190 



DISTANT PROSPECT. 



lish chicha,* as they called it, was better 

 than their own. 



On the 23rd we rose at daylight ; on 

 going out of the cottage I found the whole 

 surrounding country covered with hoar frost. 

 The coolness of the air was delightfully re- 

 freshing, and the view from this spot raag- 

 ficently grand. I found myself standing 

 amongst a chaos of mountains, the most dis- 

 tant ridges of which, by the clearness of the 

 atmosphere, and by the great height at which 

 I stood, seemed to be brought almost within 

 my reach, though in fact many leagues off ; 



* Chicha is made from Indian corn, in the proportion 

 of one part of bruised corn to six parts of water ; it is 

 left to ferment, after which the soaked corn is rubbed 

 over a strong hair-sieve, until all the juice is extracted ; 

 the liquid is then put into large earthen jars, and mixed 

 up with a certain proportion, necessary to sweeten it, either 

 of honey or molasses. 



