248 MOUNTAINS ABOUT THE VALLEY OF QUITO. 



for at the top of Picliinclia the air is only about one-half 

 (0.5G8) as heavy as at the sea, consequently the force of 

 the winds is jjroportionally less. Occasionally we would 

 be startled by the dull, heavy rumbling of the rocks, which, 

 loosened from the sides of the crater, plunged with fearful 

 leaps into the gulf below. 



We had determined to reach, if possible, the bottom 

 of the crater, and, after resting a few moments upon the 

 edge, we commenced the descent. Twice before we had 

 attemptec>it, but failed. The first attempt was made by 

 Prof, Orton and an assistant, but, after reaching a point 

 several hundred feet below the summit, they were stopped 

 by a sudden precij^ice, which rendered farther progress 

 impossible. The second was made by Bushnell and the 

 writer; we had scarcely commenced the descent, when 

 heavy clouds closed round the mountain, filling the crater, 

 and rendering objects invisible at a distance of a few feet, 

 thus making the attempt utterly impracticable. Our third 

 united attempt proved more successful. We entered the 

 crater upon the southeastei'n side, and, following our In- 

 dian guide, scrambled down the steep cliffs, shrinking 

 close to the rocky walls, as we saw the stones loosened, 

 plunging over precipices, setting others free, until a per- 

 fect avalanche rushed and thundered down a thousand feet 

 below us. At times, a chasm or precipice would confront 

 us, and we were obliged to drop and receive one another 

 from ledge to ledge. Our hands became so benumbed, 

 from clinging to the icy rocks, that they were of little ser- 

 vice, and our footing was so slippery that often it would 

 give way, causing a momentary thrill, as we shrank 

 closer to the cliff. Thinking only of reaching the bottom, 

 the thought how we were to scale these precipices again 

 scarcely occurred to us. In several instances, those in ad' 

 vance narrowly escaped the rocks loosened by those behind. 

 At last Ave reached the talus, or steep slope of debris at 



