FROM BOLIVIA TO CHILE 
via Uyuni. Immense deposits of borax were to be seen 
all along the line from the station of Ulaca; then we 
came to a most beautiful sight — the volcano of Ollagiie, 
12,123 feet above the sea level. It looked like a giant 
dome, snow-capped, and smoking on its southern side. 
Its slopes were fairly regular, and of most brilliant 
colouring, red and blue. Near the volcano were mounds 
of mud and shattered rock. Ollagiie stood on the boun¬ 
dary between Bolivia and Chile. 
After passing San Martin, the first station on the 
Chilian side, the railway skirted the bed of an ancient 
lake, an immense circular flat stretch with deposits of 
sand and borax, in which could be seen occasional pools 
of stagnant water. On the west side stood a high three- 
peaked mountain covered with snow, while at the southern 
end of that plain was a charming lakelet. We had no 
sooner left this beautiful view than we had before us 
to the southwest an immense conical mountain, flat- 
topped. It looked just like the well-known Fujiyama' 
of Japan, only more regular in its sloping lines. 
We passed the works of a Borax Company, which 
were between the stations of Sebollar and Ascotan. There 
was to be seen another immense lake of borax, some forty 
kilometres (twenty-four miles) long. 
I arrived that evening at Antofagasta, and was for¬ 
tunate enough to get on board one of the Pacific Mail 
Line steamers the next morning on my way to Valparaiso. 
We were now in the height of civilization again — very 
hot, very uncomfortable, very ambitious, very dirty, the 
hotels abominable. Had it not been for the kindness of 
friends I should have fared badly indeed in Valparaiso, 
for the place was invaded by a swarm of American 
tourists, who had just landed from an excursion steamer 
and who rendered the place unbearable. 
From Valparaiso, as soon as it was possible to obtain 
accommodation, I travelled across the Andes and as far 
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