The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1905-11-16
Sublime Views Gin the Land of the
Sky

Over the Andes by Trails Centuries Old.
Sublime Views 'In the Land of the
Sky"
Especial Correspondence of The JournaLl
BuENos AYREs, ARGENTINE, Oct.
!, 1905, We engaged an ''arriero," or
mountain guide, Don Rafael Ignacio
| Zorro by name and CHILEAN by birth,
recommended to be most reliable fell
low who had made mountaineering Il
business for twenty years or more,
conducting parties across the cordillera
and losing few of them. Certainly a
more picturesque looking rutfian was
seldom seen off the lyric stage than
Don Rafael in his purple and scarlet
poncho and cow-skin boots drawn up
the thigh-the resemblance to the
brlgand of melodrama heightened by a
red handkerchief wound loosely around
his head and his broad leather belt
stuck full of knives and pistols. After
a deal of haggling, without which no
business can be transacted in these
parts, he gracefully consented to his
usual terms, viz: to furnish two mules
for each person, one with saddle on
his back and the other 10 carry luggage
or to be in reserve in case of accidents;
two poems, to attend the animals, cook
the food, and assist him in defending
our lives and property, If need be;
Rafael to supply his own food and that
for the mules and poems and we to look
out for ourselves in the culinary line;
and nobody's luggage to exceed 100
ponnds in weight. blankets and cook
ing kit included. In consideration
thereof we agreed to pay $40 per capita
in gold for the round trip between Men
doza and FL Puehnta del Inca, as the
natural bridge is called-half the
money in advance and the remainder
after our safe return to Mendoza. 1t
seemed a simple bargain, but required
no end of red tape to make 1t locally
valid, including a legal document a
yard long, with the great red seal OF
the government affixed and the sigma
ture of the Jefe Politico and that OF
each member of the party. Your cor
| respondent figured in guise which her
own parents would not have recognize
ed as the name of their daughter-Se-
nora Francesca Ward, there being no
w in the Spanish alphabet, you know
| The shops of Mendoza make spec
ialty of mountaineers supplies ana we
quickly equipped with everything need
full, i. e. canned beef, dried fish, salted
ham, crackers of various kinds and
strange duicies, coffee, cocoa, mate Tea,
blankets and medicine chest: Query:
why the medicine chest? The latter
stocked with whiskey, quinlne, cam
phor, jamaica ginger and 81. JACOBS
oil. AS a personal outfit, each !ady,
taught by previous experience, attlred
herself in style to shame the Queen
of Sheba had her ancient highness been
along-dark blue flannel dress over dl-
yided skirts of the same material,
warm Jacket, with sleeves long enough
to come down over the hands and loose
enough to allow free movement OF the
arms. cap with surprising capaDllltles
of extension in the way OF VISOR 10
shade the eyes and lappels to pull down
over neck and ears, securely tled on
| with stout veil, roomy long Wrlsted
| gloves and horrid hob-nailei shoes
and goggles of smoked glass for the
snow fields. an extra storm cloak and
| muf1er slowed away among the lug,
gage. and a little shining pistol tucked
| in its little leather belt, which, how
ever useless as a weapon OF oHenSe
and defense. adds the final drop to the
feminine cup of serenity in these Wild
We'll, we rode out of town with as
much dignity as could be commanded
on the backs of mules each OF which
| insisted on pitching its rider head fore
most into the crowd assembled to wit
ness the DEPARTURE freshness which
Don Rafael assured us would get out
of their heels in day or two. Having
followed the railway track to it's end, a
few miles beyond the city, we struck
into a trail along the Mendoza river,
which wound up hill and down dale
through enchanting scenery. By sun
set we had made thirty miles and come
aims. We might have passed the night
in some flea infested ranch house, but
preferred pure air and "all outdoors"
SO we camped in clump OF cacti by
the wayside. A tent was rugged for the