234 



JOURNEY ACROSS 



masses of white clouds, but I have little doubt 

 that I actually beheld the Andes at that 

 time, without being conscious of the fact ; # but 

 now not a cloud was to be seen, the Andes rose 

 before us in all their grandeur and majesty, 

 whilst Tupungato and, I believe, Aconcagua 

 lifted their heads above the rest, proudly pre- 

 eminent. 



* Captains Fitzroy and Beechy have since measured 

 the peak of Aconcagua, from which a volcano formerly 

 issued, and have established the fact of its being nearly 

 23,500 feet above the sea ; which is considerably higher 

 than Chimborazo. I certainly saw a range of mountains 

 to the north of Tupungato, of as great an apparent eleva- 

 tion to the eye as that mountain ; but the guides only 

 drew my attention to Tupungato. I rather think I must 

 have seen Aconcagua, after turning out of the valley of 

 the Maypo, towards the city of Santiago, in a north 

 easterly direction from our position at that time. We saw 

 snow mountains, but I was not aware then of the possibi- 

 lity of seeing Aconcagua so soon after our descent into 

 Chili. 



