The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1853-05-17
CROSSING THE ANDES.

Por ton Of tIae Paper on Crossing the Andes,
Read before the Geographical Society, by
William u. DIX, Of Cambridge, on Tuesday,
May 10.
After the conclusion of the Hon. r. Bartletts lecture
the Mexican boundary, Mr. Dix, being introduced by
the President of the society said that the subject Of his
PAPER had present connexon with the Boundary Com
rssien but that If the fears of portion Of the people
Of the country OF which he about to speak TO
be considered as of coming events it could be
sad how soon a boundary commission would be
needed to define eur limits south of the line.
CROSSING THE ANDES.
The territory of the Republic Of the Ecuador,
hended between two degrees south and degrees north
has all the climates of the world represented within its
narrow bounds. II is but four five days travel from
tropical ca,uence Of vegetation to snow and ice that
melt. II is as if scale were there arranged with
the marks every zone set in s accurate and beautiful
succession the notes of music, and one may imagine
these keys OF earthly order striking 10 unison with the
hsrmone of the spheres IN homage to the great
st who has closely united here seed time and har
vest, and cold and heat and summer and winter
Some Of the highest peaks OF the ADDE'S are distant
from the Pacific coast scarcely hundred miles, and
could 20 seFera hours from orrd regions to ever
lasting ice But the journey is tedious and crcuitous
the backs Of mules in steep and rugged roads except
the ascent OF the Guy aquil to the city the
same name and thence to the head Of navigation where
the inland Journey begins English steamers ascend the
river TO the po and the remaining distance il
bahed IN cspces in small steamers belonging to the
government from the Pacific TO the last stopping place
the liver is eighty or ninety miles long.
On TIE national coat of arms together with the peaks
of tie Andes and tie rising sum- is portrayed the little
steamer like it, in which the passage up the river
is made This vessel mounts two guns, ani though not
formidable piece Of laval architecture, yet being dis
played thus proudly ennen. above mountains aud the
strikes useful terror into neighborng nations, and is
lively image Of the present dspensation when the
per domino The maety of nature. In the
very and of the hcas the worship Of the yields to
The prevailing alteration of ste am Oh the two idoiaers
the wor hin OF the sun is the reasonable natural
md me hen 10
may be for higher achievements OF human inteli
gcnce than to devise steamboat or crystal palace
Meanwhile. in waiting for that good time coming which
steys 80 long upor the road, let proceed towards
Quito The river Guayaquil has no, upon its bankslike
continuous forests which. interlaced BY myriads
Of vines axe each side Of tae latter stream vast natu
views OF the surrounding countryof fair morning
evening Chimborazo is far inland. There in
New England, few years ago. Of clear night, in the
depth of winter, borealis, which eddenei the
entire sky and the face OF tho EARTH covered with
was red the sky above Imagine such to
fall upon distant mountain, four miles high the sum.
nit OF which is clothed with pure perpetual snow, aud
you may conceive how attractive is the flush Of beauty
upon the brow OF Chin at sunrise and at sunset
Well nigh impenetrabe walls formed of root Of the
which line large portions Of the river Be.
hind these the 10y ards are plantations Of sugar of
cocoa and OF rice The broad plains bordered in the
distance by forests and mouBans the dark green out
lines OF which appear at every turn in the stream. In
winds, and the few hills upon its banks are a rich enc
raid green but in the dry season the whole surface
the earth Is bro wned by the intense heat, except fe
low portions, which keep vivid green, from unfailiuy
moisture like in an Arabian desert, and sustain
like them pIofuse variety Of palms.
l. On the sides Of the river several towns and
norous wde level savannahs, from which arise the
houses Of the propretors Of estates and the ruder
OF the aborers upon the soil II many places the banks
are sandy and shelving, and o. bright aligators
bask on them by in the and Il Is amusing 10
party Of these devourng monsters enjoying tneir
tranquil seo aroused BY the discharge of pistol and
terrified by the striking Of the wListlDg ball them
upon Of their number, slide INTO tho water in
become animals by the influence OF spiritual
dunn The current Of the stream is violent and an
coptrollsble that Il wond be all with a person
who 81 ould have the III fortune TO fan in As the
scen.ry becomes more beautiful tho air also grows
festlentsl. When, In the rainy sshen, every
foliage ia most exuberant and the charms Of tropical
grow most generous aud attractive, rigorous dstem
pers pre- ga most as the face 6 nature grows genaI
tie face Of mas grows wan. II seems to be the ply