qf the Volcano of Peuquene^. 319 



particles, which I immediately concluded to be volcanic ashes ; but 

 while continuing to pursue my journey, I succeeded in securing a 

 small portion, by spreading out the fore part of my poncho, though 

 they were so light that the breeze carried the greater part of them 

 again into the air almost as fast as they fell. The little, however, 

 which I did procure, was sufficient, on examination, to satisfy me of 

 its identity with what I had before collected at Mendoza. These 

 particles were wafted in quick succession by the wind to the east- 

 ward, and on looking attentively towards the mountains, I perceiv- 

 ed, in the directfon of a peaked part of the ridge intervening 

 between the pass of the Portillo and the exit of the river Tenu- 

 yan, a dark, ha^y cloud, which was evidently altogether composed 

 of the same volcanic ashes, as it appeared exactly in the direction, 

 from which the breeze came, and there was no where else to be 

 seen any trace of clouds. It continued visible until near nine o'clock, 

 becoming gradually fainter until it altogether dissappeared. Soon 

 afterwards the shower of ashes also ceased, having continued Avith- 

 out intermission, for nearly two hours, from the time of our first 

 observing it, during which we had travelled over an extent of about 

 eleven miles. I found on further inquiry of our attendants, that 

 the dark cloud had been noticed by some of them before our depar- 

 ture from the Totoral, but that it had not excited particular atten- 

 tion^ until we found ourselves enveloped in the shower of ashes. 



Soon after it had ceased, we reached the estancia of the Cienega 

 de Zapata, where we remained a short time, during which, on 

 conversing with the capataz or overseer about the shower of ashes, 

 he informed me that he had witnessed the same phenomena which 

 had attracted our attention : that a short time before sunrise, be- 

 ing on foot, he had heard a distant m.urmuring noise among the 

 mountains, which was soon followed by a dense column, of a dark 

 appearance resembling smoke, which rose up behind the peaked 

 part of the mountain already mentioned^ — that it had gradually 

 subsided into the dark cloud we had afterwards noticed, and was 

 then carried by the wind further to the eastward ; and that it had 

 certainly come from the volcano of Peuquenes, which we would 

 afterwards see on our crossing the valley of the Tenuyan, and the 

 western ridge of the Cordillera. When we reached these places a 

 few days afterwards, the volcano was pointed out to us by our 

 guides, at a distance from us of about six miles, but then all was 

 in a state of quiescence, and we saw no traces of the recent erup- 

 tion. 



I have been favoured by my friend Mr. James F. W. Johnston, 

 with the following analysis of the volcanic matter which fell at 

 Mendoza. 



" The substance sent has the external appearance of a gray 

 pumice powder, for which at first sight it might be taken. It 

 behaves diflferently, however, before the blowpipe, and is of 

 greater specific gravity, (sp. gr. 2.25.) Water separates a light 



