RIVERS. 



267 



the Salado, flowing in a parallel direction with 

 the Plata; but at other times it loses itself in 

 a marsh, like the Segundo, Quarto, and other 

 smaller streams. There are, however, two other 

 rivers of much more importance, which reach 

 the Atlantic by a more southerly course. The 

 first, the Desaguadero, or drain, rises in the 

 province of San Juan. It takes, for a time, a 

 direct course from north to south, absorbing, 

 in its passage, all the rivers flowing from the 

 eastern side of the Andes, besides a great 

 quantity of melted snow. I crossed it within 

 forty leagues of Mendoza. To the south of 

 San Luis it is lost in large lakes ; but its waters 

 are supposed afterwards to find their way to the 

 Colorado, which falls into the Atlantic, in about 

 40° south latitude. 



According to Falkner, the crew of a Spanish 

 vessel, wrecked at the mouth of the Colorado^ 

 n 2 



