92 NORTHERN CHILE. 



high road to the foot of the Bell of Quillota. We 

 passed through an alluvial district rich in gold, to 

 the neighbourhood of Limache, where we slept. 

 Washing for gold supports the inhabitants of nu- 

 merous hovels, scattered along the side of each 

 little rivulet ; but, like all those whose gains are 

 uncertain, they are unthrifty in their habits, and 

 consequently poor. 



2Sth. — 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. Cap- 

 ital is here so deficient, that the people are obliged 

 to sell their green com while standing in the field, 

 in oi'der to buy necessaries for the ensuing yeai*. 

 Wheat, in consequence, was dearer in the very dis- 

 trict of its production than at Valparaiso, whei-e 

 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 11th 

 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 2d. — The road continued to follow 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 re- 

 placed 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 



