Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-08-10
ON A HAND CAR.
A Down-Grade Ride Over q Treaches
Gus Road.

A Down-Grade Ride Over q Treacher-
Gus Road.
From Forest and Stream
At am. on the morning Of June Fl, &C.
companied by an officer Of the Oroya rail-
road, we started In a private compartment
to inspect this wonderful feat Of engineer
Ing. The upward course began at once,
Following the valley toward the base OF the
distant Andes. At ten we breakfasted in
our compartment. and about noon, having
reached the mountains. began the steep as
cent over terraces. where. looking out Of the
car windows. one could drop an orange hun
dreds of feet on portions Of the track below,
through tunnels drilled into the solid rock
and over bridges spanning yawning chasms,
until about pm. our destination was
reached at an altitude OF nearly 10000 feet.
Beyond slight quickening Of the pulse
none of our party suffered from sorroche,
an attack from which. however. the height
attained could hardly have led US to expect.
This malady, Of which SO much Is heard
among the Andes. has for it's symptoms pal
pltatlon OF the heart. blueness OF the face
ana violent vomiting. AS in the case OF
seaslckness many are totally exempt from
X while others are always affected. That
TINS anection Is SO much better known In
south America than In other mountainous
countries Is probably accounted for by the
fact that greater attitudes are there more
readily reached. Monte Meiggs is compare
mveiy not diilieuit Of ascent and yet it can
After very substantial dinner. which the
keen morning air rendered doubly accept
able. we prepared for our return. The de-
scent was to be made in a hand car and by
gravity, since car started on any portion
OF the Oroya railroad can, without any
Lima. This hand car had been brought up
win US on the train, and upon putting It
together 1t was noticed that the fastenings
Of two Of the wheels were broken. After
hurried consultation. for IL
late. some telegraph wire was found by the
men VINO were to conduct the descent and
They hoped this would answer. they said.
And tf 1t does not?" / asked. They
shrugged their shoulders.
1 looked askance at my companions but
they stood by in silence. Probably, like my
sell. they would willingly have seconded a
proposition to return by the regular train.
word We took our seats on the car. Silently
one of the employees opened a bag, from
which he took three Colts revolvers. and.
keeping one, handed the others to his two
companions. These they cooked and placed
between their feet.
1T is not uncommon" one thoughtfully
explained. 'for desperadoes, since this car
is used by the paymaster. to throw 1t of
the track and open fire with Winchesters
S SISInt the ss survivors got tumble and a
Again looked at my companions. 1t was,
perhaps. owing to the high altitude that
signs of sorroche. As for myself, my heart
was in my mouth; but it did not trouble me
long, for OF a. sudden the brakes were taken
of, and. with a spring, the car shot for
ward apparently leaving at the point of de-
parture my entire internal economy. Down
we rushed with ever increasing speed, the
car swaying from side to side, on one hand
the mountain wall, on the other a drop of
perhaps thousand feet through tunnels Of
midnight darkness. around sharp curves,
where the broken wheels fairly creaked with
the strain, whizzing across the Puente del
Infernillo-the bridge OF hell-while the
shades of evening were quickly gathering.
The starless night closed In around us, shut
ting from our straining eyes all view Of the
track in front. 1t was now simply a Ques-
ton Of chance as We plunged into the dark
ness.
I'VE ought to have started sooner" NUT
tered one Of the men: "a stick or stone, or
even a dog on the track, would throw US
into the valley" All talk, difficult enough
before on account Of the rushing wind now
ceased. and In silence we watched the sparks
fly from the wheels. Thoughts of the armed
outlaws and Of the broken fastenings kept
running through my mind, and the journey
seemed almost endless. At length the sud
den twists around the sharp curves ceased.
We were in the valley. Presently a big
light burst upon US.
Down brakes. Skyesey," cried one Of the
men. The station was before us. Thank
God.