That was how they undertook the crossing of the mountains。 Several friends of Jos？Arcadio Buendía； young men like him； excited； by the adventure； dismantled their houses and packed up； along with their wives and children； to head toward the land that no one had promised them。 Before he left； Jos？Arcadio Buendía buried the spear in the courtyard and； one after the other； he cut the throats of his magnificent fighting cocks； trusting that in that way he could give some measure of peace to Prudencio Aguilar。 All that ？rsula took along were a trunk with her bridal clothes； a few household utensils； and the small chest with the gold pieces that she had inherited from her father。 They did not lay out any definite itinerary。 They simply tried to go in a direction opposite to the road to Riohacha so that they would not leave any trace or meet any people they knew。 It was an absurd journey。 After fourteen months； her stomach corrupted by monkey meat and snake stew； ？rsula gave birth to a son who had all of his features human。 She had traveled half of the trip in a hammock that two men carried on their shoulders； because swelling had disfigured her legs and her varicose veins had puffed up like bubbles。 Although it was pitiful to see them with their sunken stomachs and languid eyes； the children survived the journey better than their parents； and most of the time it was fun for them。 One morning； after almost two years of crossing； they became the first mortals to see the western slopes of the mountain range。 From the cloudy summit they saw the immense aquatic expanse of the great swamp as it spread out toward the other side of the world。 But they never found the sea。 One night； after several months of lost wandering through the swamps； far away now from the last Indians they had met on their way； they camped on the banks of a stony river whose waters were like a torrent of frozen glass。 Years later； during the second civil war； Colonel Aureliano Buendía tried to follow that same route in order to take Riohacha by surprise and after six days of traveling he understood that it was madness。 Nevertheless； the night on which they camped beside the river； his father’s host had the look of shipwrecked people with no escape； but their number had grown during the crossing and they were all prepared （and they succeeded） to die of old age。 Jos？Arcadio Buendía dreamed that night that right there a noisy city with houses having mirror wails rose up。 He asked what city it was and they answered him with a name that he had never heard； that had no meaning at all； but that had a supernatural echo in his dream： Macondo。 On the following day he convinced his men that they would never find the sea。 He ordered them to cut down the trees to make a clearing beside the river； at the coolest spot on the bank； and there they founded the village。
Jos？Arcadio Buendía did not succeed in deciphering the dream of houses with mirror walls until the day he discovered ice。 Then he thought he understood its deep meaning。 He thought that in the near future they would be able to manufacture blocks of ice on a large scale from such a mon material as water and with them build the new houses of the village。 Macondo would no longer be a burning place； where the hinges and door knockers twisted with the heat； but would be changed into a wintry city。 If he did not persevere in his attempts to build an ice factory； it was because at that time he was absolutely enthusiastic over the education of his sons； especially that of Aureliano； who from the first had revealed a strange intuition for alchemy。 The laboratory had been dusted off。 Reviewing Melquíades？notes； serene now； without the exaltation of novelty； in prolonged and patient sessions they tried to separate ？rsula’s gold from the debris that was stuck to the bottom of the pot。 Young Jos？Arcadio scarcely took part in the process。 While his father was involved body and soul with his water pipe； the willful first…born； who had always been too big for his age； had bee a monumental adolescent。 His voice had changed。 An incipient fuzz appeared on his upper lip。 One night； as ？rsula went into the room where he was undressing to go to bed； she felt a mingled sense of shame and pity： he was the first man that she had seen naked after her husband； and he was so well…equipped for life that he seemed abnormal。 ？rsula； pregnant for the third time； relived her newlywed terror。
Around that time a merry； foul…mouthed； provocative woman came to the house to help with the chorea； and she knew how to read the future in cards。 ？rsula spoke to her about her son。 She thought that his disproportionate size was something as unnatural as her cousin’s tail of a pig。 The woman let out an expansive laugh that resounded through the house like a spray of broken glass。 “Just the opposite；？she said。 “He’ll be very lucky。？In order to confirm her prediction she brought her cards to the house a few days later and locked herself up with Jos？Arcadio in a granary off the kitchen。 She calmly placed her cards on an old carpenter’s bench。 saying anything that came into her head； while the boy waited beside her； more bored than intrigued。 Suddenly she reached out her hand and touched him。 “Lordy！？she said； sincerely startled； and that was all she could say。 Jos？Arcadio felt his bones filling up with foam； a languid fear； and a terrible desire to weep。 The woman made no insinuations。 But Jos？Arcadio kept looking for her all night long； for the smell of smoke that she had under her armpits and that had got caught under his skin。 He wanted to be with her all the time； he wanted her to be his mother； for them never to leave the granary； and for her to say “Lordy！？to him。 One day he could not stand it any more and。 he went looking for her at her house： He made a formal visit； sitting unprehendingly in the living room without saying a word。 At that moment he had no desire for her。 He found her different； entirely foreign to the image that her smell brought on； as if she were someone else。 He drank his coffee and left the house in depression。 That night； during the frightful time of lying awake； he desired her again with a brutal anxiety； but he did not want her that time as she had been in the granary but as she had been that afternoon。
Days later the woman suddenly called him to her house； where she was alone with her mother； and she had him e into the bedroom with the pretext of showing him a deck of cards。 Then she touched him with such freedom that he suffered a delusion after the initial shudder； and he felt more fear than pleasure。 She asked him to e and see her that night。 He agreed。 in order to get away； knowing that he was incapable of going。 But that night； in his burning bed； he understood that he had to go we her； even if he were not capable。 He got dressed by feel； listening in the dark to his brother’s calm breathing； the dry cough of his father in the next room； the asthma of the hens in the courtyard； the buzz of the mosquitoes； the beating of his heart； and the inordinate bustle of a world that he had not noticed until then； and he went out into the sleeping street。 With all his heart he wanted the door to be barred and not just closed as she had promised him。 But it was open。 He pushed it with the tips of his fingers and the hinges yielded with a mournful and articulate moan that left a frozen echo inside of him。 From the moment he entered； sideways and trying not to make a noise； he caught the smell。 He was still in the hallway； where the woman’s three brothers had their hammocks in positions that he could not see and that he could not determine in the darkness as he felt his way along the hall to push open the bedroom door and get his bearings there so as not to mistake the bed。 He found it。 He bumped against the ropes of the hammocks； which were lower than he had suspected； and a man who had been snoring until then turned in his sleep and said in a kind of delusion； “It was Wednesday。？When he pushed open the bedroom door； he could not prevent it from scraping against the uneven floor。 Suddenly； in the absolute darkness； he understood with a hopeless nostalgia that he was pletely disoriented。 Sleeping in the narrow room were t