8 FROM SANTIAGO TO MENDOZA BY THE USPALLATA PASS. 



on the dividing line between Chile and Mendoza, and even from this point a difference could be 

 noted. There was no snow in the road on the eastern side, nor was there but little on the hills ; 

 and there appeared to be a total absence of those green grasses and mosses which were in sight 

 not far down on the Chilean side. 



The hei<'-ht of the pass is twelve thousand feet above the level of the se . 



On the eastern side the road is very steep for about three quarters of a mile, when it arrives 

 at a valley down which runs a muddy streamlet, called the Kio de las Cuevas, on whose bank 

 there is a casucha. When we passed there were around this a great number of skulls and 

 bones the remains of a large drove of cattle which was caught in a heavy snow-storm on its 

 way to Chile. 



Turning more to the eastward after passing the casucha, though descending but little, at the 

 distance of about three miles we reached the brink of a steep descent, at the bottom of which is 

 another casucha. Afterwards entered on a more smooth road, leading down a uniform valley; 

 the hills on each side being covered about half way up with thin pasturage, on which a number 

 of guanacos were browsing. They were the first I had seen in the mountains. 



Continuing along the north bank of the Rio de las Cuevas, passing several streams on either 

 liand — the principal of which is the Rio de los Horcones, that issues from a deep valley to the 

 northward, and also passing a natural bridge across the Cuevas, called the "Inca's bridge" — we 

 arrived at the "Casucha de las Puquios,'" where we again stopped for work. Up the valley of 

 the Horcones is seen an enormous mountain, which I supposed to be the volcano of Aconcagua, 

 but it is called by the arrieros La Torlosa. 



While at this casucha Mr. Blanchard, late French consul to Valparaiso, accompanied by a 

 Cordovese and several peons, overtook us; they were bound across the pampa, and desired to 

 make arrangements for us all to travel together, but unfortunately their baggage had gone on 

 ahead, and they could not pass the night with us; so we parted company, promising to meet in 

 Mendoza. 



The evening of the day of our arrival and a part of the next was sufficient for me to complete 

 my work, though it was done under the usual disadvantages of a strong wind and in the sun- 

 shine ; but we determined to remain until the following morning, because there is no other 

 place between the casucha and Uspallata, except the Punta de las Vacas, a few miles farther 

 on, where pasturage can be found free from a poisonous weed, generally fatal to cattle. An 

 additional reason for our remaining was, that there was near the casucha a small marshy stream 

 of good water, which is unusual on that side of the pass. A singular difference exists in this 

 respect between the two sides. On the Chilean, I do not recollect a single stream whose waters 

 are not clear and pure ; while on the Mendoza side there are only two or three that are not 

 muddy, and charged with salt and lime to such extent as to be unfit to drink ; the small stream- 

 lets generally having their banks covered by a thin, white deposit or efflorescence called by the 

 natives salitre — literally saltpetre — but it is not pure. It appeared to me to have the taste of a 

 mixture of salt, soda and lime. 



Early on the first night of our stay here, one of the contrabandistas who had passed us on 

 the Cumbre arrived in a very melancholy mood, and informed us that they had lost nearly all 

 their tobacco. It appeared that after they got down on the Chilean side to what was considered 

 dangerous ground, one of the party, an old and experienced hand, was sent ahead to reconnoitre 

 and make signal to them on the appearance of danger. The custom-house guard to the num- 

 ber of about eight men, with an officer, had by some means got notice of the expedition, and 

 were in ambush at a part of the road where the look-out must necessarily lose sight of his com- 

 panions. He arrived at a point of hills, made signal of the coast being clear, and was proceed- 

 ing to the next point, when the guard took i^ossession of him and carried him out of sight. The 

 rest of the party, not suspecting danger, came on and likewise fell into the hands of the guard, 

 with all their animals and tobacco, except what was on two mules some distance behind. They 

 had time after the surprise to unload these, and hide their loads among the rocks. Every 



