100 Account of a Journey across the 



with different kinds of Amaryllis, which spread a carpet of 

 bloom resembling a richly stocked flower-garden. 



14th. We came to the little chapel of San Juan, where, 

 though the village consists of but 3 Ranches, there is a put- 

 peria or tippling dram-shop. A day was passed in repairing 

 the carts, all of which had become loose and rickety from the 

 long drought. No iron is used in the construction of these 

 vehicles ; even the wheels are unshod, the trams being made 

 of hard Algaroba wood, which lasts a long time, often several 

 years, on the stoneless roads of this country. 



This place was the last post house in the province of Cor- 

 dova going north-west, and here, as we were on the ridge of a 

 mountain, we found the vegetation much more varied than of 

 late ; the Cactus tribe were especially numerous and varied ; 

 one specimen of the broad-branched kind struck me particu- 

 larly, its white strong spines measuring from 6 to 9 inches in 

 length ; and the tree itself, of a conical shape (the cone re- 

 versed), with its huge body of bushy and numerous flat 

 branches, could not be of less weight than 10 to 12 tons. 

 There are also several Mimosas of different species ; that 

 which is called from its hooked thorn Garro-Vato (Grip the 

 Goat) abounds ; varying much, but always preserving a slender 

 mode of growth and fine short pinnated leaves : unfortunately 

 none of these were in flower. I also observed the Jormillio, a 

 slender ever-flowering shrub, with small gummy leaves ; the 

 whole plant has a dry brown singy appearance ; and a curious 

 frutescent Solanum, whose long, oval, scarlet fruit is generally 

 as empty as a bladder. Here also I found a beautiful shrub 

 much resembling an apricot, its fruit ; which is small and yel- 

 low, the natives assure me, when ripe, is not inferior to a good 

 plum ; but as the season was passed, I only picked up a few 

 dry kernels, which also bore a great similarity to those of the 

 apricot ; at the lowest part of the bush was a small branch in 

 flower : it is called here Patta, 



In this neighbourhood 1 noticed the effects of the earth- 

 quake which had taken place while 1 was travelling in August 

 of last year : pits, of various forms and depths, had opened, 

 some only 4 feet deep, while of others we could not find the 

 bottom ; also a large deep rent or ravine, crossing our road, 



