CHILL 193 



from time to time taken out of the vat, and placed on a platform, when 

 more juice is expressed, by laying boards and heavy stones upon it. 

 That part which is intended for wine proper, or the" must," is received 

 like the first into earthen jars, where it undergoes the requisite fermen- 

 tation, and receives a small quantity of brandy, or the aguardiente 

 of the country, to give it body. The chicha is made by boiling down 

 the clear grape-juice after fermentation, for several hours, over a slow 

 fire. After this process, it was put in enormous earthen jars, contai- 

 ning sixty to one hundred and twenty gallons, which are covered 

 over, and tightly luted. The portion not required for consumption, 

 is afterwards distilled with the pumice into aguardiente of the country. 

 The stills were of the simplest construction, being nothing more than a 

 number of large earthen pots, holding from eighty to one hundred 

 gallons, placed in the ground over a long narrow oven. Instead of a 

 worm, a straight pipe of copper is used, about twenty feet long ; one 

 of these was inserted into each pot or jar, and to effect the condensa- 

 tion, a stream of water from the river was led so as to pass over them. 

 All the agricultural implements are equally rude and primitive. The 

 ploughs are nothing more than a crooked stick, with the share-end 

 pointed, and hardened by charring. Notwithstanding these disadvan- 

 tages, they are enabled to raise large crops, and bring their farms 

 into tolerable condition. 



In the evening they had the pleasure of seeing Mr. Newman, who 

 returned ; and his reception of his guests was, if possible, even more 

 kind than that of his good lady. Learning that our gentlemen wished 

 to visit some of the mines in the neighbourhood, he immediately made 

 arrangement to send his agent to his own establishment, five leagues 

 beyond San Felipe, and provided them horses and mules, in order that 

 their own might recruit for their return journey. The temperature at 

 San Felipe varied, between noon and 10 p. m, from 63° to 49°. The 

 night was remarkably clear and fine. 



The next morning they started, with Mr. George Alderson, for the 

 mines, which are near the summit of the first Cordillera, on the 

 Mendoza road, and about three thousand feet above the level of the 

 sea. They were here informed, that in consequence of the late heavy 

 falls of snow, the roads were all covered and congealed, and that it 

 extended several thousand feet below the limit of perpetual snow. 

 They had no use for the neglected barometer, and had some satisfac- 

 tion in feeling they had not been troubled with it. About a league 

 from San Felipe they passed a large porphyritic mass, some specimens 

 broken from which contained grains of quartz. They then passed up 

 a singular gully, about twenty feet deep and as many wide, for about 

 vol. i. r 25 



