Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1868-08-05

The Volcanoes Of EcuadOr- Western
Cord'tfero-c -! 11Ae46orazo-Pi Pichincha-
C0razOn- Hi1l1za- n-ece1t ;1to ;to
Crater.
From the New York Evening Post.
Coming from Peru through the Gin chona
forests Of Loxa and over the barren hills
of Assuay, we reach Riobamba, seated on
the threshold of magnifcence-like Da-
mascus, an oasis on a sandy plain but un-
like the Queen of the East, surrounded
with a splendid retinue of snowy peaks
that look like icebergs floating in sea OF
clouds.
On our left in the most sublime specta-
Gle in the New World. Its a majestic pile
of snow-its clear outline on the deep
blue sky describing the profile of lion IN
repose. At noon the vertical sun and the
profusion of light reflected from the gilt
terine surface will not allow a shadow to
be cast on any part so that you can easily
fancy the figure is cut out of mountain
of spotless marble. This is Chimborazo-
vet not the whole of it-you see but a
third of the great giant. His feet are as
eternally green as his head is everlastlngly
white; but they are far away beneath the
bananas and cocoa-pams of the Pacific
! coast
There must be something singularly sub
lime about Chimborazo, for the spectator
at Riobamba is already about nine thou
sand feet high, and the mountain Is not sc
elevated above him as Mont Blanc above
the vale Of Chamount, when in reality the
eliminating point of Europe would no
reach up even to the limit of Chlmbo
.Lo,.-o,I foot It IC only
while sailing on the Pacific that one see
Chimborazo in its complete proportions
Its very magnitude diminlshes the I'M
preston of awe and wonder, for the Ande
on which it rests, are heaved to such vas
altitude above the sea, that the relative
elevation Of its summit becomes reduced
by comparison with the surrounding
mountains. Its altitude is II ,42O feet
One fourth of this is perpetually covered
with snow. so that its ancient name
Chimpurazu-the mountain OF snow
very appropriate
The valleys which furrow the flank
the Chimborazo are in keeping with 1t
colossal size Narrower and deeper tha
those of the Alps, the mind swoons am
sinks in the effort to comprehend thel
grim majesty The mountain appears t
, have been broken into pieces like so muc
; thin crust, and the strata thrown on the'
vertical edges, revealing deep, dark chasm
2 that seem to lead to the confines OF tn
lower world The deepest valley !
: Europe, that of the Ordesa in the Py
renees, is 1900 feet deep but here ar
e rents in the side of the Chimborazo
which the Nesuvius could be put away ou
c of sight. As you look down into tn
r fathomless fissure, you see a white fec
r rising out of the gulf, and expanding as
r mounts, till the wings of the condor, fiftee
i feet in spread, glitter in the sun as tn
proud bird fearlessly wheels over the dIZz
i chasm, and then ascending above you
d head. sails over the dome of the Chimbors
t 20. Could the condor speak, what GLOW
Il ing description could he give of the lant
o scape beneath him when his horizon is
1t thousand miles in diameter If
Id stTweIve fair countries saw the blaze from NJ
vern's lonely hight.
N what must be the panorama from a heig
At fifteen times higher?
" Chimborazo was long supposed to
N the tallest mountain on the globe; but l
At supremacy has been supplanted by NJ
Everest in Asia, and Aconcagua in Chi
,r In mountain gloom and glory, however,
= still stands unrivalled. The Alps ha
e the valanche-.the thunder-bolt of snoN
h and the glaciers-those icy Niagar;
+ so beautiful and grand. Here they
m wanting. The monarch of the Andes s
n motionless in calm serenity and unbrok
silence The silence is absolute and a
d tually oppressive. The road from Quay
4 quill to Quito crosses Chimborazo at t
- elevation of fourteen thousand feet. Sa
!. \ the rushing of the trade wind III the att
a a noon, as it sweeps over the Andes, not
" sound is audible not the hum of an
n sect nor the chirp of bird, nor the re
- - of the running waters. Mid-ocean is ne'