VIEWS OF THE ANDES 



struction, both as to what concerns their temporal com- 

 forts and spiritual interests, for they are but little above 

 the brutes. But they inhabit one of the most inhospitable 

 climates in the world, subject to violent cold rains a large 

 portion of the time, and a long and severe winter. Hills 

 in the neighborhood, not more than twelve hundred feet 

 high, had their summits, in February, their summer, 

 covered with snow. On the whole, I could not advise the 

 place as a ground for missionary operations. Probably 

 some other point in Tierra del Fuego might be found less 

 objectionable. At Good Success Bay, near the eastern 

 extremity, the natives, though equally degraded, are a 

 more intelligent and manly race. I did not see them, 

 however. This I understand from the officers of the 

 Relief , which vessel stopped there. They average six 

 feet in height, and went around with bows and arrows 

 neatly made. But I can say nothing respecting its 

 eligibility as a missionary station." 



Here is a letter in another mood, addressed to his sister 

 Harriet. It was written after a ride of a hundred miles 

 to Santiago, the capital of Chili, and an ascent of a 

 mountain about 8000 feet high in order to see in their 

 majesty the snowy summits of the Andes, which rise 16,- 

 ooo or 18,000 feet in height, a few miles back of the city. 



TO HIS SISTER HARRIET 



Views of the Andes 



"VALPARAISO, May 29, 1839. 



' We left Santiago in a gig for the foot of the moun- 

 tain, which was distant about fifteen miles. A ride of 

 two hours brought us to our stopping-place. Here we 

 procured a guide who was accustomed to the route, and, 

 mounting our horses, commenced the ascent. Our path 

 at first ran along a deep valley, through which a little 

 water was gurgling quietly along ; only a temporary quiet, 

 however, as the torrents rush down the gorge with tre- 

 mendous violence during the thawing of the mountain 

 snows. Winding our way up the sides of the valley, we 



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