190 TRAVELS AMONGST THE GREAT ANDES. chap. x. 



or seconds, and shewed that the mountain had not the simplicity 

 of form that we had supposed. At such distances as it had 

 previously been seen (25 to 30 miles) the minor details were 

 indistinguishable, and the crest had seemed to be a long, un- 

 interrupted, snowy ridge. It now became apparent that its 

 structure was more complicated ; and, if the mountain had been 

 viewed for the first time from the Hacienda, we might have 

 been in doubt as to the position of the highest point. ^ 



From these fragmentary glimpses, I made out that the upper 

 3500 feet of Antisana were almost absolutely covered by snow 

 and glacier, and that on an ascent we should not touch rock at 

 all. The summit bore 50° E. of N. (magnetic) from the Hacienda, 

 and the base of the nearest glacier had almost exactly the same 

 bearing.^ The main course of this ice-stream occupied the hollow 

 in the centre of the view, and at its superior extremity was 

 fissured by large and very long crevasses ; higher still there were 

 many compound fractures, and the summit of the mountain was 

 protected by an enormoas schrund, forming a moat, which was 

 obviously impassable on the west and north. I proposed to make 

 for the nearest glacier ; and, after ascending the trough or hollow, 

 to bear to the left with the view of reaching the summit from the 

 south. Anticipating that nothing would be gained by waiting, I 

 gave the order to march. 



We started from the Hacienda of Antisana at 4.35 a.m., on 

 March 7, and steering N.E. (under the guidance of some of the 

 herdsmen, who had a perfect acquaintance with the lower slopes) 

 got to the base of the glacier (15,295 feet) at 6.40; having lost 

 some time by the disappearance of a certain impetuous person 

 who could not brook local leaders.^ Our animals were left here, 



1 The true summit of Antisana lies underneath the asterisk at the top of tlie 

 engraving. 



2 This glacier is concealed by clouds in the engraving. 



3 Jean-Antoine always endeavoured to be in front, and on several occasions 

 caused trouble by getting out of touch. He was cured of this habit by something 

 that occurred on Cayambe. 



