La Junta tribune., 1917-04-12
IN HEART OF THE ANDES
After Fifty-Two Days of Constant
Travel. Mrs. Brinkman Arrives
at Her Destination

/ This is the final chapter of Mrs.
Esther McCune Brinkman's story of
her fifty-two days journey from
New York City. through the Pan
anna Canal and down the west coast
of South America to her present
home In Peru, where her husband
is in the employ of the Inca Mining
Company. The story proved of great
interest to Mrs. Brinkman's many
La Junta friends, and they are cher
ishing the fond hope of being still
further enlightened as to the people,
and the manners. customs and con-
ditions of that faraway cline.
About 3 O'Clock In the afternoon
Friday, we reached the pass. The
wonderful scenery is indescribable.
There is usually snow or blizzard
at the top OF the pass. but we had
wonderfully clear weather. 1t was
very wonderful to be right on the
peaks. covered with the deepest
snow-and in the shadows that Won
derful clear blue, that is like the blue
OF a diamond. The altitude is H.
$50 feet at the pass. but none of us
felt II In the least. The air is most
exhilarating and sparkling, and !
felt that ! could run a mile. The
scene is beautiful beyond words there
in those peaks. and should like to
see II again.
After crossing the highest range,
We began to 20 down-very rapidly.
too. The driver kept the brake on
most OF the time. with the horses on
the gallop. and very soon we we're
very much warmer. We passed many
people. for living is easier on the
eastern slope OF the mountains. be-
cause II isn't so cold. and because
there is plenty OF rainfall for the
crops. We passed through the most
wonderful scenery. the sides OF the
mountains covered with vegetation.
! which became denser the farther
we came. About o'clock we
J reached Huancarani. where we were
to leave the coach and ride mules the
rest OF the way. Huancarani Is also
n station established by the com
pany. Mr.. Reynerson. OF Santo Do
mingo. met us there. so that we were
quite train as we set out There
were the five OF us. who had set
out In the coach, then Mr. Reyner-
son and boy to carry my bag on
. his mule. So We went. still going
down. through the most wonderful
scenes. which made me think very
much OF the pictures ! have seen
OF Switzerland. The houses are
much the same and the fields are
walled In the same manner. II was
spring. when we came through. and
the potatoes and corn were showing
a good start. The people seem very
happy. and they are very affectionate
: among themselves. Here we saw
very few sheep and llamas. and all
the time is devoted to farming. at
which the whole family works.
The trail had been built on the
walls OF the canon made by the river
and some times We could see II
rushing and tumbling among the
rocks. hut for the most part we
could only hear a. II was about
I o'clock and dark by the time We
reached Limbani whore we were to
stay all night. The altitude at Linn
bina IL about 1000 feet. 80 that Il
. was much warmer and We spent y
more comfortable night than We had
Mt Puerto Del Arturo. But the food
left much TO be desired and I ate
= very little.
|, We made very early start the
next morning. n could not have
been later than half past five or six
o'clock. and II was perfectly boauti-
ful going along the trail In the early
( morning iirht. The foliage became
very thick as we came down. and
, down. II was very tropicai-,hcre
were huge ,reoE with moss and vines
hanging from them. Just as the &C.
oTraphy said. but saw no snakes.
: nor monkeys Snakes are very scarce
and are rarely seen and the people
, are very particular about killing cv.
cry one that they 500. but we should
have seen some monkeys. Just ns va
y should have seen some whales while
. on the ocean. but they were no, ont
n that day. II was soon 30 warm that
I took off all my wraps. II was sure
Iy n delightful day. We had no rain
at all. and that Il most unusual. We
I travelled A. rapidly A. tho mule,
: 20. and some times We made them
q trot. and n there II anything harder
10 ride than 4 mule when II trots.