Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1868-08-21
Eoreigm.
Scenery Ia the Andes-The Neighbor-
hood of Chimb0raz0.

A correspondent of the New York Even
ing Post writes:
We are now fairly out of the swamps of
the lowlands, and though under the equa-
tor, out of the tropic, too. The fresh
mountain breeze, and the chilly mists, an
nounced change of climate. Fevers and
dysenteries, snakes and mosquitoes, the
plantain and the palm, we had left behind.
Canine Real is a huddle of eight or ten
dwellings psrched on the summit of a
sierra thousand feet higher than the top
of Mount Washington. The views from
this standpoint compensate for all past
troubles.
The wild chaos of mountains on every
side, broken by profound ravines, the
heaps of ruins piled on during the lapse of
geological ages, the intense azure of the
sky, and the kingly condor majestically
wheeling around the still higher pinnacles
make up picture rarely to be SEEM
| Westward the mountains tumble down into
hills and spread out into plains, which, in
the far-distant horizon, dip in the ocean
The mountains are Alpine, yet grander
than the Alps; not SO ragged as the granite
peaks of Switzerland, but with rounder
heads The,prospect down this accidental
slope is diversified by deep valleys. land
slides and Towering trees. Magnificent
are the views eastward,
where Andes. giant Of the western star.
Looks from his throne of clouds Ger half tie
world"
his feet as eternally green as his body is
everlastingly white. The majestic dome
of Chimborazo was entirely uncovered of
clouds, and presented most splendid
spectacle There it stood, its snow-white
summit unsullied by the foot of man, tow
ering up twice as high as Etna For many
- -
as the highest point in America, but now
! the Aconcagua of Chill claims the palm
| Still, what panorama from the top of
| ChimboraZo-could one reach it-for the
eve could command 10000 square miles
| 1t is interesting to remember that Chimbo-
razo is of the same altitude and on the
same line of latitude with the loftiest
mountains in Africa the volcanic Kilima
Marc.
| Our road gently winds down the sierra,
| giving us at every turn sublime ideas OF
what nature can do in casting up the thin
crust of our globe. But sublimity is at a
discount here-there is too much of it.
Suddenly we are looking down into the en-
chanting valley of Chimbo. This roman
tic and secluded spot is one of those for
gotten corners of the earth which, barri-
caded against the march of civilization by
almost impossible mountains, and inhab-
tied by thriftless race, has been left far
behind in the progress of mankind. Dis
lance lends enchantment to the view. We
are reminded of the pastoral Wales of New
England.
Wheat takes the place of the sugar-cane,
barley of cacao. potatoes of plantains, and
turnips of oranges. Bamboo sheds have
given way to neatly whitewashed villages,
and the fields are fenced with rows of aloes
But drawing nearer we find the habita-
tons are in reality miserable mud novels,
without windows, and tenanted with ver-
min and ragged poverty There are herds
of cattle and fields of grain, yet we shall
not find quart of milk or a loaf of bread
for sale. The descent into the valley is
very precipitous, and after rain, alarm
ingly slippery. Mules, drawing their legs
| together slide down with startling veloci-
ty, and follow the windings with marvellous
| deyterity