396 NATURAL HISTORY OF 



Heavy rain fell during the niglit, and when we got up 

 next morning, though it was fair, the sky was entirely veiled 

 by a canopy of grayish-brown clouds, and the mountains 

 were shrouded with mist. Presently rain began to descend 

 again, but fortunately did not last long, and we set out on 

 a walk before breakfast to consider the appearance of the 

 weather, which showed symptoms of improvement. By the 

 wayside I observed several bushes of a thorny Acacia (A. 

 cavenia), with orange-yellow flowers. This species, which, is 

 known under the popular name of " Espino," is widely dis- 

 tributed in Chili, and from the hard compact nature of its 

 wood, which takes a fine polish, is employed for a variety of 

 purposes in carpentry. On our return to the hotel the 

 landlord informed us that he thought we might as well 

 attempt the proposed ride, and after a good deal of delay, 

 caused by his equipping himself with a breech-loading gun 

 of peculiar construction, and other sporting appliances, we 

 mounted our horses and left the town, accompanied by a 

 peon who acted as guide, and presented a most picturesque 

 appearance, attired in the national costume of a poncho, with 

 his feet in the great carved wooden triangular-shaped stirrups 

 so commonly employed in Chili, and which weigh sometimes 

 as much as two or three pounds. Our route lay through the 

 valley for a time, after which we gradually ascended a range 

 of hills, riding along their crest till we reached the Indian 

 mountain. The sure-footedness of our horses was here put to 

 the test, as part of the way lay along the sides of a very 

 steep hill, where the track was so narrow and the ground so 

 insecure, that it would have required some care even on the 

 part of a pedestrian to maintain a footing. We found, after 

 attaining a certain elevation, that the Cacti were succeeded 

 by a variety of shrubs and low trees, a circumstance pro- 



