6 FROM SANTIAGO TO MENDOZA BY THE USPALLATA PASS. 



November 21. — We were not able to start so early this morning as our companions of the 

 night. One of the mules had strayed off, and it was sunrise before we were able to find her by 

 dint of ringing the bell of the madrina up the valley. 



At the distance of about two miles we arrived at several springs, called Ojos de Agua, oozing 

 from the base of a high mountain on the left. Their waters are supposed to percolate through 

 from a lake further up. Near these is the second casucha, called from the springs the " Casucha 

 de los Ojos de Agua." Afterwards passed another on the west bank of a small stream called the 

 Juncalillo. The Aconcagua here loses its name, being formed by the Juncal from the south- 

 eastward, and the Juncalillo, or little Juncal, from the northeastward. After crossing the 

 latter the road turns to the northeastward, between high ranges of hills, and the ascent becomes 

 more steep. At the distance of about two miles it reaches a steep barrier hill, running nearly 

 across from the range on the right to that on the left, being only separated from the latter by 

 the Juncalillo. A toilsome ascent of half a mile on the right flank of this brought us to the 

 Casucha del Portillo or "del Alto de la Laguna," near which there is a singular sandy plain, 

 half a mile long and a quarter broad. Here we stopped for another set of observations. There 

 is in the vicinity no other vegetation than a few low thorny shrubs, with very thin pasturage on 

 the skirt of the hills. 



Wind strong and clear from the westward, and day clear till near sunset, when the skj'' be- 

 came overcast with thin clouds which reflected the sun's light to the snow on the mountains, 

 tinging it with a beautiful rose-color. 



The little valley in which we stopped is perfectly level, and, from the appearance of the huge 

 and shapeless rocks that ])artially surround it, looks as if it was once the crater of a volcano and 

 afterwards a lake, until the wash from the hills filled it up. 



About two miles north of it there is a beautiful mountain lake, situated in a valley formed 

 by two ranges of mountains and a hill crossing Irom range to range. As it has no outlet, its 

 waters are supposed by the arrieros to ooze through the high range to the westward, and issue 

 at the Ojos de Agua. On a clear day it has the transparently blue color of the sky, and trees 

 and vegetation only are wanted to make it a most romantic-looking spot. 



Here, for the first time, I attempted to make use of my tent. It was one of my own inven- 

 tion, intended to shelter the instruments from the sun while at work, and myself, during bad 

 Aveather, or at night ; but, unfortunately, it turned out to be a failure, and of no value for one 

 purpose or the other. The pole was too long to be carried on the mules, and the amount of 

 surface exposed to the wind too great for its stays to j)revent it from being blown over. 



We made our fires at nightfall with mules' dung — the best fuel to be had; and as the wind 

 was strong in squalls, our stew was pretty well seasoned with the ashes. These, however, are 

 things to which one becomes accustomed. 



All that we saw of animal life, to remind us of the valleys of Chile, were small birds resem- 

 bling sparrows in size, form, and color ; the only difference being that the males had top-knots 

 and a stripe of orange-colored feathers around their necks. They were very tame, and hopped 

 about picking up crumbs within a few feet of us. 



November 22. — Concluded my work in the calm of the morning, and at 7 o'clock set out for 

 the Cumbre, or summit of the range, where we arrived about 10 a. m. ; but found the wiad so 

 strong that it would have been imi^ossible to set up the instruments ; we therefore retraced 

 our steps across the snow to the Casucha de la Cumbre, about half a mile from the pass. 



The road from the Alto de la Laguna, after ascending a tolerably steej) hill to the right, 

 continues for about three miles up a valley not very steep or stony, passing, about half way, the 

 Casucha de las Calaveras, and arrives at the foot of the steep jjart of what may be called the 

 spine of the Cordillera. Here there is no longer a stream to follow, but the ascent must be 

 accomplished by zig-zags up the ridges. This is necessarily a very slow process, and frequently 

 one finds himself but a few feet advanced after toiling over a great deal of ground. 



On this morning we jiassed, i'or the first time, several patches of snow in the road, but none of 



