270 Mr. H. J. Elwes on 



and wooded up to about 6000 feet, which is the approxi- 

 mate timber-line in this latitude, is within a ride of the 

 town. Here I got a good Indian guide, and left on 

 February 8th, intending to reach the great Lake Nahuel- 

 huapi, which is the largest of all the lakes on this jDart of 

 the frontier. 



Our route through the mountains was extremely inter- 

 esting and picturesque on account of the extraordinary 

 volcanic rock formations which occur in these valleys, but 

 the heavy rain whicli came on soon after leaving San Martin 

 swelled the numerous mountain streams to an extent which 

 made some of them difficult and dangerous to ford with 

 loaded mules. 



From San Martin to Nahuelhuapi I was able to do but 

 little insect collecting, having long marches and broken 

 weather, but the few butterflies which I saw showed that 

 there was not much change in the fauna, and the country 

 began to assume an autumnal appearance. At the point 

 where the great river Limay runs out of Lake Nahuel- 

 huapi, I found a ranch and store kept by a Scotchman 

 named Neil, who is in partnership with Mr. Jones, one of 

 the earliest and principal ranch owners of the district ; 

 here I sold my mules and horses, and had intended to 

 take a boat and follow the river Limay down to its 

 confluence with the Rio Negro, about five days' journey by 

 river and then by rail to Buenos Ayres. But I heard such 

 good accounts of the pass into Chile which is called the 

 pass of Perez Resales that I gave up the idea of returning 

 by this route, and went on to a settlement called San Carlos, 

 founded by the German firm of Hube and Achelis, which 

 is on the south shore of Lake Nahuelhuapi. From here 

 there is a regular route to Puerto Montt by small steamers 

 on the lakes of Nahuelhuapi, Todos Santos, and Llanquihue, 

 which are connected by good mule-roads, and where lodgings 

 can be got in new houses built and managed by this enter- 

 prising and obliging firm. Anything more beautiful, 

 interesting, or novel than this route, which can be traversed 

 in about three days, cannot be imagined, and it must some 

 day be the favourite tourist resort of South America. 



Though very profitable from a botanical point of view, I 

 was too much pressed for time to be able to add much to 

 my entomological collections on this part of the trip, and 

 after being delayed a day on Lake Llanquihue, only arrived 

 at Puerto Montt just in time to catch the steamer to Con- 



