INCA^S BRIDGE CHOKED UP WITH SNOW. 117 



for some distance^ feeling whether it was hard 

 or soft, in order to avoid many deep holes 

 that were covered on the surface. About a 

 mile from the casucha came to the Puente del 

 Inca, or Inca's Bridge, so much celebrated for 

 its hot springs, and being a curious natural pro- 

 duction ; but the stream was now covered with 

 snow, and I could but just see the hot springs 

 bubbling up. The bridge underneath was 

 choked with snow and a mass of icicles, so that 

 I could not venture down to survey it, which I 

 very much regretted, intending to have taken a 

 bottle of the water, which I believe has never 

 yet been analyzed in England. As the day ad- 

 vanced, the wind increased, and on account of 

 the high rarified atmosphere, it was bitter, pierc- 

 ingly cold, sufficient (to make use of a vulgar 

 phrase) to cut a man's nose off. The powerful 

 reflection of the sun's rays upon the glittering 

 snow, caused great pain and watering of the 

 eyes. On coming to a very steep ascent, at an 

 angle of about 45% the snow being so hard 



