March, 1835. passage of Cordillera. 



401 



which, facing the rising sun, ghttered like silver threads, till 

 lost in the immensity of the distance. 



In the middle of the day, we descended the valley, and 

 reached a hovel, where an officer and three soldiers were 

 posted to examine passports. One of these men was a 

 thorough-bred Pampas Indian. He was kept much for the 

 same purpose as a bloodhound, to track out any person who 

 might pass by secretly, either on foot or horseback. Some 

 years ago, a passenger had endeavoured to escape detection, 

 by making a long circuit over a neighbouring mountain ; but 

 this Indian, having by chance crossed his track, followed it 

 for the whole day, over dry and very stony parts, till at last 

 he came on his prey hidden in a gully. We here heard that 

 the silvery clouds, which we had admired from the bright re- 

 gion above, had poured down torrents of rain. The valley 

 from this point gradually opened, and the hills became mere 

 water- worn hillocks compared to the giants behind. It then 

 expanded into a gently-sloping plain of shingle, covered with 

 low trees and bushes. This talus, although it looked of little 

 breadth, must be nearly ten miles wide, before it blends into 

 the apparently dead level Pampas. We had already passed 

 the only house in this neigbourhood, theEstancia of Chaquaio ; 

 and at sunset we pulled up in the first snug corner, and 

 there bivouacked. 



March 25TfT. — I was reminded of the Pampas of Buenos 

 Ayres, by seeing the disk of the rising sun, intersected by an 

 horizon, level as that of the ocean. During the night a 

 heavy dew had fallen, a fact we did not experience within 

 the Cordillera. The road proceeded for some distance due east 

 across a low swamp ; then meeting the dry plain, it turned 

 to the north towards Mendoza. The distance is two very long 

 days' journey. Our first day's journey was called fourteen 

 leagues to Estacado, and the second seventeen to Luxan, 

 near Mendoza. The whole distance is over a level desert 

 plain, with not more than two or three houses. The sun 

 was exceedingly powerful, and the ride devoid of all interest. 

 There is very little water in this traversia," and in our 



VOL. III. 2 D 



