The Lansing state Republican. [volume] (Lansing, Mich.) 1855-1874, 1861-04-24

You now begin to ascend the mountains, which
tower apparently inaccessibly above you. Th'
mules tremble as they strive to keep their holt
on the steep. slippery soil. When you thu
reach the heart Of the mountainous region,
wider diversity of views expands before you -
There are broad, green spaces where brooks glid'
on as smoothly as in meadows; there are
rushing torrents and roaring cascades. On one
side NAV be a green hill on which focks are graz
| ing; on another you look down into dark, cav
ernous recesses. You reach the summit of q
mountain by narrow paths, which frequently
shut out the prospect until you look down upon
a splendid and immense extent of fertile table
land far below you. You slowly descend the
mountains beyond. The scenery becomes Wilder
and more impressive, and vivid contrasts strike
the observer at every turn. You may see near
you one mountain almost perfect in proportion,
green to the very summit, the figure Of grace
and beauty and near it may be craggy peak,
so black and broken, that it seems like the very
Giant Despair of mountains. Again you reach
green level spaces, covered with countless
flowers; - for. at this elevation, the floral
wreath of the temperate zones is embOsOm.
ed it the torrid zones itself. There also you
see hummng birds, crimson, purple, golden,
green, glancing about like prismatic rays enbod-
led in visible forms. Locking up, you see the
great Condor wheeling in fight from peak to
peak. Such are the contrasts OF the Andes,
humming birds aud cOndOrs; bill sides covered
with sheep, rocky ridges inaccessible to man or
beast; brooks and torrents the beauty Of Eden,
the craggy desolation of chaos. Here, the
mountains subside into sOft undulatiOns, there
the ridges are colossal and perpendicular, and
along their edges runs line of snow, like bur
nshed silver. You reach dangerous rapids, and
stu tham frue
tirely to the snre foot OF your mule. You are
now far above all signs of tropical vegetation
lofty peak rises directly above you. Clear,
dazzling snow covers it. As you mount it grows
colder and colder. Here, on the equator itself,
men may freeze 10 death. Now it is too steep
even for the mules OF the Andes. Dismount,
and climb as you can. The wind blows almost
like hurricane You pant as if you could not
breathe again. Touch at last the pure, bright,
equatorial snow. Would you reach the very
summit. which shines far, far above you, in pure
white. You cannot. The mountain top is
sacred from mortal touch Wars CORY feet new
er climbed SO far. Angels of peace guard the
tops of the Andes. There is truce to all the
range Of earth. During the middle ages an in
terval in every week was sacred from the assaults
of foes. 1t was called the Truce of God. Not
for three days n the week, but for countless
ages, on these snowy SUBMITS of the Andes, far
above a world Ill drenched in woe and guilt,
shines in pure white, the holy truce Of God.
Among the equatorial Andes the air is so pure
that the curves and angles of distant cliffs as
clearly seen as the ridges at ones side. The
colors of every precious stone are seen in the
varying effects of light and shade. The crevices
in the rocky sides Of the mountains seem to
overflow with warm hues, from the sofest lilac to
the deepest purple. Each Of these gigantic
mountains seems to wear, like the high priestst
of old, jeweled breast plate.
The table lands resemble the praires of west
ern North America. In them is concentrated
the vast agricultural wealth of the region. Most
of the cities, villages and farms are on these
table lands, which extend-now ike vast halls
between parallel claims; then, like lakes Of land
between encircling hills then, like vast landings
to gigantic stairs, of which the stone steps are
mountains.