Itisprobablethatmuchofthesnowatthesegreatheightsisevaporatedratherthanthawed。
[12]Miers’sChile，vol。i。p。415。Itissaidthatthesugar-canegrewatIngenio，lat。32to33degs。，butnotinsufficientquantitytomakethemanufactureprofitable。InthevalleyofQuillota，southofIngenio，Isawsomelargedatepalmtrees。
[13]Bulkeley’sandCummin’sFaithfulNarrativeoftheLossoftheWager。TheearthquakehappenedAugust25，1741。
[14]Agueros，Desc。Hist。deChiloe，p。227。
[15]GeologicalTransactions，vol。vi。p。415。
[16]Ihavegivendetails(thefirst，Ibelieve，published)onthissubjectinthefirstedition，andintheAppendixtoit。Ihavethereshownthattheapparentexceptionstotheabsenceoferraticbouldersincertaincountries，areduetoerroneousobservations；severalstatementstheregivenIhavesincefoundconfirmedbyvariousauthors。
[17]GeographicalJournal，1830，pp。65，66。
[18]Richardson’sAppend。toBack’sExped。，andHumboldt’sFragm。Asiat。，tom。ii。p。386。
[19]Messrs。DeaseandSimpson，inGeograph。Journ。，vol。viii。pp。218and220。
[20]Cuvier(OssemensFossiles，tom。i。p。151)，fromBilling’sVoyage。
[21]IntheformereditionandAppendix，IhavegivensomefactsonthetransportaloferraticbouldersandicebergsintheAtlanticOcean。ThissubjecthaslatelybeentreatedexcellentlybyMr。Hayes，intheBostonJournal(vol。iv。p。426)。Theauthordoesnotappearawareofacasepublishedbyme(GeographicalJournal，vol。ix。
p。528)ofagiganticboulderembeddedinanicebergintheAntarcticOcean，almostcertainlyonehundredmilesdistantfromanyland，andperhapsmuchmoredistant。IntheAppendixIhavediscussedatlengththeprobability(atthattimehardlythoughtof)oficebergs，whenstranded，groovingandpolishingrocks，likeglaciers。Thisisnowaverycommonlyreceivedopinion；
andIcannotstillavoidthesuspicionthatitisapplicableeventosuchcasesasthatoftheJura。Dr。RichardsonhasassuredmethattheicebergsoffNorthAmericapushbeforethempebblesandsand，andleavethesub-marinerockyflatsquitebare；itishardlypossibletodoubtthatsuchledgesmustbepolishedandscoredinthedirectionofthesetoftheprevailingcurrents。SincewritingthatAppendix，IhaveseeninNorthWales(LondonPhil。Mag。，vol。xxi。p。180)theadjoiningactionofglaciersandfloatingicebergs。PreviousChapterNextChapterTheVoyageoftheBeagle-Chapter12TheVoyageoftheBeaglebyCharlesDarwinPreviousChapterNextChapterChapter12-CentralChileJULY23rd——TheBeagleanchoredlateatnightinthebayofValparaiso，thechiefseaportofChile。Whenmorningcame，everythingappeareddelightful。
AfterTierradelFuego，theclimatefeltquitedelicious——theatmospheresodry，andtheheavenssoclearandbluewiththesunshiningbrightly，thatallnatureseemedsparklingwithlife。Theviewfromtheanchorageisverypretty。Thetownisbuiltattheveryfootofarangeofhills，about1600feethigh，andrathersteep。Fromitsposition，itconsistsofonelong，stragglingstreet，whichrunsparalleltothebeach，andwhereveraravinecomesdown，thehousesarepileduponeachsideofit。Theroundedhills，beingonlypartiallyprotectedbyaveryscantyvegetation，arewornintonumberlesslittlegullies，whichexposeasingularlybrightredsoil。Fromthiscause，andfromthelowwhitewashedhouseswithtileroofs，theviewremindedmeofSt。CruzinTeneriffe。Inanorth-westerlydirectiontherearesomefineglimpsesoftheAndes：butthesemountainsappearmuchgranderwhenviewedfromtheneighbouringhills：thegreatdistanceatwhichtheyaresituatedcanthenmorereadilybeperceived。ThevolcanoofAconcaguaisparticularlymagnificent。ThishugeandirregularlyconicalmasshasanelevationgreaterthanthatofChimborazo；for，frommeasurementsmadebytheofficersintheBeagle，itsheightisnolessthan23，000feet。
TheCordillera，however，viewedfromthispoint，owethegreaterpartoftheirbeautytotheatmospherethroughwhichtheyareseen。WhenthesunwassettinginthePacific，itwasadmirabletowatchhowclearlytheirruggedoutlinescouldbedistinguished，yethowvariedandhowdelicateweretheshadesoftheircolour。
IhadthegoodfortunetofindlivinghereMr。RichardCorfield，anoldschoolfellowandfriend，towhosehospitalityandkindnessIwasgreatlyindebted，inhavingaffordedmeamostpleasantresidenceduringtheBeagle’sstayinChile。TheimmediateneighbourhoodofValparaisoisnotveryproductivetothenaturalist。Duringthelongsummerthewindblowssteadilyfromthesouthward，andalittleoffshore，sothatrainneverfalls；duringthethreewintermonths，however，itissufficientlyabundant。Thevegetationinconsequenceisveryscanty：exceptinsomedeepvalleys，therearenotrees，andonlyalittlegrassandafewlowbushesarescatteredoverthelesssteeppartsofthehills。Whenwereflect，thatatthedistanceof350milestothesouth，thissideoftheAndesiscompletelyhiddenbyoneimpenetrableforest，thecontrastisveryremarkable。Itookseverallongwalkswhilecollectingobjectsofnaturalhistory。Thecountryispleasantforexercise。Therearemanyverybeautifulflowers；and，asinmostotherdryclimates，theplantsandshrubspossessstrongandpeculiarodours——evenone’sclothesbybrushingthroughthembecamescented。I
didnotceasefromwonderatfindingeachsucceedingdayasfineastheforegoing。Whatadifferencedoesclimatemakeintheenjoymentoflife！
Howoppositearethesensationswhenviewingblackmountainshalfenvelopedinclouds，andseeinganotherrangethroughthelightbluehazeofafineday！Theoneforatimemaybeverysublime；theotherisallgaietyandhappylife。
August14th——Isetoutonaridingexcursion，forthepurposeofgeologizingthebasalpartsoftheAndes，whichaloneatthistimeoftheyeararenotshutupbythewintersnow。Ourfirstday’sridewasnorthwardalongtheseacoast。AfterdarkwereachedtheHaciendaofQuintero，theestatewhichformerlybelongedtoLordCochrane。Myobjectincomingherewastoseethegreatbedsofshells，whichstandsomeyardsabovethelevelofthesea，andareburntforlime。Theproofsoftheelevationofthiswholelineofcoastareunequivocal：attheheightofafewhundredfeetold-lookingshellsarenumerous，andIfoundsomeat1300feet。Theseshellseitherlielooseonthesurface，orareembeddedinareddish-blackvegetablemould。Iwasmuchsurprisedtofindunderthemicroscopethatthisvegetablemouldisreallymarinemud，fullofminuteparticlesoforganicbodies。
15th——WereturnedtowardsthevalleyofQuillota。Thecountrywasexceedinglypleasant；justsuchaspoetswouldcallpastoral：greenopenlawns，separatedbysmallvalleyswithrivulets，andthecottages，wemaysupposeoftheshepherdsscatteredonthehill-sides。WewereobligedtocrosstheridgeoftheChilicauquen。Atitsbasethereweremanyfineevergreenforest-trees，buttheseflourishedonlyintheravines，wheretherewasrunningwater。AnypersonwhohadseenonlythecountrynearValparaiso，wouldneverhaveimaginedthattherehadbeensuchpicturesquespotsinChile。AssoonaswereachedthebrowoftheSierra，thevalleyofQuillotawasimmediatelyunderourfeet。Theprospectwasoneofremarkableartificialluxuriance。Thevalleyisverybroadandquiteflat，andisthuseasilyirrigatedinallparts。Thelittlesquaregardensarecrowdedwithorangeandolivetrees，andeverysortofvegetable。Oneachsidehugebaremountainsrise，andthisfromthecontrastrendersthepatchworkvalleythemorepleasing。Whoevercalled“Valparaiso“the“ValleyofParadise。”musthavebeenthinkingofQuillota。WecrossedovertotheHaciendadeSanIsidro，situatedattheveryfootoftheBellMountain。
Chile，asmaybeseeninthemaps，isanarrowstripoflandbetweentheCordilleraandthePacific；andthisstripisitselftraversedbyseveralmountain-lines，whichinthispartrunparalleltothegreatrange。BetweentheseouterlinesandthemainCordillera，asuccessionoflevelbasins，generallyopeningintoeachotherbynarrowpassages，extendfartothesouthward：inthese，theprincipaltownsaresituated，asSanFelipe，Santiago，SanFernando。Thesebasinsorplains，togetherwiththetransverseflatvalleys(likethatofQuillota)whichconnectthemwiththecoast，Ihavenodoubtarethebottomsofancientinletsanddeepbays，suchasatthepresentdayintersecteverypartofTierradelFuegoandthewesterncoast。
Chilemustformerlyhaveresembledthelattercountryintheconfigurationofitslandandwater。Theresemblancewasoccasionallyshownstrikinglywhenalevelfog-bankcovered，aswithamantle，allthelowerpartsofthecountry：thewhitevapourcurlingintotheravines，beautifullyrepresentedlittlecovesandbays；andhereandthereasolitaryhillockpeepingup，showedthatithadformerlystoodthereasanislet。Thecontrastoftheseflatvalleysandbasinswiththeirregularmountains，gavethesceneryacharacterwhichtomewasnewandveryinteresting。
Fromthenaturalslopetoseawardoftheseplains，theyareveryeasilyirrigated，andinconsequencesingularlyfertile。Withoutthisprocessthelandwouldproducescarcelyanything，forduringthewholesummertheskyiscloudless。Themountainsandhillsaredottedoverwithbushesandlowtrees，andexceptingthesethevegetationisveryscanty。Eachlandownerinthevalleypossessesacertainportionofhill-country，wherehishalf-wildcattle，inconsiderablenumbers，managetofindsufficientpasture。Onceeveryyearthereisagrand“rodeo。”whenallthecattlearedrivendown，counted，andmarked，andacertainnumberseparatedtobefattenedintheirrigatedfields。Wheatisextensivelycultivated，andagooddealofIndiancorn：akindofbeanis，however，thestaplearticleoffoodforthecommonlabourers。Theorchardsproduceanoverflowingabundanceofpeachesfigs，andgrapes。Withalltheseadvantages，theinhabitantsofthecountryoughttobemuchmoreprosperousthantheyare。
16th——Themayor-domooftheHaciendawasgoodenoughtogivemeaguideandfreshhorses；andinthemorningwesetouttoascendtheCampana，orBellMountain，whichis6400feethigh。Thepathswereverybad，butboththegeologyandsceneryamplyrepaidthetrouble。Wereachedbytheevening，aspringcalledtheAguadelGuanaco，whichissituatedatagreatheight。Thismustbeanoldname，foritisverymanyyearssinceaguanacodrankitswaters。DuringtheascentInoticedthatnothingbutbushesgrewonthenorthernslope，whilstonthesouthernslopetherewasabambooaboutfifteenfeethigh。Inafewplacestherewerepalms，andIwassurprisedtoseeoneatanelevationofatleast4500feet。Thesepalmsare，fortheirfamily，uglytrees。Theirstemisverylarge，andofacuriousform，beingthickerinthemiddlethanatthebaseortop。TheyareexcessivelynumerousinsomepartsofChile，andvaluableonaccountofasortoftreaclemadefromthesap。OnoneestatenearPetorcatheytriedtocountthem，butfailed，afterhavingnumberedseveralhundredthousand。Everyyearintheearlyspring，inAugust，verymanyarecutdown，andwhenthetrunkislyingontheground，thecrownofleavesisloppedoff。Thesapthenimmediatelybeginstoflowfromtheupperend，andcontinuessodoingforsomemonths：itis，however，necessarythatathinsliceshouldbeshavedofffromthatendeverymorning，soastoexposeafreshsurface。Agoodtreewillgiveninetygallons，andallthismusthavebeencontainedinthevesselsoftheapparentlydrytrunk。Itissaidthatthesapflowsmuchmorequicklyonthosedayswhenthesunispowerful；andlikewise，thatitisabsolutelynecessarytotakecare，incuttingdownthetree，thatitshouldfallwithitsheadupwardsonthesideofthehill；forifitfallsdowntheslope，scarcelyanysapwillflow；althoughinthatcaseonewouldhavethoughtthattheactionwouldhavebeenaided，insteadofchecked，bytheforceofgravity。Thesapisconcentratedbyboiling，andisthencalledtreacle，whichitverymuchresemblesintaste。
Weunsaddledourhorsesnearthespring，andpreparedtopassthenight。
Theeveningwasfine，andtheatmospheresoclear，thatthemastsofthevesselsatanchorinthebayofValparaiso，althoughnolessthantwenty-sixgeographicalmilesdistant，couldbedistinguishedclearlyaslittleblackstreaks。Ashipdoublingthepointundersail，appearedasabrightwhitespeck。Ansonexpressesmuchsurprise，inhisvoyage，atthedistanceatwhichhisvesselswerediscoveredfromthecoast；buthedidnotsufficientlyallowfortheheightoftheland，andthegreattransparencyoftheair。
Thesettingofthesunwasglorious；thevalleysbeingblackwhilstthesnowypeaksoftheAndesyetretainedarubytint。Whenitwasdark，wemadeafirebeneathalittlearbourofbamboos，friedourcharqui(ordriedslipsofbeef)，tookourmate，andwerequitecomfortable。Thereisaninexpressiblecharminthuslivingintheopenair。Theeveningwascalmandstill；——theshrillnoiseofthemountainbizcacha，andthefaintcryofagoatsucker，wereoccasionallytobeheard。Besidesthese，fewbirds，oreveninsects，frequentthesedry，parchedmountains。
August17th——Inthemorningweclimbeduptheroughmassofgreenstonewhichcrownsthesummit。Thisrock，asfrequentlyhappens，wasmuchshatteredandbrokenintohugeangularfragments。Iobserved，however，oneremarkablecircumstance，namely，thatmanyofthesurfacespresentedeverydegreeoffreshnesssomeappearingasifbrokenthedaybefore，whilstonotherslichenshadeitherjustbecome，orhadlonggrown，attached。Isofullybelievedthatthiswasowingtothefrequentearthquakes，thatIfeltinclinedtohurryfrombeloweachloosepile。Asonemightveryeasilybedeceivedinafactofthiskind，Idoubteditsaccuracy，untilascendingMountWellington，inVanDiemen’sLand，whereearthquakesdonotoccur；andthereIsawthesummitofthemountainsimilarlycomposedandsimilarlyshattered，butalltheblocksappearedasiftheyhadbeenhurledintotheirpresentpositionthousandsofyearsago。
