May, 1834. valley of st. cruz. 225 



During the two last days we met with signs of horses, and 

 with several small articles which had belonged to the Indians, 

 — such as parts of a mantle and a bunch of ostrich feathers — 

 but they appeared to have been lying long on the ground. 

 Between the place where the Indians had so lately crossed 

 the river and this neighbourhood, though so many miles 

 apart, the country appears to be quite unfrequented. At 

 first, considering the abundance of the guanacoes, I was 

 surprised at this ; but it is explained by the stony nature of 

 the plains, which would soon disable an unshod horse from 

 taking part in the chase. Nevertheless, in two places in this 

 very central region, I found small heaps of stones, which I 

 do not think could have been accidentally thrown together. 

 They were placed on points, projecting over the edge of the 

 highest lava cliff, and they resembled, but on a small scale, 

 those near Port Desire. 



May 4th. — Captain FitzRoy determined to take the 

 boats no higher. The river had a winding course, and was 

 very rapid ; and the appearance of the country offered no 

 temptation to proceed any further. Every where we met 

 with the same productions, and the same dreary landscape. 

 We were now one hundred and forty miles distant from 

 the Atlantic, and about sixty from the nearest arm of the 

 Pacific. The valley in this upper part expanded into a wide 

 basin, bounded on the north and south by the basaltic plat- 

 forms, and fronted by the long range of the snow-clad 

 Cordillera. But we viewed these grand mountains with re- 

 gret, for we were obliged to imagine their form and nature, 

 instead of standing, as we had hoped, on their crest, and 

 looking down on the plain below. Besides the useless loss 

 of time which an attempt to ascend any higher would have 

 cost us, we had already been for some days on half allowance 

 of bread. This, although really enough for any reasonable 

 men, was, after our hard day's march, rather scanty food. 

 Let those alone who have never tried it, exclaim about the 

 comfort of a light stomach and an easy digestion. 



5th. — Before sunrise we commenced our descent. We 

 VOL. III. a 



