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1834.
heights, a consequence probably of their being undisturbed.
They spread over the face of the high country like immense
flocks of sheep.
During a long walk this evening Mr. Stokes and I were
repeatedly disappointed by the mirage over an extensive stony
plain, between two bends of the river. We were tired and
very thirsty, and went from one apparent piece of water to
another, only to be tantalized and to increase still more our
dilemma.
27th. Similar country. On the banks of the river some
drift wood was found ; the trunks of trees of considerable size.
Small trees had been found lying by the side of the river,
from time to time, but none so large as these, some of which
were almost two feet in diameter, and about thirty feet in
length. The wood appeared to be ‘ Sauci,’ of the red kind.
That these trees had been drifted from a great distance was
evident, because they were much water worn.
28th. In passing a rapid, whose difficulties were much increased
by rugged blocks of lava lying in the bed of the
river, one of our boats was badly stove and barely rescued
from sinking in the middle of the stream : fortunately we got
her on shore and there patched her up. There was still no
change in the scenery, nor any signs of inhabitants : and our
work was as monotonous as heavy.
29th. While upon a high range of lava-capped land, Mr.
Stokes and Mr. Darwin descried distant mountains in the
west, covered with snow. At last, then, the Andes were in
sight ! This was inspiriting intelligence to the whole p a rty ;
for small had been our daily progress, though continual and
severe the labour. The river increased in rapidity, while
but little diminution had taken place in the quantity of
water brought down: the breadth was rather less, certainly,
but the depth in most places greater. No fish had yet been
caught ; indeed, only two had been seen, and those seemed to
be like trout.
80th. The snowy summits of the distant Cordillera were
more distinctly seen from the heights, neaj- the river, that rise
i l l !