

LIMA AND SAX LOKENZO. 



CHAPTER XVI 



Coast-voad to Coquimbo — Great loads carried by the miners — Coquimbo— Earthquake 

 — Step-formed terraces— Absence of recent deposits— ContemporaneousQcss of 

 the Tertiary formations — Excursion up the valley — Koad to Guasco — Deserts — 

 Valley of Gopiapo — Rain and eartliquakes— Hydrophobia — The Despoblado — 

 Indian ruins- — Probable change of climate — -River-bed arched by an earthquake 

 — Cold gales of wind — Noises from a lilll — Iquique — Salt alluvium — Nitrate 

 of soda — Lima — Unhealthy ccmntry — Ruins of Callao, overthrown by an 

 earthquake — Recent subsidence — Elevated shells on San Lorenzo, their decom- 

 position — Plain ^\■il.h embedded shells and frag-ments of pottery — Anti(]uity of 

 the Indian Race. 



NORTHERN CHILE AND I'ERU 



April 2ytli. — I set out on a journe)' to Coquimbo, and tlicncc 

 through Guasco to Copiapo, where Captain Fitz Roy kindly 

 offered to pick me up in the Beagle. The distance in a straight 

 Hnc along the shore northward is only 420 miles ; but my 

 mode of travelling made it a ver)- long journe)-. I bought 



