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Show 320 CIIILE. Aug. 1834. model. I arrived here by a circuit to the north; so I resolved to return to Valparaiso, by a rather longer excursion, to the southward of the direct road. SEPTEMBER 5TH.-By the middle of the day we arrived at one of the suspension bridges, made of hide, which crosses the Maypo, a large turbulent river, a few leagues south of Santiago. These bridges are very poor affairs. The road, following the curvature of the suspending ropes, is made of bundles of sticks placed close together. It was full of holes, and oscillated rather fearfully, even from the weight of a man leading his horse. In the evening we reached a comfortable farm-house, where there were several very pretty signoritas. They were much horrified at my having entered one of their churches out of mere curiosity. They asked me, "Why do you not become a Christian-for our religion is certain ?" I assured them I was a sort of Christian; but they would not hear of it-appealing to my own words, " Do not your padres, your very bishops, marry ?" The absurdity of a bishop having a wife, particularly struck them: they scarcely knew whether to be most amused or horror-struck at such an enormity. 6Tu.-We proceeded due south, and slept at Rancagua. The road passed over the level but narrow plain, bounded on one side by lofty hills, and on the other by the Cordillera. The next day we turned up the valley of the Rio Cachapual, in which the hot-baths of Cauquenes, long celebrated for their medicinal properties, are situated. The suspension bridges, in the less frequented parts, are generally taken down during the winter, when the rivers are low. Such was the case in this valley, and we were therefore obliged to cross the stream on horseback. This is rather disag~eeable, for the foaming water, though not deep, rushes so qmckly over the bed of large rounded stones, that one's he.ad becomes quite confused, and it is difficult even to perceive whether the horse is moving onward, or standing still. ~n summer, wh~n the snow melts, the torrents are quite Impassable : theu strength and fury is then extremely great ; Sept. 1834. HOT SPRINGS OF CAUQUENES. 321 as might be plainly seen, by the marks . which they had left. We reached the baths in the evening, and staid there five days, being confined the two last by heavy rain. The buildings consist of a square of miserable little hovels, each with a single table and bench. They are situated in a narrow deep valley, just without the central Cordillera. It is a quiet, solitary spot, with a good deal of wild beauty. The mineral springs of Cauquenes burst forth on a line of dislocation, crossing a mass of stratified rock, the whole of which betrays the action of heat. A considerable quantity of gas is continually escaping from the same orifices with the water. Though the springs are only a few yards apart, they have very different temperatures; and this appears to be the result of an unequal mixture of cold water : for those with the lowest temperature have scarcely any mineral taste. After the great earthquake of 1822, the springs ceased, and the water did not return for nearly a year. It is said that they have not since regained their former volume or temperature.* These springs were also much affected by the earthquake of 1835 ; the temperature being suddenly changed from 118° to 92°. t It seems probable that mineral waters rising deep from the bowels of the earth, would always be more deranged by subterranean disturbances, than those nearer the surfac.e. The man who had charge of the baths assured me, that m summer the water is hotter and more plentiful than in winter. The former circumstance I should have expected, from the less mixture, during the dry season, of cold water; but the latter statement appears very strange and contradictory. The periodical increase during the summer when • When I doubted the change of temperature, in this case as. we~l as . in the one mentioned a few lines lower down, the inhabitants mamtamed that they knew it well. Their thermometer, however, was an odd. on~ : it is the common custom in this country to scald a fowl lH.' fore pluckmg tt, in the same manner as we treat a pig, and then the feathers come off v~ry • • r. ·t' 'th llt'"h this operatiOn eastly: they judged from the comparattve 1UCt tty wt w •· could be performed during the two periods. t Caldcleugh's l'hilosoph. Transact. for 1836. VOL. III. Y |