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Show 414 PASSAGE OF CORDILLERA. April, 1835. 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. . Seat~d on some little eminence, they are not, however, 1ll smted 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,* 1s 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. APRIL 6TH.-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 evergreen Quillay tree, and with the great candlestick cactus, certainly are more to be admired than any thing in the bare Eastern valleys ; but 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~ • Geographical Journal. Notice on Bolivian Cordillera, March, 1835. April, 1835. PASSAGE OF CORDILLERA. 415 after escaping from the cold regions above : and I am sure I most heartily participated in such feelings. 8TH.-We left the valley of the river of Aconcagua, by which we had des~ended, and reached in the evening a cot~age near the V1lla d~ St. Rosa. The fertility of the plam was extremely dehghtful. The autumn being well advanced, the leaves of many of the fruit-trees were fallinO'. o' 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. It was a pretty scene; but that pensive stillness was absent, which makes the autumr;t in England indeed the evening of the year. On the lOth we reached Santiago, where I experienced a very kin~ and hospitable reception from Mr. Caldcleugh. My excurswn 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. |