The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1890-09-14

80, privilege and runs
III hill some distance. Then
las To be driven back to the road. All
this ends by disturbing the equilibrium of
the cargo, and then the "aTrlero" gallOps
up to
THE BAGGAGE MULE,
Dismounts with agility and throws mis-
"poncho" over the animals head. As long
as his head Is covered with the "poncho"
the mule remains still, and recourse to this
method of blindfolding is had each time the
mule is loaded and each time that the bal
arce needs to be Te-establSIed during the
days match. In fact, it is one of the little
incidents OF mountain travelling that amuses
the novice, for the aspect of a mule with his
head wrapped up in "ponchu" has GER
tain element Of comicality.
After examining the works OF the line in
the vicinity OF Punta Negra, where l over
took the paymaster, Don Carlos, L started
of in his company to the next camp of Yer
mejito, which is 200 meters above the level
of the sea. Here we spent the night, and
the next morning, after admirng the grand
black basaltic rocks that render the scenery
in these parts all the more dismally impress
sive, we started, together with two of the
engineers Of the camp, who volunteered to
see US safely across the Rio Blanco, which
was reported to be dangerously swollen.
When we reached the bottom of the deep
raSine through which this torrent flows, we
found the report to be only too true. The
NGlEtF NulkC d. Illhy W do lUdlHiUE anu
dashi1g over part of the narrow planks
which had been anchored across the stream
below the best f0rding-place. After work
ing an hour at the risk of their lives, the
two young engineers, who were as agile as
goats-Une was q Swede and the other an
{ llalian-sncceeded in raising one of the
blanks foot, so that it could be crossed
with comparative safety, the dash Of the
water over it remaining only about six
inches. 1 he human element of the party
Il. f,1+ IL
get over? The 'arrierOs" were ia state of
great agitation. and the paymaster was
anxious about the thousands of dollars that
he had in his money bags. However, every
man lent hand. The mules were unlOaded,
and with the aid of cries and whiring
lassos, they were driven into the turbulent
torrent and Haded or swan across braveiy,
one only getting carried away for few
minutes and losing big piece of his flesh
against sharp bOwlder. The next thing
was to carry over the baggage and saddles.
a lasso was flung across the stream and held
OH one side by the two engineers and on the
other by the "vigilante" or gendarme, who
accompanied the paymaster, ito prevent him
RAINING away with the eOmpany'S money"
aswe used laughingly to tell him. This taut
cord served as hand-rail along the narrow
plank and by means of repeated journeys
and with incessant fisk the baggage was
finally all carried over, the mules loaded and
saddled and the journey resumed. Don Car
lUS anu Ills DdllA lbdNIDH DtilllQ, Illey
we're well mounted on strong horses.
The origiDators Of the line are j. Z. and
M. Clark d Co., who obtained in 1873 the
first concession of a line from Buenos Avres
to the Pacific, passing through Villa Mer-
cedes Mendoza, and through the Uspallata
Pass 10 the Chilean frontier. with branch
from Mendoza to San Juan. Owing to
financial and political difficulties, this gen.
erai combination was carried out. About
1880 the Argentine Government bnilt the
frn, a1ap 20 Afa,,N n.,I
San Juan. In 1883 Clark & Co. built the
Pacific line from Buenos Ayres to Villa
Mercedes, which has since passed into the
hands Of an English company. while the line
from Villa Mercedes to Mendoza has also
become the property of an English company.
THE ARGENTINE GREAT WESTERN.
The actual works of the tTansandins line
were begun in 1887 by an English syndicate
called the BuenOs Ayres and Valparaiso
TRANSMITTING Railway Company, which
bought the concession from Clark & Co.,
and IS building the line on the Argentine
side, with Clark d Co. as contractors. On
the Chile side, from Los AnLes to the
frontier, the line is being. built by Clark &
Co., under the title of Clarks Transandine
caaifTway. linus, when the route is finished,
fft will riffbver the rails OF f1ve different
accompanies between Bqenos Ayres aEd val
, Great Western, tile Buenos AyreS and Val
+, paraiso Transsndine, clark s Iransandlne
land lastly the Chilean State line, from Los
Andes to Valparaiso. ,a;, H..
The first studies Tor the lhoulta1h INT
swere made in 1873, but serious survey was
s.Iot completed until 1887, amidst countless
edif9culties for the ground was almost en-
sfireiy painless and unknown both geograpnl..
tIcally and geologically UP 10 lhe pIese,s
vS Sb This section Of the Andes. The field ea
Is new and open to future enterprise. Inc me
Soint at which the Cordillera is to be passed