ovalle's historical relation of chile. 



■105 



halt, or bait in the day time, it is in places where there is not fo much as a tree, under 

 whofe fhade one may reft : nor is there any other fhade than that of the cart, and 

 fome coverlet upon it ; for to go into it, is like going into an oven. But this is not all 

 the way, there being fome pleafant running ftreams and rivers bordered with green 

 willow-trees, which very much mitigates the fury of the heat. The greateft incon- 

 venience that I perceived in that journey, was the want of water ; which is fo great, 

 that we were forced to provide ourfelves, when we arrived at any of thefe rivers, for 

 many days journey ; for there is no other, except fometimes fome plalhes remaining of 

 rain-water ; and that is all green, and can ferve only for the oxen : and yet this is rare 

 too ; for thefe are often dried up to mud, and then one is forced to double the 

 day*s journey, and -march as far again; fo that the cattle is almoft dead with 

 thirft. I have feen fometimes, on thefe occafions, the oxen take a run as if they were 

 mad or pofleifed ; for they know by inftinft, a league or two before they come at 

 it, the places where it is, as if they fmelled it ; fo there is no flopping thofe that 

 are loofe ; and even thofe who are at the yoke, make what hafte they can ; and when 

 they get to the water, they raife the mud fo by their hafte, that they drink as 

 much mud as water. 



When this happens, while there is any of the water left that was taken at the river, 

 and carried in carts, the misfortune is the lefs ; but when that water is already fpent, 

 the people fufFer extremely : for though moft commonly fome one man is fent before 

 to take up fome water of the cleareft, before the oxen trouble it, yet they make fuch 

 hafte, that that prevention moft commonly mifcarries ; and then we are fain to ftop 

 our nofes, and fliut our eyes to drink, and divert even our imagination, if we can. And 

 to all this there is no remedy, but from heaven,^ as it happened to me once, that it 

 pleafed God to fend us a fliower in our greateft extremity, which filled feveral wells, 

 and there was enough for us and our cattle, as alfo to carry away ; for which we 

 thanked the Divine Majefty, acknowledging his great mercy to us in fo prefling circum- 

 ftances. 



This fufFering would not be fo great, if there were any towns and villages in the 

 v/ay ; for there are little lakes, by which they might fettle, which, though fome years 

 they yield no water, yet it is to be come at by a little digging, and that not very deep ; 

 and if there were people in thofe defarts, wells might be made, or the rain-water 

 gathered in cifterns, as it is pradifed in feveral other places. But thefe plains are fo 

 vaft, that they can hardly be peopled, being extended for feveral hundred leagues ; 

 and befides, there being no trade fettled of any importance in thofe parts, there cannot 

 be inns nor places of ftielter fettled ; and fo at prefent, whoever travels that way, muft 

 carry every thing ; for when once one is fet out, there is no addition to be made ; 

 and therefore all is to be provided, more or lefs, according to one's ability ; and that 

 muft be at leaft a fortnight's allowance, and fometimes twenty or thirty days, till one 

 comes to fome inhabited place. This is the manner of travelling in the plains of Cuyo, 

 and Tucuman, and the Rio Plata, where in many leagues one does not fee a hill, nor a 

 ftone, nor a tree, but continual plains ; and if, to drefs your victuals, you have not the 

 forefight to carry fome wood, all the remedy is to gather the cow-dung, which ferves 

 the turn very ill. In fome places of this province of Cuyo, there are woods near the 

 rivers, from whence may be had materials for building ; and hard-by the Cordillera 

 there is a fort of tree that breeds incenfe. I brought fome of it to Rome, and the 

 druggifts told me, that it was finer than the ordinary, confumed in churches. There 

 grows there alfo the herb called Xarilla, which is very hot, and a good medicine, as 

 we have faid already. There are many others, of which I cannot give fo particular an 



VOL. XIV. p account, 



