A

plains were supplied with water,-made us feel that there is no spot in creation which man should term barren, though there are many which nature never intended for his residence. large cloud of smoke was issuing from one of the pinnacles, which is the great volcano of San Francesco; and the silver lode, which was before us, seemed to run into the centre of the crater.

It

As it was in the middle of the summer, I could not help reflecting what a dreadful abode this must be in winter, and I inquired of our guide and of the miners concerning its climate in that season. They at first silently pointed to the crosses, which, in 'groups of two and three and four, were to be seen in every direction; and they then told me, that although the mine is altogether inaccessible for seven months in winter, yet that the miners used to be kept there all the year. They said that the cold was intense, but that what the miners most dreaded were the merciless temporales, or storms of snow, which came on so suddenly that many miners had been overtaken by them, and had perished when not a hundred and fifty yards from the hut. With these monuments before my eyes, it was really painful to consider what the feelings of those wretched creatures must have been when, groping about for their habitation, they found the violence of the storm unabating and irresistible. was really melancholy to trace, or to fancy I could trace, by the different groups of crosses, the fate of the different individuals. Friends had huddled together, and had thus died on the road; others had strayed from the path, and from the scattered crosses they had apparently died as they were searching for it. One group was really in a very singular situation. During a winter particularly severe, the miners' provisions, which consist of little else than hung-beef, were gradually failing, when a party volunteered, to save themselves and the rest, that they would endeavour to got over the snow into the valley of Maypo, and return if possible with food. They had scarcely left the hut when a storm came on, and they perished. The crosses are exactly where the bodies were found: they were all off the road; two had died close together, one was about ten yards off, and one had climbed to the top of a large loose fragment of rock, evidently to look for the hut on the road. The view from San

Pedro Nolasco, taking it all together, is certainly the most dreadful scene which in my life I have ever witnessed; and it appeared so little adapted or intended for a human residence, that when I commenced my inspection of the lode, and of the several mines, I could not help feeling that I was going against nature, and that no sentiment but that of avarice could approve of establishing a number of fellow-creatures in a spot which was a subject of astonishment to me how it ever was discovered.

As the snow was in many places fifty feet deep on the lode, I could only walk on the surface from one boca-mina to another; but when I had done this, I took off my clothes, and went down the mine which it was my particular object to inspect. All the rest had long ago been deserted, but in this one there were a few miners, lately sent there by an agent who had sold this mine to the Rio Plata Company for eighteen thousand dollars. These men were carrying on the works on the old system which had been exercised by the Spaniards, and to which they have all their lives been accustomed.

At first we descended by an inclined gallery or level, and then clambered down the notched sticks, which are used in all the mines in South America as ladders. After descending about two hundred and fifty feet, walking occasionally along levels where the snow and mud were above our ankles, we came to the place where the men were working. It was astonishing to see the strength with which they plied their weighty hammers, and the unremitted exertion with which they worked; and strange as it may appear, we all agreed that we had never seen Englishmen possess such strength, or work so hard. While the barreteros, or miners, were working the lode, the apires were carrying the ore upon their backs; and after we had made the necessary observations, and had collected proper specimens, we ascended, with several of these apires above and below us.

The fatigue of climbing up the notched sticks was so great, that we were almost exhausted, while the men behind us (with a long stick in one hand, in the cloven end of which there was a candle) were urging us not to stop them. The leading apire whistled whenever he came to certain spots, and then the whole party rested for a few seconds. It was really very interesting, in looking above and below, to see these poor creatures, each

lighted by his candle, and clinging to the notched stick with such a load upon his back, though I occasionally was a little afraid lest one of these above me might tumble, in which case we should have all preceded him in his fall.

We were quite exhausted when we came to the mouth of the mine: one of the Cornish captains almost fainted; and as the sun had long ago set, the air was so bleak and freezing—we were so heated-and the scene was so cheerless, that we were glad to hurry into the hut, and to sit upon the ground round a dish of meat, which had long been ready for us. We had some brandy and sugar, and we soon refreshed ourselves, and I then sent out for one of the apires with his load. I put it on the ground, and endeavoured to rise with it; but could not, and when two or three of my party put it on my shoulders, I was barely able to walk under it. The English miner who was with us was one of the strongest men of all the Cornish party, yet he was scarcely able to walk with it, and two of our party who attempted to support it were altogether unable, and exclaimed, "that it would break their backs."

The load which we tried was one of specimens which I had paid the apire to bring up for me, aud which weighed more than usual, but not much, and he had carried it up with me, and was above me during the whole of the ascent.

While we were at one end of the hut, drinking brandy and water, seated upon our saddles, and lighted by a brown tallow candle which was stuck into a bottle, and which was not three yards from a hide filled with gunpowder, the few miners we had seen at work had been relieved by others who were to work through the night. They came into the hut, and, without taking the least notice of us, prepared their supper, which was a very simple operation. The men took their candles out of the cloven sticks, and in the cleft they put a piece of dried beef; this they warmed for a few seconds over the embers which were burning on the ground, and they then ate it, and afterwards drank some melted snow-water out of a cow's-horn.

Their meal being over, they then enjoyed the only blessing fortune had allotted to them, which was rest from their labour. They said nothing to each other; but as they sat upon the sheepskin which was the only bed they had, some fixed their

eyes upon the embers, while others seemed to ruminate upon other objects.

I gave them what brandy I had, and asked them if they had no spirits, to which they gave me the usual answer, that miners are never allowed to have spirits, and with this law they seemed to be perfectly satisfied.

When one contrasted their situation with the independent life of the Gaucho, it was surprising that they should voluntarily continue a life of such hardship.

DEPARTURE FROM SANTIAGO.

DECEMBER 31st, Santiago, midnight.-Mules arrived for us to recross the Cordillera to return to Buenos Aires-a large drove— two mules for each person-spare ones for the baggage. At one o'clock in the morning the mules were laden and ready-went across the street to the fonda, to get some breakfast, which was laid for us at one end of a long table-at the other end were two Scotchmen sitting without their coats, waistcoats, or neckcloths -(midsummer).

They had been drinking in the new year-in their heads there was "mair brandy than brains," yet their hearts were still true to their "auld respected mither." The room was evidently moving round them-they were singing (with action) "Auld lang syne," and the one that was pitted with the small-pox seemed to feel it as much as the other-they held out glasses to us, and begged us to join them-we declined-amusing contrast between them and the gravity of my party, drinking tea with their pistols in their belts, and prepared for a long journey-full chorus of Rule Britannia, then God save the King; shook hands with the two Scotchmen-drank half a glass of their brandy, and then mounting our mules-we groped along in the dark towards the black mountains of the Cordillera.