1884.) MOUNTAIN SCENERY. 261 
men come down from their bleak habitations only once in every 
fortnight or three weeks. 
During my stay here I thoroughly enjoyed scrambling about 
these huge mountains. The geology, as might have been ex- 
pected, was very interesting. The shattered and baked rocks, 
traversed by innumerable dykes of greenstone, showed what com- 
motions had formerly taken place. The scenery was much the 
same as that near the Bell of Quillota—dry barren mountains, 
dotted at intervals by bushes with a ‘scanty foliage. The cactuses, 
or rather. opuntias, were here very numerous. I measured one 
of a spherical figure, which, including the spines, was six feet 
and four inches in circumference. The height of the common 
cylindrical, branching kind, is from twelve to fifteen feet, and the 
girth (with spines) of the branches between three and four feet. 
A heavy fall of snow on the mountains prevented me, during 
the last two days, from making some interesting excursions. I 
attempted to reach a lake which the inhabitants, from some un- 
accountable reason, believe to be an arm of the sea. During a 
very dry season, it was proposed to attempt cutting a channel 
from it for the sake of the water, but the padre, after a consulta- 
tion, declared it was too dangerous, as all Chile would be 
inundated, if, as generally supposed, the lake was connected 
with the Pacific. We ascended to a great height, but becoming 
involved in the snow-drifts failed in reaching this wonderful lake, 
and had some difficulty in returning. I thought we should have 
lost our horses; for there was no means of guessing how deep the 
drifts were, and the animals, when led, could only move by jump- 
ing. The black sky showed that a fresh snow-storm was gather- 
ing, and we therefore were not a little glad when we escaped. 
By the time we reached the base the storm commenced, and it was 
lucky for us that this did not happen three hours earlier in the day. 
August 26th—We left Jajuel and again crossed the basin of 
8. Felipe. The day was truly Chilian: glaringly bright, and the 
atmosphere quite clear. The thick and uniform covering of 
newly-fallen snow rendered the view of the volcano of Aconcagua 
and the main chain quite glorious. We were now on the road 
to Santiago, the capital of Chile. We crossed the Cerro del 
Talguen, and slept at a little rancho. The host, talking about 
the state of Chile as compared to other countries, was very 
