242 



MENDOZA. 



anxious, to give us information whenever they 

 were spoken to. 



We started early the next day, in high 

 good-humour at finding ourselves only sixty 

 miles from Mendoza, where we might re- 

 pose from our fatigues, and make arrange- 

 ments for continuing our journey over a more 

 interesting country, and without interruption 

 from the Indians. 



In the course of the day we crossed a 

 swollen torrent which I take to be a section 

 of the river Mendoza. The main body of this 

 river flows more to the south, but, before get- 

 ting fairly clear of the Andes, it has, by its 

 mountainous impetuosity, torn several meander- 

 ing channels in this neighbourhood, which 

 must greatly facilitate the irrigation of the land 

 lying between them. 



About twelve o'clock we reached a post- 



