The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-12-16
(I IllI CT zE:lLlITDEs
A Tiresome r,sap Accomplished
by Two AMERICANS.
Facing storm, PcriIs, ana still
Grcnter Dangers on Their ROUtc-
Notwithstanding in "a storm Tn
der the shelter of an Umbrella.

Charles y. Simpson, of West Virginia.
| who recently arrived in San Francisco
| from South America, is on his way home
| after an experience that few men would
i care to undergo, he having crossed the
Andes Mountains Oh foot in dead of win
| ter, facing periis of wild elements and
wilder inhabitants of the country. The
| story of the trip, as told by Simpson, is
| as romantic as those usually found IN
books, where fiction is combined with
travel, but the appearance OF the mar
| ra:or. his calloused hands and worn face,
| bear mute witness to the hardships that
! were undergone during that terrible jour
, ney.
Simpson started from his West Virginia
| home with the determination of seeing
| as much of the world as possible ana
| sailed for England. whence he took snip
| for BuenOs Ayres, expecting to make an
! easy excursion across the Continent to
| Chile and home by way of the Pacific
! Ocean TO San Francisco. He did not make
calcula ton, however, for many things I'M
| fOreseen, and his easy excursion dcycl-
| oped into weary tramp over mountains
\
days and nights, sometimes suffering from
thirst and often hungry and cold. 1t was
a tour of comfortable travelling and pleas
ant sightseeing until the little city Of
| Mendoza, Nesting at the foot of the
| Andes, was reached; but from there on IL
| was almost struggle for existence I'M
til the waters of the blue Pacific cheered
his tired eyes and the soft beds of VAL
paraiso gave rest to his exhausted body
The story of the trip over the mountains
/ is best told in Simpsons own words
Il was accompanied by a young man
who had deserted his ship at Buenos
Ayres,' said Simpson. and who wanted
TO reach the Pacific. His name was
George Temple and, as he IVES without
| means, ] helped him along and paid his
expenses in order to have company We
made the mistake of attempting TO cross
the mountains after the passes we've
closed, and we're advised at Mendoza not
to try it, but as our money was limited
and We could not go back over the 600
miles Of plains to bueDos 'Ayres We de
termined to do the hest VIC could and get
to Valparaiso if possible We were well
armed with reyolvers and knives and did
not fear any trouble with either natives
or wild animals We We're compelled to
leave my big trunk al Mendoza and start
ed out with my handbag filled with food
and with a canvas bag holding cur cloth
ing. | carried my umbrella that | had
kept ever since having home. and this
served many cold night to protect us
from the piercing wind which sweeps
across the mountains. We started over
the foothills expecting to reach the Men
doza river in a sh9rt time. We carried a
leather bottle full of water. but it was
emptied long befale reached the top
of the mountain, and we were compelled
10 return to Mendoza for a new supply.
We then concluded TO follow the line of
the railroad along The river and started
out bravely enough.
THE first night out we met our first eX-
perience in hardship and were compelled
to sleep under Il water tank. We carried
n supply of food and IL was well that We
did, for there WAS 10 possibility OF OBJ
tanning any. We met scarcely anyone as
we travelled, and when We tried to get
food we were charged most exorbi ant
prices. The second night out We rea; hsd
a little cabin occupied by an old French
man and his wife. They were glad to see
anyone from Europe, and tried to enter
tain us, but as we could not understand
them nor they us, il was a difficult mat
ter. The old man showed us the skins OF
many wild animals that he had killed. and
made us bed on the floor out Of the furS
Next morning We started without break
fast and walked all that day and far into
the night. We stopped at place he. Il by
an Irish"1an who would not give Us sup
per- bed and breakfast for less than SO
each We could not afford that and
trudged on until we We're so worn that we
Geld scarcely drag one foot after the
other.
We supposed that We would always be
close TO water. but we found that the trail
led so high the mountain that the
river was thousands of feet below us and
we often suffered from thirst. While
hui ing for water we were passed by two
OF the worst looking Indians | have ever
seen. They evidently thought would
make good game. and during the day they
passed and repassed us. evidently sizing
us up feared an attack and told Temple
10 get ready next time and have his re-
volver out where they could it, When
they saw our revolvers they hurried away
and we did not see them again.
We reached a town that looked as if we
could get accommOda ton, and we asked D
priest where could get something hot
for breakfast. He took us TO house. but
the man wanted $50 each for breakfast
told the priest that we were almost
broke and could not afford that much for
Il meal. He argued with the landlord and
finally succeeded in getting breakfast for
us Tor 50 each. IL was BoOd breakfast, !
and We did full justice TO II. We had now
been five days and were at the foot OF the /
last climb TO the divide of the Andes. The
priest advised us not to attempt to climb
until we had remained in the town for
several davs and got thoroughly rested. |
We told him that at 81 meal We pre-
ierred travelling and started for the sum /
mt.
The climb was something fearful, and
after about three hours walking we
reached heavy snow and had to fight our
way through it TO the summit. At The
top. which we reached late in the alter
neon We found that The wind had blown
all the snow away and left the bare rock.
Here we found the big signboard marking
the dividing line between Argentine and
Chile. II was cold up on thai plateau
and we started down the other side. eX-