278 CHARLES DARWIN 



been expected, was very interesting. The shattered and 

 baked rocks, traversed by innumerable dykes of greenstone, 

 showed what commotions had formerly taken place. The 

 scenery was much the same as that near the Bell of Quil- 

 lota dry barren mountains, dotted at intervals by bushes 

 with a scanty foliage. The cactuses, or rather opuntias, 

 were here very numerous. I measured one of a spherical 

 figure, which, including the spines, was six feet and four 

 inches in circumference. The height of the common cylin- 

 drical, branching kind, is from twelve to fifteen feet, and 

 the girth (with spines) of the branches between three and 

 four feet. 



A heavy fall of snow on the mountains prevented me, 

 during the last two days, from making some interesting 

 excursions. I attempted to reach a lake which the inhab- 

 itants, from some unaccountable reason, believe to be an arm 

 of the sea. During a very dry season, it was proposed to 

 attempt cutting a channel from it for the sake of the water, 

 but the padre, after a consultation, declared it was too dan- 

 gerous, as all Chile would be inundated, if, as generally 

 supposed, the lake was connected with the Pacific. We 

 ascended to a great height, but becoming involved in the 

 snow-drifts failed in reaching this wonderful lake, and had 

 some difficulty in returning. I thought we should have lost 

 our horses; for there was no means of guessing how deep 

 the drifts were, and the animals, when led, could only move 

 by jumping. The black sky showed that a fresh snow- 

 storm was gathering, and we therefore were not a little glad 

 when we escaped. By the time we reached the base the 

 storm commenced, and it was lucky for us that this did not 

 happen three hours earlier in the day. 



August 26th. We left Jajuel and again crossed the basin 

 of San Felipe. The day was truly Chilian: glaringly bright, 

 and the atmosphere quite clear. The thick and uniform 

 covering of newly fallen snow rendered the view of the vol- 

 cano of Aconcagua and the main chain quite glorious. We 

 were now on the road to Santiago, the capital of Chile. We 

 crossed the Cerro del Talguen, and slept at a little rancho. 

 The host, talking about the state of Chile as compared to 

 other countries, was very humble : " Some see with two eyes, 



