30 



THE ANDES. 



ascent^ which was wilder^ and more covered 

 with snow than the preceding. We wore veils^ 

 to prevent the bad effects of the sun reflected 

 from thegHstening snow upon our eyes. This pre- 

 caution is generally considered essential in cross- 

 ing the Andes ; blindness might ensue from the 

 neglect of it. There were no precipices on this 

 day^s march^ and torrents being never found 

 at such a height^ we had nothing but steepness 

 and slippery footing to contend with. 



At last we reached a cleft, like that of the first 

 Portillo ; the mules, in their progress thither, 

 having repeatedly fallen in the snow, and caused 

 us much delay. We now looked down another 

 valley like that of the former day, and in 

 descending it pursued a path still more pre- 

 cipitous, v/hich conducted us to a torrent, 

 rushing down towards the great Pacific, in a 

 direction opposite to those we had before passed. 

 This was hailed with joy, as a certain omen 



