Ностромо

           These,then,arethelegendaryinhabitantsofAzueraguardingitsforbiddenwealth;andtheshadowontheskyononesidewiththeroundpatchofbluehazeblurringthebrightskirtofthehorizonontheother,markthetwooutermostpointsofthebendwhichbearsthenameofGolfoPlacido,becauseneverastrongwindhadbeenknowntoblowuponitswaters.

           OncrossingtheimaginarylinedrawnfromPuntaMalatoAzueratheshipsfromEuropeboundtoSulacoloseatoncethestrongbreezesoftheocean.Theybecomethepreyofcapriciousairsthatplaywiththemforthirtyhoursatastretchsometimes.Beforethemtheheadofthecalmgulfisfilledonmostdaysoftheyearbyagreatbodyofmotionlessandopaqueclouds.Ontherareclearmorningsanothershadowiscastuponthesweepofthegulf.ThedawnbreakshighbehindthetoweringandserratedwalloftheCordillera,aclear-cutvisionofdarkpeaksrearingtheirsteepslopesonaloftypedestalofforestrisingfromtheveryedgeoftheshore.AmongstthemthewhiteheadofHiguerotarisesmajesticallyupontheblue.Bareclustersofenormousrockssprinklewithtinyblackdotsthesmoothdomeofsnow.

           Then,asthemiddaysunwithdrawsfromthegulftheshadowofthemountains,thecloudsbegintorolloutofthelowervalleys.Theyswatheinsombretattersthenakedcragsofprecipicesabovethewoodedslopes,hidethepeaks,smokeinstormytrailsacrossthesnowsofHiguerota.