270 CHARLES DARWIN 



admirable to watch how clearly their rugged outlines could 

 be distinguished, yet how varied and how delicate were the 

 shades of their colour. 



I had the good fortune to find living here Mr. Richard 

 Corfield, an old schoolfellow and friend, to whose hospitality 

 and kindness I was greatly indebted, in having afforded me 

 a most pleasant residence during the Beagle's stay in Chile. 

 The immediate neighbourhood of Valparaiso is not very pro- 

 ductive to the naturalist. During the long summer the wind 

 blows steadily from the southward, and a little off shore, so 

 that rain never falls; during the three winter months, how- 

 ever, it is sufficiently abundant. The vegetation in conse- 

 quence is very scanty : except in some deep valleys, there are 

 no trees, and only a little grass and a few low bushes are 

 scattered over the less steep parts of the hills. When we 

 reflect, that at the distance of 350 miles to the south, this side 

 of the Andes is completely hidden by one impenetrable forest, 

 the contrast is very remarkable. I took several long walks 

 while collecting objects of natural history.. The country is 

 pleasant for exercise. There are many very beautiful flow- 

 ers; and, as in most other dry climates, the plants and shrubs 

 possess strong and peculiar odours even one's clothes by 

 brushing through them became scented. I did not cease from 

 wonder at finding each succeeding day as fine as the fore- 

 going. What a difference does climate make in the enjoy- 

 ment of life! How opposite are the sensations when view- 

 ing black mountains half enveloped in clouds, and seeing 

 another range through the light blue haze of a fine day ! The 

 one for a time may be very sublime; the other is all gaiety 

 and happy life. 



August i^th. I set out on a riding excursion, for the 

 purpose of geologizing the basal parts of the Andes, which 

 alone at this time of the year are not shut up by the winter 

 snow. Our first day's ride was northward along the sea- 

 coast. After dark we reached the Hacienda of Quintero, 

 the estate which formerly belonged to Lord Cochrane. My 

 object in coming here was to see the great beds of shells, 

 which stand some yards above the level of the sea, and are 

 burnt for lime. The proofs of the elevation of this whole 

 line of coast are unequivocal: at the height of a few hun- 



