XVI ANCIENT INDIAN HOUSES 381 



In this northern part of Chile, within the Cordillera, old 

 Indian houses are said to be especially numerous : by digging 

 amongst the ruins, bits of woollen articles, instruments of 

 precious metals, and heads of Indian corn, are not unfrequently 

 discovered : an arrow-head made of agate, and of precisely the 

 same form with those now used in Tierra del Fuego, was given 

 me. I am aware that the Peruvian Indians now frequently 

 inhabit most lofty and bleak situations ; but at Copiapo I was 

 assured by men who had spent their lives in travelling through 

 the Andes, that there were very many {inuchisimas) buildings at 

 heights so great as almost to border on the perpetual snow, and 

 in parts where there exist no passes, and where the land 

 produces absolutely nothing, and what is still more extraordinary, 

 where there is no water. Nevertheless it is the opinion of the 

 people of the country (although they are much puzzled by the 

 circumstance), that, from the appearance of the houses, the 

 Indians must have used them as places of residence. In this 

 valley, at Punta Gorda, the remains consisted of seven or eight 

 square little rooms, which were of a similar form with those at 

 Tambillos, but built chiefly of mud, which the present 

 inhabitants cannot, either here or, according to Ulloa, in Peru, 

 imitate in durability. They were situated in the most 

 conspicuous and defenceless position, at the bottom of the flat 

 broad valley. There was no water nearer than three or four 

 leagues, and that only in very small quantity^ and bad : the soil 

 was absolutely sterile ; I looked in vain even for a lichen 

 adhering to the rocks. At the present day, with the advantage 

 of beasts of burden, a mine, unless it were very rich, could 

 scarcely be worked here with profit. Yet the Indians formerly 

 chose it as a place of residence ! If at the present time two or 

 three showers of rain were to fall annually, instead of one, as now 

 is the case, during as many years, a small rill of water would 

 probably be formed in this great valley ; and then, by irrigation 

 (which was formerly so well understood by the Indians), the 

 soil would easily be rendered sufficiently productive to support 

 a few families. 



I have convincing proofs that this part of the continent of 

 South America has been elevated near the coast at least from 

 400 to 500, and in some parts from 1000 to 1300 feet, since 

 the epoch of existing shells ; and farther inland the rise possibly 



