The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1890-09-14
A TRIP ACROSS
THE ANDES.
Notes of Travel From Mendoza to
Santa Rosa de Los Andes.
Theodore Child Tells Of Men and Manners in
the Vast Country Between the At
lantic and the COrdillera.

THEOD0RE CHILD, a popular and
MS highly entertaining writer for maya
sYASS zines, has recently made trip across
the Andes from Mendoza to Santa Rosa de
los Andes, and in an interesting article to
the current number of Harper's gives an
account of the peculiar features and man.
ners in The vast expanse of country that ex-
tends from the Atlantic TO the COrdillera.
Following are choice bits from this article:
Our little caravan consisted of six mules
one for me, one for Benigno, one for the
baggage, two spare animals in case of acct
dent, and the "yegua madrina," or bell
mule, which all the others follow. The
general order of march was the 'madrina,"
the spare mules and the baggage mule in
the van, followed by BenignO, who drove
them on with his lasSo, aud chased them
back into the path when they wandered
away. A short distance behind BenignO,
my mule stepped along at rapid walking
pace, rarely breaking into trOt, and that
only when he saw that the others were get
ting too far ahead. As for the accouter-
ments. they presented some special details
worthy Of notice The bride of both mules
and horses in the mountain districts OF the
Argentine and of Chile is provided not only
with a bit and curb, but also with SEMI
circular metal guard, which covers the lips
and serves the double purpose of protecting
the ncse of the animals in case of fall or
slip in going up hill, and at the same
Iime preventing them from drinking when
they are fordlug streams. This Chilean
bit is formidable engine, again st
which no animal can rebel. The TeinS
are generally made of twisted strands
OF Unframed leather, finely plated
in l.. r1f.f1 wi a
with rings, while attached to the bride IS a
leather lash two yards or two yards and a
half long, which takes the place of a whip,
and which you whirl round rs you would
whirl q lasse, and thus deal very eltlcacious
strokes across the Hanks OF recalCltrant
beasts. This long laSsO-lash is especially
useful when you meet another troop of
mules, or when you have to spur and
''wnocp" your way through one of those
herds Of a thousand or fifteen hundred
horned cattle which are constantly being
driven over tho mountains during the sum-
mer months, and crowd the narrow path in
an often alarming manner. The saddles
used are the high-cushioned Chilean or
Mexican models, or, more commonly,
series Of superposed skins and cloths ar
the "Iecado" or saddle Of the Argentine
'gauchO''-frSt of all, a cloth or some
sheepSkins, then a leather saddle, then
peaked wooden frame called "baStOS," to
winch lhe SIiITupS are dlidCuStl, anu the
whole held IN place by belly-band, and
then over this TWO or three more Sheep-SkinS
and a saddle-clOth, held in position by means
of a broad suTcinge. This surcngls is not
provided with buckles, but simply with
rings and thongs, which are tied with run
ming knots, and so can be more readily loos-
.ened and frightened while the various ele-
meuts Of the saddle are being recomposed-
an operation which has to be done from
time TO lime during the days march. es-
pecially when the road is prccipitOus. The
stirrups are simply heavy wooden shoes
or sabOts, always curiously carved. and
an excellent protection against the
powders and thorn-bushes which line
the mountain track. To the inexperienced
eye this equipment may seem primitive
and cumbersome, but in reality every detail
of it has its reason and use. Indeed, as
q general rule, we may be sure +s"r
consecrnted by long trad
sneered at. Even tn"
spurs lave their
10 hurt the
haIr-'