144 



TRAVELS A3I0NGST THE GREAT ANDES, chap. vii. 



rolled up over the edge of the crater, and drifted away towards 

 the north. Storms of hail were frequent ; and both here, and 

 when we were subsequently encamped at the summit, stray 

 flashes of lightning occurred in uncomfortable if not in dangerous 

 proximity — blazing out at unexpected times, and conveying the 

 impression that the atmosj^here was saturated with electricity. 



When it was possible to work outside the tent we explored 

 the neighbourhood, but our acquisitions here were less than upon 

 any other mountain that we visited. The beetles already men- 

 tioned, and an ubiquitous frog [Phrynisctos Imvis, Gthr.) were the 

 only things we saw appertaining 

 to the animal kingdom. Round 

 about and below our camp there 

 were lichens upon the lava be- 

 longing to the genera Stereocau- 

 lon and Lecanora, and between 

 14,000 and 15,000 feet there 

 was some quantity of a Valerian 

 ( V. Bonplandiana, Wedd.), a few 

 stray plants of Gentian in flower 

 ( G.foliosa,!!. B. K. ),and two Com- 

 posites ( Culcitium nivale 9 and 

 Senecio huiniUirmis, Sz. Bip,). 



^h'-='^-^Z^<ryP 



CAMP ON COTOPAXI (15,139 FEET). 



