15 



of the wind, pass over, and take their course to 

 the Dortli or soutli. 



Ill the maritiiDO provinces snow is never seen. 

 In those nearer the Andes it falls about once in 

 five years ; sometimes not so often, and tlie quan- 

 tity is verv trifling; it usually Uiclts while failing, 

 and it is very uncommon to have it remain on the 

 ground for a day. 



In the Andes, on the contrary, it falls in such 

 quantities from April to November, that it not 

 only lies there constantly during that time, but 

 even renders them wholly impassable during the 

 greater part of the year.* The highest summits 

 of these mountains, which are constantly covered 

 with snow, arc dibtinguishable at a great dis- 



* Those who a eiifiire to ])as3 the Amies in the depth of 

 winter, when overtaken by snovv-itonns are frequently frozen, 

 as hai)j>ene(I to the Spaniards under the command of Diego de 

 Alniagro, in llie year 1,535. Tiiis has led some authors to as- 

 sert confidcutly, without attending to the difference of places, 

 that such is tiie severity of the winter in Chili, that men fre- 

 quently perish with cold ; yet it has been repeatedly proved, 

 that in tiiose parts not comprised within the Andes, the 

 weatlier is so mild, that it is very unusual for the mercury in 

 rwaumur's lhernion)cter to sink to the freezing point, and 

 none of th'j ri-.crs or streams are ever fro/en. Abbe Gauri 

 says, in hi-, I'reatise ui)on Natural Philosophy, that the cold is 

 so extreme in tiie plains of Chili, that the iiihabitants are com- 

 ptHed to l' r-'ske their houses, and, like the uietch.ed inhabil- 

 uits ot' i! ;,(^,i;.r ; "^Jo^iS, to jiielter l(ieM<.;ti\e3 in caverns; u 

 tory w ;;;! ()etrL:V' ;;;; less ignorai'.';',' of' ti,c real sitaatioo of 

 ( hiii, li;.':. -. t.jlJx lu.r-urd of oiolal-li^. 



