I835-J VALLEV OF GUASCO. 253 



of ChaCeral ; which, although the most fertile one between Guasco and 

 Coquimbo, is very narrow, and produces so little pasture, that we could 

 not purchase any for our horses. At Sauce we found a very civil old 

 gentleman, superintending a copper-smelting furnace. As an especial 

 favour, he allowed me to purchase at a high price an armful of dirty 

 straw, which was all the poor horses had for supper after their long 

 day's journey. Few smelting-furnaces are now at work in any part of 

 Chile ; it is found more profitable, on account of the extreme scarcity of 

 firewood, and from the Chilian method of reduction being so unskilful, 

 to ship the ore for Swansea. The next day we crossed some mountains 

 to Freyrina, in the valley of Guasco. During each day's ride further 

 northward, the vegetation became more and more scanty; even the 

 great chandelier-like cactus was here replaced by a different and much 

 smaller species. During the winter months, both in northern Chile and 

 in Peru, a uniform bank of clouds hangs, at no great height, over the 

 Pacific. From the mountains we had a very striking view of this white 

 and brilliant aerial-field, which sent arms up the valleys, leaving islands 

 and promontories in the same manner, as the sea does in the Chonos 

 archipelago and in Tierra del Fuego. 



We stayed two days at Freyrina. In the valley of Guasco there are 

 four small towns. At the mouth there is the port, a spot entirely desert, 

 and without any water in the immediate neighbourhood. Five leagues 

 higher up stands Freyrina, a long straggling village, with decent white- 

 washed houses. Again, ten leagues further up Ballenar is situated ; 

 and above this Guasco Alto, a horticultural village, famous for its dried 

 fruit. On a clear day the view up the valley is very fine ; the straight 

 opening terminates in the far-distant snowy Cordillera ; on each side an 

 infinity of crossing lines are blended together in a beautiful haze. The 

 foreground is singular from the number of parallel and step-formed 

 terraces ; and the included strip of green valley, with its willow-bushes, 

 is contrasted on both hands with the naked hills. That the surrounding 

 country was most barren will be readily believed, when it is known 

 that a shower of rain had not fallen during the last thirteen months. 

 The inhabitants heard with the greatest envy of the rain at Coquimbo ; 

 from the appearance of the sky they had hopes of equally good fortune, 

 which, a fortnight afterwards, were realized. I was at Copiap6 at the 

 time ; and there the people, with equal envy, talked of the abundant 

 rain at Guasco. After two or three very dry years, perhaps with not 

 more than one shower during the whole time, a rainy year generally 

 follows ; and this does more harm than even the drought The rivers 

 swell, and cover with gravel and sand the narrow strips of ground, 

 which alone are fit for cultivation. The floods also injure the irrigating 

 ditches. Great devastation had thus been caused three years ago. 



June %th. We rode on to Ballenar, which takes its name from 

 Ballenagh in Ireland, the birthplace of the family of O'Higgins, who, 

 under the Spanish government, were presidents and generals in Chile. 

 As the rocky mountains on each hand were concealed by clouds, the 

 terrace-like plains gave to the valley an appearance like that of Santa 

 Cruz in Patagonia. After spending one day at Ballenar I set out, on 



