VIEW PROM THE CUMBRE. 



231 



in solemn repetitions by the huge and awful 

 mountains around us ; then vibrating and dying 

 away in the distant vallies^ it left upon the 

 mind of the traveller^ a strong impression of 

 his solitary and dreary situation. After waiting 

 till the troop of mules passed us^ we com- 

 menced ascending again^ and soon came to 

 tracks of snow, so deep that the mules were, 

 at times, entirely hid in them, and being very 

 narrow we were obliged to throw our legs for- 

 ward over the front of the saddle. The sun shone 

 bright on the glittering snow, which made it very 

 unpleasant to the eyes. As we advanced my as- 

 tonishment increased, on beholding the places 

 where I had previously descended. At ten ar- 

 rived at the casucha on the Cumbre, which 

 stands a little to the left of the summit, coming 

 from the Mendoza side. I observed the tracks, 

 where in the winter, I had descended from the 

 summit ; they were still plainly visible, and far 

 away from any tracks near the Casucha, for we 

 did not go to it, but commenced our descent 



