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masses. As tins is an observation in wliich one would he
very apt to be deceived, I doubted its accuracy, until ascending
Mount AVellington, near Hobart Town. The summit
of that mountain is similarly composed, and similarly shattered
; hut all the blocks appeared as if they had been hurled
into their present position thousands of years ago.
AA’e spent the day on the summit, and I never enjoyed
one more thoroughly. Chile, bounded by the Andes and
the Pacific, was seen as in a map. The pleasure from the
scenery, in itself beautiful, was heightened hy the many
reflections which arose from the mere view of the grand
range, with its lesser parallel ones, and of the broad valley
of Quillota directly intersecting the latter. AVho can
avoid admiring the wonderful force which has upheaved
these mountains, and even more so the countless ages which
it must have required, to have broken through, removed, and
levelled whole masses of them ? It is well in this case to
call to mind the vast shingle and sedimentary heds of Patagonia,
which, if heaped on the Cordillera, would increase
by so many thousand feet its height. AVhen in that
country, I wondered how any mountain-chain could have
supplied such masses, and not have been utterly obliterated.
AA’e must not now reverse the wonder, and doubt whether
all-powerful time can grind down mountains—even the
gigantic Cordillera—into gravel and mud.
The appearance of the Andes was different from that which
I had expected. The lower line of the snow was of course
horizontal, and to this line the even summits of the range
seemed quite parallel. Only at long intervals a mass of
points, or a single cone, showed where a volcano had existed,
or does now exist. Hence the range resembled a great solid
wall, surmounted here and there by a tower, and thus made
a most complete barrier to the country.
Almost every part of the hill has been drilled by attempts
to open gold-mines. I was surprised to see, on the actual
summit, which could only be reached liy climlimg, a
small pit, where some yellowi.sh crystals of hypersthene had
induced somebody to throw away his labour. The rage for
mining has left scarcely a spot in Chile unexamined. I spent
the evening as before, talking round the fire with my two
companions. The Guasos of Chile, which correspond to the
Gauchos of the Pampas, are, however, a very different set of
beings. Chile is the more civilized of the two countries, and
the inhabitants, in consequence, have lost much individual
character. Gradations in rank are much more strongly
marked: the Guaso does not hy any means consider every
man his equal; and I was quite surprised to find that my
companions did not like to eat at the same time with myself.
This feeling of inequality is a necessary consequence of the
existence of an aristocracy of wealth. It is said that some
few of the greater landowners possess from five to ten
thousand pounds sterling per annum: an inequality of
riches which I believe is not met with in any of the cattle-
breeding countries to the eastward of the Andes. A traveller
does not here meet that unbounded hospitality which
refuses aU payment, but yet is so kindly offered that no
scruples can be raised in accepting it. Almost every house
in Chile will receive you for the night, but a trifle is
expected to be given in the morning ; even a rich man will
accept two or three shillings. The Gaucho, although he
may be a cut-throat, is a gentleman; the Guaso is in few
respects better, but at the same time a vulgar, ordinary
fellow. The two men, although employed much in the same
manner, are different in their habits and attire; and the
peculiarities of each are universal in their respective countries.
The Gaucho seems part of his horse, and scorns to exert
himself excepting when on its back; the Guaso may be
hired to work as a labourer in the fields. The former lives
entirely on animal food; the latter almost wholly on vegetable.
AVe do not here see the white boots, the broad
drawers, and scarlet chilipa; the picturesque costume of the
Pampas. Here, common trousers are protected by black and
green worsted leggings. The poncho, however, is common
to both. The chief pride in the Guaso lies in his spurs;
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