312 PORTILLO PASS. [chap. xv. 



On the nth we ancliored at Valparaiso, and two days 

 afterwards I set out to cross the Cordillera. I proceeded 

 to Santiago, where M*- Caldcleugh most kindly assisted 

 me In every possible way in making the little preparations 

 which were necessary. In this part of Chile there are 

 two passes across the Andes to Mendoza : the one most 

 commonly used — namely, that of Aconcagua or Uspallata 

 —is situated some way to the north ; the other, called the 

 Portillo, is to the south, and nearer, but more lofty and 

 dangerous. 



March iS/A.— We set out for the Portillo pass. Leaving 

 Santiago we crossed the wide burnt-up plain on which 

 that city stands, and in the afternoon arrived at the Maypu, 

 one of the principal rivers in Chile. The valley, at the 

 point where it enters the first Cordillera, is bounded on 

 each side by lofty barren mountains ; and although not 

 broad, it is very fertile. Numerous cottages were sur- 

 rounded by vines, and by orchards of apple, nectarine, and 

 peach trees -their boughs breaking with the weight of the 

 beautiful ripe fruit. In the evening we passed the custom- 

 house, where our luggage was examined. The frontier 

 of Chile is better guarded by the Cordillera, than by the 

 waters of the sea. There are very few valleys which lead 

 to the central ranges, and the mountains are quite im- 

 passable in other parts by beasts of burden. The custom- 

 house officers were very civil, which ,was perhaps partly 

 owing to the passport which the President of the Republic 

 had given me ; but I must express m}^ admiration at the 

 natural politeness of almost every Chileno. In this instance, 

 the contrast with the same class of men In most other 

 countries was strongly marked. I may mention an anec- 

 dote with which I was at the time much pleased : we met 

 near Mendoza a little and very fat negress, riding astride 

 on a mule. She had a goitre so enormous that It was 

 scarcely possible to avoid gazing at her for a moment ; 

 but my two companions almost Instantly, by way of 

 apology, made the common salute of the country by taking 

 off their hats. Where would one of the lower or higher 

 classes in Europe, have shown such feeling politeness to 

 a poor and miserable object of a degraded race ? 



At night we slept at a cottage. Our manner of travelling 

 was delightfully independent. In the Inhabited parts we 

 bought a little firewood, hired pasture for the animals, 

 and bivouacked in the corner of the same field with them. 



