318 Dr. Gillies' Account of the Eruptions 



servation of an intelligent friend, who brought me a small portion of 

 the ashes collected on that occasion, which I found to correspond 

 exactly in appearance with what I had myself collected on the 

 15th December 1824. 



A very favourable opportunity presented itself to me, of witness- 

 ing another eruption and shower of ashes from the same volcano, 

 on the 1st March 1826, while on a journey to Chile by the route 

 of the Portillo. This journey I was induced to undertake, for the 

 purpose of accompanying a much valued friend, who had come 

 from Buenos Ayres in a very precarious state of health, on which 

 account I recommended this route as the most eligible for an inva- 

 lid at that season. We had passed the preceding night at the 

 Totoral, a farm house on an estancia, or cattle estate of one of my 

 friends, pleasantly situated on the northern banks of the river 

 Tenuyan, and distant about 65 miles south of the city of Mendoza. 

 In reaching this place, we had travelled on the preceding day 

 along the plains which skirt the Cordillera of the Andes on the 

 eastern side, and in a direction nearly parallel with the mountains, 

 the base of which at the Totoral was distant about 20 miles. We 

 had now therefore to cross the plain in the direction of the pass of 

 the Portillo, bearing from us in the direction of W.S.W. distant 

 about 36 miles. At a little distance to the south of this pass, was 

 to be seen the deep chasm formed across that part of the Andes, 

 along which the river Tenuyan issues from among the mountains. 



As our party had been considerably augmented by the accession 

 of another of our countrymen, and two gentlemxen of Buenos Ayres, 

 proceeding to Chile on a mission from the Government of that coun- 

 try, a good deal of time was spent in making arrangements, and 

 getting ready to start on so long a journey, so that we did not leave 

 our resting-place until 7 o'clock. The morning was fine and agree- 

 able, the sky free from clouds, and a moderate breeze coming 

 almost in a direct line from that part of the mountains towards which 

 we were travelling. "We had not proceeded far on our way, when 

 my fellow travellers, as well as myself, were much annoyed by some 

 minute particles getting into our eyes, and causing considerable 

 uneasiness. At first we imagined that it was occasioned by small 

 particles of sand ; but a little reflection soon satisfied us that 

 the breeze was not sufficiently strong to raise up in the air the 

 grains of sand which appeared on some parts of the plain, over 

 which we were travelling ; and in this state of uncertainty, one of 

 my fellow travellers, who was covered with a dark-coloured poncho, 

 riding near me, afi^orded me the means of unveiling the mystery, 

 as I perceived, on looking towards him, that the atmosphere betwixt 

 us, was crowded with innumerable minute flocculent particles of a 

 gray or ash colour, but which, owing to their minuteness, had not 

 before been perceived. It being necessary at the time to keep up 

 with the rest of the party, who were somewhat in advance, I could 

 not delay a sufficient time to collect any considerable portion of these 



