1833.] SIERRA VENTANA. 103 



I was on the top of the second peak by two o'clock, but got there 

 with extreme difficulty ; every twenty yards I had the cramp in the 

 upper part of both thighs, so that I was afraid I should not have 

 been able to have got down again. It was also necessary to return 

 by another road, as it was out of the question to pass over the 

 saddle-back. I was therefore obliged to give up the two higher 

 peaks. Their altitude was but little greater, and every purpose 

 of geology had been answered ; so that the attempt was not worth 

 the hazard of any further exertion. I presume the cause of the 

 cramp was the great change in the kind of muscular action, from 

 that of hard riding to that of still harder climbiug. It is a lesson 

 worth remembering, as in some cases it might cause much difficulty. 



I have already said the mountain is composed of white quartz 

 rock, and with it a little glossy clay-slate is associated. At the 

 height of a few hundred feet above the plain, patches of conglo- 

 merate adhered in several places to the solid rock. They re- 

 sembled in hardness, and in the nature of the cement, the masses 

 which may be seen daily forming on some coasts. I do not doubt 

 these pebbles were in a similar manner aggregated, at a period 

 when the great calcareous formation was depositing beneath tbe 

 surrounding sea. We may believe that the jagged and battered 

 forms of the hard quartz yet show the effects of the waves of an 

 open ocean. 



I was, on the whole, disappointed with this ascent. Even the 

 view was insignificant ; a plain like the sea, but without its beau- 

 tiful colour and defined outline. The scene, however, was novel, 

 and a little danger, like salt to meat, gave it a relish. That the 

 danger was very little was certain, for my two companions made a 

 good fire a thing which is never done when it is suspected that 

 Indians are near. I reached the place of our bivouac by sunset, 

 and drinking much mate, and smoking several cigaritos, soon 

 made up my bed for the night. The wind was very strong and 

 cold, but I never slept more comfortably. 



September 10th. In the morning, having fairly scudded before 

 the gale, we arrived by the middle of the day at the Sauce posta. 

 On the road we saw great numbers of deer, and near the mountain 

 a guanaco. The plain, which abuts against the Sierra, is traversed 

 by some curious gullies, of which one was about twenty feet wide, 

 and at least thirty deep; wo were obliged in consequence to 

 make a considerable circuit before we could find a pass. We 



