The Albany register. [volume] (Albany, Or.) 1868-18??, 1871-07-01
TALcAuYANo. Chill, May /.

I left Montcvidco aud Uruguayan
territory about four days ago, by route
that is not much travelled which is not
to be much wondered as as the facilities
are none the best for comfort, rest, or
refreshment On the morning of the 9th
of last month (ApriD, l, with two ma
tives, went outside the harbor, in small
sloop of ten tons, for few hours
cruise.
The day was quite calm and pleasant,
and We were embolde,ed to keep our
little craft standing ont to sea until at
leastte miles interviewed between US and
the shore. Toward noon the breeze
freshened somewhat and Donaa Maria,
cur sloop, danced over the rising waves
in a charming manner. We were CON-
pletely rapt in our enjoyment and forgot
to look out for dauger-in fact we antic-
ipated none-when suddenly We were
aroused by loud noise, something be-
tween a Kissing and the roar of thunder,
exactly like the escape of heavy volume
Of steam under high pressure There
was 10 tune for consideration a trc-
mendous waterspout was bearing right
down upon as, and before the boat could
be put about she was lifted several hun.
dredI feet into the air and fell with
crash that broke her up into fragments
just had time to see this effect of the
cltasrophe when / was again caught up
and shot with amazing velocity by the
force of the column OF rising water. It
seemed to me that I must have been
carried up at least two miles, when
found myself struggling on the surface of
what appeared to be vast sea of water
and mist. There was no land in sight,
and felt sure that my hour had come.
Being good swimmer, however, / de-
termined to keep afoat as long as possi>
bic in desperate clinging of nature to
life, and struck out manfuliy without
having any definite point in view. The
day passed and night came on, aud the
full moon rolled gloriously up into the
heavens, bringing back to my mind the
recollection OF a voyage l made on the
Pacific Ocean twenty years ago. in the
whaling ship lMauakeesett, when during
the enchanting nights, We were be-
claimed in the tropics, we used to assem-
BILE on the main deck-over hundred of
us-and sing Roll on, Silver Moon"
It was ike lovely dream lingering in
the memory.
On the afternoon the day following l
deserted a singular object swiftly ap-
preaching from the west. ] made for it
and succeeded in grasping hold Of what
proved to be the branches OF q tree. |
chung to it, scarcely knowing why, and
suddenly found myself descending. l
was concious that my progress lateraiiy
was stopped, aud that / WAS descending
the branches OF tall tree, and judge of
my surprise when / found myself precip-
itated to the ground in the midst of
dense pine forest growing on the summit
of high mountain. bly, situation was
1T once apparent. / had been carried up
by the waterspout into a dense cloud,
which, impeIled by strong easterly
wind, bore me swiftly across the CONT
nent, and here [ was on one of the peaks
of the Andes, having made a distance Of
nearly one thousand miles, as the crow
flies, In twenty-seven hours, as near as /
could judge, which I think you will say
was toierably good travelling. I was
chilled through and fatigued, SO that rest
and warmth were the first demands of my
nature
Having no matches or tinder-box |
was obliged to produce FIRE by the ab-
original method OF friction. So to this I
applied myself, and after rubbing two
dry sticks together assiduously for more
than an hour. | was at length gIaddened
By successful result-frst smoke and
then fame. at once pushed little
pile of leaves and twigs under the side
OF the trunk of an immense tree that lay
prone on the ground, and in few mo-
ments more | was quickly smoking my
pipe by the side of blazing fire. Not
long, however, for in a short time my
log, to my CONSERVATION, began to crawl
slowly away, and utter angry noises.
Would you believe it, instead of big
pine log, as supposed, it was an enor-
nous anaconda, probably the largest ever
seen by any traveller. 1t would have
been great pleasure for me to have got
his skin as curiosity for the Central
Park Museum, but didn't do If. I did
not remain there long enough. I left.
got away, exiled myself from the spot.
The Indians who alone inhabit the
country commiserated my forlorn condi-
tion and fed and clothed me in such at
tire as they had to afford, and were kind
IN forwarding me to the settlements.
The place where I landed from the
sload was one hundred and City miles
from Santiago, the Capitol Of Chilli.
From thence I proceeded through the
kind assistance of the American Charge
d'Afairs, to Talcahnano on the coast
which you know is but short distance
below Valparaiso. am here awaiting
an opportunity TO proceed to Panama. and
New York or San Francisco, as instruc-
tions which hope 10 receive from you
on arriving at Panama, shall direct.
Respectively.
VIM. z. MuNCHAUsEN
It Is hoped that the officers Of the