86 TRAVELS A3I0NGST THE GREAT ANDES, chap. iv. 



Ecuador in this latitude, commencing from the west, has 

 first lowlands extending from the coast as far inland as the 

 villages of Catarama and Ventanas ; then comes the Pacific 

 Range, rising 14,000 feet and upwards in elevation ; ^ next the 

 basin occupied by numerous small valleys that converge towards 

 the head of the River Chimbo (9-10,000), succeeded by the 

 Range of Chimborazo ; and this is followed by the basin of 

 Riobamba, bounded on its opposite side by the Range of Altar, 

 which sends out spurs many miles yet farther towards the east.'^ 



The Range of Chimborazo includes Chimborazo itself, Cari- 

 huairazo on its north-east (extending almost as far as the 

 town of Ambato), and a great block of mountains on its south' 

 which nearly fills the blank space on the Route Map that is 

 embraced between the River Chimbo and my track from Rio- 

 bamba past Guamote to Chimbo. The mountain proper, even 

 without these continuations, covers an amount of ground equal 

 to or greater than some of the principal ranges of the Alps. 

 From the pass of Abraspungo to the Great Arenal it measures 

 nearly ten miles, all the intervening space being higher than 

 14,000 feet above the sea ; while from south-east to north-west, 

 reckoning only the part which is above 9000 feet, it is nearly 

 thirty miles across. 



Chimborazo as seen from Chuquipoquio has no resemblance 

 to a cone. Its summit appears to be formed of a ridge,* the 

 upper part of which is everywhere buried beneath snow-covered 

 glacier. Below this, along a large part of its southern side, there 



1 From the second camp on Chimborazo (16,664 feet) the highest visible point 

 of the Pacific Range was depressed only 2° 20'. 



2 Part of this information was obtained on a later visit to this district. 



3 The highest of these mountains closely approach but do not enter the line 

 of perpetual snow. 



4 This deceptive appearance is the result of foreshortening. Chuquipoquio is 

 too close to the summit to let its proportions be seen properly. The mountain is 

 viewed to much greater advantage from Riobamba. The second {i.e. the western) 

 summit of Chimborazo cannot be seen from Chuquipoquio, and the highest point 

 is concealed at Tortorillas. 



