3 1 o Voyage of the Novara. 



The splendid and substantially-built iron bridge thrown 

 over the Maipu here, 1500 feet wide, at an elevation of 1822 

 feet above the level of the sea, was like everything used on 

 the line, with the exception of the wood, imported from North 

 America. Of the difficulty and expense attending land-trans- 

 port in Chile, some idea may be formed from the fact that 

 the freightage of one ton of goods from New York to Valpa- 

 raiso, 10,000 miles by sea, is but £1 1^., whereas the convey- 

 ance of the same quantity from Santiago to Valparaiso, only 

 100 miles, costs £7 7-5.!! 



Although evening surprised us ere we returned to Santiago 

 from Maipu, and a dense mist hung over the landscape quite 

 precluding all views for the greatest part of the road, we 

 were so fortunate, shortly before our arrival at the city, as to 

 be favoured with a glimpse of the majestic range of the Cor- 

 dillera, lit up by the declining rays of the sun, a spectacle 

 resembling the sun -set splendours of the Alps in Switzerland ; 

 but the novelty of the details of which, coupled with its sud- 

 denness and brevity of duration, greatly deepened the im- 

 pression of awe and admiration with which we regarded it. 



At noon of the 30th of April we set out on our return to 

 Valparaiso. On this occasion we availed ourselves of a dif- 



c. From Port Caldera to Copiapo, the mining capital (50 miles), both constructed 

 by private companies. From Copiapo a tramway leads to Pabcllar, whence 

 there is a mule-road to the mines of Chanarullo (4400 feet above sea-level). 

 Mr. Evans had invented a new description of locomotive, capable of climbing 

 even to this elevated region. Lastly, a road is projected to unite Copiapo with 

 the mining district of Tres Puntos. 



