LIFE OF JAMES DWIGHT DANA 



midshipmen, James W. E. Reid of Florida and Frederick 

 A. Bacon of Connecticut, were lost with their command. 



Valparaiso presented the attractions of a prosperous 

 Spanish capital. General Prieto, the President of Chili, 

 was in town, and three elegant balls were given in his 

 honor, " surpassing," says Wilkes, " any of our own 

 fetes at home." All were surprised that Valparaiso 

 could make so brilliant and tasteful a display of beauty 

 and magnificence. The recent victory of Yungai over 

 the Peruvians caused much rejoicing. One day the 

 President was taken on an aquatic excursion, and on 

 passing the men-of-war received the customary salute 

 from all but the Americans. " We could not fire our 

 guns on account of our chronometers. On his passing, 

 however, the rigging was manned and we gave him three 

 hearty cheers, which from their novelty delighted the 

 President and his suite." * 



This gaiety was in strong contrast with the experiences 

 near Cape Horn. But the scientific corps was not de- 

 tained by it. The naturalists began their excursions even 

 before the arrival of the commander, and when he came, 

 those who could be spared were allowed to visit Santiago 

 and the Cordilleras beyond. Dana, we might be sure, 

 was one of those who were eager to seize this opportun- 

 ity. Pickering, Peale, and Drayton went too. East of 

 Santiago they ascended the mountains to the height of 

 10,000 or 11,000 feet, and the range beyond appeared to 

 be about 4000 feet higher. In the distance, eighty miles 

 away, the snow-peak Tupongati was conspicuous. 



I have no doubt that Dana gave to Wilkes the account 

 of this excursion that is printed in the narrative, for it 

 required the eye of a mineralogist as well as of a lover of 

 scenery to observe and describe both the beauties of the 

 landscape and the characteristics of rocks and minerals. 

 The record reads that from the highest point the scene 



* Wilkes, vol. i., p. 171. 

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