﻿I860.] 



FOTtBES BOLIVIA AND PEKTJ. 



1 1 



Spanish invasion may be inferred from the ornaments of gold found 

 in them, along with the mummies, one of which I was informed had 

 been found by Mr Evans, the Engineer of the Arica and Tacna rail- 

 road, enveloped in a thin sheet of gold. 



Along the Coast of Chile, on the contrary, there is the fullest evi- 

 dence to prove that, since the arrival of the Spaniards, a very consi- 

 derable elevation of the land has taken place, over the greater part, 

 if not the whole extent, of the line of coast. 



North of Arica, if we accept the evidence of M. d'Orbigny and 

 others, the proof of elevation is much more decided ; and consequently 

 it may be possible that here, as is the case about Lima, according to 

 Darwin, the elevation may have have taken place irregularly in places; 

 but at the same time a depression or submergence, as at Callao, could 

 hardly have taken place without having destroyed these Indian tu- 

 muli, formed in the loose sand, and quite incapable of resisting the 

 action of the waves, which produce a strong surf along this rugged 

 coast. 



With regard to the evidence of the rise of the land, deduced from 

 the occurrence of sea-shells strewed over the surface of the higher 

 ground further inland, it must be remembered that the numerous sea- 

 birds which feed on shell-fish frequently carry their food to consi- 

 derable distances from the sea, and likewise that shells are occasionally 

 transported inland along with the sand in the shifting sand-dunes 

 which are common enough along the coast ; where the slope is gentle, 

 as in the immense inclined plains to the north of Arica, this may fre- 

 quently be the case. These sand-dunes appear to attain their great- 

 est mobility during the hot season, when the parched sand rolls 

 along impelled by the slightest breath of wind, and several times re- 

 minded me of the extraordinary mobility presented by silica and some 

 other substances in a state of fine division when heated in a crucible 

 or other vessel, especially if, as it were, provoked by the slightest 

 touch of a rod. 



An observer, travelling quickly over the ground, might easily be 

 deceived, and regard as evidence of elevation the occurrence at some 

 few spots of innumerable shells spread over a small area or patch in 

 the midst of this desert landscape. On examination, these are found 

 to be a land-shell (a species of Bulimus) about f to 1 inch in length ; 

 and it is difficult to account for their presence in these spots, desti- 

 tute of all vegetation, except on the supposition that they have made 

 their appearance thus abundantly in years favoured with some showers 

 of rain, which may have developed in these scattered spots a vegetation 

 sufficient for their sustenance. I have noticed the occurrence of such 

 spots covered with these shells in the midst of these desert-tracts, 

 clown to as far south as Choros Bajo, a little north of Coqiiimbo in 

 Chile. Professor Philippi has also observed them at the Morro de 

 Mexillones. 



The coast from Mexillones to Arica is formed by a nearly con- 

 tinuous chain of mountains, rising abruptly from the water's edge, 

 and attaining an average elevation of about 3000 feet, but diminishing 

 in height towards their northern limit, the Morro of Arica, which 



