THE ANDES. 



199 



still go on repeating the fallacy, and reasoning 

 upon it with the same confidence as if it were 

 true. 



On the 9th of June we sailed from Arica, and 

 steered along shore to the north-west. In the 

 evening of that day we had a fine view of the 

 Cordillera, or highest ridge of the mountains, not 

 less than between eighty and a hundred miles ofl*. 

 It was only when the ship was at a considerable 

 distance from the shore that the higher Andes 

 came in sight; for when near to it, the lower 

 ranges, themselves of great height, intercepted 

 the remote view. But when we stretched off 

 thirty or forty miles, these intermediate ridges 

 sunk into insignificance, while the chain of snowy 

 peaks rose in great magnificence behind them. It 

 sometimes even happened that the lower ranges, 

 which had entirely obstructed the view of the 

 Cordillera, when viewed at no great distance from 

 the coast, were actually sunk below the horizon, 

 by the curvature of the earth, when the distant 

 ridges were still distinctly in sight, and more 

 magnificent than ever. We were occasionally 

 surprised, when we had little expectation of see- 



