Ascent of Cotopaxi. 575 



was reserved for Dr. Reiss, a German naturalist, who, with 

 Dr. Stiibel, has been exploring the valley of Quito. 



On the 27th of November, 1872, Dr. Eeiss set out from 

 Mulalo, with ten peons, for the southwest point of the 

 crater. Crossing the river Cutuche at Limpiopungo, where 

 the stream cuts through vast deposits of volcanic ashes, he 

 reached the " Yentanillas," a dry and sterile panipa, since 

 the porous earth retains no moisture. Here the ascent of 

 the cone began. Following a triangular ridge whose 

 apex reaches the snow limit, he crossed successive cerros 

 and pampas, which were so many steps in the grand stair- 

 case he was ascending. Vegetation now ceased entirely, 

 and the surface was covered with ashes and black sand. 

 In fact, nearly the whole occidental slope of Cotopaxi, 

 between 12,500 and 16,000 feet, presents the aspect of 

 a dismal black desert. In this lofty, lifeless, silent soli- 

 tude, says our traveler, man seems an intrusion. He found 

 it difficult to judge of the distances and dimensions of ob- 

 jects. Progress was slow, for at every step the foot sunk 

 into the sand, which increased in depth with the ascent. 

 The mules were scarcely able to move, sinking to the 

 knees, and suffering from the rarefaction of the air. 



Occasionally the magnificent vista below and the neigh- 

 borhood of the snowy cone above absorbed attention ; but 

 clouds and driving hail-storms generally cut off all pros- 

 pect. Sudddenly a profound chasm, containing fi-esh, 

 smoking lava, was discovered on the left. This lava-stream 

 was the lower limit of a vast mass, which from the valley 

 appeared like a long black line. At 2 p.m. our traveler 

 reached tlie point where the two quebradas unite, marked 

 by an immense pile of rocks. Here he encamped for the 

 night at an altitude of 15,179 feet. At six o'clock the up- 

 per part of the mountain was cleared of smoke and mist, 

 and gave a grand and imposing view. The white cone 



