416 



CHAPTER XVIII. 



Bell mountain — Miners — Great loads carried by the Apires — Coquimbo 

 — Earthquake— Geology — Terraces — Excursion up valley — Road to 

 Guasco— Desert country — Valley of Copiapo — Rain and earthquakes, 

 meteorolites — Hydrophobia — Copiapo — Excursion to Cordillera — 

 Dry valley — Cold gales of wind — Noises from a hill — Iquique, com- 

 plete desert — Salt alluvium — Nitrate of soda — Lima — Unhealthy 

 country — Ruins of Callao, overthrown by earthquake— Elevated shells 

 on island of San Lorenzo — Plain with embedded fragments of pottery. 



NORTHERN CHILE AND PERU. 



April 27th.— I set out on a journey to Coquimbo^ and 

 thence through Guasco to Copiapo^ where Captain FitzRoy 

 kindly offered to pick me up in the Beagle. The distance 

 in a straight line along the shore northward is only 420 

 miles ; but my mode of travelling caused me to find it a 

 very long journey. I bought four horses and two mules, 

 the latter carrying the cargo on alternate days. The six 

 animals together only cost the value of twenty-five pounds 

 sterlings and at Copiapo I sold them again for twenty-three. 

 We travelled in the same independent manner as before, 

 cooking our own meals, and sleeping in the open air. As 

 we rode towards the Vino del Mar, I took a farewell view of 

 Valparaiso, and admired its picturesque appearance. For 

 geological purposes I made a detour from the high road to 

 the foot of the Bell mountain. We passed through a highly 

 auriferous district to the neighbourhood of Limache, where 

 we slept. The country is covered with much alluvium, and 

 by the side of each little rivulet it has been washed for 

 gold. This employment supports the inhabitants of nume- 

 rous scattered hovels ; but, like all those who gain by 

 chance, they are unthrifty in their habits. 



28th. — In the afternoon we arrived at a cottage at the 

 foot of the Bell mountain. The inhabitants were free- 



