CHAPTER XXVII.

INCIDENTS OF A RIDE OVER THE ANDES.--CONTRACT WITH THE ARRIERO.--PASSES BETWEEN CHILI AND THE ARGENTINE REPUBLIC.--NIGHT SCENES.--DANGERS OF THE ROAD.--A PERILOUS POSITION.--USPALLATA.--AT THE CREST OF THE ANDES.

It had been arranged that in consideration of eighty dollars, half in advance, and the balance on completion of the journey, Il Senhor Don Francisco Bassetti (which is South American Spanish for Mr. Frank Bassett) and his servant were to be transported from Mendoza to Santa Rosa, with their baggage, the latter not exceeding two hundred pounds in weight, exclusive of blankets and clothing. The contract was taken by one Don Federico, an _arriero_ who presented the most laudatory testimonials as to his efficiency and honesty. It was stipulated that Federico should provide an extra saddle-mule for Frank and another for Manuel, to be used in case of accident, and that he and the peon who accompanied him would attend to the saddling and all the care of the beasts. Federico was to provide food for the travellers similar to his own; any extra provisions they chose to carry would form part of the baggage, and be included in the allowance of two hundred pounds. The peon was to do the cooking for the party, but no objection should be made if Senhor Don Francisco Bassetti chose to employ his servant Manuel in the preparation of his dinners.

Don Federico, the arriero, proved something less than fancy and his testimonials painted him, but, considered as a whole, he was not altogether utterly depraved. His first move was to reduce the number of extra saddle-mules to one, by suggesting that it was not probable the regular mules of Frank and Manuel would both be disabled at once. Therefore he thought one would suffice. He would have gone into a lengthy argument on the subject had he not been cut short by Frank, who insisted upon the terms of the contract. Next, he proposed to load the baggage on one of the extra saddle-mules, and when prevented from doing so, he suggested that it could be divided and carried behind the saddles of the travellers. Evidently he was bent on reserving one mule from the stipulated number. Frank and Manuel met him at every point; when he found it impossible to cheat them he submitted gracefully, and afterwards conducted himself very fairly. Later in the day Frank learned that the arriero came from Mendoza with the proper number of mules. One had become lame, and Federico was obliged to hire another to replace it. Instead of frankly stating his trouble, he had endeavored to "dodge" the difficulty by departing from his agreement.

Frank obtained lodgings at the house of a German, the only European resident of the place. His bed was a pile of hides in a corner of a room full of merchandise, and the youth spent a considerable part of the night in deliberating as to whether the hides were harder or softer than the floor. Don Federico was anxious to start early in the morning, and Frank accommodated him; he was up before daybreak, and the whole party had breakfasted and were in the saddle by sunrise.

Provisions for crossing the Andes are limited in variety, but that they are adapted to the wants of travellers there can be no dispute. They consist of _charqui_, or jerked beef, reduced to a powder by pounding in a mortar or between two stones. It is baked or roasted before pulverization, and is therefore ready cooked. For preparing a repast of charqui, heat some water till it boils; throw in a few spoonfuls of the beef powder, one or two slices of onion, break in some bread or crackers, and let the whole simmer for ten minutes. Serve hot, and you have a dish that a king might envy.

"It would hardly answer for Delmonico's or other fashionable restaurants," wrote Frank in his note-book, "but with the appetite created by exercise and the air of the mountains I have never tasted anything more welcome than this simple preparation. It can be easily carried, is not readily spoiled, and, on the whole, is the very best thing one could have. I brought along some tins of preserved meats and vegetables; they proved acceptable, but were not at all necessary for our existence. In a bag slung at my saddle-bow I carried some crackers, and whenever hungry I proceeded to nibble one of them. Charqui soup, crackers, raisins, figs, and mate comprised my bill of fare on the journey after the first day out, with the addition of the flesh of a few birds and rabbits we killed on the way."

For the rest of the account of this trip over the Andes we will copy from Frank's journal.

"According to the geographers," wrote our young friend, "there are ten passes across the Andes between the Argentine Republic and Chili; they vary from six to fifteen thousand feet above the sea-level at their highest point, and each pass has its peculiarities. The pass of Los Patos (The Ducks) has the advantage of good pasturage all the way, and is much frequented by cattle-drivers, to whom time is no object, but the great length of the route renders it undesirable for travellers and merchandise trains. The Planchon Pass lies along the Claro and Teno rivers; it is only six thousand feet high, and has been selected as the route for the railway between the two countries.

"The passes most used by travellers are Portillo and La Cumbre; the former is much travelled from the beginning of February to the end of April, and the latter from November to May. We are crossing by La Cumbre, which is also known as Uspallata Pass; it was one of the earliest routes known to the Spanish conquerors of Chili and the Argentine Republic, and is said to have been in use for centuries before their arrival.

"This pass has two roads, which are traversable at different periods, according to the state of the snow; the one generally used is 12,488 feet above the sea, while the other is 12,656 feet. At irregular intervals along the route there are _casuchas_, or refuges, which were built by the old Spaniards for the protection of couriers and travellers who might be caught in snow-storms. Under the Spanish rule the casuchas were provided with benches or shelves on which one could sleep; there were doors that could be closed, and a supply of food and fuel was kept in each building. But since the countries became independent of the Old World the doors and shelves of these houses of refuge have been burned, and the supply of provisions is not maintained. The casuchas are dirty, and so open to the wind that unless the weather is absolutely terrible it is preferable to stay outside. The traveller must rely upon himself for provisions, and if he has not a sufficient supply, in case of a long detention in the mountains, he must either starve or eat his mules.

"It had been stipulated with Federico that a supply of charcoal should be carried, as no fuel is obtainable on the highest parts of the mountains. Lower down there are trees and shrubs sufficient for cooking purposes, and there are patches of vegetation where the animals can graze, but in the upper elevations the beasts must go hungry, unless a few rations of grain are carried for them. Federico was thoughtful regarding his mules, and provided for them more liberally than do many of the arrieros. We had a good supply of blankets and other coverings for sleeping purposes; the weather was fine, and there was a good prospect that we should be in Santa Rosa on the fifth day from setting out on our mountain ride.

"Among the people that gathered to witness our departure there were several afflicted with goitre, or swelling of the glands of the neck. I saw many cases of this disease in Mendoza, and at different points along the road; to all appearances it is identical with the goitre one sees in Switzerland, and its origin is as mysterious here as in the Old World. Federico said that nine tenths of the victims were women; he added that few of them objected to it, as it was 'excellent for displaying jewelry.'

"We rode out from the little village in as much 'style' as we could command, in spite of the restiveness of the mules, and their tendency to use their heels whenever an opportunity was afforded. Federico said they would get over it in a little while, but for the present we must put up with their eccentricities. Before starting we witnessed the performance of a young colt which had been taken in tow by the arriero of a party bound for Mendoza; it surpassed any of our mules in its kicking propensities, and I was satisfied that our beasts were by no means the worst behaved in the country.

"Almost immediately after leaving the village we struck into the valley of a river flowing from the mountains, and from this point our road was almost a continuous ascent. Up and up we climbed, passing two or three mining establishments, apparently abandoned, and an occasional hut whose occupant sold food and forage to the mule trains, and took advantage of the little patches of grass near his residence. After several hours of this kind of work along zigzag paths we reached the highest point of the Uspallata range, and halted to give our animals a breathing-spell, and to observe the scenery.

"This spot is called 'El Paramillo,' and the view it affords is magnificent. To the eastward the plain and the intervening hills were spread like a map before us, and we could trace the course of the rivers and ravines for many and many a mile. North and south and west were the Andes; their great peaks seemed to pierce the sky, and their caps of purest snow reflected in almost blinding clearness the rays of the sun. Though we had gained an elevation of thousands of feet, the mountains towered far above us, and I realized more than ever before the awful grandeur of the Andes. Below and around us were yawning chasms, and as Federico pointed out the route by which we were to continue it seemed as though an eternal barrier stood between us and the opposite side of the great chain of the Andes.

"From the crest of this ridge we proceeded over a table-land and along a gentle descent for about fifteen miles, till we reached the rancheria of Uspallata, where we passed the night. It consists of a series of adobe houses built around a court-yard; several of these houses are divided into rooms for the accommodation of travellers, and as soon as Manuel could secure one of them it was delivered into our custody. It was the Eastern khan or caravansary over again, and I fancy that the idea must have been brought from Spain by the early settlers, and originally obtained from the Moors during their residence in the Peninsula.

"My room contained a chair and a table, but no other furniture. On one side there was a shelf of adobes four feet wide and two feet above the floor, which was intended for a bed, but there was not even a rawhide upon it. I was expected to supply my own bedding, and with the aid of my overcoat, blankets, saddle, and saddle-gear, I had a very comfortable couch under the circumstances. I was too weary to be particular, and, five minutes after lying down, was oblivious to all outward things.

"Manuel piled our personal belongings in one corner of the room, and slept on the floor near them. Our mules were turned into the clover-fields which surround the buildings, and afford good pasturage for cattle and mule trains. Federico told me he was obliged to pay a sum equal to about twenty cents of our currency for each animal; he and his men had all the work of collecting and managing their beasts, and the proprietors had nothing to do except to collect the money. They must make a fine revenue from the place, as each room yields a dollar a night when occupied, and everybody is or has his own servant. But perhaps they are so heavily taxed by the government that their profits are materially reduced. The governments in this part of the world do not permit a private citizen to make money rapidly except in rare instances.

"We obtained beef and eggs and a loaf of bread for supper, so that we were not obliged to draw upon our mountain provisions. Manuel made an excellent omelette from the eggs; he cut the beef into small pieces, through which a long stick was thrust, and then held the meat over a fire until thoroughly cooked. I opened a can of oysters that I brought from Buenos Ayres, and prepared a savory stew in a kettle borrowed from the kitchen of the rancheria. Oysters, fresh beef, bread, mate, and the hunger of a famished wolf! what more could be required for an excellent meal?

"In the morning we had breakfast (identical with the supper, but without the oysters), and were ready for the road at an early hour. When I went into the court-yard of the rancheria there were at least a hundred mules, all mixed up in the wildest confusion. There were half a dozen trains, some bound east, and the others west; the arrieros and their peons were busy saddling their animals, and as soon as one had received his cargo he was allowed to wander among the herd at will. There was a chorus of braying which surpassed a Chinese band of music or the noise of a boiler factory, and the lack of accord was emphasized by vigorous kicks on the part of the animals. How I wished to photograph the scene, and phonograph it too, at the same time!

"I wondered how it would be possible to separate the animals of the different trains, but soon found out.

"As each arriero completed his saddling he led out his _madrina_, or bell-mare, and tinkled her bell. Instantly his mules followed her, separating themselves from the rest of the herd without the least difficulty. Federico told me it is the bell rather than the mare which forms the attraction, as the mules will follow the bell on a strange mare but will not follow their madrina with another bell. When the mules are turned out to graze they always keep near the madrina, and their manifestations of devotion to her are constant. When she is in danger they have been known to form a circle about her and, with heels outward, make a vigorous defence.

"My saddle-mule was a perfect 'amadrinado,' in the language of the arrieros, or thoroughly trained to follow the madrina's bell. If I fell behind the train at any time, and especially if the bell could not be heard, the beast became restive, and was evidently much alarmed. If I dismounted, for even a minute, it was necessary to keep a strong hold of the bridle, and there would generally be so much kicking and plunging that I needed the aid of the arriero or a peon to mount again.

"The table-land of Uspallata continues for eight or ten miles, till the valley of the Pichiuta River is reached. We ascended this valley, for several miles and then turned across an intervening ridge to the Mendoza River; the Pichiuta is a clear, sparkling stream of excellent water, and there is plenty of pasturage and fuel along its banks, while the water of the Mendoza is muddy and has a brackish taste.

"Here let me remark that there is a wonderful difference between the rivers of the eastern and western slopes of this part of the chain of the Andes. On the Chilian side the streams are nearly all clear and pure, while on the Argentine side they are mostly muddy, and so impregnated with salt and lime as to be unfit for drinking or cooking purposes. The banks of the small streams are nearly always covered with an incrustation of impure saltpetre, and sometimes the water is so bad that cattle are poisoned by it.

"On the ridge between the two rivers we had our first real dangers of mountain travelling. There are several _laderas_, or places where the road is cut into the side of a mountain, and so narrow that two loaded mules cannot pass. There are spaces where the path is widened a little, and it is customary for trains, moving in opposite directions, to watch for each other and avoid meeting in the narrow and most dangerous spots.

"One of our baggage-mules was ahead, and right in one of the laderas he met a train coming the other way. I feared he would be thrown from the path into the great chasm, a thousand feet below, and you may be sure my face was full of anxiety.

"To my surprise and delight the mule planted his four feet close together, and turned around in a space not more than a yard wide! Then he trotted back to join us, and I wanted to get down and hug him for his display of intelligence.

"Federico told me to allow everything to my mule, and under no circumstances attempt to guide it in a dangerous spot. 'The mule knows every ladera on the mountains,' said he, 'and exactly where to place its feet. Never hurry it in the least, and never touch the reins no matter how much you are tempted to do so.'

"This was good advice, and I remembered it, at any rate, most of the time. Once I forgot myself when the mule stumbled on a ladera, and for a few seconds was balanced on one foot on the edge of a fearful abyss. The side of the mountain was almost perpendicular for five or six hundred feet below me, and there was a wild torrent dashing along its base. Instinctively I threw out my hands to grasp the reins. Federico was just behind, and shouted for me to sit still; his voice recalled what he had told me, and my hands dropped to my side as though I had lost all strength. One foot of the mule actually went over the edge of the rock, but the other held its position, and I was safe!

"One of the perils of the road are the snow-slides. Masses of snow accumulate on the slopes of the mountains, and suddenly, without a moment's warning, sweep downward into the valley below. Men and animals on any part of the trail crossed by the avalanche are carried along with it; sometimes they are crushed to death and buried far out of sight, and sometimes they escape without serious injury. Generally, however, the snow-slides are fatal to those who happen to be caught in them, and the arrieros naturally hold them in great dread.

"I think I hear some one asking why I did not get off and walk in the perilous places. The arrieros say it is more dangerous to walk than to ride, and certainly they ought to know. In the first place, I was ignorant of the road, and that is a very important consideration; and, secondly, the mule is accustomed to this kind of travel and I am not. He never takes a step without determining beforehand exactly where his feet are to be planted, and not until one foot is firmly in position does he venture to lift another. Besides, he has twice as many feet as I have, and, therefore, should be doubly sure-footed.

"Some of the torrents have been spanned with rope-bridges, which are secure enough, but very shaky. The mules hesitate to cross these structures, but they generally do so after a great deal of persuasion, which is mostly physical.

"The second night of our mountain journey was spent at the 'Casucha de las Puquios,' at the edge of a marsh where there was fairly good pasturage for our weary animals. We had a supper of charqui soup, made in the manner I have described, together with a partridge and a rabbit broiled over the coals. The rabbit was shot within a hundred yards of our camp, and the partridge about a couple of hours before we reached it. Game is not abundant in this region; rabbits, partridges, guanaco, and foxes are the principal products of the chase around Uspallata, and Federico says he has frequently made the journey without seeing a single wild bird or beast.

"Not long after our arrival a train of twenty mules came in from the westward and camped close to us. The drivers fraternized with our men and joined them at supper, and there was a general exchange of information concerning the condition of the roads. There is universal hospitality among the arrieros, and when one party meets another there is an immediate proffer of food, cigarettes, or anything else that may possibly be wanted. Every time we met a train the arrieros would stop to chat a few moments, and then, with an '_Adios!_' and a graceful wave of the hand, hurried on to overtake their charges.

"Soon after starting the next morning we passed 'The Inca's Bridge,' a natural causeway over a stream which flows about forty feet below it. The bridge is sixty feet long and averages about the same in width; and Mr. Darwin thinks it was formed by the river breaking through underneath. Lieutenant Macrae, of the United States Navy, made a careful examination, and thinks it was formed by the concretion of the water from several calcareous springs in the hillside, which went on forming shelf after shelf till they reached across. On a shelf under the bridge there are two warm springs which have been hollowed out into baths. I tried the temperature, and found it 97 deg. Fahrenheit; I wanted to take a bath in one of the springs, but was fearful of catching cold after immersion in the warm water.

"The arrieros do not wash their hands or faces from the beginning to the end of a journey; I had been strongly advised to follow their example, and was warned that I would suffer if I did otherwise. I dipped my hands in the warm water, and then yielded to the temptation to wash them; I was paid for my rashness by one of the worst cases of chapped hands I ever experienced. I retained the impurity of my face, and on reaching Santa Rosa my complexion was darker than that of any of my peons, and soiled enough for a street gamin of New York.

"From the Inca's Bridge we ascended the valley of the Cuevos River for some distance, and then began a steep ascent. It was a steady struggle, and as we rose higher and higher I could see it was very trying to the strength of our mules. They panted for breath, and after a few minutes' exertion it was necessary for them to take a rest of nearly equal length. At Mendoza, and also in the lower country and on the table-land, I had observed that the arrieros and peons were very cruel to their animals, belaboring them severely for their insubordination, and calling them a great many hard names. But in the dangerous parts of the journey the whole state of affairs was changed. The mules were docile, and quite the reverse of obstinate, while the drivers were models of gentleness. They used neither whip nor spur, but spoke softly, and permitted the animals to suit themselves in going on or resting. For a good deal of the way our advance was very slow.

"We stopped frequently, for five or ten minutes at a time; at noon we halted for an hour where there were a few shrubs on which the mules could nibble, but nothing which would make a satisfactory meal. We passed the night--the third of the journey--in a casucha, which Federico said was two thousand feet below the summit of the pass. The wind blew fiercely, and made the casucha, doorless though it was, preferable to the open air. I ordered the peons to clear it of dust and rubbish, and we spread our beds on the floor; we got along fairly well, and were up early enough to be off as soon as daylight permitted us to see the road. It wasn't a place for late sleeping, and a snow-squall that came on during the night added to our discomfort. It was only a squall though, not a storm, and did no real harm.

"Near our camping-place there were many skulls and skeletons of cattle; Federico said they were the remains of a large drove which were caught in a storm and perished here on their way to Chili. The great perils of the mountain passage are in the snow-storms, which sometimes detain the traveller for weeks in one spot. They rise suddenly, and the experienced mountaineers cannot be tempted to venture out when such storms are liable to come.

"From here to the summit the road was like a series of zigzags directly up the side of the mountain. It was trying to the nerves to look down, and I soon found the best thing was to fix my gaze on the top of the mountain, or to the first visible angle of the path above me, and keep it there. At times we ascended at an angle of forty degrees, and I am not sure but that it was sometimes forty-five or fifty degrees. Certainly I have never climbed a steeper road, and never want to do so.

"Hurrah! here we are at the top. We can toss a stone into Chili with one hand and into the Argentine Republic with the other. We are more than two miles in the air, and as we look away to the westward we can see the dark mass of the Pacific Ocean forming the curving rim of the horizon.

"We are at the crest of the Andes, and the South American continent is at our feet."