THE ANDES. 



23 



determined to wait for a change of circumstances, 

 and this only arrived at the end of a fortnight. 

 They were scantily supplied with the usual pro- 

 visions for the use of travellers who cross the 

 Andes; but their cattle were nearly starved, 

 whilst both man and beast had to endure all the 

 inclemency of the weather without any shelter 

 but overhanging rocks. 



We still had a great deal of snow to cross 

 before we reached the summit of the Portillo, 

 which was far above our heads, and the difficulty 

 of arriving there considerable. I dismounted to 

 walk, but from the rarity of the atmosphere I 

 found respiration so impeded that I could only 

 advance a few yards without stopping to breathe, 

 and was forced to mount my horse again. At 

 length, with much labour, we arrived at a very 

 steep path, a short distance from the summit, 

 when, summoning up all our remaining strength 



