244 USPALLATA PASS. [CHAP, xv. 



master-key. Now they only answer the purpose of caves, or rather 

 dungeons. Seated on some little eminence, they are not, however, ill 

 suited to the surrounding scene of desolation. The zigzag ascent of the 

 Cumbre, or the partition of the waters, was very steep and tedious ; its 

 height, according to Mr. Pentland, is 12,454 feet. The road did not pass 

 over any perpetual snow, although there were patches of it on both 

 hands. The wind on the summit was exceedingly cold, but it was 

 impossible not to stop for a few minutes to admire, again and again, 

 the colour of the heavens, and the brilliant transparency of the 

 atmosphere. The scenery was grand: to the westward there was a 

 fine chaos of mountains, divided by profound ravines. Some snow 

 generally falls before this period of the season, and it has even happened 

 that the Cordillera have been finally closed by this time. But we were 

 most fortunate. The sky, by night and by day, was cloudless, excepting 

 a few round little masses of vapour, that floated over the highest 

 pinnacles. I have often seen these islets in the sky, marking the 

 position of the Cordillera, when far distant mountains have been hidden 

 beneath the horizon. 



April 6th. In the morning we found some thief had stolen one of 

 our mules, and the bell of the madrina. We therefore rode only two or 

 three miles down the valley, and stayed there the ensuing day in hopes 

 of recovering the mule, which the arriero thought had been hidden in 

 some ravine. The scenery in this part had assumed a Chilian character : 

 the lower sides of the mountains, dotted over with the pale evergreen 

 Quillay tree, and with the great chandelier-like cactus, are certainly 

 more to be admired than the bare eastern valleys ; but I cannot quite 

 agree with the admiration expressed by some travellers. The extreme 

 pleasure, I suspect, is chiefly owing to the prospect of a good fire and of 

 a good supper, after escaping from the cold regions above ; and I am 

 sure I most heartily participated in these feelings. 



April 8/7*. We left the valley of the Aconcagua, by which we had 

 descended, and reached in the evening a cottage near the Villa de 

 St. Rosa. The fertility of the plain was delightful ; the autumn being 

 advanced, the leaves of many of the fruit-trees were faking ; and of the 

 labourers, some were busy in drying figs and peaches on the roofs of 

 their cottages, while others were gathering the grapes from the vineyards. 

 It was a pretty scene ; but I missed that pensive stillness which makes 

 the autumn in England indeed the evening of the year. On the loth 

 we reached Santiago, where I received a very kind and hospitable 

 reception from Mr. Caldcleugh. My excursion only cost me twenty- 

 four days, and never did I more deeply enjoy an equal space of time. 

 A few days afterwards I returned to Mr. Corfield's house at Valparaiso. 



