358 USPALLATA PASS chap. 



are round little towers, with steps outside to reach the floor, 

 which is raised some feet above the ground on account of the 

 snow-drifts. They are eight in number, and under the Spanish 

 government were kept during the winter well stored with food 

 and charcoal, and each courier had a master-key. Now they 

 only answer the purpose of caves, or rather dungeons. Seated 

 on some little eminence, they are not, however, ill suited to the 

 surrounding scene of desolation. The zigzag ascent of the 

 Cumbre, or the partition of the waters, was very steep and 

 tedious; its height, according to Mr. Pentland, is 12,454 feet. 

 The road did not pass over any perpetual snow, although there 

 were patches of it on both hands. The wind on the summit 

 was exceedingly cold, but it was impossible not to stop for a 

 few minutes to admire, again and again, the colour of the 

 heavens, and the brilliant transparency of the atmosphere. 

 The scenery was grand : to the westward there was a fine 

 chaos of mountains, divided by profound ravines. Some snow 

 generally falls before this period of the season, and it has even 

 happened that the Cordillera have been finally closed by this 

 time. But we were most fortunate. The sky, by night and 

 by day, was cloudless, excepting a few round little masses of 

 vapour that floated over the highest pinnacles. I have often 

 seen these islets in the sky, marking the position of the Cordillera, 

 when the far-distant mountains have been hidden beneath the 

 horizon. 



April 6th. — In the morning we found some thief had stolen 

 one of our mules, and the bell of the madrina. We therefore 

 rode only two or three miles down the valley, and stayed there 

 the ensuing day in hopes of recovering the mule, which the 

 arriero thought had been hidden in some ravine. The scenery 

 in this part had assumed a Chilian character : the lower sides 

 of the mountains, dotted over with the pale evergreen Quillay 

 tree, and with the great chandelier-like cactus, are certainly 

 more to be admired than the bare eastern valleys ; but I 

 cannot quite agree with the admiration expressed by some 

 travellers. The extreme pleasure, I suspect, is chiefly owing 

 to the prospect of a good fire and of a good supper, after 

 escaping from the cold regions above : and I am sure I most 

 heartily participated in these feelings. 



%th. — We left the valley of the Aconcagua, by which we 



