192 JOURNAL. 
journey I mean to make to Santiago. Now the rainy season is over, 
I begin to be impatient to see the capital ; and though the distance is 
only ninety miles, I must take beds as well as clothes, because the inns, 
with the exception of that at the first stage, Casablanca, are not 
provided with such things. Then I must have mules for my baggage ; 
my own peon serves as a guide, and I mean to be part of three days 
on the road. 
While in town, I met Captain Morgell, late of the Chile States 
brig Aranzacu, which sunk as they were endeavouring to heave her 
down to repair. He left Guayaquil twenty-eight days ago; at which 
time the place was actually in possession of Bolivar, who was making 
common cause with San Martin, and had promised to send him 4000 
men to aid in the final reduction of Peru. The people of Guayaquil, 
influenced by agents from Lima, had been behaving very ill to the 
Chile States vessels of war, and even threatened to fire on the 
Aranzacu and Mercedes. But they have been kept quiet by Bolivar, 
who, though he hates, and is jealous of foreigners, knows, that in the 
present state of South America, it is impossible to do without them. 
August 22d.—I began my journey to Santiago. My companion 
was the Honourable Frederick de Roos, midshipman belonging to His 
Majesty’s ship Alacrity ; and I took with me my maid and my peon, 
with three baggage mules. We were escorted to the first post-house, 
about twelve miles from Valparaiso, by a party of friends, male and 
female, who had breakfasted with us. Instead of ascending the 
heights of the port by the broad carriage road which Chile owes to 
the father of the present Director, we followed the old rugged path, 
which, being shorter, is still used by the woodcutters’ mules, and 
sometimes by the common baggage cattle. This by-way is ex- 
tremely rugged, being every where cut through by the winter rains ; 
which, collecting on the flat grounds above, pour down the hill, fur- 
rowing deep channels in the soft red soil. Having once gained the 
height, an immense plain, called the Llanos de la Pefiuela, extended 
itself before us, with hills beyond, over whose tops the snowy Andes 
appeared. Numerous streams, but none very large, cross this plain, 
