40 Historical 



burden have symptoms like those of men; dogs feel no effects; cats 

 are scarce in Cerro and in lofty places, and their young are hard 

 to raise; hens do not lay there and seldom brood. 



The account 35 given by M. Boussingault of the ascent of Chim- 

 borazo, made December 16, 1831, is in strange contrast with what 

 we have just reported. We have seen that d'Orbigny was seriously 

 attacked by mountain sickness at about the height of 3700 meters; 

 Poeppig has described to us the sufferings of Europeans who have 

 come to Cerro de Pasco (4350 meters) ; now M. Boussingault and 

 Colonel Hall, his companion, climb nearly to the summit of Chim- 

 borazo (to 6004 meters) and report almost no serious discomfort. 



M. Boussingault left Rio Bamba, where he had been staying for 

 some time, December 14, 1838. He was accompanied by Colonel 

 Hall, with whom he had already made ascents of Antisana and 

 Cotopaxi. December 14, they slept at the farm of Chimborazo 

 (3800 meters), which they left on December 15 at seven o'clock in 

 the morning, guided by an Indian from the farm. When they had 

 reached the height of Mont Blanc, the breathing of the mules was 

 hasty and panting: 



It was noon. We were walking slowly, and as we were advancing 

 upon the snow, the difficulty of breathing while we were walking be- 

 came more and more noticeable; we easily regained strength by stop- 

 ping every eight or ten steps, without sitting down. At equal heights, 

 I think I have observed that it is more difficult to breathe on the snow 

 than on rocks; I shall attempt later to give an explanation of this. 

 (P. 155.) 



This first attempt failed; the snow, which had become too deep, 

 checked the progress of the travellers, who sank in it up to their 

 waists; they went back down to the farm. 



The next day, they started at seven o'clock by another route, 

 the one followed by Humboldt, and ascended on muleback to 4945 

 meters. There they had to dismount, since the mules could no 

 longer carry their weight; it was a quarter of eleven. The two 

 travellers continued to ascend on foot. 



We stopped to breathe every six or eight steps, but without sitting 

 down. . . . But as soon as we reached a snowy surface, the heat of the 

 sun became suffocating, our respiration was painful, and consequently 

 our pauses for rest became more frequent, more necessary. 



We kept absolute silence during our advance, since experience had 

 taught me that nothing was as exhausting as conversation at this 

 height; and during our halts, if we exchanged a few words, it was 

 almost in a whisper. It is largely to this precaution that I attribute 



