VALLEY OF ACONCAGUA. 



161 



over ity when being hard pressed by his pur- 

 suers ; but I very much doubt the truth of such 

 report, for it is at least twenty feet broad. 

 After crossing a deep and rapid stream^, we ar- 

 rived at a few miserable huts ; but the cultivated 

 spots proved that the active hand of industry 

 was much more conspicuous in Chili than on the 

 eastern side of the Cordillera. After the most 

 beautiful and romantic day^s ride I ever enjoyed 

 in my life, we arrived late in the valley of Acon- 

 cagua, twelve leagues from La Guardia, where 

 we were hospitably entertained at the Estancia 

 of a gentleman named Don Patricia. 



Saturday/, 25thy was a lovely morning. Found 

 that our situation was in a beautiful plain well 

 laid out in plantations, and situated close at the 

 foot of the Andes. Our host proved to be the civil 

 governor of the town of St. Felippe, four leagues 

 from hence, through which place lay our road. 

 He was polite enough to accompany us and in- 

 troduced us to his family, where we remained 

 dinner. Though every thing was excellent and 



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