ANDACOLLO LIMA PANAMA JAMAICA. 143 



sea shells of tlie ordinary variety still found on the sea 

 beach. Higher up the valley the terraces are usually 

 from four to five in number, owing, of course, to the 

 gradual upheaval of the land. Indeed, it is impossible 

 to have once examined them without being led to the 

 conclusion that they have been formed by the gradual 

 upheaval of the land at intervals during long periods 

 of rest. I accidentally met with a confirmation of 

 Darwin^s theory more curious, if possible, than these 

 terraces. Near Reloncavi, in the bay of Ancud, there 

 was discovered, during a recent Chileno exploring com- 

 mission, two rocks, situated some yards from the shore ; 

 these were of considerable extent, of siliceous formation, 

 quite flat at top, and six feet out of high water ; on the top 

 of both of them were found quantities of sea shells of the 

 common varieties still found on the beach. Of course the 

 question was, how did they get there ? The commission 

 naively solved the question by "supposing them to be the 

 shells left there by savages or Indians after eating the fish 

 inside; '' they hadn^t read their Darwin or Lyall evidently. 

 It must be confessed that Chile is not an interesting 

 country to travel in, at least to my idea. Things go on 

 so slowly there — everything appears some centuries be- 

 hind; one is continually thinking what a country it would 

 be if the Yankees had it, the Chicagos that would spring 

 up, the industries that would be developed, the railroads 

 that would be built, the mines that would be opened up. 

 To me it is far more interesting to travel in the United 

 States, and see the progress of a mighty nation evidenced 

 by its waving corn fields and its cities, where a few years 

 ago nothing but sand hills existed, and railroads where 

 the deer gambolled but as yesterday. 



