Chapter 8 Eight Andes Mountains

So far no serious accidents have occurred to the people who have traveled across Chile.But now, all the obstacles and dangers that mountain travel inevitably encounters come at the same time.Various difficulties and challenges with the natural world are about to begin. There is an important question that must be resolved before departure: by which way can we cross the Andes without departing from the original route?Everyone asks the guide. In this area of ​​high and low rocks, I only know that there are two ways to go.he answered. It must be the Arica road that Mandoza discovered in the past?Paganel said.

Not bad at all. And the road south of the Vera Rica Ridge also called the Vera Rica? Exactly. Well, friends, both roads have a problem, either too north or too south. Can you suggest another way?asked the major. Yes, that is the Andu Valley Trail, which is located on the slope of the volcano at 37 degrees and 30 degrees south latitude.That is, within half a degree of our intended course.This trail used to be Chamido.De.When Cruz poked out, the altitude was a little lower than 2,000 meters. Well, this Andu Valley trail, do you recognize it?Sir asked the guide. I know it, sir, I've walked that road too, and I don't mention it because it's a trail, barely passing the herds at best, and it's taken by the Indian stockmen on the eastern foot of the mountain.

Well, friends, we can go wherever the cattle and horses of the Baihuan Shi people can go.Since the path is still in a straight line, let's take the path. Immediately, the signal to move was given, and the party descended into the valley of Las Lejas, flanked by great clumps of crystalline limestone, the road rising with a barely perceptible slope.About eleven o'clock, we had to go around a small lake, which is a natural reservoir and the confluence of all the small rivers nearby, and the scenery is excellent.The river gurgles here, and then disappears in a tranquility.On the lake is a plateau layer by layer, covered with forest and grass, where the Indians' cattle and sheep graze.After passing here, there is a swamp stretching from north to south. Because the mule has the ability to cross the swamp, everyone survived safely.At one o'clock in the afternoon, it was bypassing the Palerna Fort.The hillside has gradually become steeper and rocky, and the stones roll under the mule's feet, forming a kind of gravel waterfall.When it was almost three o'clock, there were many ditches and ruins destroyed in the native uprising in 1770.These ruins are full of picturesque.

Really, high mountains are not enough to separate people, but also blockhouses!Paganel said. From here, the road is not only difficult, but also dangerous.The slope of the hillside increased, the path at Yantou became narrower and narrower, and the valley below the bank was appallingly deep.The mule walked cautiously, with its nose on the ground, sniffing the mountain road.People lined up one by one.Sometimes, after turning a steep bend, the Madeleine disappeared, and the caravan followed its bell, which sounded from afar.There are also times when the winding trails bend the mule team into two parallel rows, and the leading guide can talk to the trailing companion, separated by a crack less than 20 meters wide and hundreds of meters deep , forming an unbridgeable gap between the two parallel teams.

However, there are still herbaceous plants growing tenaciously in this mountain area, but people have already felt that the mineral world is invading the plant world.A few pieces of lava that have solidified are iron-blue in color, with needle-shaped yellow crystals rising up. People can tell that they are not far from the Andu Valley Volcano at a glance.The rocks are piled up layer by layer, crumbling, not conforming to any laws of balance, but they can still support each other and cling to each other without collapsing.Obviously, as long as there is a slight vibration, these rocks will change their shape. Seeing these sloping peaks, crooked domes, and biased domes, you know that the mountains in these areas have not yet been finalized.

In this condition, it is difficult to identify.The huge skeleton of the Andes Mountains is shaking almost constantly, so the passing route is often changed. The marking points that recognized the way yesterday may not be in the original position today.So guides are often confused.Stop and look around, recognize the shape of the crust, and look for the Indians on the brittle stones, for there is no way to know the direction! Jazz followed the guide step by step.He understood and felt that the guide's annoyance increased with the difficulty of the path.He didn't dare to ask him. He thought: the mule driver should have the same ability to know the way as the mule, so it's better to trust the mule driver. Maybe his thinking is not unreasonable.

For a whole hour the guide wandered, so to speak, but always gradually into higher ground.Finally he had to come down altogether.They were then entering a narrow valley, one of those narrow gorges that the Indians call guabratas.A cliff of cloud porphyry, peaked, barred the exit.The guide searched for a while, could not find his way, and dismounted from his mule, and waited, arms folded.Sir came up to him and asked: Lost your way? No sir. However, we are no longer on the road to Andu Valley, are we? We're still on the Andu Valley road. Are you right? I'm not mistaken, you see here are the ashes left by the Indians burning bonfires, and there are traces of sheep and horses.

Well, this road is walked by others! Yes, but it's impossible to walk now, the last earthquake blocked the road Blocking the road for mules can't block the road for people!said the major. ah!It depends on what you do, I did my best.If you are willing to go back and find another way among the high and low rocks, my mule and I are ready to go back together. Isn't that a delay? At least three days. Jazz listened to the guide's words and remained silent.The guide, of course, acts by contract.His mule could not go any further.However, when the guide suggested turning back, Sir looked back at his traveling companions and asked:

Are you willing to go this way regardless? We would like to go with you.Austin replied. Even to walk ahead of you, Paganel added, let's talk about it, what is the problem?The problem is climbing over a mountain range, and the downhill road on the other side of the mountain is not as easy as this side!When we cross the mountain, we can find the Argentine Pagano who guides us over the mountain and the fast horse used to galloping on the grassland.Don't hesitate, just go ahead. OK, move on!Sir's traveling companions all cried out. Can't you go with us?Sir turned to the guide.

I drive mules! Then do as you please. We don't need his company, and when we get beyond the cliffs, we'll find the way to the Vale d'Andu again, and I promise to lead you to the foot of the hill, as one of the best guides I've ever had on the rocks and rocks of the land.Paganel said. So the sir settled the bill with the guide, and dismissed him, with his companion and mule.Weapons, tools and dry food were carried separately by the seven passengers.Everyone unanimously decided to climb up again immediately, and walk for a while if necessary.On the slope to the left there was a winding path straight up and down, really impassable for mules.The difficulty was indeed great, but after two hours of exhaustion and twists and turns, the seven of them went to the route of Andu Valley again.

By this time they had reached the part really called the Andes, not far from the highest ridge of the great rocky rock.However, no matter the roads or roads, they are no longer recognizable.A recent earthquake had turned the whole area upside down, and there was only a gradual climb up the ridge from the raised stone shell on the mountainside.Paganel couldn't find a way to go, and was a little at a loss for a while, so he had to climb desperately to the top of the Andes Mountains. The average altitude of the top of the mountain is between 3,300 and 3,600 meters.As luck would have it, the weather was fine, with clear skies, and the season was good for pedestrians.If it is winter, between May and October, it is impossible to climb like this: the severe cold climate will freeze pedestrians to death at once; It's called Tenmblal, and I don't know how many people are blown down by it into the deep pit with high and low rocks every year. Jazz and his party climbed all night.Those layers of rocks that are almost impossible to climb, everyone climbed up on their stomachs with their hands, and those wide and deep cracks, everyone jumped over them, arm in arm as a rope, and shoulders as a ladder. Such heroes who risk and face hardships are like a group of clowns in a big circus, performing trapeze.That's when the burly Muradhi and nimble Wilson come into play.These two honest Scots ran about and labored here and there, and several times the little company of travelers would have been unable to pass without the zeal and courage of these two.Sir kept looking at young Robert, fearing that something might happen to him because of his young age and vivacity.As for Paganel, he continued to move forward with the kind of enthusiasm that is characteristic of the French.As for the major, he only moved when it was time to move, no more, no less, just right, as if nothing had happened, he slowly climbed up in a calm and unhurried manner.For a few hours, he might not have felt that he was going up, or he might have thought he was going down. At five o'clock in the morning, according to the barometer, they had reached an altitude of 2,300 meters.At this time they were on the second level mesa, which was the end of the arbor field.There are several wild beasts jumping there. If the hunter meets them, he will be ecstatic, and maybe he will make a fortune.These vigorous beasts also seem to know that hunters like to hit them, so they run away when they see people from a distance.Among those wild animals, the first is the llama, which is a specialty of the mountainous area. It can replace sheep, cattle, and horses, and live in places where even mules can't survive.There is also a large-eared mouse, a small rodent, tame and timid, with good fur, shaped like a hare or a wild mouse, with special long hind legs, like a kangaroo.It was lovely to see this nimble little creature running like a chinchilla up and down the tree tops, not a bird but a quadruped no longer.Paganel said. However, these beasts are not yet the inhabitants of the highest point on the mountain.At a height of 3,000 meters, near the snow area, there are groups of beautiful ruminants: one is a camel, covered with velvet-like long hair, and the other is a hornless goat, slender and imposing. , the hair is very fine, and zoologists call it the horned antelope.But this kind of small animal, you don't even try to get close to it, you can't even see it easily, it escapes like a bird spreading its wings, slipping away soundlessly on the blindingly white snow layer. At this dawn, the appearance of the entire mountain area has become completely illusory and uncertain.Numerous dazzling large ice rinks, with a little light blue color, stand on the cliff, reflecting the dawn light.It is very dangerous to climb the mountain at this time.You have to probe carefully first, and when you touch the crack, you can't venture forward.Wilson had already run to the front of the line to spearhead, testing the ice with his feet.The companions followed his footsteps cautiously, and avoided talking loudly, because a louder voice would shake the air and shake down the heavy snowballs hanging seven or eighty feet above their heads. They had already reached the bush area, and after climbing more than two hundred and fifty meters, the bushes would give way to grasses and cacti.At an altitude of 3,300 meters, even these things are gone, and the plants are completely extinct.The passengers rested only once at eight o'clock, simply to eat something to recover their strength, and then muster up the courage to continue to climb up at greater risk.You have to step over the ice edge like a knife point, and you have to climb over the deep pit that makes people dare not look down.The roadsides in several places are lined with wooden crosses, a testament to the constant mishaps that have occurred in this place.Just before two o'clock in the afternoon, a bare, desert-like flat land spread out among steep mountains.The air is dry and the sky is blue.At this altitude, rain never occurs, and the water vapor turns only to snow and hail.Scattered peaks of porphyry or alabaster break through the white shroud like the dead bones of a carcass, and sometimes fragments of silica or gneiss, blown off by the wind, roll down with a deep sound, It is barely audible due to the thin air. However, that small group of passengers could be said to have more than enough energy.Seeing that his companions were exhausted, Jazz regretted walking so far in the deep mountains.Little Robert fought desperately with fatigue, but he couldn't go any further.At three o'clock Sir stopped. about to rest.He said that because he saw that everyone was unwilling to make this suggestion first. Rest?But there is no hiding place!Paganel said. However, rest is imperative, and for Robert, it is even more necessary! I don't want rest, sir.The brave boy replied, I can still go, please don't stop Let someone else carry you, my boy, said Paganel; at any rate you must go east.You may find a hut on the other side of the mountain.I ask you to go another two hours. Do you all agree?Sir asked. agree.The traveling companions answered unanimously. Murady added: I am responsible for carrying the baby. We continue to head east.Another two hours of laborious climbing.Everyone always climbs up, climbs, and climbs to the highest peak.Due to the thin air, everyone has difficulty breathing. This phenomenon is called hypoxia.The blood oozed from the gums and lips because of the loss of balance, and perhaps also from the snow, for at high altitudes snow obviously corrupts the air.Since the air is thin, it is necessary to breathe harder to speed up blood circulation. This kind of organ activity makes people tired, no less than the reflection of sunlight on the snow surface.No matter how strong the will of the group of warriors is, at this time, the bravest people can't stand it anymore. The terrible sickness and dizziness in the high mountains not only reduce their physical strength, but also their perseverance to fight against this fatigue. It is inevitable to suffer.After a while, more and more people fell down. Once they fell, they couldn't stand up, so they had to crawl on their knees. This journey of climbing took too long, and everyone was exhausted, and they couldn't support it any longer.The vast snowy sea, the cold air that cracked his skin, the night shadows that gradually engulfed the mountain peaks, and the fact that he couldn't find a place to spend the night, Jazz couldn't help but tremble with fear.At this moment the major suddenly exclaimed in a calm tone: There is a cottage there!