460 EXPERIENCES CONTINUED. 



of earth appear at a little distance as though covered with cloths of gold. The summit of 

 Eenca is rather more than 1,100 feet above the plain. Its general geological structure is similar to 

 that of Santa Lucia, though disintegration has covered large portions of its surface with a rich soil 

 producing pasturage for multitudes of sheep and cattle, until the droughts of summer burn up 

 all vegetation that has only superficial roots. On the northern side, a small canal winds close to its 

 base. Well up the slopes there were fields of grain dependent on natural irrigation ; and still 

 higher, the Acacia cavenia and arborescent cactus throw out their arms towards the sky amid 

 outcropping prismatic rocks on whose surfaces rain can scarcely be known for six months at a 

 time. Except a marshy plain near the southeast border of the lake, all the surrounding valley 

 presents that abundance of vegetable life with which so benignant a climate blesses Chile. 

 Here the finest strawberries are grown; and, in their season, pleasure parties come frequently 

 from the capital to enjoy freshly gathered fruit. 



Guasos and peons were collected at Renca, the village mentioned, for their usual Sunday 

 dissipations and diversions new chicha (like new cider in two respects, cheapness and agreea- 

 ble flavor) tempting many to debauchery, which often terminates in murder. Unlike cider, it 

 quickly inflames the brain ; and under its influence, they resort to the knife for redress of real 

 or imaginary grievances. One ragged vagabond, whose nose, like Bardolph's, was an index of 

 the strong waters he had imbibed, chased us nearly two miles, unsuccessfully begging means 

 to obtain a drink of his favorite beverage. His only reward was advice to soak his proboscis 

 in water perhaps that would afford him a liquor sufficiently potent. He had left many com- 

 panions playing at bolas at the pulperias a favorite game, which tradition claims to have been 

 transmitted from the time of the conquest. It is a sort of billiards, in which the earth forms 

 the table, and an iron ring the pocket ; the balls are of hard wood four and a half or five inches 

 in diameter, and flat pieces of board some two inches wide serve instead of cues, or rather maces. 

 The earth is made perfectly level and smooth for a space one half larger than the ordinary bil- 

 liard-table, and has guards to prevent the balls from passing beyond its limits. There are 

 three balls. These are not struck, as in playing billiards, but receive their impetus by being 

 scraped along under accelerated motion of the flat pieces of board. The great stroke of the 

 game is to make a cannon from the third ball to that of your adversary, driving the latter though 

 the ring. Other parties had withdrawn from the roadside, and were earnestly occupied with 

 cards ; the use of which being prohibited, every peon covets a pack, and will gamble away his 

 last real at monte. 



May 13. A storm of wind and rain from the northward commenced early in the morning, 

 at times blowing with much violence ; and though the rain did not fall as heavily as during 

 short periods on two or three previous occasions, it was absolutely without cessation for about 

 thirteen hours, and the amount deposited exceeded three and a half inches ! Towards sunset there 

 was a narrow streak of clear sky to the westward, and by eight o'clock the heavens were cloud- 

 less. Still the wind blew as freshly as during the day, and a nebulous haze surrounded all the 

 more brilliant stars. By midnight the temperature had fallen to 40, evidencing the deposition 

 of a large body of snow on the Andes, which the starlight partially and the dawn of the following 

 morning wholly revealed. Far as the eye could trace the ranges, they were enveloped full two 

 thirds from the crests downward; and there were also patches about the more elevated summits 

 and table-lands of the Western Cordilleras. The following day proved calm and cloudless ; and 

 the sharp, cool air that poured down from the mountain-sides, modulated by a bright sun, was 

 most refreshing and invigorating. But it was torture to the poor peons, whose cotton garments, 

 threadbare ponchos, and perhaps bare feet, kept them shivering as they crept along the sunny 

 side of the streets. 



May 21. Starting shortly before noon on one of the Indian summer like mornings with 

 which we had occasionally been favored, a gay cavalcade of us rode to the Salto de Agua. For 

 he first two or three miles the road follows near the south bank of the river, between quintan 



