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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. The height, according to Mr. Pentland,* is 12,454
feet. The road did not pass over any perpetual snow,
although there were patches on either hand. The wind on
the summit was exceedingly cold, but it was impossible not
to stop a few minutes to admire, again and again, the colour
of the heavens, and the brilliant transparency of the atmosphere.
The scenery, moreover, was grand. To the westward
there was a fine chaos of mountains, divided by
profound ravines. Generally some snow has fallen before
this period of the season, and it has even happened that
the Cordillera has been finally closed by this time. But
we were most fortunate. The sky, by night and by day,
was cloudless, excepting perhaps 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 the mountains themselves have been
hidden beneath the horizon.
A p r i l 6 t h .— 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
staid there the ensuing day in hopes of recovering the mule,
which the arriero thought had been hidden in some ravine.
The scenery in this part had assumed a Chilian character:
the lower parts of the mountains, dotted over with the pale
;vero-reen Quillay tree, and with the great candlestick cactus,
certainly are more to be admired than any thing in the bare
Eastern valleys; hut 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.
after escaping from the cold regions above : and I am sure
I most heartily participated in such feelings.
8 rii.—We left the valley of the river of 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 extremely delightful. The autumn being well
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. I t was a pretty
scene; but that pensive stillness was absent, which makes
the autumn in England indeed the evening of the year.
On the 1 0 th we reached Santiago, where I experienced
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.
* G e o g ra p h ic a l J o u rn a l. N o tic e on B o liv ian C o rd ille ra , M a rc h , 1835.
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