310 



ANDES. 



ANDES. 



350 



several hundred feet thick, and extending to a distance of 120 miles 

 from the base of the chain. In the parallel of Eyre Sound, the 

 mountains are not less than 40 miles across, and at the foot of their 

 eastern declivity lies the large lake of Viedma or Capar. The 

 mountains which surround this lake on the west are also covered 

 with snow, and, according to the account of the Patagoniane, 

 impassable. 



North of 48 45' S. lat., no snow-capped mountains are visible near 

 the coast, but it is very probable that they occur farther inland. The 

 coast, which up to this place has continued to be very high and 

 precipitous, begins to be somewhat lower, and the rocks rise with a 

 more gentle ascent ; in many places there is much low and thickly 

 wooded land. North of 47 S. lat., behind the Peninsula of Tres 

 Montes, some snow-covered mountains and glaciers again approach the 

 sea. The peninsula itself is only a huge mass of high rocks, and 

 other rocks of a similar description extend eastward across the 

 Isthmus of Offui, where they join the snow-capped mountains lying 

 farther east. Between 47 and 48 S. lat., some maps place a volcano, 

 called San Clemente ; but its existence as a volcano is very doubtful. 

 North of the Peninsula of Tres Montes the highest portion of the 

 Andes again comes close up to the Pacific. The mountains which 

 here line the shore are from 4000 to 8000 feet in height, thickly 

 wooded for about 4000 feet from the base ; above this height there is 

 perpetual snow. The highest summits are Yanteles, 8030 feet ; 

 Mount Meli-moyu, 7500 feet; Corcovado, 7510 feet; and Min- 

 chinmadiva, 7046 feet. The Corcovado, which is situated in 

 43 10' S. lat., is the most southern volcano of the Andes, the existence 

 of which has been ascertained ; the Minchinmadiva is also a volcano. 

 Snow covers more than one-third of their height. All these summits 

 are situated on the range which runs close to the shore of the Gulf of 

 Ancud. We are quite unacquainted with the interior of the 

 Patagonisn Andes ; nor is their width known north of 48 S. lat. 



Numerous rocky islands, some small, some of great extent, and 

 Tarying in height from 800 to 2000 feet, lie like a barrier in front of 

 the Patagonian Andes, so that no part of this coast except the 

 Peninsula of Tres Montes is exposed to the ocean swell. The islands 

 are separated from one another only by narrow straits, which are not 

 visible at some distance from the open sea, and accordingly the 

 islands appear to the navigator as a continuous rocky shore. Considering 

 the great elevation of these islands, the nature of the bare rocks of 

 which they consist, the narrow channels by which they are separated 

 from the continent, and the extremely steep acclivity of the ranges 

 along the coast of the mainland, one is led to suppose that they were 

 once united to the Andes, and formed their western declivity, but 

 that by a great convulsion of nature they were torn from the range 

 and thrown into the sea. 



The Chitian Andet.M the northern extremity of the Patagonian 

 Andes, between 41 30' and 41 10' S. lat., there seems to be a consider- 

 able depression in the range. On the eastern side of this depression is a 

 great lake, called Nahuelhuapi, on which the Spanish monks, taking 

 advantage of the facility offered by this depression for traversing the 

 mountains, had formerly established a mission. It is to be regretted 

 that no information exists respecting this nmuntain-pass, as it appears 

 that between the Ancon sin Salida and this place the mountains 

 cannot be traversed ; at least it never has been done. 



From this depression the Chilian Andes extend northward to 

 28 S. lat. At this point the range changes somewhat its direction, 

 inclining to the east of north, so that in a little more than 5 degrees 

 of latitude, at the volcano of Antuco (36 50' S. lat.), it has traversed 

 nearly 2 30' of longitude. The southern part of the Chilian Andes 

 is very imperfectly known. The mountains seem in general to ripe 

 somewhat higher than farther south, and to be overtopped by many 

 summits, several of which are ignivomous. The existence of three 

 volcanoes has been ascertained. The most southern is the volcano of 

 Osorno, which lies south of 41" S. lat, and rises to 7560 feet. 

 Farther north (39 100 the Volcano de Villarica, also called Cerro 

 Imperial ; this is of great elevation, and it project* into the lower 

 country lying west of it, so that it appears as if it was detached from 

 the great chain. The Volcauo de Cura, called also Callaqui, lies near 

 lat. ; it is very active, but does not rise above the snow-line. 

 Whilst this portion of the Chilian Andes turns to the east of north, 

 the coast suddenly (north of 42 H. lat.) projects to the west, so that 

 here a wide country i.s interposed between the range and the Pacific. 

 It is widest in the parallel of the Volcano de Antuco, wherr th^ 

 distance is rather more than 100 miles. At no other point are the 

 Andes and the Pacific so far apart. 



In the parallel of the volcano of Antuco the Andes consist of two 

 parallel ranges, inclosing a longitudinal valley or perhaps a series of 

 snch valleys. The highest parts of the ranges are from 60 to 80 miles 

 distant from each other. We may therefore conclude that the 

 Chilian Andes occupy at least 100 miles in width. Among the 

 longitudinal valleys best known is that of Tunuyan, across which the 

 Portillo Pass (8000 feet high) leads. The eastern ridge rises here to 

 15,000 feet, ami the western to 14,000 feet. Between 34 30' and 



1 8. lat. is the longitudinal valley of Uspallata, which is about 

 180 miles long, and 6000 feet above the sea. The level part 

 of this valley is about 15 miles across. The eastern range, called 

 Paramilla, probably docs not much rise above 10,000 feet, and occupies 



a space about 20 miles in width ; but the western or principal range 

 of the Andes rises to 14,000 and 15,000 feet, and is at least 60 miles 

 across. 



The Chilian Andes between 37 and 31 attain a much greater 

 elevation than the Patagonian Andes. In general, they rarely sink 

 below the snow-line, which in these parts seems to occur at an 

 elevation of between 13,000 and 14,000 feet. The mountain-passes 

 are rarely less than 12,000 feet high, and most of them can only be 

 traversed during a few months, as they are filled with snow the rest 

 of the year. Many of the summits rise considerably above the crest 

 of the chain, but the heights of only a few of them have been ascer- 

 tained by actual measurement, and these are volcanoes. The number 

 of ignivomous summits whose eruptions are on record is eight ; of 

 these two are situated in the eastern range of the Andes Unalavquen 

 and Punmahuidda both ef which are very little known. The six 

 volcanoes in the western range are from south to north, Antuco near 

 37 S. lat. ; Chilian, which seems to be identical with the peak called 

 Descabezado, about 36 5' S. lat. ; Peteroa, or Curico, which was very 

 active in 1822, near 35 S. lat. ; Rancagua, near 34 10' S. lat. ; Maypu, 

 or Peuquenes, which rises to 15,000 feet, and is always covered with 

 snow ; and lastly, Aconcagua, near 32 38' S. lat Aconcagua, the 

 highest known volcano in the world, and probably the highest summit 

 of the Andes, rises 23,200 feet above the sea. The western declivity 

 of the Chilian Andes south of 32 is well wooded, and the 

 vegetation on it rather luxuriant ; but on the eastern side trees do 

 not attain a full growth, except in the valleys. 



Eight mountain-passes occur on the Chilian Andes south of 32 

 S. lat. The most southern lies on the south of the volcano of 

 Villarica, near 39 S. lat., but is only used by the Indians of Arau- 

 cana, who pass by it into the pampas. The Pass of Antuco crosses 

 the Andes between the Tilla Velluda, a mountain mass rising to about 

 17,000 feet on the south, and the volcano of Antuco on the north ; it 

 does not seem to exceed 12,000 feet in its highest part The Pass of 

 Planchon traverses the chain, north of the peak of Descabezado, and 

 as vegetation does not cease on the highest part of the road, it is 

 supposed not to exceed 11,000 feet. The Pass of Las Damas is at no 

 great distance south of the volcano of Peteroa, and on its highest part 

 also vegetation does not cease. A pass little frequented runs on the 

 northern side of the last-mentioned volcano over the Andes. Near 

 34 8. lat. is the Pass of Cruz de Piedra ; farther north, near the Peak 

 of Tupungato is the Pass of Portillo, which traverses the two ranges 

 of the Andes including the valley of Tunuyan. On the eastern range 

 it rises to 14,365 feet, and on the western to 18,210 feet above the 

 sea-level. It is seldom open longer than from the beginning of 

 January to the end of April. The most frequented of these passes is 

 that of Uspallata, taking its name from the valley, which it crosses 

 between the two ranges. This pass rises on the western range of the 

 Andes to 12,454 feet above the sea level. From November to the 

 end of May this road is passable the whole distance on mules ; for the 

 rest of the year it is generally closed to all but foot passengers, and by 

 them it cannot bo traversed without danger. The most northern pass 

 js that of Los Patos, which skirts the northern flank of the Peak of 

 Aconcagua, and descends by the valley of Putaendo into that of 

 Aconcagua. General San Martin entered Chili by this pass in 1817. 



The Chilian Andes, between 31 and 28 S. lat, consist of throe 

 parallel mountain ranges inclosing two wide valleys, and extending 

 rather more than 100 miles in breadth. The western range preserves 

 the general name of the Andes ; the central one is called Cerro 

 Famatina, and the eastern Cerro Velasco *. The Cerro Famatina is 

 the most elevated range ; part of it is always covered with snow, and 

 is therefore called the Nevado. The high valley of Guandacol lies 

 between the Andes and the Famatina range. Five mountain-pasoes 

 lead from this valley across the Andes to the ports of northern Chili, 

 and the transport of merchandise is not difficult. There are uo 

 volcanoes in this part of the Andes. Those which are marked on some 

 maps do not exist. The eastern declivity of the Andes, and the two 

 other ranges are mostly overgrown with trees, but the western 

 declivity of the Andes is quite bare, and consists of rocks or sand. 

 This is the effect of want of rain, which renders the whole of the 

 northern provinces of Chili nearly a desert. This part of the Chilian 

 Andes is but imperfectly known. 



The Detpoblado Andet occupy the north-west of the Argentine Con- 

 federation, and extend from 28 to 22 S. lat South of 28, as far as 

 the volcano of Antuco, the mountain region nowhere much exceeds 

 100 miles across, but north of 28 it widens gradually until at 

 23 8. lat. it is more than 350 miles wide. The western part of this 

 region retains the name of Andes, and in these parts constitutes not a 

 range, but merely the western declivity of an elevated table-land of 

 a very uneven surface, and of great extent. North of 28 S. lat, the 

 Andes instead of running nearly due north and south decline 

 considerably to the east of north. In this, the most extensive portion 

 of the whole mountain system, there are no summits that rise above 

 the snow-line, nor does the region contain a single volcano. A straight 

 line drawn from the eastern declivity of the Andes at 28 S. lat. to the 

 confluence of the fivers Jujuy, or Lawayen, and the Tarija, whoso 

 confluence near 23 S. lat, 63 W. long, forms the Vermejo, marks the 



* The word Cerro la nearly equivalent to Sierra, nnil means a high neck or 

 ridge. 



