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April 4th. From the Rio de las Vacas to the Puente del Incas, half-a-day's journey. As there was pasture for the mules, and geology for me, we bivouacked here for the night. When one hears of a natural Bridge, one pictures to oneself some deep and narrow ravine, across which a bold mass of rock has fallen; or a great arch hollowed out like the vault of a cavern. Instead of this, the Incas Bridge consists of a crust of stratified shingle, cemented together by the deposits of the neighbouring hot springs. It appears as if the stream had scooped out a channel on one side, leaving an overhanging ledge, which was met by earth and stones falling down from the opposite cliff. Certainly an oblique junction, as would happen in such a case, was very distinct on one side. The Bridge of the Incas is by no means worthy of the great monarchs whose name it bears.

April 5th.-We had a long day's ride across the central ridge, from the Incas Bridge to the Ojos del Agua, which are situated near the lowest casucha on the Chilian side. These casuchas are round little towers, with steps outside to reach the floor, which is raised some feet above the ground on account of the snow-drifts. They are eight in number, and under the Spanish Government were kept during the winter well stored with food and charcoal, and each courier had a master-key. Now they only answer the purpose of caves, or rather dungeons. Seated on some little eminence, they are not, however, ill suited to the surrounding scene of desolation. The zigzag ascent of the Cumbre, or the partition of the waters, was very steep and tedious; its height, according to Mr Pentland, is 12,454 feet. The road did not pass over any perpetual snow, although there were patches of it on both hands. The wind on the summit was exceedingly cold, but it was impossible not to stop for a few minutes to admire, again and again, the colour of the heavens and the brilliant transparency of the atmosphere. The scenery was grand: to the westward there was a fine chaos of mountains, divided by profound ravines. Some snow generally falls before this period of the season, and it has even happened that the Cordillera have been finally closed by this time. But we were most fortunate. The sky by night and by day was cloudless, excepting a few round little masses of vapour that floated over the highest pinnacles.

I have often seen these islets in the sky, marking the position of the Cordillera, when far distant mountains have been hidden beneath the horizon.

April 6th.—In the morning we found some thief had stolen one of our mules and the bell of the madrina. We therefore rode only two or three miles down the valley, and stayed there the ensuing day in hopes of recovering the mule, which the arriera thought had been hidden in some ravine. The scenery in this part had assumed a Chilian character: the lower sides of the mountains, dotted over with the pale evergreen Quillay tree, and with the great chandelier-like cactus, are certainly more to be admired than the bare eastern valleys; but I cannot quite agree with the admiration expressed by some travellers. The extreme pleasure, I suspect, is chiefly owing to the prospect of a good fire and of a good supper, after escaping from the cold regions above; and I am sure I most heartily participated in these feelings.

April 8th. We left the valley of the Aconcagua, by which we had descended, and reached in the evening a cottage near the Villa de St Rosa. The fertility of the plain was delightful; the autumn being advanced, the leaves of many of the fruit-trees were falling; and of the labourers,-some were busy in drying figs and peaches on the roofs of their cottages, while others were gathering the grapes from the vineyards. It was a pretty scene; but I missed that pensive stillness which makes the autumn in England indeed the evening of the year. On the 10th we reached Santiago, where I received a very kind and hospitable reception from Mr Caldcleugh. My excursion only cost me twenty-four days, and never did I more deeply enjoy an equal space of time. A few days afterwards I returned to Mr Corfield's house at Valparaiso.

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CHAPTER XVI

NORTHERN CHILE AND PERU

COQUIMBO

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OF

COAST-ROAD TO COQUIMBO-GREAT LOADS CARRIED BY THE MINERS
EARTHQUAKE · STEP-FORMED TERRACES
ABSENCE OF RECENT DEPOSITS-CONTEMPORANEOUSNESS
THE TERTIARY FORMATIONS-EXCURSION UP THE VALLEY-
ROAD ΤΟ GUASCO-DESERTS-VALLEY OF COPIAPO-RAIN
AND EARTHQUAKES – HYDROPHOBIA THE DESPOBLADO
INDIAN RUINS PROBABLE CHANGE OF CLIMATE-RIVER-BED
ARCHED BY AN EARTHQUAKE-COLD GALES OF WIND--NOISES
FROM A HILL-IQUIQUE-SALT ALLUVIUM—NITRATE OF SODA
-LIMA-UNHEALTHY COUNTRY-RUINS OF CALLAO, OVER-
THROWN BY AN EARTHQUAKE RECENT SUBSIDENCE
ELEVATED SHELLS ON SAN LORENZO, THEIR DECOMPOSITION—
PLAIN WITH EMBEDDED SHELLS AND FRAGMENTS OF POTTERY
-ANTIQUITY OF THE INDIAN RACE.

PRIL 27th.-I set out on a journey to Coquimbo, and thence through Guasco to Copiapó, where Captain Fitz Roy kindly offered to pick me up in the Beagle. The distance in a straight line along the shore northward is only 420 miles; but my mode of travelling made it a very long journey. I bought four horses and two mules, the latter carrying the luggage on alternate days. The six animals together only cost the value of twenty-five pounds sterling, and at Copiapó I sold them again for twenty-three. We travelled in the same independent manner as before, cooking our own meals, and sleeping in the open air. As we rode towards the Vino del Mar, I took a farewell view of Valparaiso, and admired its picturesque appearance. For geological purposes, I made a détour from the high road to the foot of the Bell of Quillota. We passed through an alluvial district rich in gold, to the neighbourhood of Limache, where we slept. Washing for gold supports the inhabitants of numerous hovels scattered

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