290 The Philosophical Society of Glasgovj. 



ter known to many in Bolivia, as '• the Cordillera of the Friars, ^^ from a 

 sad catastrophe which occurred there more than two centuries ago, —when 

 a numerous party of friars from Europe were lost in a snow-storm. 



The crest of this mountain is 14,000 feet above the sea-level ; 

 and on the day when we crossed the pass it presented a mass 

 of ice and snow; but the atmosphere was clear, and the sun shone 

 on us with briUiancy. Our animals halted to breathe every few 

 paces, and those of us who dismounted and cUmbed on foot were 

 glad to do what our mules did, in order to obtain temporary relief 

 from painful respiration. Again, when in the city of Potosi, I was 

 taken to see the Mint. The outer wall of the Mint is built on 

 a plateau, which was cut on the face of the hill, with much labour 

 and expense, when the pi'esent Mint was erected in 1750. 



The narrow passage by which I returned from the Mint to the 

 square is by far the steepest paved locaUty I ever saw in any 

 country. When slowly walking up that inclined surface, I suffered 

 severely from acute lancinating pain in the thoracic region, and was 

 compelled to stop and remain quiescent during some time after every 

 few steps, to get breath and relief from pain. 



These sensations must have been caused by the pedal upward 

 locomotion, and not merely a result of the altitude of the place ; 

 for though the height is more than 13,000 feet above the level of 

 the ocean, during the journey from the coast, and on our return 

 to it, we were at various points several thousand feet higher, without 

 feeling much uneasiness while riding. 



I observed that both mules and men with the thoi'ax narrow are 

 more subject to soroche than those who exhibit a chest and breathing 

 organs more expanded. The Peruvian mountaineer generally presents 

 a large thorax and well-formed lower limbs, the muscles being fully 

 developed. 



When in Potosi, I made an attempt to climb to the summit of the 

 " cerro" or cone, in which the mines are situated, where, during three 

 centuries, men have been digging in quest of silver. The top of the 

 mountain, evidently of volcanic formation, is above 16,000 feet in 

 altitude from the level of the ocean. And under the guidance of an 

 Indian, hired for the purpose, I gained an elevation far above the 

 highest pinnacle of the city, but was compelled to give up the attempt, 

 both in consequence of difficult breathing and the looseness of the footing 

 on the mountain, which gave way at almost everj- step. Though we 

 were much higher than the Mint buildings, respiration was not so 

 painful, nor so much impeded as it was in the passage from the Mini 

 to the Plaza, becauso the " cerro" or cone being very steep, it waa 



