Wespentthedayonthesummit，andIneverenjoyedonemorethoroughly。
　　Chile，boundedbytheAndesandthePacific，wasseenasinamap。Thepleasurefromthescenery，initselfbeautiful，washeightenedbythemanyreflectionswhicharosefromthemereviewoftheCampanarangewithitslesserparallelones，andofthebroadvalleyofQuillotadirectlyintersectingthem。Whocanavoidwonderingattheforcewhichhasupheavedthesemountains，andevenmoresoatthecountlessageswhichitmusthaverequiredtohavebrokenthrough，removed，andlevelledwholemassesofthem？ItiswellinthiscasetocalltomindthevastshingleandsedimentarybedsofPatagonia，which，ifheapedontheCordillera，wouldincreaseitsheightbysomanythousandfeet。Wheninthatcountry，Iwonderedhowanymountain-chaincouldhavesuppliedsuchmasses，andnothavebeenutterlyobliterated。
　　Wemustnotnowreversethewonder，anddoubtwhetherall-powerfultimecangrinddownmountains——eventhegiganticCordillera——into-gravelandmud。
　　TheappearanceoftheAndeswasdifferentfromthatwhichIhadexpected。
　　Thelowerlineofthesnowwasofcoursehorizontal，andtothislinetheevensummitsoftherangeseemedquiteparallel。Onlyatlongintervals，agroupofpointsorasingleconeshowedwhereavolcanohadexisted，ordoesnowexist。Hencetherangeresembledagreatsolidwall，surmountedhereandtherebyatower，andmakingamostperfectbarriertothecountry。
　　Almosteverypartofthehillhadbeendrilledbyattemptstoopengold-mines：
　　therageformininghasleftscarcelyaspotinChileunexamined。Ispenttheeveningasbefore，talkingroundthefirewithmytwocompanions。TheGuasosofChile，whocorrespondtotheGauchosofthePampas，are，however，averydifferentsetofbeings。Chileisthemorecivilizedofthetwocountries，andtheinhabitants，inconsequence，havelostmuchindividualcharacter。Gradationsinrankaremuchmorestronglymarked：theGuasodoesnotbyanymeansconsidereverymanhisequal；andIwasquitesurprisedtofindthatmycompanionsdidnotliketoeatatthesametimewithmyself。
　　Thisfeelingofinequalityisanecessaryconsequenceoftheexistenceofanaristocracyofwealth。Itissaidthatsomefewofthegreaterlandownerspossessfromfivetotenthousandpoundssterlingperannum：aninequalityofricheswhichIbelieveisnotmetwithinanyofthecattle-breedingcountrieseastwardoftheAndes。Atravellerdoesnotheremeetthatunboundedhospitalitywhichrefusesallpayment，butyetissokindlyofferedthatnoscruplescanberaisedinacceptingit。AlmosteveryhouseinChilewillreceiveyouforthenight，butatrifleisexpectedtobegiveninthemorning；evenarichmanwillaccepttwoorthreeshillings。TheGaucho，althoughhemaybeacutthroat，isagentleman；theGuasoisinfewrespectsbetter，butatthesametimeavulgar，ordinaryfellow。Thetwomen，althoughemployedmuchinthesamemanner，aredifferentintheirhabitsandattire；
　　andthepeculiaritiesofeachareuniversalintheirrespectivecountries。
　　TheGauchoseemspartofhishorse，andscornstoexerthimselfexceptwhenonhisback：theGuasomaybehiredtoworkasalabourerinthefields。
　　Theformerlivesentirelyonanimalfood；thelatteralmostwhollyonvegetable。
　　Wedonothereseethewhiteboots，thebroaddrawersandscarletchilipa；
　　thepicturesquecostumeofthePampas。Here，commontrousersareprotectedbyblackandgreenworstedleggings。Theponcho，however，iscommontoboth。ThechiefprideoftheGuasoliesinhisspurs，whichareabsurdlylarge。Imeasuredonewhichwassixinchesinthe_diameter_oftherowel，andtherowelitselfcontainedupwardsofthirtypoints。Thestirrupsareonthesamescale，eachconsistingofasquare，carvedblockofwood，hollowedout，yetweighingthreeorfourpounds。TheGuasoisperhapsmoreexpertwiththelazothantheGaucho；but，fromthenatureofthecountry，hedoesnotknowtheuseofthebolas。
　　August18th——Wedescendedthemountain，andpassedsomebeautifullittlespots，withrivuletsandfinetrees。Havingsleptatthesamehaciendaasbefore，werodeduringthetwosucceedingdaysupthevalley，andpassedthroughQuillota，whichismorelikeacollectionofnursery-gardensthanatown。Theorchardswerebeautiful，presentingonemassofpeach-blossoms。
　　Isaw，also，inoneortwoplacesthedate-palm；itisamoststatelytree；
　　andIshouldthinkagroupofthemintheirnativeAsiaticorAfricandesertsmustbesuperb。WepassedlikewiseSanFelipe，aprettystragglingtownlikeQuillota。Thevalleyinthispartexpandsintooneofthosegreatbaysorplains，reachingtothefootoftheCordillera，whichhavebeenmentionedasformingsocuriousapartofthesceneryofChile。IntheeveningwereachedtheminesofJajuel，situatedinaravineattheflankofthegreatchain。Istayedherefivedays。Myhostthesuperintendentofthemine，wasashrewdbutratherignorantCornishminer。HehadmarriedaSpanishwoman，anddidnotmeantoreturnhome；buthisadmirationfortheminesofCornwallremainedunbounded。Amongstmanyotherquestions，heaskedme，“NowthatGeorgeRexisdead，howmanymoreofthefamilyofRexesareyetalive？”ThisRexcertainlymustbearelationofthegreatauthorFinis，whowroteallbooks！
　　Theseminesareofcopper，andtheoreisallshippedtoSwansea，tobesmelted。Hencethemineshaveanaspectsingularlyquiet，ascomparedtothoseinEngland：herenosmoke，furnaces，orgreatsteam-engines，disturbthesolitudeofthesurroundingmountains。
　　TheChiliangovernment，orrathertheoldSpanishlaw，encouragesbyeverymethodthesearchingformines。Thediscoverermayworkamineonanyground，bypayingfiveshillings；andbeforepayingthishemaytry，eveninthegardenofanotherman，fortwentydays。
　　ItisnowwellknownthattheChilianmethodofminingisthecheapest。
　　Myhostsaysthatthetwoprincipalimprovementsintroducedbyforeignershavebeen，first，reducingbypreviousroastingthecopperpyrites——which，beingthecommonoreinCornwall，theEnglishminerswereastoundedontheirarrivaltofindthrownawayasuseless：secondly，stampingandwashingthescoriaefromtheoldfurnaces——bywhichprocessparticlesofmetalarerecoveredinabundance。Ihaveactuallyseenmulescarryingtothecoast，fortransportationtoEngland，acargoofsuchcinders。Butthefirstcaseismuchthemostcurious。TheChilianminersweresoconvincedthatcopperpyritescontainednotaparticleofcopper，thattheylaughedattheEnglishmenfortheirignorance，wholaughedinturn，andboughttheirrichestveinsforafewdollars。Itisveryoddthat，inacountrywheremininghadbeenextensivelycarriedonformanyyears，sosimpleaprocessasgentlyroastingtheoretoexpelthesulphurprevioustosmeltingit，hadneverbeendiscovered。Afewimprovementshavelikewisebeenintroducedinsomeofthesimplemachinery；buteventothepresentday，waterisremovedfromsomeminesbymencarryingituptheshaftinleathernbags！
　　Thelabouringmenworkveryhard。Theyhavelittletimeallowedfortheirmeals，andduringsummerandwintertheybeginwhenitislight，andleaveoffatdark。Theyarepaidonepoundsterlingamonth，andtheirfoodisgiventhem：thisforbreakfastconsistsofsixteenfigsandtwosmallloavesofbread；fordinner，boiledbeans；forsupper，brokenroastedwheatgrain。Theyscarcelyevertastemeat；as，withthetwelvepoundsperannum，theyhavetoclothethemselves，andsupporttheirfamilies。
　　Theminerswhoworkinthemineitselfhavetwenty-fiveshillingspermonth，andareallowedalittlecharqui。Butthesemencomedownfromtheirbleakhabitationsonlyonceineveryfortnightorthreeweeks。
　　DuringmystayhereIthoroughlyenjoyedscramblingaboutthesehugemountains。Thegeology，asmighthavebeenexpected，wasveryinteresting。
　　Theshatteredandbakedrocks，traversedbyinnumerabledykesofgreenstone，showedwhatcommotionshadformerlytakenplace。ThescenerywasmuchthesameasthatneartheBellofQuillota——drybarrenmountains，dottedatintervalsbybusheswithascantyfoliage。Thecactuses，orratheropuntiaswerehereverynumerous。Imeasuredoneofasphericalfigure，which，includingthespines，wassixfeetandfourinchesincircumference。Theheightofthecommoncylindrical，branchingkind，isfromtwelvetofifteenfeet，andthegirthwithspinesofthebranchesbetweenthreeandfourfeet。
　　Aheavyfallofsnowonthemountainspreventedmeduringthelasttwodays，frommakingsomeinterestingexcursions。Iattemptedtoreachalakewhichtheinhabitants，fromsomeunaccountablereason，believetobeanarmofthesea。Duringaverydryseason，itwasproposedtoattemptcuttingachannelfromitforthesakeofthewater，butthepadre，afteraconsultation，declareditwastoodangerous，asallChilewouldbeinundated，if，asgenerallysupposed，thelakewasconnectedwiththePacific。Weascendedtoagreatheight，butbecominginvolvedinthesnow-driftsfailedinreachingthiswonderfullake，andhadsomedifficultyinreturning。Ithoughtweshouldhavelostourhorses；fortherewasnomeansofguessinghowdeepthedriftswere，andtheanimals，whenled，couldonlymovebyjumping。
　　Theblackskyshowedthatafreshsnowstormwasgathering，andwethereforewerenotalittlegladwhenweescaped。Bythetimewereachedthebasethestormcommenced，anditwasluckyforusthatthisdidnothappenthreehoursearlierintheday。
　　August26th——WeleftJajuelandagaincrossedthebasinofSanFelipe。
　　ThedaywastrulyChilian：glaringlybright，andtheatmospherequiteclear。
　　ThethickanduniformcoveringofnewlyfallensnowrenderedtheviewofthevolcanoofAconcaguaandthemainchainquiteglorious。WewerenowontheroadtoSantiago，thecapitalofChile。WecrossedtheCerrodelTalguen，andsleptatalittlerancho。Thehost，talkingaboutthestateofChileascomparedtoothercountries，wasveryhumble：“Someseewithtwoeyes，andsomewithone，butformypartIdonotthinkthatChileseeswithany。”
　　August27th——Aftercrossingmanylowhillswedescendedintothesmallland-lockedplainofGuitron。Inthebasins，suchasthisone，whichareelevatedfromonethousandtotwothousandfeetabovethesea，twospeciesofacacia，whicharestuntedintheirforms，andstandwideapartfromeachother，growinlargenumbers。Thesetreesareneverfoundnearthesea-coast；andthisgivesanothercharacteristicfeaturetothesceneryofthesebasins。WecrossedalowridgewhichseparatesGuitronfromthegreatplainonwhichSantiagostands。Theviewwasherepre-eminentlystriking：
　　thedeadlevelsurface，coveredinpartsbywoodsofacacia，andwiththecityinthedistance，abuttinghorizontallyagainstthebaseoftheAndes，whosesnowypeakswerebrightwiththeeveningsun。Atthefirstglanceofthisview，itwasquiteevidentthattheplainrepresentedtheextentofaformerinlandsea。Assoonaswegainedthelevelroadwepushedourhorsesintoagallop，andreachedthecitybeforeitwasdark。
　　IstayedaweekinSantiago，andenjoyedmyselfverymuch。InthemorningIrodetovariousplacesontheplain，andintheeveningdinedwithseveraloftheEnglishmerchants，whosehospitalityatthisplaceiswellknown。
　　Anever-failingsourceofpleasurewastoascendthelittlehillockofrockSt。Luciawhichprojectsinthemiddleofthecity。Thescenerycertainlyismoststriking，and，asIhavesaid，verypeculiar。IaminformedthatthissamecharacteriscommontothecitiesonthegreatMexicanplatform。
　　OfthetownIhavenothingtosayindetail：itisnotsofineorsolargeasBuenosAyres，butisbuiltafterthesamemodel。Iarrivedherebyacircuittothenorth；soIresolvedtoreturntoValparaisobyaratherlongerexcursiontothesouthofthedirectroad。
　　September5th——Bythemiddleofthedaywearrivedatoneofthesuspensionbridges，madeofhide，whichcrosstheMaypu，alargeturbulentriverafewleaguessouthwardofSantiago。Thesebridgesareverypooraffairs。Theroad，followingthecurvatureofthesuspendingropes，ismadeofbundlesofsticksplacedclosetogether。Itwasfullofholes，andoscillatedratherfearfully，evenwiththeweightofamanleadinghishorse。Intheeveningwereachedacomfortablefarm-house，wheretherewereseveralveryprettysenoritas。Theyweremuchhorrifiedatmyhavingenteredoneoftheirchurchesoutofmerecuriosity。Theyaskedme，“WhydoyounotbecomeaChristian——forourreligioniscertain？”IassuredthemIwasasortofChristian；buttheywouldnothearofit——appealingtomyownwords，“Donotyourpadres，yourverybishops，marry？”Theabsurdityofabishophavingawifeparticularlystruckthem：theyscarcelyknewwhethertobemostamusedorhorror-struckatsuchanenormity。