MOUNTAIX SCENKRY. 337 



which the inhabitants, from some unaccountable 

 reason, beHeve to be an ai-m of the sea. During a 

 very dry season, it was proposed to attempt cutting 

 a channel from it for the sake of the water, but the 

 padre, after a consultation, declared it was too 

 dangerous, as all Chile would be inundated, if, as 

 generally supposed, the lake was connected with 

 the Pacific. We ascended to a great height, but, 

 becoming involved in the snow-drifts, failed in 

 reaching this wonderful lake, and had some diffi- 

 culty in returning. I thought we should have lost 

 our horses ; for there was no means of guessing 

 how deep the drifts were, and the animals, when 

 led, could only jnove by jumping. The black sky 

 showed that a fresh snow-storm was gathering, and 

 we therefore were not a little glad when we es- 

 caped. By the time we reached the base the 

 storm commenced, and it was lucky for us that this 

 did not happen three hours earlier in the day. 



August 26t/i. — We left Jajuel and again cr( 

 the basin of S. Felipe. The day was truly Chi- 

 lian : glaringly bright, and the atmosphere quite 

 clear. The thick and uniform covering of newly- 

 fallen snow rendered the view of the volcano of 

 Aconcagua and the main chain quite glorious. We 

 were now on the road to Santiago, the capital of 

 Chile. We crossed the Cerro del Talguen, and 

 slept at a little rancho. The host, talking about 

 the state of Chile as compared to other countries, 

 was very humble : " Some see with two eyes, and 

 some with one ; but, for my part, I do not think that 

 Chile sees with any." 



August 21th. — After crossing many low hills we 

 descended into the small, land-locked plain of Gui- 

 tron. In the basins, such as this one, which are 

 elevated from one thousand to two thousand feet 

 above the sea, two species of acacia, which are 



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