"Boussingault and Hall have since ascended to within 1729 feet of the top of the giant mountain, by taking a route different from that followed by Humboldt. They experienced the same difficulties in breathing and in the rush of blood to the lips and eyes; both of them were enfeebled for some time after making the journey, and their experiences were altogether such as to deter any but the hardiest of men from attempting the ascent of Chimborazo.
"But though we cannot climb to the top of this kingly mountain, we may look at it as much as we please, and very beautiful it is in the contemplation. It is a sharp cone, sharper and more pointed than Fusiyama or Etna, sharper even than Tacoma or Ranier in our own country, and sharper again than magnificent Avatcha, the great landmark of Kamtchatka. Its summit is covered with perpetual snow; it stands within less than two degrees of the equator, and the palm groves of the tropics are spread almost at its feet. Eternal winter wraps its head, but eternal summer smiles below. Standing where Humboldt stood, all the seasons of the year and all climates of the globe may be passed in review.
"But I'm stopping you on the sierra while telling you about Chimborazo. Well, the mules have had a chance to breathe, and we'll move on.
"From the top of the sierra we descended the slope to the valley of the Chimbo; the road is steep, and in many places slippery, and more than once we thought we would not get down without a serious accident. Here and there our mules put their feet together, and slid with a velocity that made our hair rise under our hats, and our teeth shut closely together; we shall hereafter have more respect for the intelligence of the mule than we ever had before. One of the baggage mules tumbled, and was pitched together in a heap, but he gathered himself together, and rose again as though nothing had happened.
"We passed many places that reminded us of the northern states of our own country; the valley is elevated eight or nine thousand feet above the sea, and the climate is quite unlike that of the region around Guayaquil. Wheat, barley, potatoes, and turnips are cultivated, instead of the tropical products which we saw along the banks of the Guayas; at a little distance the dwellings of the people have a substantial appearance, but a closer acquaintance shows that they are built of mud and are anything but attractive on the inside.
NATIVE HUTS NEAR QUARANDA.
"We stopped for the night at Guaranda, which is on the west bank of the Chimbo River, and is said to be a healthy place of residence throughout the year. It has a population of about two thousand, but there is hardly a decent house in the place. The buildings are low huts of adobe, or sun-dried bricks; the streets are made lower in the centre than at the sides, and when the rains fall there is no danger that the foundations of the houses will be damaged by water.
"Dr. Bronson said that we were in the centre of the region which produces the celebrated Chinchona, or Peruvian bark, which has such a great reputation in curing fevers. It takes its name from the Countess of Chinchon, who was cured of intermittent fever by its use at Lima, about the middle of the seventeenth century. It was then taken to Europe, and the knowledge of it was spread through the civilized world."