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CHAPTER X.
The Eastern View from the pass. Commencement of the Descent. Expeditious Despatch of the Baggage down the Steep. The Caves. The Snow-storm and its results. Privations. The Chase of the Guanacoes. Jack's Perilous Adventure in the Snow.

ON each side of the pass rose the lofty walls of still higher mountains, which the family believed they never could have surmounted, but must have perished in their wanderings, but for the guidance of Almagro. The plain extended for two miles beyond the crater; it was scattered with broken and pulverized fragments, which rendered walking difficult and painful, even on the level ground. At length they reached the termination of the pass and looked down on the wondrous scene of the eastern descent. Mountains below mountains were spread before them, separated by deep hollows filled with snow, into which it appeared to them a single false step might precipitate the unfortunate traveller. The eye ached with gazing on the vast and widely-spread declivity, which terminated in a blue haze--the unextinguishable Pampas.

The eastern descent is more abrupt than that of the west, and every step is attended with danger; yet still it was with extreme satisfaction that they took the winding downward path, which was more distinctly marked than any they had yet trodden. They rested for the night on a level spot, with aching limbs, and the inspection of their diminished stores did not tend to cheer them. The dried meat was quite exhausted, and the maize, which they were obliged to share with their famishing animals, was nearly at an end.

But the morning light, after a night of repose, renovated their spirits, and they set out with bolas and lassoes in readiness, hoping to fall in with the guanacoes, and, in the ardor of search, they almost forgot their fatigue and hunger. For some time they pursued a monotonous zig-zag path, unbroken by any appearance of life, till at length they met with a few withered plants of grass scattered among the broken fragments and patches of snow. These afforded a feast for their exhausted beasts, who picked up every leaf in their reach.

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Though the air was keen and transparent, Dr. Lewis expressed his satisfaction that none of the party, not even Mrs. Merton, had suffered from that difficulty of breathing which is so frequently produced by the rarity of the atmosphere in these lofty regions. There was still another danger to which they were liable, and this Almagro explained to them, was the reason he wished so especially to expedite their descent. This danger was the chance of a fall of snow, which not unfrequently occurs among these mountains, even in the early autumn. He pointed out, several hundred feet below them, a basin of table-land, surrounded by mountains, which he was anxious to reach., for he knew that several caverns existed on that spot, which would afford them safe and convenient shelter for the night.

This valley could only be attained by a long and circuitous path and Almagro proposed that they should relieve the feeble animals from their burthens by sending the baggage down the steep. This was an experiment Mr. Merton was unwilling to consent to, as he considered it extremely hazardous, but his children were very anxious to see the adventure; and Dr. Lewis the grand counsellor, assuring Mr. Merton that he might implicitly trust the prudence and experience of Almagro, he was at last induced to consent.

The tent and pole being first confined by a rope, were allowed to glide a little way down the steep; then the rope was withdrawn and they quickly descended to the level below. The boxes and bags followed, watched with great anxiety, and all reached the bottom in safety; though Nanny railed furiously at Almagro, who fortunately did not comprehend her words, for his madness in sending the bag with the pans and kettles "to toppel down the mountains in that unnatural manner." The relieved animals uttered joyful cries, and went on their way cheerfully, the old llama being now followed by a little tottering young one, which was born on the summit of the Andes, and had entered very early into a life of toil.

The deviations of the road now hid the baggage from their sight, then nothing could divert Nanny from the idea that they should find all their property carried off by Indian robbers; and when after a long journey, they reached the valley, | | 111 and she looked over the packages, she seemed surprised that nothing was missing.

Almagro pointed out to them some openings in the face of the opposite mountain, which he assured them led to spacious caves, where he had often rested in his wanderings. They followed him across a plain thinly scattered with the long, rushy grass of the Andes, till they reached the entrance of one of the caves.

"In this place," said Alrnagro, "I have frequently lodged in my expedition to the Pampas; and two years ago I left here some stores against my return, but, travelling far to the north, I crossed the mountains by another pass. It is possible we may still find them."

They passed through the narrow entrance into a lofty and spacious cavern, by no means gloomy, for many apertures above the entrance admitted light. In the midst were the traces of a fire, and in one corner was a heap of brushwood, which Almagro recognised to be his own, the remains of a prudent provision he had made for crossing the mountains, and left there till he should return. Beneath the fuel remained, untouched and uninjured, a bag of guanaco skin, containing a good supply of maize.

It would not be possible to describe Nanny's delight at the sight of the maize; she had been greatly prejudiced against this grain when she first saw it, but she now hailed it as good provision. Her good-humor was only of short duration however, for, on removing the shawl from her head, she suddenly recollected that her friend Jack had induced her to take off her stiff, black silk bonnet, which was no protection from the cold, and to supply its place with the shawl, while he had placed her bonnet, she now believed, in one of the bags. And it was so; the bonnet was found, under the pans, kettles, and heavy baggage, crushed flat.

It was impossible to resist the provocation to mirth which Nanny's flattened bonnet presented, and the shrieks of laughter from the young party were loud, and extremely irritating to the aggrieved damsel; but Mrs. Merton quietly reproved them, and promised Nanny, if it pleased God to grant them a permanent resting-place, her first care should be to make her a new bonnet.

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"If we should come to any fields of grain," said Matilda, "I am well skilled in plaiting straw, and I have no doubt, mamma, I could succeed in making Nanny a better bonnet than you could."

"When did Miss Matilda Merton ever doubt that she did not do everything better than everybody else?" said Jack. "Here, then, successful young lady, here are my bolas. Go forth, and entrap a guanaco for us."

Matilda was annoyed by the sarcasms of her lively brother, and was about to make an angry reply ; but she saw that her father looked serious, and that her friend Dr. Lewis shook his head at her, and she reflected that perhaps she bad boasted a little in her assertion, and had better say no more.

Mrs. Merton's gentle words had somewhat allayed the vexation of Nanny, and she commenced the pleasing duty of kindling a fire once more. In the meantime the youths went out to unharness the animals; then, directed by Almagro, they proceeded to an adjoining cave, where he pointed out to them a bundle of dried grass and maize-stalks, which he had left there on his last journey.

"Hurrah!" cried Jack, "Let us give the poor beasts a good feed."

"Stay, my young friend," said Almagro. "Consider; the animals will find sufficient grass in the valley for their subsistence to-night; and some unfortunate travellers may chance to pass this way in the winter, when the snow has hidden all vegetation. Then this scanty supply may enable them to save the lives of their beasts, and thus they may themselves have the means left of escaping from the death of famine which hovers over these mountains in the winter season." As he spoke he pointed to the skeleton of a mule, which lay a few paces from the cave, a victim in all probability to the perils of the Andes.

"You are right, worthy man," said Mr. Merton, who had joined them, "Charity requires that we should bestow a portion of the blessings we possess with prudence and discrimnination, in order that we may benefit those who most need our aid. We must use with economy the store made for the unfortunate. Would that our means allowed us to add to it."

At the suggestion of Almagro, they removed the provender to the cave in which they designed to lodge themselves, | | 113 leaving the adjoining cave open, in case the inclemency of the night-air should induce the animals to seek a shelter. Tom and Jack undertook to carry the burthens; as they left the cave an animal fled swiftly past them; but not so swiftly as to escape the ever-ready bolas of Almagro, who secured the fugitive, and entered the cave with his welcome prize.

It was the large hare of the Pampas, sometimes, but rarely found in the valleys of the Andes. It must have weighed twenty pounds, and was a most seasonable relief under the present circumstances. After Almagro had skinned the animal, he commenced the cleaning of the soft downy skin, of which he planned to make a. pair of warm boots for Mrs. Merton, with the fur inside.

The girls milked the llama for their present refreshment, and Nanny in the mean time made a stew of the hare and a little maize. She had still a good supply of salt, and the supper, impatiently waited for, was pronounced by the hungry party to be the perfection of cookery. After supper they rolled large stones to defend the entrance, and, arranging their packages and couches conveniently, offered up their prayers, and slept in peace.

But soon after midnight Dr. Lewis was waked by the loud howling of the wind, and the rattling of stony fragments whirled down the steep, mingled with the neighing and bleating of the alarmed animals. He listened awhile, and then turned to rest, thankful that they had such a secure shelter; but the storm, increasing in violence, once more awoke him, and he found Almagro standing at the entrance of the cave, where, between the rocky fragments with which they had formed an imperfect barrier, the snow had forced its way and lay scattered on the ground.

"This is what I have ever dreaded," said Alniagro. "These fearful temporales, the sudden storms of autumn, are death to the unfortunate travellers who are exposed to them. God has graciously granted us a protection from the tempest, and He alone knows how long we may need it, and how we shall subsist in this desert."

Charles Villars now joined the alarmed friends. He had heard fearful tales of these hurricanes, which bring down the snow suddenly from the summits of the mountains, entomb- | | 114 ing man and beast in an untimely sepulchre; and greatly agitated, he watched with them the falling snow till daybreak. When the dismayed family were assembled, and had removed the stones from the entrance, they found the snow lying two feet deep already, and falling as furiously as ever, while the raging wind threatened destruction to all who were exposed to it.

"This is, indeed, terrible!" said Mr. Merton. "My children, let us pray for the tempest-stricken wanderers, perishing unaided and unprepared, while we thank the gracious God who has spread his rocks to shelter us in the storm and the whirlwind."

After prayers they had a consultation on their position.

They were certainly in perfect security from the danger of the storm, but it might be of long continuance; their provision was scanty, and there was no probability of their having the means to augment it. However Mr. Merton forbade all despondency, and entreated them to rely firmly on the providence of God, who had ever helped them.

They breakfasted on the remainder of the stew to save their fuel; but soon after the cold became so intolerable, from the wind blowing over the accumulated snow, that they were compelled to light a fire, and to crowd round it for warmth.

The hardy boys, less susceptible of cold than their sisters or their parents, rambled about among the many caves which branched from their lodging. They discovered that the whole series of these caverns communicated with each other, and in their wanderings they entered a division which they found to be tenanted by their animals. It was the cave they had left open for the poor creatures, which had gladly resorted to it in the storm. In a remote part of the cave Niger and the mule were standing together, trembling violently, but the llamas, more accustomed to mountain hurricanes, were lying peacefully near the entrance.

As the snow was whirling into the cave with great violence, the youths rolled some stones before the opening to form a partial screen, for the caves were in the lower mountain, and faced the wind and storm. They procured a small quantity of food for the beasts from the larger cave, and then the llama was milked, which made a pleasant addition to their | | 115 slender provision. The water-cask was empty, but so long as they could make a fire, they were sure of a supply of melted snow; and after all, as Jack said, this was a nice holiday for both bipeds and quadrupeds.

But for three more days and nights the snow continued to fall without intermission, and their spirits began to droop, for privations of every kind threatened them. They might, certainly have killed the poor llamas; but besides the impolicy of destroying their faithful servants, and the cruelty of the deed, they would have reaped little benefit by it, the creatures having become mere skeletons from their insufficient food.

"I don't think there would be so very much harm," said Matilda, "in our having a good stew made of the young llama. It is of no use, and it certainly consumes a great deal of the mother's milk."

"And who has so much right to the milk, Matilda?" demaded Jack. "Not you or I; though we may like it very well. Then, as for eating the pretty, gentle, playful young llama, I shudder to think of it. I shall expect next, that you will wish to make a stew of me; a proceeding I shall by no means consent to, though you are the manager of the housekeeping."

"But, my good friend, Jack," observed Lewis, "remember the heavy responsibility of a housekeeper, who is expected to provide and has not the means. Do not be severe on Matilda, who is only thoughtful and careful for the future, and looks round her with a prudent calculation."

"But Matilda should remember," said Mr. Merton, "the beautiful lessons we read this mornimg, 'Behold the fowls of the air; they sow not, neither do they reap or gather into barns; yet your Heavenly Father feedeth them.' This was not written to encourage neglect and idleness, but to repress covetousness, and too much care for the events of the morrow, which God holds in his Almighty hand."

Matilda had always a defender in Dr. Lewis, who appreciated her energy and usefulness, and who sought, with a friendly hand to correct her foibles of presumption and self-conceit.

On the fourth morning the sky was clear, the wind had subsided, and the snow ceased to fall. They removed the stones from the opening, and looked out with astonishment and dis- | | 116 may on the wonderful scene of the mighty mountains, covered, as far as the eye could extend, with one shroud of frozen and untrodden snow. They remained some time contemplating this dreary waste in silence. Then Mary said, "Cousin Charles, we shall be quite famished, if some hero does not venture out to hunt for us. We saw the guanacoes in a higher region than this, and I think such bold hunters as you all are ought to find them here. Who will volunteer for a foray?"

Charles was usually very obliging to his favorite friend, Mary, but he now looked dismally on the bleak prospect, shrugged his shoulders, and drew his cloak round him, without reply; but Jack, in a moment, slung a pair of bolas round his neck, and, with a long lance in one hand, and a lasso in the other, was ready to lead the way. Mrs. Merton was in great alarm at the project, but Dr. Lewis said--

"Have no fears, Mrs. Merton, it will warm us all to have a run over the snow, which appears to be quite hard; I will lead the expedition, and will take care no one is imprudent. Arm yourselves, then, and follow me, gallant gentlemen!"

Jack shouted for joy, and, with Almagro, followed Lewis. Tom was less prompt; he began an argument to prove that the guanacoes would certainly descend to the uncovered plains, rather than remain on the snow, where they would be famished; but the bold hunters set out without him, and Charles, now thoroughly roused to the chase, said, "Well, Tom, we cannot escape the thing--we are in for a run, so we must try and intercept a herd on its downward journey."

After they had proceeded a few hundred yards, Dr. Lewis observed that the snow had become softer, as the valley was more open in this part, and the sun was now shining forth. He recommended them therefore to try the ground before them with a lance, and to proceed slowly. They had reached a jutting cliff, which projected considerably forward, when Jack, always eager, bounded before his prudent leader, and passed round the angle of the rock. They heard him give a low whistle, from which they concluded he had found game, and following him round the cliff, they saw with great satisfaction a herd of guanacoes, about thirty yards before them, | | 117 pushing their noses into the snow, and struggling to obtain the scauty vegetation buried beneath.

Tom was beginning to explain the cause of this remarkable refutation of his theory, but Dr. Lewis, in a whisper, commanded silence and caution. Caution was a word never understood by Jack the rash, who was already whirling the bolas over his head, and springing forward, he disappeared from their sight in a moment beneath the snow.

The shock to the assembled friends, who fully expected he had gone over some tremendous precipice and was lost, cannot be described. For a monent they were mute and paralyzed: then the prudent leader, drawing Charles back, who was preparing to follow his friend, probed the ground, and found they were all within a yard of the edge of the descent. He called out loudly--a moment of silent anguish succeeded--then then saw the point of Jack's lance appear above the snow, about five yards from the spot where they were standing. This was a pleasant sight--they were sure he was living--but they were not sure he might not perish before they could find the means to extricate him. Dr. Lewis called out to Jack to widen the hole through which he had passed, by carefully moving his lance round, while they made ready to assist him. They lashed the two remaining lances together, to form a strong pole, and then fixed to the end a long and strong lasso, brought out by Almagro, for the purpose of drawing home the game they might kill. They passed the lances over the snow till the lasso fell through the opening, then Dr. Lewis called out to Jack to secure the noose firmly round his waist, and to endeavor to ascend the snow, while they would assist him by drawing the lasso.

They could not hear his reply, but they perceived by the agitation of the pole he was complying with their advice. Then they drew the lances gently forward till they felt a resistance, when it was necessary to manage with caution, for it required great strength and a firm grap to prevent the lances from slipping from their hands. By slow degrees they secured a hold of the lasso, which they grasped firmly, leaving the boy to make exertion for himself. At length his dark head and pale face were just seen above the surface of the snow, and a shout of joy burst from their lips; at that moment a violent jerk caused the lasso to slide through the hands | | 118 of Charles and Tom, who were foremost in the line, and the dear head disappeared again. A cry of grief followed, but Lewis and Almagro, who were behind, and still had a firm hold, encouraged them to resume their attempts, and to draw the lasso gently and firmly. In a short time the head once more appeared, and Lewis directed the boy to lie down on his back, and suffer himself to be drawn through the yielding snow. This was a slow and difficult process, and poor Jack was nearly suffocated in his perilous transit but he was at length landed safely out of danger, pale and exhausted, with aching arms and a sprained ankle.

For some time he was unable to speak, and they stood round him, watching him with great anxiety, and grieved that they had no restorative to give him. At length, with a kind of sob he spoke--

"All right! Now be off after the guanacoes, and leave me here."

It certainly was a great temptation, for the guanacoes, apparently unconscious that their enemies were at hand, were continuing their unprofitable employment, burrowing under the snow for the poor herbage. The hunters could not see them so near without making some effort to secure them, destitute as they were of provision. Almagro, accustomed to hunting even over the snow, had been sounding the ground from the cliff, and came to report that the chasm into which Jack had fallen did not extend more than ten yards below the spot, where there was a safe pass forward.

Encouraged by this good news, they set out leaving Jack seated on the snow. Bolas and lassoes were made ready, and they succeeded in approaching to within ten yards of the animals, unnoticed. Then a sort of suspicious movement was observed among the herd, when the hunters immediately sprung forward, and bolas and lassoes were flung with all the skill they could command. Great was the confusion, and loud the neighing cries. The animals dashed off in different drections at first, and Tom was overthrown by a large animal, and dragged for several yards by his own lasso, which be had cast round the neck of the animal, and continued to grasp firmly. Almagro, who had captured a noble animal with his bolas and despatched him, saw Tom's situation, and ran to his assistance, piercing the guanaco with his lance. Lewis | | 119 was unsuccessful, and the bolas of Charles, to his great mortification, were carried off by a guanaco in its triumphant retreat.

However, they had much reason to be satisfied with the success of the hunting, for it was no easy task to drag the two heavy animals over the softened snow to the place where Jack was waiting them. They found him in high spirits, notwithstanding the pain in his ankle, for he had also a prize to display. As he was sitting still and silent on the snow, a hare had ventured so near to him that, by the aid of a spare set of bolas which lay near, he had entrapped and secured it.

They were now furnished with an abundant provision; but, as the labor of drawing the guanacoes to the cave would have been exhausting in their weakened condition, Almagro set out, and soon returned with the mule and some strong hide ropes, by means of which they harnessed the animal, which drew their spoil, and at the same time carried on its back the disabled Jack.

When the triumphant procession reached the mouth of the cave, past hardships and present perils were alike forgotten in the joy of success. The girls cried out with delight, and Nanny held up her hands with astonishment at the sight of such unusual abundance. Mr. and Mrs. Merton alone were calm, but they were not the less truly thankful.

"I think, Master Jack," said Nanny, with some indignation, "that this poor dumb creature had work enough to pull such a load without having you perched a-top of his back."

"That's quite true, Nanny," answered Jack, "and I could not have had the heart to do it, but I have had a roll in the snow; and shall have to trouble you to bathe my swelled ankle, and then you shall hear the adventure of Jack the guanaco-killer."

Nanny was always kind and willing in a case of distress. She soon had Jack placed on a matress. His ankle was examined, and, under the direction of Dr. Lewis, bathed and bandaged; then he began his story.

"Truly, it's very little indeed that you girls know of the dangens of a hunter's life. When I sprung after the guanacoes, and plumped down over the precipice, feeling myself sink through the snow, I certainly did think I should see you | | 121 no more, and I began to say my payers. I stopped, at last, on some hard snow, which I dare say, has lain there for many a winter; but, except that I had a peep of the blue sky through the tunnel I had made, I was pretty nearly buried alive; and had no hopes of ever getting out, it was such a long way to the top. Still, as soon as I felt my feet on firm ground, I could not help trying to climb, but I slipped down directly, and the snow came tumbling after me, filling my eyes and ears till I was blind and deaf; nor did I like to try any more, for fear I should bury myself completely. I attempted to call out, but I dare say nobody could hear me, for my voice sounded, to my own ears, as if I was speaking through a quill.

"At last I thought of raising up over my head my long lance, which I luckily held in my hand when I went down. Then I heard dear Dr. Lewis calling to me, and I began to think things were not so bad. I know now what they were about, so I began to make ready for another attempt. I planted my lance firmly in the ground, took out my knife and dug some holes in the side for my feet as high up as I could reach, for near the bottom the snow was tolerably hard. But I laughed for joy when I saw the good stout lasso come dangling down, and very soon I had my head and arms through the noose.

"I now grasped the lance to support me, and got up capitally for some feet; but when the snow got softer I had great difficulty in climbing, and felt glad of the support of the lasso. Besides, when I had nearly reached the top of my lance, I had to tug it out, for I was determined not to leave it behind me in that doleful pit. I got it out, and pushing it upwards, I used the lower end to plunge in the snow at the side, and that steadied me a little.

"How my heart beat when I got my head above the snow; but in my joy I forgot my prudence, and made a jump, the soft snow gave way, and I should have gone to the bottom again but for the lasso, by which I hung suspended, like the sign of the Golden Fleece, at Winston. A desperate tug the good folks at the side must have had. Luckily I got my feet rested again before the lances could break, or before I was quite pinched in two, and, with a little more scrambling, | | 121 reached the opening, from whence I was drawn like a log of wood by my good friends to terra firma."

"You were always a miraculous boy, Master Jack," said Nanny; "and see now what trouble you've brought on us all with your unthinking ways. Another time you'll maybe look before you jump."

Jack laughed, as he promised obedience to Nanny's wise counsel; and she spared him further reproaches as she looked at the hare he had brought, of which she was now making a stew. Jack claimed the skin of the animal, that he might, under the direction of Almagro, solace his confinement by attempting to make boots for his sisters, similar to the comfortable pair Almagro had made for Mrs. Merton.