The fact that we agreed to pay in advance unheard-of wages, ten
times the usual amount earned by laborers in this vicinity, that we
added offers of the precious coca leaves, the greatly-to-be-desired
"fire-water," the rarely seen tobacco, and other good things usually
coveted by Peruvian highlanders, had no effect in the face of the
terrors of the mountain. They knew only too well that snow-blindness
was one of the least of ills to be encountered; while the advantages
of dark-colored glasses, warm clothes, kerosene stoves, and plenty
of good food, which we freely offered, were far too remote from the
realm of credible possibilities. Professor Coello understood all these
matters perfectly and, being able to speak Quichua, the language of
our prospective carriers, did his best in the way of argument, not
only out of loyalty to the Expedition, but because Peruvian gentlemen
always regard the carrying of a load as extremely undignified and
improper. I have known one of the most energetic and efficient business
men in Peru, a highly respected gentleman in a mountain city, so to
dislike being obliged to carry a rolled and unmounted photograph,
little larger than a lead pencil, that he sent for a cargador, an
Indian porter, to bear it for him!

As a matter of fact, Professor Coello was perfectly willing to do
his share and more; but neither he nor we were anxious to climb with
heavy packs on our backs, in the rarefied air of elevations several
thousand feet higher than Mont Blanc. The argument with the Indians
was long and verbose and the offerings of money and goods were made
more and more generous. All was in vain. We finally came to realize
that whatever supplies and provisions were carried up Coropuna would
have to be borne on our own shoulders. That evening the top of the
truncated dome, which was just visible from the valley near our camp,
was bathed in a roseate Alpine glow, unspeakably beautiful. The air,