 21,425 feet. This altitude was deduced by J. Oltmanns (Professor of Astro- nomy at Berlin) from the observations of Alex. von Humboldt, who, after determining barometrically the ele- vation of Riobamba above the level of the sea, measured a base 1702 métres long upon the outskirts of the town, and at one end of this base observed the angle of eleva- tion of the apparent summit of the mountain. This measurement is referred to in Humboldt’s Recueil d’ Obser- vations Astronomiques, etc., 4to, Paris, 1810, vol. 1, pp. Ixxi-lxxiv of the Jntroduction, and the annexed diagram is projected from the data given in that work.’ ‘The line drawn from A to B represents his base, and a the position of the summit of Chimborazo. This figure shews more clearly than words the unsatisfactory nature of the data from which Prof. Oltmanns calculated the altitude. Humboldt himself appeared to think it likely that there was some error in his observations : and he did so, doubtless, on account of the large difference that there was between the altitude which was deduced from his work and that which was obtained by La Condamine, who employed similar methods. The height of Chimborazo as determined by La Condamine was 3220 toises (= 20,592 feet). Juan and Ulloa (the Spanish officers who were. associated with the French Academicians) in their book entitled Observaciones Astronomicas y Phisicas hechas de orden de S. Mag. en los Reynos del Peru, 4to, Madrid, 1 The length of the base A B is stated to have been 1702°49 metres ; the angle A B a, 98° 34’ 50” ; the angle a A B, 78° 16’ 20”; and the angle of elevation of the summit, seen from A, 6° 41’ 26”. This figure should be compared with fig. 6, Plate 1, in the Recueil d’ Observations Astronomiques, CHAP. XIX. HUMBOLDT’S TRIANGLE. 341 1748, p. 131, give 3380 toises (= 21,615 feet) as the height of Chimborazo. The French and Spanish observers, I believe, used the same data, and it is certain that either one or the other, or both, must have been in error in their calculations.' The passage is given in the footnote in which Humboldt expresses a certain amount of doubt as to his own result.” In the various possible causes of error which he therein mentions, he omits to take into account :—1l. The chance of error in the height of his base at Riobamba, and, 2. that neither the height nor the distance of a snowy dome can be determined with certainty unless a signal is placed upon it. The elevation he assigned to Riobamba was 9485 feet, which is 305 feet higher than the determination of Messrs. Reiss and Stiibel, and 446 feet higher than my own.? It seems to me possible that there 1 Although the height of Chimborazo deduced by Ulloa more nearly corresponded than La Condamine’s with that obtained by Humboldt, the latter did not seem to put much confidence in it; for towards the end of his Recueil d’ Observations Astro- nomiques (at p. 93 of the section entitled ‘‘ Wivellement barométrique) there is the following amusing passage. ‘‘ Lorsqu’ Ulloa descendit dans les mines de Guanaxuato, il déduisit d’une mesure barométrique, que la mine de Valenciana avoit une pro- fondeur de 1000 vares (838 métres). L’inspecteur de la mine assura, et avec raison, que cette évaluation etoit du double trop forte ; le géométre prétendit, de son codté, que son calcul barométrique ne laissoit pas de doute. I] est probable que le baro- métre du savant voyageur s’étoit dérangé . . . On concoit aisément que, depuis cette époque, les barométres ne jouissent pas d’un grand crédit auprés du mineurs du Mexique.”’ 2“ Je n’ai pu, jusqu’a ce jour (1810), découvrir aucune cause d’erreur dans ma mesure du Chimborazo. Pour expliquer une difference de 100 toises de hauteur, il faudroit supposer ou que les angles des stations avec la cime a B A et a A B fussent faux de 109, ou qu’on se fit trompé dans la mesure de la base de 91 métres, ou que langle de hauteur pris en A fit trop grand de 21’ 58”. . . Je désire ardemment que, dans un pays ou les lumiéres font des progrés si rapides, des hommes instruits repetent mes opérations sur le plateau de Tapia, pour qu’il ne reste aucun doute sur la véritable hauteur de la cime la plus élevée des Cordilléres.’-—Recueil d’ Obs. Astron., vol. 1, p. lxxiv, Introd. 3 The Ecuadorian altitudes which were deduced from the barometric observations of Humboldt are almost always higher (sometimes considerably higher) than those ob- tained from the barometric observations by Messrs. Reiss and Stiibel, and by myself. 342 TRAVELS AMONGST THE GREAT ANDES. cuwap. xrx. was a considerable initial error in the determination of the height of his base ; and from simple inspection of the figure upon p- 340 it will be apparent that a very slight mistake in the identification of the true summit, at either of his stations A, B, would have produced a marked effect upon the distance of a from A B, and a serious error in the deduced value of the angle of elevation, which was calculated from the distance. Humboldt’s wish that his observations might be repeated has been fulfilled by his countrymen Messrs. Reiss and Stiibel. In their Altwras, which were printed at Quito in 1873, the height of Chimborazo is stated to be (according to Dr. Reiss) 20,703 feet. By a private communication I know that these travellers adopted for this measurement similar methods to those which were employed by La Condamine and Humboldt. There are therefore five different determinations of the height of Chimborazo, namely :— La Condamine . : . 20,592 feet. Juan and Ulloa. A jy VE Gia <2 Humboldt . ‘ ; » BL 435-2. Reiss and Stiibel . ; OOS... Whymper . : ; oie! MOZSOS® 5 The first four of these were obtained by similar methods, and the fifth is derived from three observations of the mercurial barometer upon the summit of the mountain. The order in which the Great Andes of the Equator should be placed (so far as I am acquainted with them) will be seen in the accompanying table. Several others, which are not included, should perhaps come before Pichincha. ‘There was no opportunity of measuring the mountains of Llanganati [see pp. 97, 110], or the highest points in the range to the south of Chimborazo. Some of the loftiest peaks in the former group seemed to me to rise well above 16,000 feet, and the latter were not much inferior in elevation, although destitute of snow. cd oe ee ie | ** ee, a ie ie ee Ae CHAP. XIX. RANK OF THE GREAT ANDES. 3438 ACADEMICIANS. Reiss & STUBEL. WHYMPER. Name of Mountain. ———"——_ | "| a Toises. Feet. Métres. Feet. Métres. Feet. 1. Chimborazo . . | 8220 | 20,592 | 6310 | 20,708 | 6247 | 20,498 2. Cotopaxi ; | 2950 | 18,865 | 5948 | 19,498 | 5978 | 19,613 3. Antisana : .| 8020 + 19,318 | 5756 | 18,885 | 5898 | 19,3835 4, Cayambe ; .| 80380 | 19,3877 | 5840 | 19,161 | 5848 | 19,186 o. iber . 3 .| 27380 | 17,458 | 5404 | 17,'780 35: Bins 6. Sangai , .| 2680 | 17,189 | 5823 | 17,464 f Alliniza 3 vt S17 | 17,8: |. 5300 | 17,405 8. Tunguragua. . | 2620 16,755 | 5087 | 16,690 nee a 9. Carihuairazo .| 2450 | 15,668 | 5106 | 16,752 | 5084 | 16,515! 10. Sincholagua . .| 2570 | 16,485 | 4988 | 16,365 ae LN 11. Cotocachi. .| 2570 | 16,485 | 4966 | 16,293 | 4968 | 16,301 12. Guagua-Pichincha . i bee A787 | 15,706 | 4851 | 15,918 Rucu-Pichincha .; 2480 | 15,540 | 4737 | 15,542 a ine 13. Corazon : .{| 2470 | 15,796 | 4816 | 15,801 | 48388 | 15,871 14. Rumifiahui . ‘ LA aes A757 | 15,607 oN ae . sara-urcu . 2 wes eres 4800 | 15,749 | 4725 | 15,502 1 Height of the middle peak of Carihuairazo. The determinations of the Academicians are quoted from Histoire del’ Academie Royale des Sciences (année 1746), Paris, 1751, pp. 650-651 ; and those of Messrs. Reiss and Stiibel are taken from their Alturas tomadas en la Republica del Ecuador, Quito, 1873. The heights that are quoted for these mountains, as well as the other altitudes which are given in Appendix A, depend. exclusively upon observations of Mercurial Barometers. The two ‘ Fortin’s’ which were used in the interior [see p. 33] were preserved intact to the end of the journey. The precautions that were taken to ensure their safety which have been mentioned upon pp. 54-5 would have been of little avail if they had not been supplemented by unceasing care on the part of Jean- Antoine Carrel, who took charge of them during the whole of the time we were amongst the mountains. When travelling over roads, or lower slopes where porterage could be obtained, he carried his ‘babies’ and nothing besides. Above the snow-line he was always encumbered with one, and sometimes with both of them, in addition to the matters which it was his proper business to transport; and the fact that 044 TRAVELS AMONGST THE GREAT ANDES. CHAP. xIx. he was always laden with 124 or 25 lbs. additional weight must be taken into account if com- parisons are instituted with his rates. The conservation of these instruments occupied the first place in the thoughts of every one during the whole of the time we were in the interior, as they were the Standards upon which everything depended. The comparisons of the Ane- roid Barometers which were made against the Mercurials whilst in the field are given in Appendix C; but the account of the subsequent investigations into the behaviour of Aneroids in general extends to too great length to be included in this volume, and is rendered in the pamphlet How to wse the Aneroid JEAN-ANTOINE AND THE BABIES. Barometer} 1 The following is a recapitulation of the principal points which have come out in the course of this enquiry. 1. All aneroids lose upon the mercurial barometer when submitted to diminished pressure. When diminished pressure is maintained continuously, the loss commonly continues to augment during several weeks, and sometimes grows to a very import- ant amount. The most important part of any loss that will occur will take place in the first week. The loss which takes place in the first week is greater than in any subsequent one. A considerable part of the loss which takes place in the first week occurs in the first day. The loss may be traced in a single hour, and in successive hours upon aneroids with expanded scales. The amount of the loss which occurs is different in different instruments. The amount of the loss in any aneroid depends (@) upon the duration of time it may experience diminished press- ure, and (6) upon the extent of the reduction in pressure. 2. When pressure is restored, all aneroids recover a portion of the loss which has previously occurred; and some, in course of recovery, gain more than they have CHAP. XIX. TEMPERATURES, ON SUMMITS. B45 In Appendix E, afew remarks are made upon ‘TEMPERATURES in Ecuador, and I refer here only ta those which were experienced on Summits. If there had been a constant diminution of 1° Faht. for every 300 feet of ascent from the level of the sea, temperatures at the tops even of the lowest of the peaks we ascended would always ee | Height in| Temperature | Temperature at | Date. Mountain. Feet. on Summit. Guayaquil. 1880. ; . Faht. Fabt. | Jan. 4(5.15 p.m.) . .| Chimborazo 20,498 21° 85° ‘(6 p.m.) Rem 21d ,, ).. °°. 1 Corazon i) 10,871) af —45"" )-79° (1 1a.m;) perio (Gc) am.) 2 ..|Cotopaxi \ ..//19,613 21° Be tm See Mar. 10 (10-11.40 a.m.) | Antisana .| 19,385 | 44°-60° | 80° ( | ee) ee (1115 a.m.) . | Pichincha |. 16,918 46° 80° ( April 4(10.45-11a.m.) |Cayambe .| 19,186 | 32°-41° | 79° ( » 17 (1.380-2.40 p.m.) | Sara-uren .| 15,502 | 48°°5-55°} 80° (_,, ( ( ( eaie moon) , | Cotoeach: . 16,301 36° 81° June 29 (11-11.15 a.m.) | Carihuairazo | 16,515 | 88°-42° | 74° |July 3(1.40-2 p.m.) . | Chimborazo 20,498 | 15°-20° | 74° have been found well below the freezing-point. The above ‘Table of Temperatures, ‘in the shade,’ shews those which were actually experienced. previously lost. Minus index-errors are sometimes lessened, and plus index-errors are sometimes increased. The recovery is gradual, and commonly extends over a greater length of time than the period during which diminished pressure has been experienced. In aneroids which have been kept at diminished pressures for a con- siderable space of time [a week or upwards] the most important part of the amount that will be recovered will be regained in the first week. The greater part cf the recovery of the first week is usually accomplished in the first day. The recovery in the first hour is almost always larger than that in any subsequent hour. 3. The errors which will probably be exhibited by aneroids during natural varia- tions of pressure may be learned approximately by submitting them to artificially- produced variations of pressure; but the one-hour test which has heretofore been commonly applied for ‘ verification’ is of little value except for determining errors of graduation, and the errors which will be exhibited at similar pressures in a similar length of time. 4. Comparisons of travellers’ aneroids against the mercurial barometer at natural pressure, upon return to the level of the sea, after prolonged journeys in elevated regions, have not the value which is at present assigned to them. 5. Large reductions will have to be made in the heights of many positions which have been determined by aneroids. 2X 346 TRAVELS AMONGST THE GREAT ANDES. cHap. xix. In all cases they were higher than might have been expected. The excess is most marked in the three mountains which are situated farthest to the Kast, namely, Sara-urcu, Cayambe and Antisana; and this, it seems to me, can only be accounted for by supposing that the warm currents borne from the heated Amazonian basin, by the nearly constant easterly winds, are deflected rather abruptly upwards from their natural level, on approaching these mountain-barriers. Upon a number of occasions, abrupt transitions of tempera- ture occurred at our high camps, or whilst ascending still higher. Equally rapid changes are, however, unknown on the lower ground, and it is therefore obvious that the amount of ascent equivalent to a fall of 1° Faht. would have been found very variable if a number of szmultaneous observations of temperature had been made at spots no great distance apart, placed on different levels.’ THE SNow-LINE.—Those who are most conversant with snow- mountains generally speak with hesitation upon this subject. The difficulty consists in determining what ‘the snow-line’ really is, or should be considered. If it should be the very lowest point at which any large masses of snow are found permanently, many mountains would have to be classed as entering the snow -line which are not generally admitted to be within it. The quantity 1 Thus, on July 3, 1880, at 5 p.m., on the north-western side of Chimborazo, at an elevation of. 16,700 feet, temperature in the shade was 26°°5 Faht. At the same time, at Riobamba (9039 feet) it was 50° Faht. This gives a fall of 1° Faht. for every 326 feet of elevation. On July 3, 1880, at 2 p.m., on the Summit of Chimborazo (20,498 feet), tempera- ture was 15° Faht. On the same day, at 2.30 p.m., at Riobamba, it was 54°°72 Faht. (11° R.). This gives a fall of 1° Faht. for every 288 feet. On this day (July 3, 1880), upon leaving camp (15,811 feet), at 5.15 a.m., tem- perature was 30° Faht. By 8.45 a.m. (at 18,900 feet), temperature in the shade had risen to 46° Faht. The sun had not at that time struck the western side of the mountain. Two hours later, when in the direct rays of the sun, the heat felt oppress- ive; and in afiother two hours there was a fall of at least 35° Faht. (from 50° to 15°). This abrupt drop was caused by the clouds of Volcanic Dust intercepting the rays of, and absorbing the heat radiated from the sun! —_ a Oe = » oe SP Pe L ee se > Se ee ae ‘ae rs Le Eas” t " CHAP. XIX. THE SNOW-LINE. 347 that should be found permanently upon any mountain to entitle it to be considered within the snow-line cannot be determined, and I see little utility in retaining a phrase which is incapable of definition, and is interpreted so variously. The following informa- tion is given from personal observation. RANGE souTH OF CHIMBORAZO (15-16,000 feet). No permanent snow. Cumporazo (20,498 feet). In January, little snow below 16,600 feet on the south side, but at that time it extended nearly one thousand feet lower on the E. and N. sides. In June-July there was deep snow as low as 15,600 feet on all these sides. At the same time, there was little snow below 16,700 feet upon the W. side. CaRIHUAIRAZO (16,515 feet). Very little snow below 15,000 feet in January, and much in June-July as low as 14,3800 feet. Corazon (15,871 feet). Much snow fell almost daily upon this mount- ain down to 14,500 feet, but there were no permanent snow- beds on the E. side, although there were some upon the W. side. Atacatzo (14,892 feet). No permanent snow. PicuincHa (15,918 feet). The snow-beds were quite trifling in extent. CorocacHt (16,301 feet). Permanent snow, in large beds, as low as 14,500 feet. ImBaBuRA (15,033 feet). No permanent snow. CayAMBE (19,186 feet). Scarcely any snow below 16,000 feet on the west side. Covered with snow at 15,000 feet on the eastern side. Sara-urRcu (15,502 feet). Snow fell daily upon this mountain lower than 14,000 feet, and was remaining permanently at about that elevation. ANTISANA (19,835 feet). Permanently covered with snow at 16,000 feet on the western side. I am not able to speak about the eastern side. SincHoLacua (16,365 feet). Large beds of permanent snow as low as 15,300 feet. RumiNanur (15,607 feet). There was a small amount of permanent snow on the E., and none on the W. side. Coropaxi (19,618 feet). Snow fell frequently on Cotopaxi in February quite one thousand feet lower than it fell upon Chimborazo in January. It was remaining permanently on the western side at about 15,500 feet. LLANGANATI GROUP. Much snow below 16,000 feet. ALTAR (17,730 feet). Many large snow-beds below 14,000 feet. From examination of the above list, it will be seen that snow is in greater abundance upon the more easterly of the Great Andes 348 TRAVELS AMONGST THE GREAT ANDES. cnHap. xix. of the Equator than upon the western ones; and is commonly found at lower levels upon the eastern than upon the western sides of the same mountains. Previous travellers have said little or nothing about the GLACIERS of Ecuador, —in some cases, it may be, because they were unable to recognize glaciers when they saw them; or, in others, through not actually having seen any, owing to the preva- lence of bad weather. Humboldt, in the passage that is given in the foot-note,* says that he did not see in the Tropics anything resembling the Glaciers of Switzerland; and Boussingault states that the only glacier he saw in Tropical America was upon the mountain Tunguragua. I have been somewhat exercised to account for these statements; and, from certain points of view, I still find them quite incomprehensible.’ Glaciers of large dimensions exist upon the Andes of the 1 “Je n’ai rien vu sous les tropiques, ni a Quito, ni au Mexique, qui ressemble aux glaciers de la Suisse. J’avais pensé 1° que des causes météorologiques s’oppo- saient au changement des névés ou glaciers par absorption de l’eau qui pénétre et. cimente les grains incohérents de grésil et les cristaux de neige ; 2° que les cowlées de neige, source primitive de tout glacier, n’avaient pas lieu, lors méme que la forme et la pente des vallées pouvaient favoriser leur descente, 4 cause du manque de volume et de poids de la neige surincombante. * * * M. Boussingault, que j’ai consulté sur l’existence des petits amas de neige et de grésil que les Indiens de Calpi m’avaient dit se trouver couverts de sables, bien au-dessous de la limite actuelle des neiges du Chimborazo, m’écrit : ‘Je ne sais rien des neiges souterraines du Chimborazo, et je doute fort de leur existence ; mais au volean de Tungurahua, nous avons rencontré, ‘le colonel Hall et moi, a la hauteur de la ville de Quito (done a peu pres a4 1500 toises de hauteur absolue) une masse énorme de neige endurcie, un veritable glacier comme ceux de la Suisse. C’est le seul glacier que j’aie vu en Amérique entre les tro- piques.’ ’"—Asie Centrale, par A. de Humboldt, vol. ili. pp. 264-266. The above passage quoted from Asie Centrale (published in 1843) does not appear to harmonise with the following extract quoted from an article contributed by Bous- singault to the Annales de Chimie et de Physique, published in 1835. ‘Je voulais contempler a mon aise, rassasier pour ainsi dire ma vue de ces glaciers majestueux qui m’avaient procuré si souvent les émotions de la science, et auxquels je devais bient6t dire un éternel adieu’’ (p. 151). Boussingault makes frequent reference to the. glaciers in subsequent pages of the same article. 2 See pp. 24, 32, and 77. ae fe ee Std iy, Cee oe Ln te. = eS e ‘ a) et CHAP. XIX. THE GLACIERS OF ECUADOR. 349 Equator. They attain their greatest size upon Antisana, Cayambe, and Chimborazo, and there are considerable ones upon Altar, Carihuairazo, Cotocachi, Illiniza, Sara-urcu, and Sincholagua.' The glaciers upon Antisana were thicker and the crevasses in them were larger than any we saw elsewhere. Upon Cayambe I counted twelve,’ flowing from the central reservoir, all of which, according to the prevailing custom, might have had names bestowed upon them ; and when making the circuit of Chimborazo in June-July, 1880, I noted the bearings of and named eleven which were entitled to be distinguished.* The one marked A is called Abraspungo ; the next is dedicated to Mr. R. Spruce, whose admirable work in Ecuador (which, unfortunately, has permanently disabled him) has been very inadequately recognized; and the two following are named after the Doctors Reiss and Stiibel. These are succeeded by the Glacier de Thielmann and the Glacier de Débris. The next one (G), named Tortorillas, is rather ill-defined ; H and | are the Glaciers of Humboldt and Boussingault, and the most eastern one 1s consecrated to the assassinated President, Garcia Moreno. In essential features the Glaciers of Ecuador do not differ from the Glaciers of the Alps, and in minor points they present little novelty. One has been noticed upon p. 198. Another was seen in the middle of the Glacier de Débris, namely, a moulin * in which the water flowed upwards instead of downwards ; and not far from this I came upon a ‘ glacier-table,’ a slab of rock three or four feet in diameter, which had attained an unusual height upon a slender 1 There is also some very obscured glacier upon Cotopaxi. My glimpses of Quilindana and Tunguragua were too slight to permit me to speak with certainty, but I believe that there are also glaciers upon those mountains. 2 There are no doubt others upon Cayambe. I did not see its north and north- east sides. 3 Of the northern side, through constant prevalence of bad weather, a clear view was not obtained. 4 “* Moulins are formed by deep cracks ”’ (crevasses) ‘‘ intersecting glacier rivulets. The water in descending such cracks scoops out for itself a shaft, sometimes many feet wide, and some hundreds of feet deep, into which the cataract plunges.’’— Tyndall’s Glaciers of the Alps, 8vo, London, 1860, p. 424. 350 TRAVELS AMONGST THE GREAT ANDES. CHAP. XIX. stem of ice, and then, instead of slipping off as is ordinarily the case, had gradually declined towards the west, bending the shaft which had formerly supported it into the form of a reversed 4. The rock was touching the surface of the glacier, still adhering to the ice-pedestal ; and this, although it had undergone crushing on the inner curve and ¢ension on the outer side, shewed no signs of fracture. BOTANY. — The collections which were formed were undertaken with the view of contributing to the knowledge of the Range in Alti- tude of species, and the remarks which follow have solely reference to the extreme upper range of species in Equatorial South America. Examples of twenty Botanical Orders were obtained at 15,000 feet above the level of the sea and upwards, and twelve of these touched or exceeded the height of .16,000 feet. In the Tables upon pp. 352, 353 the altitudes are given, and the names of the species so far as they have been identified, of the representatives which attained the very greatest heights. These Tables, and the Zoological ones which follow, include only such species as were actually collected. Species of fifteen genera of Lichens were collected in the interior of Ecuador,’ out of which eight (those marked by asterisks in the footnote) were obtained at 15,000 feet or higher : examples of twenty-six genera of Mosses were collected,* twelve of which were found at 15,000 feet and upwards: while out of fifty-eight genera of Flowering Plants (collected exclusively in the interior), fifty- nine species came from 14,000 feet or higher, and of these thirty - five species reached or surpassed 15,000 feet, and twenty 1 * Alectoria, Baeomyces, Cladonia, * Gyrophora, * Lecanora, * Lecidea, Leptogium, * Neuropogon, * Parmelia, Physcia, Ramalina, * Stereocaulon, Sticta, * Umbilicaria, and Usnea. 2 * Andreea, Aneura, * Bartramia, * Brachymenium, * Brentelia, * Crypto- podium, Daltonia, Dicranum, * Didymodon, * Grimmia, Hypnum, Lejeunia, Macromitium, Metzgeria, * Mielichhoferia, Mnium, Neckera, * Orthotrichum, Plagio- chila, Porotrichum, * Racomitrium, Rhizogonium, Sematophyllum, * Splachnobryum, Thyidium, and * Webera, ane CHAP. XIX. THE HIGHEST PLANTS. 351 species 16,000 feet, above the level of the sea. Including all Orders, forty-two species were taken at 16,000 feet or higher,’ and almost all of these came either from Antisana or Chimborazo,” principally from the latter mountain, which even at the height of 17,000 feet has a large amount of soil free from snow. One looks vainly amongst this flora for the brilliant clusters of gem-like flowers which are so conspicuous near the snow-line of the Alps. Yellows predominate in it, and they, like the other hues, are wanting in purity. The highest species, with few exceptions, were also found at considerably lower levels ; and the plants which were taken at the greatest altitudes were generally solitary indi- viduals, separated by long distances from their nearest relatives. ZOOLOGY.— The Zoological collections also which were made in Ecuador were formed with the view of bringing together the species which range highest ; but they were not so strictly limited as the Botanical ones, and, if time and opportunity had permitted, I should have endeavoured to have worked in a more comprehen- sive manner. ANNELIDA. — Karthworms were not numerous anywhere at great elevations. The highest positions at which they were found were in the neighbourhood of our camp on Cayambe (14,760 feet), and upon the summit of Corazon (15,871 feet).° 1 So far as I am aware, nothing has hitherto been obtained from the height of 16,000 feet in Equatorial America, except the Lichens mentioned in the note at the foot of p. 334, and, perhaps, the Moss to which reference is made at p. 76. The Saxifrage which was discovered by Boussingault upon his attempt to ascend Chimborazo in 1831, Humboldt says (Aspects of Nature, vol. 2, pp. 35-6), was found at 15,770 feet. ‘‘On the declivity of the Chimborazo the Savzifraga Boussingaulti, described by Adolph Brongniart, grows beyond the limit of perpetual snow on loose boulders of rock at 15,770 feet above the level of the sea, not at 17,000 as stated in two estimable English journals. The Saxifrage discovered by Boussingault is certainly, up to the present time, the highest known phenogamous plant on the surface of the earth.”’ ? These will be found enumerated upon pages 199 and 333-4. 8 Rhinodrilus Ecuadoriensis [see p. 112] will shortly be described by Dr. Benham in the Annals and Magazine of Natural History. XIX. CHAP. TRAVELS AMONGST THE GREAT ANDES. Ud} IG SOUIBP “AT ‘od oq Iphone ON Oo” ‘STO INATV ULBITTLAQ “AYA Bes (Nico Jai ‘oq ‘ddayg Auoquy “Aq MST ON. UA od od ‘dday Auoquy “ayy “ARLIN, Y IOSSBI “SASSO PORTO ACh Joke. *paqlosop 10 paytjueapt woyM Ag 000°9T 006 °FT | | 099 OT 008‘9T | 008°CT 008 ‘9T 000‘9T 008‘¢T 000‘9T 008‘9T 000‘CT 000°FT , 00¢ FT | 008 ‘9T 008 ‘OT T28°CT | 099°9T 099°9T 099 9T | 099 9L | CIC ‘OT 008 ‘OT. COR ‘ST OOF‘ST | "yooy U1 opnqnyy| * (apis YyNOs) ozwLoquATY |’ : (apts JSoM) BUBSTIJUY * (OpIS YJNOs) OZBIOQUITY;) : ‘op ‘od : (apis JsomM) vURSTJUY : ‘op ‘od ; ‘op od . ‘op “od * (apis Yynos) ‘Od (apis JsBa-YJNOsS) OzZBLOquUITYD * (apis 4soa\) BNSRTOYOUIG : ‘op “OW * (Jo 4tuluIMs) TYOBId0}0D * (apis YyNos) oze1oquilyy UO0ZBIOD “(OOO‘OT-ET) BUBSIUW ‘op . ‘0d i ‘op ‘0d ’ ‘op “Oo . ‘op ‘od * (apis YyNos) ozRoquITyD (Jo 4ruluIMs) OzRITBNYLIRD * (fo 4turuIns) 1Y9Rd0}0/) (apIs JS9M-YNOS) BYOUITOLT * (apis YMos) oze1oqui1ryyg “£yR0'T : rg Ty ‘appa “9 "UTM Swnwazfou WNI710)INO ‘dig “2g ‘saswajyin *V ‘Ppa A ‘snsojas revou ‘snwoydouhyoy “MW GY ‘saproauad wnri00 4 "MAH “opjofapas “9 "gc YY ‘vnu.taa *p "MG EH ‘wjoodns vuniyuay TT ‘oyofissy’ nlaqjysng "1 ® JN ‘Suadau shyonjigy : "ABA “QJOO” “awosawnpe LaLN/ g vraenahag ; ‘Yue “wnwpup wnzasrsy * tozyy ‘sadajouohid wnipodhjog . "rT ‘snununngy wnarpodoah’] I O ‘wpasibuo) mrwasfoyyon ay “ITN ‘07N1LS DOIUpUp ‘Sovpe “wndsafisnf{ wnMaUhyoosg : : * *yooyyT ‘9a7n7-00snf * “azuny ‘VULIQOSUOd * : : 6 “Mpop ‘vduvo0dn * " MOT W “QaAy ‘77DA0 NIWUWMWILYH adaduhy 4 SnjjawvyqUny "TT ‘vasn{qns pLounoae'] . . * WLISOdWOD : Wa30VvoIN" ; ‘Oo : ‘Oo * PAOVNVILNAD PY IOVINV INHdOYOS . Yiviav7 * WIOVYSdAD : od - - WANINVYED sao0mi4 HIOVIGOdOOA : - oq : - oq ; - 0g . - oq : - OSA IONN4 ; S3N3HOI7 . . “19PIO 358 BOTANICAL HIGHEST-POINT TABLE. XIX. CHAP. 00c‘91|*° * —* (@pts YyNos) ozeaoquiryD O00‘eT | * —- vurstyUW “(000 FT) OzetoquityD 099‘9T | ° ozeIoquItyD “(TLE *CT) Uoze1o0/) 000‘9T|* °° ~~ (PIs 48am) vURSTyUY Leer" : : (Jo yTuIUIMS) WOZRI0+ 098 ‘FI | ° * (Opis JSAM-YJALOU) OZBIOQUIIY 00091 |*° = * — ozeaoquatyD “(000°8T) TRITY TZ8‘eL | ° : ; (JO yIULUINS) U0ZB.I0;) 000°T | ° : : (opis 4saa) BURSTIUY | | 000°FT | ° * (OPIS 4sBa-YJ10U) OZRAIOQUITY,) “toyed “OH “AW +4 | | 000‘6T |’ : [Buary JBVo1y ot] 0} pRroy OoO‘OT|* * * (pis Js) BURSTFUY 00¢‘9T | ° ozeLoquimyy (OOE CT) BURsTUY Q009T |" = ° ~—* (@PIS YJNos) ozeAoquITYD 000‘ET | ° ; : (apis JsoM) VURSUY 008 ‘FT |PURsTUWY pur (900 *ET-FT) ozeroquIty,) 00G‘FI | * ; : (apis Jsom) BUBSTIIUY GL 2r | ; , * TRYPR] Iopat10g L}000‘FL| °°: (@pts ysta-y4a0u) ‘od OG GUA OT ce = ‘op ‘od ‘od OOLFL|° * ~~ * PIS YNos) ozeroquiryD ‘0d 00G ‘FL | * (apis JSaM-Y}LOU-]s9M) TxVdoj0_) ‘0d TLZ8 ‘CL | ° is oy (Jo yruIUINS) U0ZR10/) “USP “S@P “IW | 008°ST | ° : ; (apts som) RURSTUY ‘paynuept moym Ag Pee eld “kIPBIO'T ; ; * "UT ‘snsuowaud ay * ‘slag ‘snupiniag snynaununy s Z * ‘yyueg ‘7702090 "CT ees “Ma H ‘saprogauo *q 7 * KOWL W “OD “wpnagequea “7 ‘ULV ‘YOoRT ‘nuoyipunsb vgn ; “‘yqueg ‘n7njad0jda) 91.0097075' * "M'G'H ‘Sapioun.aip vi.1nuaspy ; ; : : g wnysn1ay " -"yjuny ‘wnsowynjs wniysp.1ay ‘ssne ‘wunaof -ojoayjniys (shyynug) wnorwadhyy * ABD BSY ‘asuayouryouId “JT ABLy esy ‘soyzunp hyd wniyspay yy ' ow gy ‘wunsnffip wnwunsay ; ‘Ty YT ‘snuabrqnu snudwT WH ‘snvopfruiualh snyobo.ys y * tasaqy ‘snpphiydowum snudny] : WUE ‘swsuaxoT pasyon gy : "dT YY “wnsopnpun7b saqay ‘ “ppoam ‘onardsuoour sajonj hyd " 8 + up “oyofisshyo “4 “ppom wunripunjiduog nunr.1ayp 4 : ‘ : * ds prsausa jy ‘stag ‘nawbniiaf DIsvI040'T oO AOVINONANVY : ‘Od : ‘og ‘ of - wuyasionyD Oo” YIAOWIAHdOUVD * WANIOIWSAdAH : . ‘og WIOVAIV A ‘ QAOVINVYESy : od ; Oo” SONINNDS WY 3I0VYDYNO PYaovisagiy : od ; ‘og * DANVINIIVA : oO * WLISOdNOD ‘sotpedg jo omen “Iap1O 22 354 TRAVELS AMONGST THE GREAT ANDES. cnap. xix. Myriopopa.—Amongst the species of Centipedes which were obtained in Ecuador, two, belonging to the genus Mewportia, are considered new by Mr. R. I. Pocock ; and have been described by him under the names WV. monticola and N. dentata in the Annals and Magazine of Natural History for August, 1890. The former of these came from La Dormida, Cayambe (11,800 feet), and the latter from the Seventh Camp on Chimborazo (12,000 feet). Two of the others, namely, Otistigma scabricauda (Humb. & Sauss.), and Scolopocryptops Meaicanus, Humb. & Sauss., have a rather wide range. ‘The first-named was obtained at various localities between 8500 - 12,000 feet, and the other was found nearly everywhere in the interior up to 13,300 feet. It was taken at Tortorillas (Chim- borazo), at the Hacienda of Antisana, and at many intermediate points.’ Only one species of Millipede was seen in the interior, namely, Spirobolus spinipodex, Karsch, and this was found as high as 12,000 feet on Pichincha, and from 12,000 to 13,000 feet on the south side of Chimborazo. Another Millipede, ? Spirostreptus equatorialis, Porath, was taken on the banks of the Guayas, at Guayaquil. CoLEOPTERA.—Descriptions of 104 new species, by Messrs. H. W. Bates, D. Sharp, H. 8. Gorham, A. S. Olliff and M. Jacoby will be found at pp. 7-88 in the Supplement- ary Appendiz. 'The number of beetles ii!) “en m oc ; obtained on this journey which, thus far, have been identified or described amounts to two hundred and six. ORTHOPTERA.—The whole of this col- lection remains undescribed. Leaping Orthoptera were found very numerous up to the height of 12-13,000 feet, and upon Chimborazo were obtained in the Vallon de ‘Carrel at 16,000 feéte Har- > CAYAMBE, ENLARGED FOUR wigs were not generally abundant in the DIAMETERS. 1 T understand from Mr. Pocock that this is a Mexican species, and is common in the West Indies and in Brazil. CHAP. XIX. ORTHOPTERA AND NEUROPTERA. 355 interior, and it was a surprise to find them ranging so high as the Sixth Camp on Chimborazo (13,353 feet), and up to 14,000 feet on Cayambe. ‘The species on the former mountain was just under one-half of an inch in length, and an enlarged Figure of it is given here- with, to assist in its future identification. The Cayambe species was one inch in length, with unusually large forceps. From the low country I have a_ species one inch and a half in length. Examples of the very curious insects called Phas- mas were taken on the Plain of T'umbaco, in the basin of Machachi, at La Dormida, Cayambe, and as high as 13,000 feet (in the woods) on Pichincha. ‘Their close resemblance EARWIG FROM 13,353 FEET ON CHIMBORAZO. to sticks and twigs causes them to be readily overlooked, and many natives in the interior had never seen them. They have, however, the local name Caballo de palo. NEUROPTERA.—Dragon - flies and May - flies were numerous in some parts of the interior, especially in the basin of Machachi. The greatest elevation at which they were obtained was on the track from Machachi to Pedregal (the pass between Pasochoa and Rumifiahui). Dragon - flies were seen higher than 12,000 feet on Pichincha and Cotocachi. HYMENOPTERA. — The Ants alone have been worked out, —by Mr. Peter Cameron; whose contribution will be found at. pp. 89-98 of the Supplementary Appendix. 'The ‘set’ specimens of the 306 TRAVELS AMONGST THE GREAT ANDES. CHAP. XIx. remainder, have been compared with the collections in the British (Natural History) Museum, and it is found that the following families and genera are included amongst them. The Tenthredinide are represented by a species of Strongylogaster. There are several species of Jchnewmonide, apparently belonging to the genera Ichnewmon, Mesostenus, Ophion, Hemiteles, Cryptus, Echthrus, and Inssonota (2). There is a single small species belonging to the family Chrysidide. The Dorylide are represented by a single species, apparently belonging to Labidus. In Scoliide there are three handsome species of Dielis. In Pompilide several species belonging to the genera Pompilus and Pepsis were obtained. In Sphegide there are two species of Sphez. The Vespide are represented by species of Polistes and Polybia. The greater part of the collection, however, consists of Apide (Bees), and the species obtained appear to belong to the following genera : Megacilissu, Halictus, Ceratina, Melissodes (?), Hucera (?), Anthophora, Megachile, Xylocopa, Huglossa, Hulema, Bombus, Tetra- pedia, and Trigona. Among these, a black and white Bombus, closely resembling a Chilian species, is particularly common. The species that are believed to come under Dielis include the formidable insect which is figured upon p. 96 under the nickname of ‘‘the Bishop.” This seemed to be very widely distributed. It was obtained at various places between 7500-11,000 feet, and was seen as high as 12,000 feet. Another large and equally stinging Dielis was taken by myself on the Plain of Tumbaco, but was seen there only. ‘Two large and beautiful species which are believed to come under Pepsis were captured between 11- 12,000 feet on Pichincha, at 12,000 feet on Illiniza, and at a similar altitude upon Cotocachi. These four above - mentioned insects were the largest of the Hymenoptera taken anywhere in Ecuador. Several other species were obtained as high as 12,000 feet, and two at greater elevations, namely, an Jchnewmon in the CHAP. XIX. LEPIDOPTERA. 357 neighbourhood of the Hacienda of Antisana (13,300 feet), and an Ophion near Tortorillas, Chimborazo (13,300 feet). None of the Hymenopterous insects made themselves objectionable. We were stung by them only when their liberty was interfered with. LEPIDOPTERA. —I am greatly indebted to Messrs. Godman & Salvin for having examined the BuTrerFires [see Supp. App. pp. 96-110]. Twenty - nine species were obtained from 7300 feet upwards. Two of these, namely, Colias dimera, Doubl. & Hew., and Pieris zanthodice, Lucas, are ex- ceedingly numerous in the interior of Ecuador, and the latter species attains a PIERIS XANTHODICE, LUCAS. greater range in altitude [from below 9000 feet to above 15,000 feet] than I observed in the case of any other Butterfly.’ The Morus have undergone a preliminary examination at the hands of Mr. H. Druce, who recognizes the following 23 genera. Agrotis (7 - 11,800 feet). Erebus (0 - 9800). Arctva (9800). EHupyra (8 - 8500). Azelina (1500). Eurimene (11,800). Castina (38 - 4000). Halsidota (10,000 - 11,800). Cidarva (12,500 - 13,300). Leptosphetta (3 - 4000). Charidea (3 - 4,000). Lophocampa (8500). Crambus (9 - 10,000). ? Margaronia (level of sea). Dariza (13,800). * Opisogonia (11,500 - 12,000). Dolecta (9000). Sangala (3 - 8500). E'ndrobia (9200). 2 Scordylia (12,350 - 18,300). Epiolus (11,800). ? Scotosia (8000 - 8500). Semeopus (9200). There are probably species of not fewer than 13 other genera in the collection. 1 This Butterfly, I am informed by Messrs. Godman & Salvin, has a wide range in latitude in the Andes. 2 Caught in the daytime. 358 TRAVELS AMONGST THE GREAT ANDES. CHAP. XIX. Thirty-five species were captured at or above 8500 feet. The largest of the whole has been identified by Mr. Druce as Erebus odora, Lin. Of the three examples which were obtained, two—a male and a female—were brought in alive by my young friends at Machachi (9800). The third was secured upon the homeward voyage, on the Pacific Steam Navi- gation Company’s SS. J/o, about 100 miles south of Panama. I noticed this moth, careering about the ship, twenty-four hours before it was taken. Some of the crew said that it flew on board while we were at sea, but it seems to me more probable that it came to us while the J/o was lying in the Guayaquil river. One of the Machachi specimens measures 74 inches across the wings. All three examples were powerful and tenacious of life, and this moth is also _ exceptional in its great range in altitude, —having been taken, as I have stated above, at the level of the sea, and nearly 10,000 feet higher. | The species which were secured at the greatest heights have not been determined —even generically. Amongst others may be noted a_ beautiful pure white moth, with wings of satin-like texture, which was taken at about 12,000 feet, in the daytime, on the eastern slopes of Pichincha. A Figure of this is annexed, of the natural size. Another, at first sight not very dis- MOTH FROM [2,000 FEET ON PICHINCHA. similar in appearance, but of smaller size, and having a suspicion of golden colour on the otherwise pure white upper wings, was captured at our camp on Cotocachi (14,500 feet), in the dusk. The loftiest position at which we actually obtained moths was on the very highest point of Guagua Pichincha (15,918 feet). A rather numerous CHAP. XIX. DIPTERA. 359 company was fluttering about the summit ridge. This, the highest moth obtained, was also the smallest taken anywhere in Kcuador. DiptERA.—The Diptera as a whole have not been examined, but I have had the advantage of submitting some sec- tions to Baron C. R. Osten Sacken, who has recognised amongst them species of the following genera. Sciara, a broad-winged species of a South- MOTHS FROM 14.500 FEET ON American and Mexican type, like Se. Ameri- COTOCACHI, AND SUMMIT OF PICHINCHA. cana, Wied. Plecia, a small black species. Another larger and more slender species (Cotocachi, 11- 13,000 feet) may perhaps belong to the genus Spodius, Lw. (Hesperinus, Walk.) which has been found in the British possessions of North America, in the higher regions of the Rocky Mountains, and also in Hastern Europe. Dilophus, a single specimen of a small species of very ordinary appearance. Bibio, male specimens of a black species of ordinary appearance. Pachyrrhina, a couple of specimens. Tipula, four or five species; one of them from La Dormida, Cayambe (11,800 feet), with the knot-like swellings on the joints of the antenne, peculiar to some South-American and Mexican species. Dicranomyia, a male specimen, camp on Cayambe (15,000 feet). Fhyphus, « single specimen, with pretty variegated wings. Tabanus, a single specimen of a small, inconspicuous species. Chrysopila, a single specimen of the usual type, with the golden pubes- cence. Odontomyia, ordinary type. Empis, several specimens of a small black species from Antisana, and La Dormida, Cayambe. Asilus, a small gray species, represented by a couple of specimens. Eristalis. J could distinguish three species,—one with a gray transverse band on the thorax, not unlike the ZL. albiceps, Macq., from the southern United States, or the FH. seniculus from Cuba. 360 TRAVELS AMONGST THE GREAT ANDES. cmap. xix. Mesograpta (an exclusively American genus), a couple of species of ordi- nary appearance. Allograpta, a single specimen may belong to this genus. Voluceila, two specimens of medium size, the body dark brownish violet. Tachinide, abundantly represented, as might be expected from an Ameri- can mountain-fauna; among them several Dejeaniw, with black or rufous hairs and spines, the latter very like the species common in the Rocky Mountains. Rather numerous Muscide and Anthomyide, some of them resembling European species, and among them the genuine Musca domestica. A small Ortalid (Euxesta ?), some Drosophile, a Sapromyza, a Calobata, and a Teniaptera conclude the series, Some of the Diptera were the only insects in the interior that were aggressive. ‘There were several species of Flies on the Quito Road that assailed us wantonly and pertinaciously. Above 7000 feet, Musquitoes were found only at one place (and not in a situa- tion where there seemed to be any special reason for their location, though there must have been one), namely, upon the road between Penipe and the Hacienda of Candelaria, a little below the latter place, at about 9000 feet. The members of this colony were ener- getic, and attacked us with spirit and determination. Musquito nets were not necessary anywhere in Ecuador, although at some places (Bodegas de Babahoyo, for example) they would have been useful. ARACHNIDA.—The Scorpions have been identified by Prof. E. Ray Lankester and Mr. R. I. Pocock, but the major part of this collection has not been worked out. Spiders were found on the summits of Corazon and Pichincha, and at many other nearly equally elevated positions. The legions which swarmed upon the slopes below indicate that entomological food was in abundance ; and I do not doubt that there were, even in the close vicinity of perpetual snow, multitudes of very minute insects that gave them sustenance. CHAP. XIX. CRUSTACEA. 361 CRUSTACEA. — References to the few species which were met with in Ecuador will be found at pp. 121-127 of the Supplementary Appendix. ‘The Am- phipod (Hyalella iner- mis, S. I. Smith) to which I was introduced at Machachi [see p.118] was subsequently taken in pools round about the Hacienda of Anti- sana (13,300 feet), and no Amphipod appears to have been obtained hitherto elsewhere at HYALELLA INERMIS, S. I. SMITH (g800- 13,300 FEET). so considerable an ele- vation. The annexed Figure is magnified ten diameters. 9 In the Tables upon pp. 362, 363, a first attempt is made to shew at a glance the highest points which are attained in Ecuador by various forms of animal life. They include two ‘ stragglers,’ namely, the small Bug that has been referred to the genus Himesa [p. 184], which was captured on the southern side of Illiniza, on snow at 16,500 feet ; and a Fly, that Baron Osten Sacken identifies as belonging to the genus 7Zanypus, which was taken, on snow, at 16,200 feet on the northern side of the same mountain. ‘These insects, doubtless, had been carried by wind away from their usual haunts. The situations where they were found could not have been their natural dwelling-places. While forming these collections I was led to remark the fre- quency with which closely similar forms recurred at similar altitudes, upon mountains often long distances apart. This was observed in regard to things living 77 the soil, as well as in respect to winged insects of roving habits. It was not unusual to see Butterflies, apparently of the same species, at closely similar altitudes upon widely separated mountains. This was the case with a Lycena 3A CHAP. XIX. 362 TRAVELS AMONGST THE GREAT ANDES. 0d 008‘8T “AQIIYT “AA “UI | 008‘8T ‘UOLOUIBY 1949 “Af | 000‘OT 00S ‘TT 000‘8T 000‘9T 00¢ ‘eT 000‘FT ‘od 008°CT ‘od 000‘9T ‘od 008‘cT ‘od 608 ‘CT ‘BMIO Aouptg “V “AX | 000‘9T ‘od 008‘eT ‘od 008 ‘eT ‘od TL8 ‘CT ‘soqeg “MA "H AM | 009‘CT "yoo00g ‘I “HY “AIT | 008‘eT ‘wRyuog “G “M “AC | O9L FT *poqiiosep “‘yooj UL 10 peyluepl Woy Ag epnqgytTy OZBALOQUITYY) ‘SBI[II0}10 J, "+ BuUBSITUW Jo epucleyy * oytnd “(Jo doy) opfoeurg [esolpeg ¥ lpoRyoeyy Usemjog (opis Yynos) vyoulyolg (apis ysaM) OZBIOQUITYD " qeqTY ‘souRy[oD Jo AoTTeA * (apis ysem-YQnos) oquiviey Bia aires, ne ep fart tap an a Oa Sa: ne Sees: oa (apIs Jsaa) OZBIOQUITYD (qIuIUINs [eNjow UO) UOZBIOD (aspli-}IUIUINS UO) BYOUTYDIg : (apis y4Nos) ozeroqwiiyy * (apis JseM-YyNOs) oquIBARy “£qI[BO0'T y ‘Quin ‘ds -u . ‘ds ¢ uorvydg | * ‘op ‘od ‘ds ¢ uounauyoyT ((epluomnouyoy) ‘og * — 97094.U0UL ajOpraY_ | (BPlolwui410 47) VYSLdONSWAH ‘0d (selyuoseaq?) VYSLdOUNAN ‘0d * (Busey) ‘og ‘od * (BL10}29] BS) ‘od ‘od " . (eqyerq) ‘od peytuept JON * (BMoyA10,7) VYSLdDOHLYO SNJIUUSIP SAPOUIY LLU | * ‘op ‘od wnw1ojo9 sdowonyy | * ‘op ‘od 10019)0 sajauhyjpvup | (wpluorfnoing) ‘og syjoomwod snjandnw yy | * ‘op ‘od snsyna snyouhyssoovazy | (epryoudya1oyg) ‘og wnuIpUy wniprquaeg | ° “Op ‘Og : : * €00.10 “OD \" ‘op ‘od ; , sasdoup “| * ‘oP 0d snynydaonbau sapodjog “ssneg ‘snunniwapy sdojzdh.saodoj0a9 SIsUaLLopynaT snprwpouryar “soloed Jo owen (SpIqviey) VY3Ld03109 (apedtqzusy) VaOdOIYAW (WIOMYIIVG) VOIISNNY 363 ZOOLOGICAL HIGHEST-POINT TABLE. CHAP. XIX. ‘(oyey oy}) AB “WAG oq ‘IesuTNOg “VW “DO “Ay “SUIQGAIS “YW AL “AY “UOJ “WV ‘ACW. "yooood “TW “UW ‘UdORG U9}SQ “Y ‘OC MOIR queysi’ TE AN “AN ‘ULATRS ® UBUIPO) “SISSOTY *poqiosep JO poy uepl woym sg 0086 008 ‘ST 008 ‘ST 00¢°8 08 ‘TT 008 ‘SI 008 ‘ST 816 ‘GT 000‘ET IT8 ‘CT TL8‘CT 000‘8T TL8 ‘CT 008 ‘eT 006‘9T 008 ‘ST 00¢ ‘9T 816 ‘CT 000‘9T (Jo pooyanoqgy.steu) TpoRyoR yy : * BuBSTJUW JO BpuoToR Fy ; OZBIOQUITYD ‘SB][1109.10 J, oavquiny, Jo Ule[g 2 equivkey “eprlultog Bry ‘od : * wuBsIJuy JO VepudloryyT (qIuIUINS [eNnjoR UO) BYyOUIYOIg * (apis Yynos) ‘od : (apis JSoM) OZBIOqUITYD (jtuUINsS [eNjoR ayy UO) ‘od " 5 + (@pIs sve) ‘og (vuIUIMs Tenjoe UO) UOZBIOD (apts JSOM-YYNOS) OZBALENYLIVD "+ @Ppls yytou) ezruTTT] : BUBSIJUY JO BpudloVyT ‘+ (@pts Ynos) ezruryT] (jIUIUINs [BeNOR UO) BYUTySIG : * (apis Jsom) vURSUW "yooJ Ul opnyzyTy “AYTCOO'T : ypjoquny ‘wndopohis wnidojpahp (‘aqig 9" uINnd) wnznIdns.10W 1WA.L10J0 NT (0 (Rc Giles * awaduhy jy sopophqyy . . . (adop) njoanz7 svydouT (ung “y) snynydaoiyonu snynydao0vy " YPUG "TS ‘sewmcawa oyayohyT ' 4gpuvig ‘snsouwnud sny2.ouodojayr ° . . od “od * peYUoprl JON * WOU ‘SNIUDIJWIWDLID SAISNDLYINAT, od Pee oN ‘ : : ‘ds g¢ sndhuny ‘ues “Ul * snspoo@ud Si.svUoa nT : : : ‘ds ¢ DSOU " * * paPTUEPl JON o(0 (SS (eae * 970014470 sHYOg *so1o0dg jo ouleN . - HSI4 - oq VIHOVULVG * (erprydo) “od * (BI[a00e'7) VINILd3Yy “(epodrydury) = oq (epodosy) vaov.isnyd ‘op od “Op OG - ‘op “od ‘(stepidg) ‘oq (suotdi0og) VOINHOVYY ‘ - og : - oq : : vuaidig : . - ‘og : * WLOHONAHY (sqjON) od * (Solpaeqygng) VY3S1Ld0dId 3] 364 TRAVELS AMONGST THE GREAT ANDES. cuwap. xix. that has not been described, which was taken at 11-12,500 feet on Pichincha and thirty -six miles away at 12,000 feet on Cotocachi, and was not seen elsewhere. But, for the most part, butterflies which were taken at considerable elevations were also found on the connecting, lower ground. Thus, Pieris zantho- dice, Lucas, though captured so high as 14,000 and 15,000 feet, was found everywhere in the intervening basins; and as, even had this not been so, it would need little effort for them to pags from one mountain to another, and further as they may sometimes suffer involuntary transportation, no particular stress can be laid upon such instances of occasional recurrence at similar elevations. One Butterfly, however, was exceptional in being found upon nearly all the mountains we visited, in numbers, and seemed to be established between the eleva- tions 12,000- 16,000 feet. This is described by Messrs. Godman & Salvin, at p. 107 of the Supplement- ary Appendix, as Colias alticola. It was first obtained near Tortorillas, Chimborazo (13,300 feet), and was seen in the Vallon de Carrel as high as 16,000 feet. When we COLIAS ALTICOLA, GODMAN & SALVIN. were encamped upon Antisana it attracted attention by the great. elevation above the level of the sea at which it was flying (16,000 feet). It was seen subsequently upon all the mountains we visited (except Sara-urcu) between the ele- captured at 12,000 feet on Pichin- cha, at 13,000 feet on Cayambe, and at 15,000 feet on the western side taken or seen in the basins between COLIAS DIMERA, DOUBL. & HEW. these mountains. The only other species with which this could have been con- fused is represented in the annexed Figure. This, the most common. vations of 12- 15,000 feet, and was. of Chimborazo, and was never either cHAaP. XIX. BONPLAND’S ‘YELLOW BUTTERFLY, 365 butterfly in the interior of Ecuador, is found from 7200-11,000 feet, and. is sometimes met with so high as 12-13,000 feet. The range in altitude of Colias dimera therefore overlaps that of C. alticola ; but while the former species is distributed nearly everywhere in the interior and occasionally reaches a considerable height, the latter affects great elevations and is not seen on the lower ground. In- asmuch as Colias alticola is well established on the upper slopes of the Great Andes of the Equator, and is the only one ranging up to perpetual snow, it seems probable that it was ‘the yellow butter- fly? which was observed by Bonpland on Chimborazo, in 1802 [see p- 114]. So far as is known, it attains a higher elevation than any other Butterfly on either of the two American Continents. The recurrence of species whose habits are in-terranean, at great heights, long distances apart, 1s perhaps more noteworthy than the case which has just been given of a butterfly domiciled in insular situations. The following beetles were found at the localities which are mentioned, and only at those places. Approximate Species. Localities. distance apart in miles. ay> Summit of Corazon 15,870 Mats Colpodes diopsis, Bates Bichinehas <2 0Aa- 15,000" § 24 Hae. of Antisana 18,300 | C. megacephalus, Bates Cayambe. . . 12-14,000 36 Pichincha . . 15,600 j \ Hae. of Antisana 18,300 } C. orthomus; Bates... -. hiiqpambe rrp, 4as16.000° ¢ 40 : j Piehtmcha :)...- °14- 15,500 3 Erenp, Bales ) Cayambe sx. = 15,000 = c wo) Pichineha,.. . 15,500 ) Helicorrhynchus vulsus, Olliff | Chimborazo . . 15,800- 16,000 § 94 Pichincha .. . 15,500 ) ee i ; ) Macrops celorum, Olliff Unione. 16,000 ( 94 eer ss Cayambe. . . 15,000 | N t i ine 4 : aupactus parvicollis, Olli Crepe 15,800 ( 120 : Cotocachi . . 11,000- 13,500 Pelmatellus And : ; ‘ earn, Bates Chimborazo. . 12-13,300 es 366 TRAVELS AMONGST THE GREAT ANDES. cuap. xix. . The fact that none of these species were seen at lower eleva- tions cannot be regarded as evidence that they are restricted to the lofty positions at which they were discovered ; though it is unlikely that insects. which obviously found themselves ‘at home’ under the conditions that were mentioned at pages 113 and 237 will be found at much lower levels, enjoying much higher mean temperatures. Upon the whole, it appeared that most individual species had a comparatively small range in altitude in Ecuador. One of the most prominent exceptions to the general rule was the Moth (Hrebus odora, Lin.) which was referred to upon p. 358, that was taken at the level of the sea and nearly ten thousand feet above it. This was exceeded only by one other species, namely, by a Wood-louse which has been identified by the Rev. A. E. Eaton as Metoponorthus pruinosus, Brandt ; and this little Crustacean seems entitled to consideration, for it must possess In a most unusual degree the power of accommodating itself to circumstances.* It now remains to summarize our experiences at low pressures ; and, before recapitulating them, to offer a few general remarks upon the affections, pains and disorders which are so often called Mal de montagne or Mountain-sickness. This term has been in use throughout the nineteenth century. It was originally adopted because it was observed that men and other animals were affected in various unpleasant ways upon reaching great elevations on mountains ; and, as it was unknown that the same effects could be produced in mid-air, in balloon, or at the level of the sea by artificial reduction in pressure, it was concluded that they were peculiar to mountains. ‘To the present time, amongst ignorant persons, they are often supposed to arise from purely local causes. 1 It was obtained among roots of trees on the banks of the Guayas, just outside Guayaquil; in the garden of Senor Gomez de la Torre at Ibarra (7200 feet); at the back of the Hacienda of Guachala (9200 feet); on the track between Antisanilla and Pinantura (11,000 feet); in the woods on Pichincha (12,000 feet); and close to the Hacienda of Antisana (13,300 feet). Te ee CHAP. XIX. SUMMARY OF OUR EXPERIENCES. 367 While there is not the least doubt that they are directly or indirectly produced by diminution in atmospheric pressure, many writers (even amongst those who are well convinced that this is the true cause) continue to speak, when discussing mountain- sickness, solely of elevation above the level of the sea and ignore pressure ; and in this way help. to perpetuate the false idea that it is an effect of altitude. In the remarks that follow, less promin- © ence will be given to the heights which were reached than to the | pressures which were experienced ; though, as it is more usual to think in feet than in barometric inches, the approximately equivalent elevations will be given with the pressures that are mentioned. Notwithstanding the large number of allusions which had been made in print to Mountain -sickness, I was unable, prior to my journey amongst the Great Andes of the Equator, to tell at what pressure it was probable that we might or should be affected. I found, also, that I could not distinguish with certainty the effects which were due to diminution in pressure from those which might have arisen from other causes; or, further, say which (if any) of the effects that might be certainly due to diminution in pressure would remain permanently if one should continue constantly at a low pressure. ‘These three points were those upon which I sought for information.—Firstly, a¢ what pressure shall we commence to be affected ? Secondly, 72 what way shall we be affected ? Thirdly, can one become habituated to low pressures ? The answer to the first question came sooner than was ex- pected. At a pressure of 16°500 inches (16,664 feet) we were incapacitated for work [pp. 48-53], and found ourselves pre- occupied by the paramount necessity of obtaining air. All pains had been taken to eliminate the possibility of complications from other causes, and I repeat [see p. 52] ‘‘that our ‘incapacity’ at this time was neither due to exhaustion nor to deficiency of bodily strength, nor to weakness from want of food, but was caused by the whole of our attention being taken up in efforts to get air.” 368 TRAVELS AMONGST THE GREAT ANDES. cuHap. xix. Three things were especially noticeable—(a) the suddenness with which we were vanquished; and (0) the simultaneous collapse of the Carrels and myself; although (¢) Mr. Perring remained unaffected. Before being overcome in this way, no symptoms were re- marked in ourselves," and during the’ attack the only external indication that we were affected was given by laboured respiration, accompanied by spasmodic gasps or gulps; but conjoined there was intense headache, and (what others have termed) an indescrib- able feeling of illness, pervading almost the whole body. This attack, which came upon us so suddenly, passed away very gradually, by such infinitesimal degrees that I am unable to say when we entirely recovered from it. It seemed to arrive at a maximum quickly, to remain equally intense for several hours, and it then died away imperceptibly. While it lasted, there was feverishness, marked acceleration in the rate of the pulse, and rise in body temperature [pp. 49, 52]. Twenty-four hours after its commencement there was a distinct improvement in the condition of the Carrels; the intensity of their headaches had diminished, and the ‘indescribable feeling of illness’ had disappeared. Twelve hours earlier than this it was possible to satisfy our wants for air by breathing through the nostrils alone. At 1 p.m. on Dec. 28, I was able to keep my mouth shut during the ten minutes requisite for taking my temperature. Thirty-six hours after the commencement of the attack, the Carrels were much better, and became eager to continue explora- tion. Anticipating that they might be adversely affected upon sustaining further diminution in pressure, I directed them not to endeavour to reach a great elevation [p. 53], but gave no reasons 1 Our animals, however, shewed decided signs of exhaustion before pressure had fallen to 17 inches [see p. 46], and they were nearly dead beat by the time they arrived at the Second Camp (16°500 inches). it more attention had been paid to ourselves, I do not doubt that premonitory symptoms would have been noticed. My excuse, or explanation, is given on pp. 44, 51. I was taken unawares, not expecting to be affected so soon, CHAP. XIX. EVIDENCES OF DETERIORATION. 369 for the instruction; and they, imagining that the ascent of the mountain was the first consideration, made a push for the summit [p. 59]. They were away nearly twelve hours, and during this time experienced reduction in pressure from 16°500 to about 15°100 inches, while ascending from 16,664 to 19,300 feet. Upon return, their condition closely approached complete exhaustion. They staggered like men in an advanced state of intoxication, and threw themselves down and went to sleep without either eating or drinking [p. 59].’ During the time they had been absent, my own condition had materially improved; and thus it appeared that although there was a likelihood we should become habituated to a pressure of 16°500 inches, there was a probability that we should be further affected at still lower pressures. This determined the position of the Third Camp (16°000 inches; 17,285 feet). While transport was being effected between the two posts, it seemed that we had grown weaker, and we certainly were [p. 61] ‘‘ comparatively life- less and feeble, and had a strong disposition to sit down.” By January 2, headaches had nearly departed, feverishness had dis- appeared (my temperature had fallen to 97°°9 Faht.), and the circulation had gone back to the normal rate; but respiration continued to be affected, and it was found that we could not satisfy our wants for air, while in movement, except by breathing through nostrils and mouths. Under the further fall in pressure which occurred when ascend- ing on January 3 to the foot of the Southern Walls of Chimborazo (16:000 to 15°290 inches) it was remarked that the rate of travel- ling was unusually slow; and this was more distinctly seen on the following day when mounting to the summit (pressure declining from 16°000 to 14°100 inches). At a little above 19,000 feet, I noticed that ‘‘our paces got shorter and shorter, until at last the 1 At the time of their return, no opinion could be formed as to their rate. If two hours were occupied in halts, and ten hours in movement, the mean of their ascending and descending rates would be only 526 feet per hour. 3B BYA) TRAVELS AMONGST THE GREAT ANDES. cuap. xix. toe of one step almost touched the heel of the next one.” Our rate on this day was deplorable, partly owing to exceptional softness of the snow [p. 71]. Circumstances then compelled me to leave Chimborazo [ pp. 78-80] and to descend to lower levels. Between Jan. 12 and Feb. 17, the highest pressure observed was 22°156, at Ambato, and the lowest was 16°348 inches, on Illiniza [p. 133]. Upon February 18-19, we stayed at or close to the summit of Cotopaxi (19,500 to 19,613 feet) for twenty-six consecutive hours, with the barometer standing at 14°750 inches, without any serious inconvenience.[p. 150]. This was the greatest length of time we remained continuously at so low pressure. As we were not ‘incapacitated’ upon Cotopaxi, it was not likely that we should be very acutely affected upon Antisana or Cayambe. Headache did not occur at all, while ascending these considerable mountains; and nothing was noted that could be attributed to ‘rarefaction of the air’ except the feeling of lassitude and want of bodily strength, which always manifested itself at the lower and lowest pressures [pp. 61, 70, 150, 235]. The spirit indeed was willing but the flesh was weak. Upon Cayambe there was convincing evidence that my two assistants were less vigorous than usual [p. 235]. | After quitting Cayambe, the barometer was not again seen standing below 16 inches until the second ascent of Chimborazo ; and upon this occasion our experiences did not differ from those last mentioned. No one had headache; but, while in movement, all found it was necessary to breathe through the mouth as well as through the nostrils. When at rest, sufficient air could be obtained through the nostrils alone; and on the summit I was able to keep my mouth shut for ten minutes while observing my “temperature. _ Excluding the time passed on the flat coast land, we were 212 days in Keuador, and the nights were passed at the pressures and elevations mentioned upon the next page. GHAP. XIX. PRESSURES EXPERIENCED. dvl E nohin sauce ee aaa Height above level of sea. 4 . . 29:°000-28°500 inches . . Less than 6000 feet. A. *.2-v528°600:— 32-540. ,, . . Between 6000-8000 feet. 80 . . 22°510—21°900 ,, vo do. 8000-9000, Om. 4 (AE 720-2111 |; aoe do. 9000 - 10,000 ,, 6. . 20°920-—20°200. .,, Dade’ do. 10,000-11,000 ,, 15. «.. 19°800—19°500 .,, =n do. 11,000-12,000 ,, as 19270 —18' 900. as do. 12,000- 13,000 ,, tS 2 4c, 18°%50 —18°280" ».-;, hat ve do. 18,000- 14,000 ,, 4 18:080-17°780 __,, “ate do. 14,000- 14,500 ,, 4 17°730 Ps Le ne 2 At 14,762 & 1 17°410 a Aarts do. 14,992 * 5 17°430 z ioathce:s do. 15,1389 = 1 17°250 Ke 2. SUK do. 15,207 - 1 17°220 = Rha Lae do. 15,446 , 2 16°950 * o Waa do. 15,811 ei 1 16°840 » aN Hee do. 15,984 os 10 16°500 4 fe Sn, do. 16,664 Pe Gialize «27 ve,” 26000 ie ee) 8 do. 17,285 Ne Hee ed, ee ea ATAU ss ets, do. 13,500 i Having recapitulated the various ways in which we were affected whilst among the Great Andes, I now pass on to the question, Can one become habituated to low pressures ? and in connection with this bring together in a tabular form upon page 372 a few examples of the rates of speed that were attained over the longer courses; selecting them only from instances in which the times occupied were exactly noted and the differences of level were well ascertained, and taking them from those in which we started unexhausted by previous work, from places where atmospheric pressure was already low. Without a few words of explanation, not much edification can be obtained from this table. A reader may compare the entry at January 7 with that of June 9 and conclude from the apparent falling - off that there is evidence of deterioration rather than of improvement. This conclusion would be erroneous. The dissimi- larity of the work sufficiently accounts for the difference between TRAVELS AMONGST THE GREAT ANDES. CHAP. 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