CHAP. XVI. AT CA3IP IN THE VALLEY OF COLLANES. 



305 



he would take for the whole mountain, "^o ! no ! he would not 

 sell at any price. ^' '*^AYhy not?^' He was reluctant to answer. 

 *' Why will you not sell Altar ?'' " Because titer e is much treasure 

 there ! '" 



The treasures of Altar have yet to be discovered. The mount- 

 ain is an extinct Volcano, having a crater in the form of a 

 horse-shoe (larger than that of Cotopaxi), open towards the west ; 





AT CAMP IN THE VALLEY OF COLLANES. 



with an irregular rim, carrying some of the finest rock peaks in 

 Ecuador. The culminating point ^ is on the southern, and the 

 second peak (which is only slightly inferior in elevation to the 

 highest point) lies opposite to it on the northern side of the crater. 

 The walls of the cirque are exceedingly rugged, with much snow, 

 and the floor is occupied by a glacier, which is largely fed by falls 

 from ' hanging-glaciers ' on the surrounding slopes and cliffs. The 



^ According to La Condamine its height is 17,458 feet ; Reiss & Stiibel say 17,730 

 feet. It is probably the fifth iu rank of the Great Andes of the Equator. 



2 R 



