OF SAN PEDKO NOLASCO. 



^17 



they of course did not possess many of the me- 

 chanical advantages which a large capital might 

 have afforded them, yet they were on a plan suited 

 to the resources of the country, and upon the 

 whole were well adapted for the economical 

 reduction and amalgamation of ores upon a small 

 scale. 



The next morning, before sunrise, we continued 

 our course towards San Pedro Nolasco, and for 

 four or five hours followed the course of the river. 

 The valley became narrower, and as we proceeded 

 the trees and shrubs became smaller and more 

 stunted — around us on every side were the Andes 

 covered with snow. Our path was in many places 

 very dangerous, being infinitely more so than any 

 of the parts we had crossed in coming from Men- 

 doza over the Cordillera. The laderas were lite- 

 rally only a few inches wide, and were covered 

 with stones, which were so loose, that every instant 

 they rolled from under the mules'* feet, and fell with 

 an accelerating violence into the torrent. As I 

 rode almost the whole of the day by myself, T 

 would willingly have got off ; but the mules will 

 never lead, and besides this, when once a person is 



