Sioux City register. [volume] (Sioux City, Iowa) 1858-1871, 1859-10-29

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| Say only this: A tender bud. 'efana '' ]"
That tried the blossom In the snow, 4svab ss
Lies with.red where the violets blow 49,, =.
| asrrrDT ~ = NORAZ 20. .~s4ga--1 Ia-sg :"
From the ife, travels, and books Of
Alexander Vop Humboldt, we extract the
following interesting account =. .am....
On the 22d Of June, the birthday Of his
brother, Humboldt commepced his ascen,
Of Ghimbsraxo, accompanied by Bonpland
and Carlos de Mon,uiar, b young Spsnish
naturalist. They started from the plain
of Tapia, at an elevation of over nine
thousand feet. This arid table lsad was
near the village of Lican, the ancient re-
| sidence Of the sovereiyns Of Qaito. From
Lican to the summit Of Chimborazo was
nearly five leagues in 4 straight line. They
followed the plain, leaving behind them
groups Of Indians bound to the market OF
Licsn, end slowly ascending. halted for
The night at the little village Of Calpi.-
They were now at the foot OF Cbimborazo.
1t rose before them stupendously y in the
light of the setting sun. The foreground
was veiled in the vaporous dimness that
striped the lower strata Of the air, but as
they cast their eve toward the summit it
detached itself from, the deep blue sky
They saw above the region of hgnSous
plants and alpine shrubs broad belt Of
grass like a gitded yellow carpet. Beyond
this was . region Of porphyritic roeks, and
beyond these rocks, eternal ice aud snow.
As the earth below grew darker, the heav
EN- above seemed to grow brighter; their
sight was dazzled with the rcfulgent splen
dor of the snow. 4 f@tAa'rs@ faf4
Early the next morning tbeir sIndian
guides awoke them,s and they began 10
climb the mountain; on the south western
| side, trasersing the great plains which
rose like terraces, cue above another, until
they reached the plain Of SisguH, twelve
| thousand four hundred feet above the lev
el Of the sea. Here Humboldt wished to
make a trignometrical measurement to
ascertain the hight of the summit, but it
was shrouded in thick clouds. From time
to time tRev caught momentary glimpse
of it, through openings in the clouds, but
the sky was gradually darkening. They
continued TO ascend until they reached the
| little lake of Yana Cocha, . circular basin
one hundred and thirty feet in diameter.
II was the most elevated spot yet reached
hy man on the ridge Of mountains, three
thousand three hundred feet higher than
the summit of M"nt Blanc. Here they
left thsir mules. The barometer showed
a hight ef fourteen thousand three hun
dred and fifty feet. Crossing the yellow
belt Of grass which they had seen over
night, they came to q region Of augite.-
Here rocks rose in columns fifty or sixty
feet high, and looked like the trunks Of
trees. Traversing, the isles Of this en-.
chan:ed forest Of stone, over fields Of new
fallen snow, they gained narrow ridge
which led directly to the summit of Chin
borazo, and by which alone they nigh,
hope to. reach it for the SNOW around was
too soft and yielding to be ventured upon.
The path became sleeper and narrower.
aud at last the guides refused to 90 any
further. When they we're sixteen thous-
and five huudred feet high, all but one
left them. Nothing daun,ed, however
the travellers went on, enveloped in thick
mist. naai haa.dauI 5e .1.ma#I .aW
The path which they were ascending
was in many places not more than eight
or ten inches broad the natives call it y
"knite blade" On one hand was . de-
clivity Of snow covered with glossy coat
ing Of ice. on the other achssm QUO thous
aud feet deep, the bottom Of which was
covered with masses of naked rocks. They
inclined their lodies over the chasm, dan.
seruus As Il was, for they dared not trust
themselves to the snowy pitch on the oppt,-
bite side. Had they stumbled, they would
either have been buried in the mingled
snow aud ice, or would have rolled .hcSd>
long down the steep The character Of the
rock, which was brittle and crum bling,
increased tha difficulty Of the ascsnt.---
Here and there they were oblighed To
crawl on their hands and feet; the sharp
edges of the r,ck wounded them and they
left behind chem Q bloody trail. They
marched in single file, testing with their
poles ths. stabhty OF the rocks before them,
This precation was very necessary, as many
of the rocks we're lying loose on the brink
Of the rrecipice. DESTROYS Of knowing
how much Of the mountain remainsd to be
sscendsd, for the su@,nit WAS continually
hidden from their sight, Humbolt opened
the barometer on point where the path
was brosd enough 10 ALLOW two persons TO
sit aide BY side !; the mercury iadica.ed .
hight Of ls $50 feet. The temperature ol
the cir was 80 degrees, and that Of the
earth l07 degrees.
They proceeded for another hour, and
found the rocky path less steep; the mist,
however, WAS ticker than ever. Thsy now
began u suffer severely from the sxtrsus
rarefaction Of the air. They breathed with
difficulty, and what was still more disagree,
able, felt like vomiting. Their heada
SWAN, their lips and gams basd prefassly,
and THAR eyslids and eysbals we're charged
with blood. g,,.. a-e t... .,...s4 .ft,.
From time % time eread birds, probably