The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1877-10-18
Seleft StoEg.
UNDER THE SNOW,

tent of that country where traVel eau oe
undertaken with any certainty Of sue
cessful termination. One Of these IS eltu'
ated In the valley Of AConcagua, and IS
by far the more popular route The otne"
near Toane, though shorter is more pre-
cipitous and difficult Of passage.
For six months Of the year both these
passes are closed by the almost perpetual
snoW storms which prevail, and 1t often
happens that, during the summer months,
when least expected, the traveller hnds
himself Weather-bOund by premature
fall of snow. At these times, howeVer'lt
ouickly evaporates under the influence OF
the SUMS rays, and the imprisoned ones
20 on their Wey rejoicing, but It IS al the
commencement Ofthe so'called rainy sea-
son that real dangers are encountered
Allintercourse between the two countries
must now be suspended. Friends who
have tarried too long on their visits TO
friends are now anxious to return. Cattle
drovers are desirous of making one more
trim. Merchants count up their lmaglna.
nv gains, which one more mule. trade oil
goods, safely transported aCross the coun-
try would yield. The snow-llne, always
visible the entire year, still maintains lts
position near the peaks OF the mountains
The old weather prophets prognostlcate
fair weather for a week or two yet,anu 30
the adventurous ones start out, trusting
to luck for a safe passage.
In 1869 / had occasion to undertake this
Journey and consider it as a miraculous
dispensation of Providence that l was
spared to tell the tale.
NV business was uTgent-a case OF lie
or death. The travel was nearly suspen-
ded for the season, but foolhardy droVer
was found who had determined upon one
more trip, and gladly seized the oppor'
tunity of accompanying him.
Our route for the first two or three days
was pleasant and agreeable, the weather,
was all that could be desired. We were
nearing the summit; one day more would
bring US past the worst part OF the road.
Atthis iunCture we came to the celebra-
ted Cueva del Viajeros," which affords
the best of protection to the benighted
traveller. Completely shut in on ell sides,
it extends back some two hundred feet,
and is perhaps half as wide, with only
one entrance, and that half hidden by
a thick underground of espine and cac-
tus.
Although we could have travelled some
little distance yet before nightfall, Cifu-
entes-the droVer-COncluded it would be
best to spend the night here, and make
up for lost time by an early start on the
morrow.
Our retreat, though rough and rugged,
afforded ample room for the Cattle,which
were reluctantly driven into the almost
impenetrable darkness, and we're left to
accommodate themselves as best they
might, while we turned our attention to
satisfy the wants of the inner man.
With our party was an old TtO1lterlero
lmountaineer), who had spent his seven
ty years among these wilds,and to whom
every cloud, every gust of wind, or flight
of birds was sure indicator OF coming
events, and as readily defined as his con-
slant observation could possibly make
them. He had been sent out to gather
fuel and now returned with doleful tale
about flock of wild geese flying south
ward, and snow banks piled up in the
northern skies.
Cifuentes was not disconnected by the
intelligence; he thought there might be q
slight fall; but, to be prepared for any
emergency we all set about gathering the
scant supply of fuel and storing it away
inside the cave.
To me a snow storm was but trihing
affair. l had often heard travellers tell
their almost incredible stories ofimmense
drifts which they had encountered, but l
was quite unprepared for the spectacle
which beheld the next morning-the
mouth of our cavern was completely
blocked mp. With shovels we worked
our way through, to obtain glimpse of
what was transpiring around US.
The air was thick with the fast-falling
snow, and made still more dense by the
fierce winds bringing it in huge showers
from the tops of the ledges, down through
the ravine, where it settled, layer upon
layer, threatening to fill it up even with
with the tops Of the mountains
But we were as yet undismayed. We
had good shelter and plenty Ofprovisions,
and ifthey should fail, there we're the cat
tie, which would afford us sustenaDce for
an indefinite length of time; but old Jose
was an exception to our otherwise cheer
ful party.
"a seven days storm, ,senores," said he,
''and probably this place will hold all
that is left of US; for you see, we can't get
on, even if it should hold up now. God
help us, and be merCiful to my little
ones!"
There were eight of us, all told,a we
took turns endeavOring to keep the mouth
of the cavern clear--a difficult and tedi-
GUS operation; for no sooner was hole
cut through into daylight than the drift
ing banks would close it up again; but by
dint of steady perseverance,. we managed
to maintain free ventilation.
Five days ran their course, and yet the
storm howled with unabated fury. Thus
far we had suffered for nothing; but now
our supply offuel was gone.and our sCant
stock OF grain for the cattle, which we
had doled out by the handful, was also
fast disappearing
Cifuentes saw that his herd, or at least
a part of it, must be sacrificed. His men
were called up, and fully one-half of the
animals we're slain. Their carcasses fur
nished US with both meat and heat, and
although the lmproVlsed fuel was any
thing but odorous, the heat was agreeable
to our half.stiffened bodies.
"There are two hundred of them left
yet" said Cifuentes, as he threw on a
fresh quarter of beef to replenish the
fires; "and when they are gone, there's
the sixty mules to help us out. We are
good for the whole winters siege. What
do you say, Jose? How long will this
thing last?
Remember, Senior, that told you it
was a seven days storm; and that, just at
the beginning of the season, means im-
prisonment here for nearly month, and
perhaps six
The storm finally abated, and we ven
Sured out to see what was the prospect
for an early start.
Even the faintest trace Of our path was
entirely obliterated. The ravine, hum
dreds of feet in depth, was filled nearly
70 q laual with nIlr ratnaak II Waa draarY