Literary cadet and Rhode-Island statesman. [volume] (Providence, R.I.) 1827-1829, 1828-10-11
Storm and Effects cf Cold among tee .fnae.

10 view the Storm from these dreary
bodies, (the novels OF the natives on The skirts
Of the Andes) as 1t passes by, is dismal and
awful in the extreme. | have witnessed a
hurricane in desert sAipwrcck, fire and
! storms at tca-but nothing can equal the ter
! rife, awful appearance Of u snow storm in tho
| Andes.
As we sat shiveriag in the casucha, tho
mountains from being so close to us, appeared
a wall ofsnow, tLor tops joining as it we're in
| one mass, with the clouds OF snow lying a.
! round us. In vain did look fot daik spot
| TO rest my PAINFUL eyes upon, tracing the
mountains all afoInd, from the base to their
| summts wandering again over heaven and
earth, all-all appeared world Of snow, pic
turing dcsola'ion lisei the miserable casucha
! alone standing in the midst of it. The wild
wind whlstcd through is apcrures, shaking
! its very foundation, and rodrcd and cracked d
| in the mountains above Us, that were contn-
| ally sending down large masses Of snow threa-
| tening destruction to every thing beneath that
| might come within lis reach. Pent up here,
! while the storm is howng dnl roaring round,
| the traveller cannot move without. but must
wait with humble submission 10 the will of
Him who alone can siI,I itJ ra ging, aud on
whom alone he can safely rely for Il happy re-
lease iiom such an awful and drclry situation
From the effects of the piercing high
wind, we were all affected with sore ewes
Oul provisions uo" became great source ol
| anxiety however the poor Poems submitted
(should the storm Iust,) TO 70 on very shot al
lowanCe. Here again we found that the ar
retro bad deceived us, in not having laid in
supply according 20 his agreement. Oar stock
Of wine and spirits was reduced 10 one bottle
of brandy. Tho storm continued the whole
day, and in the night increased to n perfect
hurricane. AS may be supposed, il proved
most anxious and dismal one to u.s. the ther-
mometcr was IS dog below the frcrzing point
"In the conquest of Chill, many of the
| Spanlards were frozen 20 death. sitting or
their mules, in crossing The mountains ihGt d..
vide Chill and Peru. Acosia says, bis friend
! the Gen Jerome Costlla oG Cusco. lost sever
al of his toes in passing over tie desert of Chi
h, IN going from Peru. They were so perish
cd by the severity of the air, that when he
came 10 look on them, they wcro dead, aud
fell of without pain, as rotten apple fall
eth from reo.'
d" lie says, this General formerly conducted
| large army over these mountains, aud that
| he left a considerable number Of tho soldiers
! dead there, who wero killed by the painful
| cold winds that constantly blow IN those re-
! gions. On the Generals return from his ex-
| podnion, lie found Tho dead bodies lying scat
| tered about, but quite entuc, and without
scent or pu,rela acton. Near to the place
! where the dead bodies were. he found boy.
who had survived his miserable companions
that remained behind, unable 70 proceed in
tue expedition ThIs boy had existed IN
cave, screened iom the winds, and fed on the
flesh OF the horses that persisted thcsc WITH the
troops.F
Many instances occur Of the Poems losing
their toes aud fingers IN the CordIllcra one
or ours lost Two Of bis toes. ard tho etteiro the
'Erno iry,a N<,i WIZ IN rur,-nl { 1nss..