144 APPEARANCE OF THE CUMBRE. 



covered^ and we found our luggage half buried 

 in the snow. On arriving at the top^ we des- 

 cended a little,, and crossed the river Los Orcones 

 over a natural bridge of snow^ which in some 

 places we could perceive was ten feet thick. 

 After two hours' labour^ we arrived at the casucha 

 situated at the foot of the CumbrC;, where we 

 halted to take some refreshment and prepare for 

 our arduous undertaking. The sight of the Cum- 

 bre was grand, awful^ and magnificent ; running 

 up into the clouds, a height of at least two thou- 

 sand feet, one pure mass of snow, without the 

 slightest print of any thing upon it. All was as 

 smooth as glass ; and as the sun reflected its rays 

 full upon this mass of purest virgin white, it gave 

 it all the dazzling appearance of an enormous 

 mountain of alabaster, and the little casucha was 

 surrounded on all sides by huge mountains co- 

 vered with pure snow from top to bottom. 



The Cumbre does not show the whole of its 

 height, so that the traveller winds round and 

 round by angular cuts, in order to gain more 



