64 ovalle's historical relation of chile. 



all this, becaufe though one fhould pafs without a ftorm, yet the cold is fo terrible, 

 that it cannot but injure nature extremely in that feafon, fmce even in the midft of 

 fummer, when we pafs this mountain, and in the lower part of it fweat with heat, as foon 

 as we come to pafs the top, we are forced to put on double cloathing, and prepare the 

 ftomach with good warm things, to withftand the fharpnefs of the cold, and the 

 fubtilenefs of the air, which penetrates the body through and through, if it be not 

 well covered. 



Among the feveral times that I have paffed this mountain, one was in the beginning 

 of April, when autumn in thofe parts is at an end, and the winter begins to threaten, 

 and I muft own, that the cold was fo intenfe, that it feemed a different fpecies of cold 

 from all thofe I ever felt either in India or Europe ; though even then it had not begun 

 to fnow, the cold was fo fierce that it made one's hands cleave ; nay, it had an effed 

 upon the very rocks, for I remember the fun was reflected by them as by a looking- 

 glafs. When we come to treat of the firft difcovery of this kingdom, I fhall relate 

 what was endured by the Adelantado Don Diego de Almagro with his army, and by 

 thofe who afterwards followed him, and paffed this mountain, in which they were fo 

 ill-handled, that fome were ftruck blind, others lame ; fome loft their fingers without 

 feeling it, becaufe the exceffive cold took away all fenfe ; fome were frozen to death, 

 and with them fome horfes, whom fix months after fome other Spaniards found fo frefh 

 and well preferved, that they eat of them ; and to fecure themfelves from cold, made 

 a defence of thofe dead bodies ; nay, fome got into them. About fix years after, 

 others going that way, found a Negro, who at that time was frozen to death, leaning 

 againft the fide of a rock, with a led horfe, and the reins in his hand, though confumed 

 with time. They who have a mind to know more particulars, let them read Don 

 Antonio de Herrera, Decade 5. Book 10. Chap. 5. and alfo Gareilaffo de la Vega, in 

 his firft tome. 



It is neceffary to underftand, that it is of this cold of the mountain that authors 

 fpeak, when they fay, that the cold of Chile is fo fevere, that the rivers are frozen up, 

 and men frozen to death in the fields ; for this is only true of thofe uninhabitable 

 mountains, where I believe at that feafon the rivers do not run, but are turned into 

 chryftal ; and if any fprings do efcape, they are very few, and that in the valleys moft 

 fecured and fheltered ; that appears by the rivers which run in the plain country, 

 which are almoft dried up, in comparifon of the quantity of water that they carry with 

 them in the fummer. 



And thus the truth of what hiftorians relate may be faved from contradiftion ; for 

 they not knowing the country, make no diftindtion between the mountain and the 

 plains, in which there never was feen any fuch effect of cold in any part of them ; for 

 the fea air, which is thick and moift, tempers the fharpnefs of the blafts from the 

 Cordillera ; and for this reafon it is, that the colds of Pampas of Cuyo and Tucu- 

 man are fo infupportable ; as alfo thofe of Buenos Ayres, which being at fuch a dif- 

 ftanee from both feas, and not enjoying the warmth of its vapours, the air in 

 fummer is intolerably fcorching, and in the winter fo cold, and for want of rain fo 

 dry, that it is common for animals to be found dead in the fields, as well as the men 

 too fometimes. 



