LEAVE THE CARRIAGE. 



61 



but all to no purpose ; he appeared perfectly 

 indifferent to his situation. 



At nine, we left our Spanish companions in 

 the carriage, and proceeded on horseback, pass- 

 ing through a very rocky country, at the foot of 

 the Sierra, whose summits were covered with 

 snow. At five leagues distance, arrived at the 

 post of Achiras, whose situation is very roman- 

 tic, being entirely surrounded by rocks. Two 

 leagues from hence separates the provinces of 

 Cordova and San Luis. We now began to 

 fall in with a little traffic on the road between 

 Mendoza and Cordova, and also met a few pas- 

 sengers. The next post is Porte Zuela : an 

 extremely wild and rocky road. On leaving 

 this post, the country assumes a more varied 

 appearance ; but the road becomes rugged and 

 rocky. 



The Morro de St. Joze, a barren mountain, 

 now opened in the distance, with all the appear- 

 ance of an island ; its summits covered with snow. 

 Having to pass round it, we crossed several 



