ROAD TO MELIPILLA. 257 



which are very rapid, and whose fords are perpetually changing. 

 About five leagues beyond the ford, we came to the beautiful village 

 of Longuien, where the road lies between a mountain and two little 

 knolls that project from it : the place is very populous, and seems 

 thriving. The hills on both sides abound with projecting rocks, 

 whose heads form platforms, each occupied by its cottage and garden ; 

 all the fences and ditches are in excellent order, and we even found 

 well-hung gates. Through one of these we passed, and ascended the 

 highest of the two knolls above mentioned, on the very summit of 

 which is the house of Tagle, the first president of the convention : 

 it is a mere country lodge, with some pretensions to taste ; but it is 

 chiefly delightful for its view, extending all over the rich valley 

 through which the Maypu flows. On one hand lies the high ridge 

 of the mountains of St. Michael ; on the other, that of which Cho- 

 colan — stupendous, if the Andes were not in sight — is the highest 

 peak. There is little corn in this part of the country, but that little 

 is fine ; and the vines and olives are few. The chief produce between 

 this place and Melipilla being butter, cheese, hides, tallow, and 

 charqui ; the banks of the Maypu are entirely occupied by pasture 

 lands. We sat nearly an hour at Longuien to rest our horses, and 

 to eat a luncheon we had brought with us. While we were thus 

 occupied, we saw in the fields below the whole business of the rodeo 

 going on in a corral just beneath the house ; the separating and 

 marking the cattle, and taking up the calves from the mothers. 



From Longuien to the town of San Francisco de Monte the road 

 lies through a thicket of the espina or yellow scented mimosa, which 

 affords not only the best fuel in the country, but shelter for the cattle, 

 without injuring the quality of the grass beneath. Near San Fran- 

 cisco we crossed the Mapocho, after its re-appearance from the hills 

 of St. Michael's, on its way to join the Maypu ; it really is a beauti- 

 ful stream, and I do not wonder at the favour with which it is 

 regarded on account of the sweetness, clearness, and lightness of its 

 waters. A number of asequias or leads are taken from it here for 



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