CHAPTER XV 



Passage of the Cordillera 



Valparaiso — Portillo Pass — Sagacity of Mules — Mountain-torrents — 

 Mines, how discovered — Proofs of the gradual Elevation of the 

 Cordillera — Effect of Snow on Rocks — Geological Structure of the 

 two main Ranges, their distinct Origin and Upheaval — Great Sub- 

 sidence^ — Red Snow — Winds — Pinnacles of Snow — Dry and clear 

 Atmosphere — Electricity — Pampas — Zoology of the opposite Side 

 of the Andes — Locusts — Great Bugs — Mendoza — Uspallata Pass — 

 Silicified Trees buried as they grew — Incas Bridge — Badness of 

 the Passes exaggerated — Cumbre — Casuchas — Valparaiso. 



ARCH yth, 1835. — We stayed three days at Concep- 

 tion, and then sailed for Valparaiso. The wind 

 being northerly, we only reached the mouth of the 

 harbour of Concepcion before it was dark. Being very near 

 the land, and a fog coming on, the anchor was dropped. 

 Presently a large American whaler appeared alongside of us ; 

 and we heard the Yankee swearing at his men to keep quiet, 

 whilst he listened for the breakers. Captain Fitz Roy hailed 

 him, in a loud clear voice, to anchor where he then was. The 

 poor man must have thought the voice came from the shore : 

 such a Babel of cries issued at once from the ship — every 

 one hallooing out, " Let go the anchor ! veer cable ! shorten 

 sail ! " It was the most laughable thing I ever heard. If 

 the ship's crew had been all captains, and no men, there could 

 not have been a greater uproar of orders. We afterwards 

 found that the mate stuttered: I suppose all hands were 

 assisting him in giving his orders. 



On the nth we anchored at Valparaiso, and two days 

 afterwards I set out to cross the Cordillera. I proceeded to 

 Santiago, where Mr. Caldcleugh most kindly assisted me in 

 every possible way in making the little preparations which 

 were necessary. In this part of Chile there are two passes 

 across the Andes to Mendoza: the one most commonly used 

 — namely, that of Aconcagua or Uspallata — is situated some 



332 



