354 INDIAN RUINS. [chap. xvi. 



and bleak situations ; but at Copiapo I was assured by 

 men who had spent their lives in travelling through the 

 Andes that there were very many {inuchisimas) buildings 

 at heights so great as almost to border on the perpetual 

 snow, and in parts where there exist no passes, and where 

 the land produces absolutely nothing, and what is still 

 more extraordinary, where there is no water. Nevertheless 

 it is the opinion of the people of the country (although they 

 are much puzzled by the circumstance), that, from the 

 appearance of the houses, the Indians must have used them 

 as places of residence. In this valley at Punta Gorda, the 

 remains consisted of seven or eight square little rooms, 

 which were of a similar form with those at Tambillos, but 

 built chiefly of mud, which the present inhabitants cannot, 

 either here or, according to Ulloa, in Peru, imitate in 

 durability. They were situated in the most conspicuous 

 and defenceless position, at the bottom of the flat broad 

 valley. There was no water nearer than three or four 

 leagues, and that only in very small quantity, and bad : 

 the soil was absolutely sterile ; I looked in vain even for 

 a lichen adhering to the rocks. At the present day, with 

 the advantage of beasts of burden, a mine, unless it were 

 very rich, could scarcely be worked here with profit. Yet 

 the Indians formerly chose it as a place of residence ! 

 If at the present time two or three showers of rain were 

 to fall annually, instead of one, as now is the case, during 

 as many years, a small rill of water would probably be 

 formed in this great valley ; and then, by irrigation (which 

 was formerly so well understood by the Indians), the soil 

 would easily be rendered sufficiently productive to support 

 a few families. 



I have convincing proofs that this part of the continent 

 of South America has been elevated near the coast at least 

 from 400 to 500, and in some parts from 1000 to 1300 feet, 

 since the epoch of existing shells ; and farther inland the 

 rise possibly may have been greater. As the peculiarly arid 

 character of tlie climate is evidently a consequence of the 

 height of the Coniillera, we may feel almost sure that before 

 the later elevations, the atmosphere could not have been so 

 completely drained of its moisture as it now is ; and as the 

 rise has been gradual, so would have been the change in 

 cllmae. On this notion of a change of climate since the 

 buildings were inhabited, the ruins must be of extreme 

 antiquity, but I do not think their preservation under the 



