CHAP. IV. SHORT COMMONS. 83 



bolted, and the buildings on the opposite side were of one story, 

 in the hut style of architecture. Two or three ragamuffins were 

 attached to the place, which was managed by a very dirty Indian, 

 styled the major-domo, who was assisted by an equally dirty wife. 



This was the only house of entertainment between Ambato 

 and Guaranda (for the miserable tambos at Tortorillas and Mocha 

 count for nothing), and it had things all its own way. A bottle 

 of Bass cost four shillings, and other articles were in proportion. 

 But our greatest grievance was that we could scarcely get any- 

 thing at any price. Though there were cows, milk was doled out 

 by spoonfuls; there were fowls that ^^ belonged to some one else ^' 

 and never laid eggs ; there was famine as regards bread, and 

 meat was not to be thought of. So we had to fall back upon 

 our reserved stock to save ourselves from starvation. 



Examination of the stock shewed that we had eaten less 

 than usual while upon Chimborazo ; though, owing to the com- 

 plications introduced by the putrid ox-cheek, one could not tell 

 to what extent. Upon speaking of this as an unexpected cir- 

 cumstance to Jean-Antoine, he surprised me by saying that 

 they (that is to say, Alpine peasants generally) noticed the same 

 thing when they were upon mountain expeditions in the Alps. 

 I should have thought the reverse was the case, and that the 

 appetites of guides left nothing to be desired, except a wish that 

 they might be diminished.^ 



In the mornings, when every one cleared out of the tambo, 

 some going north and others south, the courtyard' which had 

 resounded with the pawing of restless beasts became as still as 

 death, and I turned to my journals. I found that my residence 

 upon Chimborazo had extended over seventeen days. One night 

 was passed at 14,375 feet, ten more at 16,664 feet, and six others 

 at 17,285 feet above the sea, and this is perhaps the greatest 

 length of time that any one has remained continuously at such 



' It should, however, be noted that we do not know how much the Alpine 

 peasant consumes when he is at home. 



