46 TRAVELS A3I0NGST THE GREAT ANDES, chap. hi. 



arranging the food in this manner, and it relieved me from the 

 necessity of continual calculations, and from apprehensions that 

 some of the minor requisites might be forgotten.^ 



For a thousand feet above the first camp, our reladen caravan 

 progressed at a fair pace, and then (pressure being about 17*250 

 inches) straggling commenced. My own mule reached the head 

 of the vallon (about 16,000 feet above the sea) without shewing 

 signs of exhaustion. It then struck work, and I dismounted. 

 So far, the bed of the vallon was loose, sandy soil, with little 

 vegetation. Our course then turned to the right, that is towards 

 the east, up the western slopes of the south-west ridge of Chim- 

 borazo, and led by steeper gradients over firm ground, covered 



1 Each tin case contained : — Ox-cheek, 2 lbs. ; Mutton, 2 lbs. ; Beef, 2 lbs. ; 

 Potted ham, one tin ; Liebig's extract, 2 ozs., in tin ; Preserved soup, 2 pint tins; 

 Cocoa and milk, one tin ; Condensed milk, one tin ; Susrar, 4 ozs. ; Mustard, 1 oz. ; 

 Salt, 2 ozs. ; Pepper, 1 oz. ; Biscuits, about 2 lbs., in tin ; Lemonade powder, in tin ; 

 Seidlitz powders, in tin ; 3 pills ; small bottle of Chlorodyne ; Black-currant and 

 cayenne lozenges, 2 ozs. ; Muscatelles, 12 ozs. ; Tea, 3 ozs. These quantities were 

 found sufficient, or more than enough, with the exception of sugar. Irrespective of 

 things which were bought already tinned, more than 2000 tins were soldered down. 



The interstices between the circular tins were filled in with candles, in tin tubes, 

 and the smaller spaces were taken up with bead-necklaces and various articles for 

 presents, and the whole contents were jammed tight with cotton wool, tow and 

 paper. Mustard, pepper, salt and other small articles were taken in glass bottles 

 fitted into tin tubes. All the glass bottles were subsequently used for the preserva- 

 tion of natural history specimens. There was no waste, and, in consequence of the 

 care which was taken in packing, not a single bottle was broken, and nothing 

 whatever was spoiled or even injured by damp. 



The boxes were of the best deal, planed smooth, with rounded edges and corners, 

 and were double-varnished. The lids were screwed down, and the screws worked 

 into metal cups, so that the lids should not be overscrewed. Many of these cases 

 came back in serviceable condition. 



Except when installed at great heights, the food that was arranged in this 

 manner was treated as reserved stock. At Guaranda, and other places where they 

 could be obtained, we laid in fref^h provisions. 



A list of the rest of the outfit Avill be found in Hints to Travellers^ fifth edition, 

 pp. 284-288. The preparation of it occupied almost as much time as the per- 

 formance of the journey. 



