84 



CHAPTER V. 



Leave Mendoza — Enter the Andes- — Arrive at Villavicencia — 

 Twelve Peons blocked up in a Snow-storm — Dead Mules — 

 Singular appearance of them' — Sufferings of the Ancient 

 Indians — First sight of the Cordillera — Grand and awful 

 appearance — Reflection — Arrive at Uspallata — Peon found 

 blind in the Cordillera — First pass swept away — Description 

 of its dangers — ^Guanaco caught — Magnificent natural bed- 

 chamber in the Cordillera— Electricity found in our clothes 

 — Difficulties commence — Fourth Pass covered with Snow — 

 Its dangers — Lose a Mule down the Mountain — Fifth Pass 

 covered with Snow-— Extreme danger — Lose two more 

 Mules — Second night in the Cordillera, with wild bed- 

 chamber and Gale of Wind — Leave the Mules, and pro- 

 ceed on foot — A Peon rolls down a Mountain of Snow, and 

 breaks his foot — Distress and labour of the Peons — Dead 

 Peon in the Snow — Reflection. 



August l^th. Having procured every thing 

 we thought necessary for entering the dreary 

 regions^ we left Mendoza about eight o'clock in 



