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before firm footing could be found. It Avas very laborious work,
and the ground being saturated, and each tree dripping Avith
moisture, AA'e AA'ere soon Avet through. We proceeded along the
same sort of road up a steep ascent; some one of the party
constantly falling into deep holes coA-ered by moss, or stumbling
over fallen trunks of trees. As I cai-ried a barometer I AA'as
obliged to proceed AA'ith caution, and succeeded in emerging
from this jungle AA'ithout accident. After about three quarters
of an horn- spent in this AA'ay, AA'e reached an open space, AA'here
AA'e rested, and I set up the barometer. Here Ave found a
cypress of A-ery stunted groAvth.
Our road hence Avas rather more A’a ried ; always steep,
but sometimes free from impediment. Here and there Ave
observed the boggy soil AA'as faced Avith a small plant {Chainitis
sp.) of a harsh character, groAAing so thick and close as to form
lai'ge tufts, OA'er wliich Ave Avalked as on hard ground. We
struggled through several thickets of stunted beech-trees, with
a thick jungle of Berberis underneath, Avhose strong and sharp
thorns penetrated our clothes at every step; and began to
find the fatigue very oppressive: some of my boat’s creAv
suffered much, being unused to such exercise. At last Ave
approached the place Avhere Mr. Cooke and his party had
established themselves, and upon hailing, Avere iuA'igorated by a
cheer in reply. We reached the bivouac in a very way-Avom
condition, and found, to our great comfort, the tent pitched,
and a good fire burning.*
The ground was so exceedingly Ai-et, that although Ave slept
upon branches, forming a layer at least a foot thick, Ave found
ourselves, in the night, lying as if in a morass, and suffering
from cold, even with a large fire blazing at our feet. At daylight
next morning, just as we AA'ere startuig, a boat was seen
sailing round Cape San Isidro, which, by the aid of a telescope,
I made out to be the Hope.
We resumed the ascent, and passed over, rather than
through, thickets of the crumply-leaved beech, AA'hich, from
* Th e he ig h t of this place, as shown bv the barometer, on the ascent,
was 941 feet, and, on the descent, 973 feet,
their exposure to the prevailing Avinds, rose no higher than
twelve or fourteen inches from the ground, Avith Avidely-spread-
ing branches, so closely intei'Avoven, as to form a platform that
bore our weight in walking. We next traversed an extent of
table-land,* much intersected by ponds of Avater. Mr. T a rn
shot tAvo plovers of a neAv species (Charadrius rubecola, Zool.
Jour. vol. iv. p. 96), and a snipe. We then ascended three or
four hundred feet, and crossed a deep ravine. The bottom of
the ravine Avas clay-slate in a decomposing state, but the surface
of the ground was strewed Avith pebbles of granite.
Another plain, with many ponds, succeeded ; the intervening
spaces being covered Avith tufts of chamitis, and studded here
and there with small clusters of dwarf beech; but the ground
Avas so hard, and firm, that we proceeded rapidly, Avithout
fatigue, until Ave attained the height of 1,800 feet, when the
ascent became very steep. Near the summi) lay a large mass
of snoAv, rapidly melting away. We reached the highest pinnacle
of the mount at seven o’clock (liaving left our resting-
place a t four), and immediately set up the instruments. I Avas
obliged to avail myself of Mr. Tarn’s assistance to hold the
barometer, Avhilst two of my boat’s creAV held the legs of the
theodolite-stand, for the wind was blowing very strongly, and
the edge of a precipice was close to us, perpendicular for
many hundred feet, and thence doAvnwards so steep, that any
body going over Avould fall at least a thousand feet. T h e
theodolite-stand Avas unavoidably placed Avithin a very feAV
inches of the edge, and I took a round of angles, suffering,
hoAvever, intense pain from the piercing coldness of the
Avind, AA'hich, heated as we were by the ascent, was much
felt, though the temperature was not loAver than 39°. I was
lightly clothed, and should have fared badly, had not one of
the party lent me his Flushing jacket, while he descended under
the lee of the mountain-top to make a fire. The barometer
stood a t 26, 618, the temperature of the air being 40°, and of
• On this tahle-land the barometer stood a t 27,767- Temperature o f
the air 46°,5, and of the mercury 47°,5, ivhich gave the elevation 1,327
feet,
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