CROSSING THE ANDES--CONTINUED.
When the sun’s rays of the next morning had penetrated the valley,
we were more than a league from our camping-ground, and had passed
the second _casucha_, or snow hut, of the winter courier. This little
domicile was built after the model of its distant neighbor at La Punta
de las Vacas, and was two leagues farther up the valley. While we were
trudging along, the metallic-sounding whinny of llamas sounded from
the sierra, and, looking up, we counted no less than thirty of these
graceful creatures gazing curiously upon us. The herd consisted of
males, females, and young, the latter of the size of the common goat.
As travellers rarely cross the mountains at this season of the year,
the llamas instinctively inhabit the valley, where they are free from
danger, and find a better living than the rocky cliffs afford.
Again the valley was blocked up by a spur of the sierra, called the
Paramilla, the second one crossed since leaving the hamlet of El
Durazno. The sides were steep, and Don Fernando cautioned me against
walking, observing that riding kept the _puna_ (a peculiar effect
produced by inhaling rarefied air) at a distance. The summit of the
Paramilla was buried in a deep drift of snow, through which we forced
our animals at considerable risk; for their exertions to keep a footing
almost overtasked their strength. Sometimes falling into concealed
holes, they floundered in the great drift until our own services were
necessary to rescue them from injury. Finally, a passage was effected,
and we wound down the west side to the banks of the torrent in the
vicinity of the third snow hut. The color of the water had changed from
a muddy hue to dark red, and it seemed to rush along more impetuously
than at the entrance of the valley. The many little streams that fell
over the precipices along the road were colorless; therefore I judged
that either the bed of the torrent, or its source, gave to the water
its peculiar color; and it may be of interest to state in this place,
that, as far as I could learn, all the rivers that descend into the
Argentine Republic, on the east side of the Andes, are of a deep mud
color, holding in suspension alluvial mud; while upon the Chili, or
west side of the Andes, the waters are clear and colorless.
The coolness of the morning soon gave way to the heat of the sun, and
it grew warmer as its rays were, reflected upon the snowy sides of the
mountains. The sound of a human voice fell upon our ears strangely
in this desolate place, as a party of men came into view far up the
valley. We soon met, and many were the inquiries made by the members
of both parties. The Cordillera had actually been passed, but an hour
or two before, by the courier and several persons who had placed
themselves under his orders. The courier was a short, square-built man,
of very dark complexion; and from the fact of his having performed many
daring passages during the past years, we looked upon him with no
ordinary interest. He rode on a small mule, the mail bag being slung to
his neck by a leather strap, and I did not exceed in size a school-boy’s
satchel. He informed us that the snow was thawing upon the summit of
the main ridge, and would not be passable until the cold night air had
crusted it over, when we might pass in comparative safety. But Don
Fernando was not to be stopped even by the opinion of so experienced a
personage as the courier, but ordered us to hurry on with all possible
speed.
Soon the main range of the Andes rose before us, blocking up the valley
more effectually than either of the previous Paramillas, its rounded
top glistening from the reflected light of the sun. The don ordered
a halt beside the river, in order to prepare for future action. The
animals were allowed to drink a little water, while the don gave us all
a dose of starch water and sugar, which we drank. This was a remedy for
the _puna_, or at least to cause our stomachs to give off any gases
therein contained, to cool the blood and invigorate the system. Don
Fernando then bound his face in cotton handkerchiefs, and the guides
and myself followed his example. This was to protect our faces from the
reflected rays of the sun upon the white, shining drifts that covered
the summits of the Cordillera and the neighboring sierras.
The river branched off to the northward, and was lost to view among
the mountains. At the base of the Cordillera was the last snow hut of
the Argentine Republic: passing it and the river, we commenced our
weary ascent. Water had been flowing from the summit for several days
previous to our arrival, and there was no appearance of the old path
which had been washed away. As the side of this part of the range was
composed of gravel and loose stones, it was difficult to obtain a firm
footing, and the animals were continually slipping, which obliged us to
exercise no little care and labor. The guides dismounted, but the don
declared that he had no wish to court the _puna_ by exerting himself
unnecessarily; therefore he managed to keep upon his mule; but more
than once the inclination of the animal’s back was such that the rider
was only saved by a slide off by the attentions of one of the guides. A
direct ascent could not be attempted; our only method was to wind back
and forth from side to side, on the face of the Cordillera, thus making
the ascent very gradual.
When we were about two thirds of the way up, our anticipated trouble
commenced. The baggage mule lost her footing, and rolled over and
over down the side of the mountain. Don Fernando shrieked out a hasty
_caramba_, the guides a naughty _c--o_, while I stood aghast. But our
fears were soon quieted; for the animal struck upon a projecting piece
of rock, which stayed her course, without apparently injuring her.
Being the smallest of the party, I was intrusted with the lasso, with
which I crawled down to the mule, and fastened it about her neck, when
she was pulled upon her feet by the party above. Having been relieved
of her cargo, the animal readily commenced ascending, as if nothing had
troubled her, and soon she was in the path again with her load upon her
back.
After many fallings and backslidings, our party stood upon the Cumbre,
or summit of the Cordillera, at an elevation of twelve thousand feet
above the level of the sea. When viewed from the valley below, I was
disappointed as to its seeming altitude; but when standing upon the
Cumbre, I fully realized the great height upon which our party had
halted. The view was confined by the irregular peaks of the surrounding
sierras; but a fine scene lay below us on the Chili side, of a peculiar
Alpine character. We stood upon the dividing line of the Argentine
Republic and Chili, and I inwardly bade farewell to the country that
had been my first teacher of travellers’ hardships, and had for much
suffering given me lessons of usefulness--had impressed upon my heart a
truer patriotism, and a more dignified respect for our republic of the
north.
As we gazed into the depth below us, a wild scene met our view. The
deep valley was filled with snow to a depth of nearly one hundred feet;
for as the snow tempests blow along the range of mountains, the fleecy
material drifts into the narrow defiles, filling them completely, in
some places, to the very tops. This is the case, particularly, farther
to the south, where a winter passage is rarely, if ever, attempted.
Upon the left side of the descent the first Chilian _casucha_ rose out
of the snow, differing somewhat in model from those upon the Argentine
side, the roof being rounded or oven-shaped, while those on the east
side are two inclined planes, like the roof of a New England cottage in
the earlier times.
Until now the powerful reflected light had not affected my vision;
but I at last began to feel it seriously. I had neglected to bring
“goggles,” and though a thick cotton handkerchief covered my head, my
skin was parched, and tears continually rolled down my face, adding to
my torture, from which there was no escape. “Thank Providence that the
day is so very clear,” ejaculated the don; “for if a _temporal_ should
pass over, where would we be by nightfall? Either blocked up in that
cold snow hut yonder, or buried in the valley below.”
The snow had commenced thawing, and the real difficulties of crossing
now commenced. The mules floundered in the drifts, often requiring our
combined exertions to keep them on a sure footing. Near the _casucha_
we came upon hard snow; but the original path lay many feet below,
buried in the drift. While the party were pausing to consider the
proper course to pursue, I noticed that one of the mules had been
caught by Don Fernando, who waded towards the firm snow, leading
the little animal by means of a lasso, which had been thrown about
her neck. She was the smallest of the animals, and was called the
_baqueana_, or guide mule, from the fact that she could follow the
hidden path with great accuracy.
Curious to see her operations, I watched her closely as she walked
carefully over the drift, with her nose almost touching the snow; and
she really seemed to be guided by the sense of smell. The other animals
followed, driven by the guides, while the don and myself harnessed
ourselves with the lassos, and drew after us the hide upon which had
been laid the baggage, saddles, &c.
Beyond the snow hut of the Cumbre, the descent was abrupt, and the line
of the narrow path having been lost, we slid down the drifts in a most
exhilarating manner. The mules came after, requiring to be well whipped
by one of the guides before they would move an inch. Though the guide
mule lost the narrow path, after following for some distance correctly,
she became valuable to us on this part of the trail. We came to another
descent, down which the other mules could not be driven; but when the
little _baqueana_ sat upon the snow, and gracefully descended without
injury, the laggards followed, as one sheep follows another; all but
one descended safely; she stuck fast in the drift, and it required our
whole number to ascend and rescue her. We found her suffering from
the _puna_, and in dubious spirits. Her exertions to free herself in
a place where the atmosphere was so rare had almost ruined the poor
beast. Blood trickled from her nose, and her breast was swollen like a
bladder distended with wind.
At four o’clock Don Fernando ordered a halt upon a pile of loose rocks
that protruded from the snow. Here we remained patiently waiting for
the snow to crust over, as it had become too soft to allow of safe
travelling. Twilight fell upon us in this wild retreat, and found the
guides and the don rolled up in their _ponchos_, suffering from the
stinging cold. As for myself, I jumped about upon our little territory
until the increased circulation of the blood kept me in a warm glow.
The guides fortified themselves against the cold air by drinking
_aguardiente_; but experience had proved to me that the cold snow water
in my flask would give me a firmer step, an easier respiration, and a
clearer head than any brandy or _aguardiente_ of the San Juaninos.
The moon shone as beautiful as we could have wished, lighting up the
valley and its towering walls in a sublime manner. The little cascades
of melting snow no longer fell over the cliffs, but froze, coating the
dark fronts of the precipices with a shield of sparkling ice, and the
sharp “ticking” of the frost sounded strangely, seeming to add to the
weirdness of the place.
After remaining for three hours, the guides pronounced the snow
sufficiently crusted over to bear us; and, pointing to a sharp angle
of the valley, the oldest one desired me to lead my horse in that
direction, while the rest of the party attended to the animals.
The River Aconcagua roared along the mountain’s sides, and in most
places was hidden by the frozen snow. Our course lay along its borders,
where many gullies crossed our trail, hidden beneath the frozen crust.
While feeling our way along, old Yellow-skin, my horse, fell through
the crust into a torrent that flowed into the river, leaving me
standing upon the broken edges of the hole. The guides pulled me from
the chasm, and beat the old horse until he became excited to such a
degree as to crawl out of his bath with a vigor that satisfied us he
would live to reach the open country.
We next crossed a high spur of the mountains, and, descending a
precipitous path, came upon the second snow hut of the Chilian
government; and after following many windings, and experiencing much
danger in crossing the river, the dry, brown earth was reached, and we
looked up to the lofty mountains, that shone in the moonlight, with
great satisfaction, for our labors were ended. The guides gathered
a few sticks together, and succeeded in lighting a fire, by the heat
of which a scrap of jerked beef was cooked; but before this had been
accomplished, the don and myself, overtasked by the fatigues of our
long journey, had rolled ourselves up in the hide, and were sleeping
too soundly to be awakened by the peons, who undoubtedly were pleased
at the result, for they had all the beef to themselves. When the reader
reflects that the preceding stage of the journey had been very long and
arduous, we having travelled, with the exception of three hours, from
four o’clock of the morning of one day until two o’clock of the next
morning, he will acknowledge that our rest was well earned.