DANGERS ON THE CORDILLERAS. 



were frequently enveloped. When the fog cleared 

 away, the clouds descended nearer to the surface of 

 the earth, and often surrounded the mountain to a vast 

 distance, which appeared like a rocky island in the 

 midst of a boundless expanse of ocean. Fearful 

 were the sounds which then came from helow, occa- 

 sioned by the tempests that raged over Quito and 

 the neighbouring country. Lightnings were seen to 

 issue from the clouds, and loud thunders rolled far 

 beneath, blended with furious winds ; but a delight- 

 ful serenity reigned on the summit of the mountain, 

 the winds were lulled, having descended into the 

 plains, the sky was clear, and the enlivening rays of 

 the sun moderated the severity of the cold. But 

 widely different was the condition of Ulloa and his 

 companions when the clouds again resumed their 

 high station. It was then impossible to breathe 

 freely ; snow and hail fell continually, and the wind 

 returned with so much violence, that it was difficult 

 to overcome the dread of being blown down the 

 precipice, or buried by the daily accumulation of 

 ice and snow. 



The wind was often so terrific, that the sight 

 became dazzled. Large blocks of stone were hurled 

 by its fury from the side of the rock on which 

 the hut was built ; crashing as they fell, they broke 

 the awful silence of the desert beneath; and fre- 

 quently during the night, that rest which the adven- 

 turers so greatly wanted was disturbed by these sud- 

 den sounds. When the weather again was fair, and 

 the clouds gathered around some other mountain, the 

 astronomers left their hut, in order to take exercise. 

 They then amused themselves with rolling large 



