244 



THIRD NIGHT IN THE ANDES. 



as the natives sometimes call it, Rio Grande. It 

 was so swollen and rapid that we thought our mules 

 too weak to attempt crossing, so put up for the 

 night on its banks, amongst rocks and stones, 

 ready for crossing very early in the morning, 

 which is always the best time, before the sun 

 melts the snow in the mountains. This day I 

 suffered a little in my lips from the cold on the 

 Cumbre, and extreme change of temperature in 

 so short a space of time. In less than three 

 quarters of an hour from the thermometer stand- 

 ing at the top in the shade 38^, at the bottom in 

 the sun it was 105°. And no place could we 

 find to shelter ourselves, the sun being nearly 

 vertical. 



