THE VOYAGE OF THE BEAGLE 355 



from the Incas Bridge to the Ojos del Agua, which are situ- 

 ated near the lowest casucha on the Chilian side. These 

 casuchas are round little towers, with steps outside to reach 

 the floor, which is raised some feet above the ground on ac- > 

 count of the snow-drifts. They are eight in number, and 

 under the Spanish government were kept during the winter 

 well stored with food and charcoal, and each courier had a 

 master-key. Now they only answer the purpose of caves, or 

 rather dungeons. Seated on some little eminence, they are 

 not, however, ill suited to the surrounding scene of desola- 

 tion. The zigzag ascent of the Cumbre, or the partition of 

 the waters, was very steep and tedious ; its height, according 

 to Mr. Pentland, is 12,454 f eet - The road did not pass over 

 any perpetual snow, although there were patches of it on 

 both hands. The wind on the summit was exceedingly cold, 

 but it was impossible not to stop for a few minutes to ad- 

 mire, again and again, the colour of the heavens, and the 

 brilliant transparency of the atmosphere. The scenery was 

 grand: to the westward there was a fine chaos of mountains, 

 divided by profound ravines. Some snow generally falls be- 

 fore this period of the season, and it has even happened that 

 the Cordillera have been finally closed by this time. But 

 we were most fortunate. The sky, by night and by day, was 

 cloudless, excepting a few round little masses of vapour, that 

 floated over the highest pinnacles. I have often seen these 

 islets in the sky, marking the position of the Cordillera, 

 when the far-distant mountains have been hidden beneath 

 the horizon. 



April 6th. — In the morning we found some thief had 

 stolen one of our mules, and the bell of the madrina. We 

 therefore rode only two or three miles down the valley, and 

 stayed there the ensuing day in hopes of recovering the mule, 

 which the arriero thought had been hidden in some ravine. 

 The scenery in this part had assumed a Chilian character: 

 the lower sides of the mountains, dotted over with the pale 

 evergreen Quillay tree, and with the great chandelier-like 

 cactus, are certainly more to be admired than the bare east- 

 ern valleys; but I cannot quite agree with the admiration 

 expressed by some travellers. The extreme pleasure, I sus- 

 pect, is chiefly owing to the prospect of a good fire and of a 



