XV 
MENDOZA 
353 
say “ it is good to live in, but very bad to grow rich in.” The 
lower orders have the lounging, reckless manners of the Gauchos 
of the Pampas ; and their dress, riding-gear, and habits of life, 
are nearly the same. To my mind the town had a stupid, forlorn 
aspect. Neither the boasted alameda, nor the scenery, is at 
all comparable with that of Santiago ; but to those who, coming 
from Buenos Ayres, have just crossed the unvaried Pampas, the 
gardens and orchards must appear delightful. Sir F. Head, 
speaking of the inhabitants, says, “ They eat their dinners, and 
it is so very hot, they go to sleep—and could they do better?” 
I quite agree with Sir F. Head : the happy doom of the 
Mendozinos is to eat, sleep, and be idle. 
March 29 th .—We set out on our return to Chile by the 
Uspallata pass situated north of Mendoza. We had to cross a 
long and most sterile traversia of fifteen leagues. The soil in 
parts was absolutely bare, in others covered by numberless 
dwarf cacti, armed with formidable spines, and called by the 
inhabitants “ little lions.” There were also a few low bushes. 
Although the plain is nearly three thousand feet above the sea, 
the sun was very powerful ; and the heat, as well as the clouds 
of impalpable dust, rendered the travelling extremely irksome. 
Our course during the day lay nearly parallel to the Cordillera, 
but gradually approaching them. Before sunset we entered 
one of the wide valleys, or rather bays, which open on the plain: 
this soon narrowed into a ravine, where a little higher up the 
house of Villa Vicencio is situated. As we had ridden all day 
without a drop of water, both our mules and selves were very 
thirsty, and we looked out anxiousty for the stream which flows 
down this valley. It was curious to observe how gradually the 
water made its appearance : on the plain the course was quite 
dry; by degrees it became a little damper ; then puddles of 
water appeared ; these soon became connected ; and at Villa 
Vicencio there was a nice little rivulet. 
3 oth .—The solitary hovel which bears the imposing name 
of Villa Vicencio has been mentioned by every traveller who 
has crossed the Andes. I stayed here and at some neighbouring 
mines during the two succeeding days. The geology of the 
surrounding country is very curious. The Uspallata range is 
separated from the main Cordillera by a long narrow plain or 
2 A 
