The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1880-04-15
ADVENTURE IN THE ANDES.

in New York and Valparaiso; and in
April of that year it became necessary
for me to make journey from the lat
ter city to Mendoza, which is the CAPT
tai of one Of the State Of the Argen.
tine Republic.
Upon this journey had for travel
ing companion a young ensign named
Seaver, from the United states ship IL,
then in harbor of Valparaiso, and two
poems (groOms); aud we Travelled in
company with Government courier
who had the mail in charge.
Our route lay across the Cordillera
(Southern Andes, and was made by
way Of the Usaplata Pass and it was
during our trip over the mountains that
| was an eyewitness Of the following
pcrilous incident.
Both Seaver and myself were young
men to whom the trip was Il novel ex'
pcIicnce.
Leaving Santiago on the | tn Of the
month, we Immediately entered among
the foot hills, our route taking u5 grad
ually yet constantly upward, and in
four days reached the summlt-ridpe Of
the "paso" thirteen Thousand feet
above the sea-level at the Port,
Our nights were passed at the
casuches,' or shelters OF brick or stone,
built by the Gillian Government for the
protection Of travellers
From the Western side the ascent
present. no great difficulty; though
often devious and steep, the path is
quite safe. Nothing can exceed the
grandeur Ct the mountain scenery from
the dividing ridge Of the Usralata
range.
The air, from it, rarity at this great
height, il wondrOuoly clear. The gla-
ciers, across the deep, dark gorge on the
left, glitter like roseate crystal; while
on The right towers the vast snow-whte
cone Of Tupungati Though already
thirteen thousand feet above the plains,
this enormous peak rises fully eleven
thousand feet higher, dazzling the eye
with its pure bright robe Of everlasting
snow.
Summer and winter it stands, alike,
white and cold Never had the brilliant
beauty and grandeur Of the Andes i'm
pressed me 80 deeply, unless perhaps
when first the long white line of sun
tipped peaks opened to my Northern
eyes On entering the harbor of Nalpa.
raiso
But the descent of the mountains on
the east side toward Mendoza, Is n mat
ter OF far more peril. Before us lay
the dreaded ladtras which we had FIRE
quentiy heard spoken of; and many o.
the stories related concerning them had
filled us with n vague apprehension o
coming danger.
The term iadera is given to narrow
path which threads the Idle of steer
mountain, particularly when along the
brink Of precipices and ovcrhung by
crags. On the Uspalata paso there are
three Of these iadrds of which the third
and last, going eastward, is by far the
worst.
1t is called the Laieu de las Jacas, or
the "Cow Path" Beneath it flows the
Rio DE las Hdcos, or Cow River. The
poems related some story connected with
the name which, however, the long
rough journey has ioited out Of my mind
P"s. recall ,,....
y, VA 'ne secoha afternoon alter passing
'uP""R"'' the H"'"rS 'o'o us thaV mt
,"e'"S woula Dc reached next morning
o"V IN IL proved we were i" nave com
pany in passing them. Thus far W,
had seen few travellers on our way
having met only q Government courier
"' D., u ,,,a, c,o,h,ne p'"'er,
Nv, n"' ,''aI ,so"'"t 'nG ll'i"'c Vi niue
, uo,,' "'onB .no ',''n "'o"' nhlou"ce'
.i'a' /" numerous 'o"|"' VI caravan WA
NV ,"' III 'us"',oe nn' Ju'' ~ su'lse
We oT''io "p WIN 'nn'r p'V"'"c ~ lh'
r." Vi a 'i' ,., w"lcn onereu ,''e"' e'e'' e.
if1,h lho ch'ii evening w'hu'
~ Wns Il parry o' i1''',ch' refugees, "a
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u m.s ia.e c'V,i disturbance now Oh
'ie'i io'u'n. me la'ly NUMBERED
iisihe Soventy PefSohs among whom Wef'
i"eise VI n,tceh women, some o, lhes'
ny, p'a'niy ,"ues u soou p'r.n' AM
az icaS' twenty chiiufei "iuer 'he ae'
Vi sen'
ror company sake we maze our owl
pisouN' y NUS !nc i,sht VI tne',' an'
u"i i ini evening" .hGy 'e'''leu 'hel
so'u VIII ny h,s. svnolns US Presen
VI o,,a eane an a." ounu ''; vi c'sail,os, ant
nl'erWarus lieeiy coming 10 our IRE aho
engaging IN ir'eholy conversation
r'a ay III lhe morning we were reused H
ny tne crleS oi .he ,nu'etesis' oui
l,ls IRE, 1s were a,reaoy astir' taxing their
n"ie '.eay' anu PREPARING 10 SCI lor.h
a ,p"s i,ie Vi mute nlu'es sl1ou III lne pain,
Jauh,o w." h"ana, a hugo ".ehei PANEL rt on
uoaoio , paae1 s,ans a,Ioss us pack nc
use vi '"ese was IoI ioiiS III learning