CHAP. XVI COAST-ROAD TO COQUIMBO 361 



four horses and two mules, the latter carrying the luggage on 

 alternate days. The six animals together only cost the value 

 of twenty-five pounds sterling, and at Copiapo I sold them 

 again for twenty-three. We travelled in the same independent 

 manner as before, cooking our own meals, and sleeping in the 

 open air. As we rode towards the Vino del Mar, I took a 

 farewell view of Valparaiso, and admired its picturesque appear- 

 ance. For geological purposes I made a detour from the high 

 road to the foot of the Bell of Ouillota. We passed through 

 an alluvial district rich in gold, to the neighbourhood of 

 Limache, where we slept. Washing for gold supports the 

 inhabitants of numerous hovels, scattered along the sides of 

 each little rivulet ; but, like all those whose gains are uncertain, 

 they are unthrifty in their habits, and consequently poor. 



28/"//. — In the afternoon we arrived at a cottage at the 

 foot of the Bell mountain. The inhabitants were freeholders, 

 which is not very usual in Chile. They supported themselves 

 on the produce of a garden and a little field, but were very 

 poor. Capital is here so deficient that the people are obliged 

 to sell their green corn while standing in the field, in order to 

 buy necessaries for the ensuing year. Wheat in consequence 

 was dearer in the very district of its production than at 

 Valparaiso, where the contractors live. The next day we 

 joined the main road to Coquimbo. At night there was a 

 very light shower of rain : this was the first drop that had 

 fallen since the heavy rain of September i ith and 12th, which 

 detained me a prisoner at the Baths of Cauquenes. The 

 interval was seven and a half months ; but the rain this year 

 in Chile was rather later than usual. The distant Andes were 

 now covered by a thick mass of snow • and were a glorious 

 sight. 



May 2nd. — The road continued to follovV the coast at no 

 great distance from the sea. The few trees and bushes, which 

 are common in central Chile decreased rapidly in numbers, 

 and were replaced by a tall plant, something like a yucca in 

 appearance. The surface of the country, on a small scale, was 

 singularly broken and irregular ; abrupt little peaks of rock 

 rising out of small plains or basins. The indented coast and 

 the bottom of the neighbouring sea, studded with breakers, 

 would, if converted into dry land, present similar forms ; and 



