The Jeffersonian Democrat. [volume] (Chardon, Ohio) 1854-1865, 1861-04-26
Description Of the And, s.

The following beautiful descriptive pas.
! sage occurs in II l. ciure recently delivered
by Mr.. Dix, in New York, on The Audvs
Mountains, in South America
You now begin 10 ascend the noun.
tains, Which tower apparently inaccessible
above you. The mules lremble as they
strive 10 keep ihi ir hold on the steep,
slippery soil. When you thus reach the
heart of the mountainous region, a wide
diversity of views expands before you.-
There are broad, green spaces where
brooks glide on as smoothly as in mead
ows lhcle ere rushing torrents and
roaring cascades. On one side may be
seen green lill on which flocks are
grazing on smother yon look down into
dark, cavernous recesscs You reach the
summit Of a mountain by narrow paths,
which frequently shut out the prospect
until YOU have gained the very top, when
you look down upon splendid and i'm
mepse rxent Of fertile table.land lar below
you, You slowly descend, cross the table
land, ana ascend 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 almos; perfect in
proportion, green 10 the very summit, tn"
figure Of grace and beauty and near it.
may be a craggy peak, SO black and bro.
ken, that l. seems like the very Giant De-
spair Of mountains. Again you reach
green level spaces, covered with countless
Huwers ;-Ior, at this elevation, the floral
wealth Of the temperate zone is en-.
bosomed in the lorrid zone itself. There
also you see hulnmiug birds, crimsoned,
purple, golden. green, glancing about like
prismatic rays Embodied n visible forms.
Looking up, YOU see the great Condor
wheeling in flight from peak TO peak. -
Such are tie contrasts OF the Andes
hummins birds and condors hin sides
covered with steep, rocky ridges. inacces-
sible to man or beast brooks and torrents,
,he beauty OF Z len, the craggy desolsliou
OF cknos. Here, the mountains subsiGe
into soft undulaions, there the ridges are
colossal and perpendicular, and along
their edges runs line of snow. like bur.
uished silver. You reach dangerous
rapids, and shu. your eyes as you cross
'nth, trusting entirely 10 the sure ieet OF
the mule. You are now above all signs
Of tropical vegetation. A lofty peak rises
directly above you. Clear. d'Ezling snow
covers it. AS you mount, it grows colder
and colder. Heie on the equator itself,
men may freeze to death. Now il is too
steep even Tor the mules OF The Andes
Disnount and climb as you Gun. The
wind blows almost liFe hurricane. You
pant as il you could not breathe again.
Touch at las, the pure, bright equatorial
snow. Would you re .ch ,he very sum.
nit. which shines far, far above you, in
pure white? You can not. The noun
tain-iop is sacred from mortal touch.-I
Wars cory feet never climbed so far
Angels Of peace guard the top OF the
Andes. There is truce 10 all the rage of
earth. During the middle ages an in
terval in every week was sacred from The
assaults Of foes. |: WAS called the Truce
OF God. Not Tor three days in the week,
but for countless ages. on these snowy
SUBMITS Of the Andes, far above world
all drenched in voc and guilt, shines in
pure white, the holy truce of God.