fill rivers. The midland country is almost fliit; 

 a few insolated hills only are to be seen, that 

 diversify and render the appearance of it more 

 pleasing;. 



The Andes, which are considered as the lof- 

 tiest mountains in the world, cross the whole 

 continent of America, in a direction from south 

 to north ; for I consider the mountains in North 

 America, as only a continuation of the Cordil- 

 leras. The part that appertains to Chili may be 

 120 miles in breadth ; it consists of a great num- 

 ber of mountains, all of them of a prodigious 

 height, which appear to be chained to each other; 

 and where nature displays all the beauties and 

 all the horrors of the most picturesque situations. 

 Aliliougli it abound.^ with frightful precipices, 

 m:iiiy ap;recable valk\s and fertile pastures are 

 to be found tlierc ; and the rivers that derive 

 their sources from the mouiitains,* often cx- 



* The higliest iiiountii.ins of tlie Conliileias of Cliiii are 

 llic INIantios, in 28 deg. 45 miii. the Tupuiisato, in 33. '2-i. the 

 Dtiscubc.zado, in 33 deg. the BkinqniUo, in 3,'). 4. the Loti'j;avi, 

 ill 3') 30. the Chilian, in 36". and the Corcubado, in 43. I had 

 no oppoitiinity, while in the co.u;trv, to ineuNure thi' hciglit 

 ot' these mountains, wiiich naturalists assert are more than 

 ^0,1)00 t'et t above the level of the L-ea. Buii'on asserts, th.'.t 

 the iiigiiest nioiuilains of the earth are to be iDum] under llu- 

 eijuator; but havin<; set n and particnhniv nolieed biith ll'.i.-e 

 of l*e:n -.wul of (^hili, I doubt nuici! t'.ie ciurfcln;'-- of th'S 

 a\:ou;, uud am more inclini'd to adopt the ojiiu'on o{ },l. Vh r- 

 v!V'.!d vvhoj in l'i>i Metnoii.s u:!on tlie Struetur.' oi the Eur!!), 



I? 4 



