CHILI. 189 
biloches to return. Their route after this lay up a valley. On the 
surrounding heights the guanacoes were seen in great numbers. On 
reaching the head of the valley, one of the party became so unwell 
that he was unable to proceed, and was obliged to return. 
Dr. Pickering, Messrs. Dana, Peale, and Drayton, went on. As 
they proceeded they found the middle region was marked by 
spiny plants, principally Burnadesia. The soil was found to be a 
mixture of loose earth and pieces of rock. On rising higher the 
vegetation became almost wholly extinct. Places occurred of an 
eighth of a mile in breadth, destitute of verdure of any kind. The 
party then ascended a ridge belonging to the main body of the 
Cordilleras, and at an elevation of about ten thousand feet, they 
reached its summit. Here they had an extensive view of all the 
line of the snow peaks. That of Tupongati appeared the most 
conspicuous, although at a distance of eighty miles. The guide 
asserted that he could see smoke issuing from its volcano in a faint 
streak, but it was beyond the vision of our gentlemen. The peak 
itself from this view of it was quite sharp-pointed. The scene 
immediately around them was one of great grandeur and desolation : 
mountain after mountain, separated by immense chasms to the depth 
of thousands of feet, and the sides broken in the most fantastic forms 
imaginable. In these higher parts of the Cordilleras they found a 
large admixture of the jaspery aluminous rock, which forms the 
base of the finest porphyries; also chlorite, in abundance. The 
rock likewise contains fine white chalcedony in irregular straggling 
masses. Trachytic breccia was observed in various places. The 
porphyry is of a dull purple colour, rather lighter than the red sand- 
stone of the United States. No traces of cellular lava were seen, nor 
of other more recent volcanic productions. No limestone was seen 
in the regions traversed by our parties; all the lime used at Santiago is 
obtained from sea-shells ; nor were any proper sedimentary rocks seen. 
Nothing could be more striking than the complete silence that 
reigned every where ; not a living thing appeared to their view. 
After spending some time on the top they began their descent, and 
after two hours' hard travelling they reached the snow line, and 
passed the night very comfortably in the open air, with their blankets 
and pillions, or saddle-cloths. Fuel for a fire they unexpectedly 
found in abundance: the Alpinia umbellifera answering admirably 
for that purpose, from the quantity of resinous matter it contains. 
Near their camp was the bank of snow before spoken of, from which 
vol. i. 48 
