756 LOUIS AGASSIZ. 



The lodgings for the night were found in 

 small towns along the road, Tonie, Chilian, 

 Linarez, Talca, Curicu, and once, when there 

 was no inn within reach, at a hospitable ha- 

 cienda. 



A brief sketch of the geological observa- 

 tions made on this excursion is found in a let- 

 ter from Agassiz to Mr. Peirce. He never 

 wrote out, as he had intended to do, a more 

 detailed report. 



OFF GAUTEMALA, July 29, 1872. 



MY DEAR PEIRCE, ... I have another 

 new chapter concerning glacial phenomena, 

 gathered during our land-journey from Tal- 

 cahuana to Santiago. It is so complicated a 

 story that I do not feel equal now to record- 

 ing the details in a connected statement, but 

 will try to give you the main facts in a few 

 words. 



There is a broad valley between the Andes 

 and the Coast Range, the valley of Chilian, ex- 

 tending- from the Gulf of Ancud, or Port de 



o ' 



Mott, to Santiago and farther north. This 

 valley is a continuation, upon somewhat higher 

 level, of the channels which, from the Strait 

 of Magellan to Chiloe, separate the islands 

 from the main-land, with the sole interrup- 

 tion of Tres Montes. Now this great valley, 



