228 PORTILLO PASS. [CHAP. xv. 



voice came from the shore : such a babel of cries issued at once from 

 the ship every one hallooing out, " Let go the anchor I veer cable ! 

 shorten sail 1 " It was the most laughable thing I ever heard. If the 

 ship's crew had been all captains, and no men, there could not have 

 been a greater uproar of orders. We afterwards found that the mate 

 stuttered : I suppose all hands were assisting him in giving his orders. 



On the nth we anchored at Valparaiso, and two days afterwards I 

 set out to cross the Cordillera. I proceeded to Santiago, where Mr. 

 Caldcleugh most kindly assisted me in every possible way in making 

 the little preparations which were necessary. In this part of Chile 

 there are two passes across the Andes to Mendoza : the one most 

 commonly used namely, that of Aconcagua or Uspallata is situated 

 some way to the north ; the other, called the Portillo, is to the south, 

 and nearer, but more lofty and dangerous. 



March iStk We set out for the Portillo pass. Leaving Santiago 

 we crossed the wide burnt-up plain on which that city stands, and in 

 the afternoon arrived at the Maypu, one of the principal rivers in Chile. 

 The valley, at the point where it enters the first Cordillera, is bounded 

 on each side by lofty barren mountains ; and although not broad, it is 

 very fertile. Numerous cottages were surrounded by vines, and by 

 orchards of apple, nectarine, and peach trees their boughs breaking 

 with the weight of the beautiful ripe fruit. In the evening we passed 

 the custom-house, where our luggage was examined. The frontier 

 of Chile is better guarded by the Cordillera, than by the waters of the 

 sea. There are very few valleys which lead to the central ranges, and 

 the mountains are quite impassable in other parts by beasts of burden. 

 The custom-house officers were very civil, which was perhaps partly 

 owing to the passport which the President of the Republic had given 

 me ; but I must express my admiration at the natural politeness of 

 almost every Chileno. In this instance, the contrast with the same class 

 of men in most other countries was strongly marked. I may mention 

 an anecdote with which I was at the time much pleased: we met near 

 Mendoza a little and very fat negress, riding astride on a mule. She 

 had a goitre so enormous that it was scarcely possible to avoid gazing 

 at her for a moment ; but my two companions almost instan'.ly, by way 

 of apology, made the common salute of the country by taking off their 

 hats. Where would one of the lower or higher classes in Europe, have 

 shown such feeling politeness to a poor and miserable object of a 

 degraded race ? 



At night we slept at a cottage. Out manner pf travelling was 

 delightfully independent. In the inhabited parts we bought a little 

 firewood, hired pasture for the animals, and bivouacked in the corner of 

 the same field with them. Carrying an iron pot, we cooked and ate 

 our supper under a cloudless sky, and knew no trouble. My companions 

 were Mariano Gonzales, who had formerly accompanied me in Chile, 

 and an " arriero," with his ten mules and a " madrina." The madrina 

 (or godmother) is a most important personage: she is an old steady 

 mare, with a little bell round her neck ; and wherever she goes, the 

 mules, like good children, follow her. The affection of these animals 



