Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1881-01-07
Cp and Down the Andes Mountains by
lluiI.

Cp and Down the Andes Mountains by
Rail.
An American traveller who, with party Of
friends, asceudcd and descended the Andes
mountains some months ago on the Aroya
railroad. which l'gzngs along their sides, has
given most entertaining description Of his
trip. from which We gather the following more
important particulars:
The party started away from Callao, Peru,
on an early morning train that asccndcd the
Aroya railroad. When they arrived at San
BArtolome, i9i feet above SEA level, they
found themselves at the bottom Of a valley
or gorge about 500 feet wide, on each side Of
which the mountains lowered thousands Of
feet high, aud it seemed as if further advance
was impossible. Bat one Of the brakemcn
pointed out cut extending along the steep
side Of the mountain, up which it seemed as
II even goat could not 90, aud there ran the
railroad, as it appeared to the party coo or
200 feet directly overhead. Then, stll guild, d
by the finger Of the brakeman, they discover
ID in the far distance what looked like the
black opening Of bears hole. but they
We're told that it was a tunnel, aud the first of
forty.
The powerful three-driyer engine, drawing
after it five cars, began the ascent at good
rate OF speed, and steadily mounted a grade
four and half feet to 100 feet. The eugi.
ueer could frequently see ahead not more than
80 feet, on account Of the sudden curves.
One thing which makes the ascent dangerous
Is thH common occurrence Of land slides.
which may cover the track four or five feet
deep, and be the means Of hurting the train
from its slight precariOus clnging to the
mountain down fearful depth.
Soon after leaving san Bartolome, they
could look right down upon the roofs Of the
houses in that village aud upon the gliding
waters Of the R.mac river, while the massive
rock on the opposite side of the valley rose
almost vertically above their eyes, when rails
ed. The mountains on both sides, toward
their bases, taperyd off in terraces to the bot
tom OF the valley; the ground would continue
nearly level for 30 or 80 feet then would sud
denly fall five or sN feet. Mud fences bound
el the terraces, all Of which were cultivated
At last the train seemed to be piercing the
Internal regions "a murky darkness surround
cd, spark, from the engine danced weitdly
through tAe gloom, and there was a lack Of
fresh air. they were in tunnel. None of
the tunnels are over half mile in length, and
mos, Of them are less than quarter of a mile
long; but they are usually curved. aud there
fore dang and deeply dark Soon they
were IN another valley, now on this side, then
on that, Of the steeply rising river. In this
valley was the town of Surco. containing
about 900 inhabitants. Thence the train
climbed up to the largest town above Lima,
MttIeaua, inhabited 10y about :, 600 people.
At point above Matucana they saw three
cuts, one over the other, entrances to tunnels.
which looked As If they might be openings
into the burrows Of foxes. They reached
such a lofty elcyatio, that houses looked like
Ina 6 4
streams tumbl,d down the mountain sides in
long waterfalls, separated from each other by
little pools and at the bottom Of the valley
thl river flowed a mass Of foam
At san MAteo the bed of the river had again
caught up with the railroad and now cam
the last and most difficult part of the route
for the walls Of the river are perpendicular-
even at times going up from 500 TO over 900
feet without break-irom this point to Chic
Ia. The distance is twelve miles, aud it seem
cd as II the train must be as adhesive as fly
to cling on and advance. 1t is a wonder how
the engineers ever constructed this portion Of
tho road.
AT this point san Mateo it was necessary
to make a ' and back the train for a mile or
two then another V, and We were going
ahead again right over San Mateo. Here
were the great difficulties. Tunnels came
every little distance, and We had hardly time
to get a breath Of fresh air before we came to
second tunnel The graudest views of all
were along this part of the road. At one
time We went out of one tunnel and over
bridge directly into another tunnel. This
bridge is called Pueuta del Infernillo, and it
is very appropriate name for if any place
is to be compared to the internal egions, this
most certainly ought to have that distinction.
The cliffs on either hand were so perpendicu-
lar that they seemed to overhang, and were of
solid granite. The tunnels were cut at about
half the height, SO that the wall was about
100 feet right above, aud 400 feet down be-
low, The bridge was a truss bridge, and
seemed very slender, but on examination we
found that it WAS very strongly put together.
In building these tunnels, it was necessary to
let men down from the top of the cliffs to
start from the outside.
"A short time after, We came to place
where we had to make double V on noun
tain side-one above the other. The next
point of interest was the horseshoe tunnel,
cut out of the solid rock, and about quarter
of mile long, making curve SO as to come
out at less than right angle to the entering
direction. A short time after this we came
through the last tunnel, and saw Chicla, the
terminal station, a short distance ahead We
arrived at i:3j, having been nine hours on the
way. Leaving out one hour for stoppages, it
took eight hours to go about eighty-tve Am
erican miles. In some places the grade was
/ ) feet to 100 feet
At Chca, so varied is the atmosphere that
visitors are usually affected with disagreea-
bic nausea somewhat like seasickness, called
SdrocIe The head aches, there is a desire to
yomit the heart beats rapidly, and the victim
soon gets out of breath and becomes tired.
In this place the party saw troops of llamas,
which perform much service on these noun
tains. One llama, usually of more than ordi-
nary intelligence, wears a red cap and a bell,
and acts as leader to a following troop,
which, with packs on their backs give pic
turesque appearance TO the hillside down
which they may be vending. The cost of
keeping llamas is practically nothing, since
they pick up their living as they journey
along, by eating roots and leaves found along
the wayside, They are very docile.
After a night passed at the hotel in Chicla,
the party prepared to go back down the noun
tain in hand-car. The early morning air
was cold and overcoats were comfortable.
The handcar is about six feet long, contains
two seats large enough to accommodate six
persons, and is managed by very powerful
brake. 1t runs down before the train each
morning, in order TO give warning If the road
be not clear. 1t is allowed to go at "a break
neck speed.
soon we came to "A tunnel and went speed
ing along into utter darkness. 1t was very
consoling for us in the front seat to think
that if we should run into anything we would
be sure to be killed first. Before We had
gone half mile all sickness had left us, and
we felt as if we could do anything. 1t gave
us feeling of power to go along through h the
air at that rate, flying around curves, plung-
ing into tunnels skipping down the mountain
sides at such a speed. 1t was far ahead of