Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1861-04-12
A Perilous and Thrilling Exploit.
THE FIRST ASCENT OF URusAYHUA.

| To those who love 10 dwell on the hor.
rors and dangers of an ascent of Mount
Blance, we would recommend perusal Of
the "Scenes ct Paysages dams les Andes"
by NJ. Paul Marcoy, in the Rerute Confem-
poraine. Our space does not allow US TO
give the entire thrilling description of the
Urusayhua, mountain of Peru, situated in
the neighborhood of Cuzco, and the follow
ing extract will give a sufficient idea of the
perilous exploit.
AT first sight, both sides of the noun
tain appeared absolutely the same, and
equally inaccessible, but upon closer scruti-
ny we found that while to the right it pre-
sented an all but vertical plane, the left
side displayed certain reddish lines, which
had much the appearance of fight Of
stairs. We therefore resolved to attempt
the escalade on this side.
On the third day we arrived at that point
of the Urusayhua which had often exam-
ined from below, and where vegetation hav-
ing ceased, the bare rock appeared; bot
what had been unable to distinguish and
what appeared to me at this moment an in
surmountable object, was the expansion Of
the summit, which gave it, fifty feet higher
up, the appearance of mushroom. We
had no longer to cope with a vertical wall,
but with one projecting over our heads.
For moment we stood aghast; but on
examining the rock remarked certain pro-
| jections, Just large enough for mans foot.
ana situaleu III interyaiS, ~ that, Ly = Lsli
stride, one might pass from one to the 9TH
er, and thus reach the opposite side of the
mountain. where a further ascent might
be practicable. The distance 10 be got over
did not exceed fifty PAGES, but as the space
was quite denuded of bushes or limbs by
which to hold, the slightest false step must
precipitate the adventurer into the valley,
where the torrent Hulicamayo was dashing
on at the rate Of ten knots an hour. New
ertheless took off my shoes, fastened
rope around my body, giving the other end
to Gaspared to hold, and gradually reached
the third projection.
AS was trying to get TO the fourth, the
rope l was dragging after me was caught
by something. / turned my head TO see
what it was, and in SO doing my eyes en-
compassed the empty space below me. IT
was like flash Of lightning. A confused
mass of verdure danced before me, inter
sected by the Hulicamayo, glittering in the
sun like a thread of mercury. / closed my
eyes to avoid the horrible vision, but the
vision remained in me, and continued to
see it. Then / was seized with singing
in my ears an insupportable blast of heat
rose from my entrails TO my brain; then /
felt my wrists lose strength, as if under the
influence of an electric pile; an unknown
force superior to my will made me open
my eyes and look again into the river Of
liquid silver, which seemed to writhe in the
sun. Dizziness the demon of the abyss.
had seized upon me, and was drawing me
down.
In this last moment, when thousands of
red atoms were whirling before my eyes, |
still had strength enough left TO call, Gas
pard helpl" The brave fellow had seen
the look had involuntarily cast into the
abyss, and guessing what might occur, inn
prudently for himself but happily for me,
the daring to follow me. AS my hands,
convulsively grasped, were about to lose
hold. he seized me by the nap of the neck.
calling me TO take courage. | regained my
self-possession, succeeded in retracing my
steps, and feeling the ground once more
under my feet, / swooned away.