THE VOYAGE OF THE BEAGLE 369 



We stayed two days at Freyrina. In the valley of Guasco 

 there are four small towns. At the mouth there is the port, a 

 spot entirely desert, and without any water in the immediate 

 neighbourhood. Five leagues higher up stands Freyrina, a 

 long straggling village, with decent whitewashed houses. 

 Again, ten leagues further up Ballenar is situated, and above 

 this Guasco Alto, a horticultural village, famous for its dried 

 fruit. On a clear day the view up the valley is very fine ; the 

 straight opening terminates in the far-distant snowy Cordil- 

 lera; on each side an infinity of crossing-lines are blended 

 together in a beautiful haze. The foreground is singular 

 from the number of parallel and step- formed terraces; and 

 the included strip of green valley, with its willow-bushes, is 

 contrasted on both hands with the naked hills. That the sur- 

 rounding country was most barren will be readily believed, 

 when it is known that a shower of rain had not fallen during 

 the last thirteen months. The inhabitants heard with the 

 greatest envy of the rain at Coquimbo; from the appearance 

 of the sky they had hopes of equally good fortune, which, a 

 fortnight afterwards, were realized. I was at Copiapo at the 

 time; and there the people, with equal envy, talked of the 

 abundant rain at Guasco. After two or three very dry years, 

 perhaps with not more than one shower during the whole 

 time, a rainy year generally follows ; and this does more harm 

 than even the drought. The rivers swell, and cover with 

 gravel and sand the narrow strips of ground, which alone are 

 fit for cultivation. The floods also injure the irrigating 

 ditches. Great devastation had thus been caused three years 

 ago. 



June 8th. We rode on to Ballenar, which takes its name 

 from Ballenagh in Ireland, the birthplace of the family of 

 O'Higgins, who, under the Spanish government, were presi- 

 dents and generals in Chile. As the rocky mountains on each 

 hand were concealed by clouds, the terrace-like plains gave 

 to the valley an appearance like that of Santa Cruz in Pata- 

 gonia. After spending one day at Ballenar I set out, on the 

 loth, for the upper part of the valley of Copiapo. We rode 

 all day over an uninteresting country. I am tired of repeat- 

 ing the epithets barren and sterile. These words, however, 

 as commonly used, are comparative; I have always applied 



