6th——Weproceededduesouth，andsleptatRancagua。Theroadpassedoverthelevelbutnarrowplain，boundedononesidebyloftyhills，andontheotherbytheCordillera。ThenextdayweturnedupthevalleyoftheRioCachapual，inwhichthehot-bathsofCauquenes，longcelebratedfortheirmedicinalproperties，aresituated。Thesuspensionbridges，inthelessfrequentedparts，aregenerallytakendownduringthewinterwhentheriversarelow。Suchwasthecaseinthisvalley，andwewerethereforeobligedtocrossthestreamonhorseback。Thisisratherdisagreeable，forthefoamingwater，thoughnotdeep，rushessoquicklyoverthebedoflargeroundedstones，thatone’sheadbecomesquiteconfused，anditisdifficulteventoperceivewhetherthehorseismovingonwardorstandingstill。Insummer，whenthesnowmelts，thetorrentsarequiteimpassable；
theirstrengthandfuryarethenextremelygreat，asmightbeplainlyseenbythemarkswhichtheyhadleft。Wereachedthebathsintheevening，andstayedtherefivedays，beingconfinedthetwolastbyheavyrain。
Thebuildingsconsistofasquareofmiserablelittlehovels，eachwithasingletableandbench。TheyaresituatedinanarrowdeepvalleyjustwithoutthecentralCordillera。Itisaquiet，solitaryspot，withagooddealofwildbeauty。
ThemineralspringsofCauquenesburstforthonalineofdislocation，crossingamassofstratifiedrock，thewholeofwhichbetraystheactionofheat。Aconsiderablequantityofgasiscontinuallyescapingfromthesameorificeswiththewater。Thoughthespringsareonlyafewyardsapart，theyhaveverydifferenttemperature；andthisappearstobetheresultofanunequalmixtureofcoldwater：forthosewiththelowesttemperaturehavescarcelyanymineraltaste。Afterthegreatearthquakeof1822thespringsceased，andthewaterdidnotreturnfornearlyayear。Theywerealsomuchaffectedbytheearthquakeof1835；thetemperaturebeingsuddenlychangedfrom118to92degs。[1]Itseemsprobablethatmineralwatersrisingdeepfromthebowelsoftheearth，wouldalwaysbemorederangedbysubterraneandisturbancesthanthosenearerthesurface。
Themanwhohadchargeofthebathsassuredmethatinsummerthewaterishotterandmoreplentifulthaninwinter。TheformercircumstanceI
shouldhaveexpected，fromthelessmixture，duringthedryseason，ofcoldwater；butthelatterstatementappearsverystrangeandcontradictory。
Theperiodicalincreaseduringthesummer，whenrainneverfalls，can，Ithink，onlybeaccountedforbythemeltingofthesnow：yetthemountainswhicharecoveredbysnowduringthatseason，arethreeorfourleaguesdistantfromthesprings。Ihavenoreasontodoubttheaccuracyofmyinformer，who，havinglivedonthespotforseveralyears，oughttobewellacquaintedwiththecircumstance，——which，iftrue，certainlyisverycurious：forwemustsupposethatthesnow-water，beingconductedthroughporousstratatotheregionsofheat，isagainthrownuptothesurfacebythelineofdislocatedandinjectedrocksatCauquenes；andtheregularityofthephenomenonwouldseemtoindicatethatinthisdistrictheatedrockoccurredatadepthnotverygreat。
OnedayIrodeupthevalleytothefarthestinhabitedspot。Shortlyabovethatpoint，theCachapualdividesintotwodeeptremendousravines，whichpenetratedirectlyintothegreatrange。Iscrambledupapeakedmountain，probablymorethansixthousandfeethigh。Here，asindeedeverywhereelse，scenesofthehighestinterestpresentedthemselves。Itwasbyoneoftheseravines，thatPincheiraenteredChileandravagedtheneighbouringcountry。ThisisthesamemanwhoseattackonanestanciaattheRioNegroIhavedescribed。Hewasarenegadehalf-casteSpaniard，whocollectedagreatbodyofIndianstogetherandestablishedhimselfbyastreaminthePampas，whichplacenoneoftheforcessentafterhimcouldeverdiscover。
Fromthispointheusedtosallyforth，andcrossingtheCordillerabypasseshithertounattempted，heravagedthefarm-housesanddrovethecattletohissecretrendezvous。Pincheirawasacapitalhorseman，andhemadeallaroundhimequallygood，forheinvariablyshotanyonewhohesitatedtofollowhim。Itwasagainstthisman，andotherwanderingIndiantribes，thatRosaswagedthewarofextermination。
September13th——WeleftthebathsofCauquenes，and，rejoiningthemainroad，sleptattheRioClara。FromthisplacewerodetothetownofSanFernando。Beforearrivingthere，thelastland-lockedbasinhadexpandedintoagreatplain，whichextendedsofartothesouth，thatthesnowysummitsofthemoredistantAndeswereseenasifabovethehorizonofthesea。SanFernandoisfortyleaguesfromSantiago；anditwasmyfarthestpointsouthward；forwehereturnedatrightanglestowardsthecoast。Wesleptatthegold-minesofYaquil，whichareworkedbyMr。Nixon，anAmericangentleman，towhosekindnessIwasmuchindebtedduringthefourdaysIstayedathishouse。Thenextmorningwerodetothemines，whicharesituatedatthedistanceofsomeleagues，nearthesummitofaloftyhill。OnthewaywehadaglimpseofthelakeTagua-tagua，celebratedforitsfloatingislands，whichhavebeendescribedbyM。Gay。[2]Theyarecomposedofthestalksofvariousdeadplantsintertwinedtogether，andonthesurfaceofwhichotherlivingonestakeroot。Theirformisgenerallycircular，andtheirthicknessfromfourtosixfeet，ofwhichthegreaterpartisimmersedinthewater。Asthewindblows，theypassfromonesideofthelaketotheother，andoftencarrycattleandhorsesaspassengers。
Whenwearrivedatthemine，Iwasstruckbythepaleappearanceofmanyofthemen，andinquiredfromMr。Nixonrespectingtheircondition。
Themineis450feetdeep，andeachmanbringsupabout200poundsweightofstone。Withthisloadtheyhavetoclimbupthealternatenotchescutinthetrunksoftrees，placedinazigzaglineuptheshaft。Evenbeardlessyoungmen，eighteenandtwentyyearsold，withlittlemusculardevelopmentoftheirbodies(theyarequitenakedexceptingdrawers)ascendwiththisgreatloadfromnearlythesamedepth。Astrongman，whoisnotaccustomedtothislabour，perspiresmostprofusely，withmerelycarryinguphisownbody。Withthisveryseverelabour，theyliveentirelyonboiledbeansandbread。Theywouldpreferhavingbreadalone；buttheirmasters，findingthattheycannotworksoharduponthis，treatthemlikehorses，andmakethemeatthebeans。TheirpayishererathermorethanattheminesofJajuel，beingfrom24to28shillingspermonth。Theyleavethemineonlyonceinthreeweeks；whentheystaywiththeirfamiliesfortwodays。Oneoftherulesofthisminesoundsveryharsh，butanswersprettywellforthemaster。Theonlymethodofstealinggoldistosecretepiecesoftheore，andtakethemoutasoccasionmayoffer。Wheneverthemajor-domofindsalumpthushidden，itsfullvalueisstoppedoutofthewagesofallthemen；whothus，withouttheyallcombine，areobligedtokeepwatchovereachother。
Whentheoreisbroughttothemill，itisgroundintoanimpalpablepowder；theprocessofwashingremovesallthelighterparticles，andamalgamationfinallysecuresthegold-dust。Thewashing，whendescribed，soundsaverysimpleprocess；butitisbeautifultoseehowtheexactadaptationofthecurrentofwatertothespecificgravityofthegold，soeasilyseparatesthepowderedmatrixfromthemetal。Themudwhichpassesfromthemillsiscollectedintopools，whereitsubsides，andeverynowandthenisclearedout，andthrownintoacommonheap。Agreatdealofchemicalactionthencommences，saltsofvariouskindseffloresceonthesurface，andthemassbecomeshard。Afterhavingbeenleftforayearortwo，andthenrewashed，ityieldsgold；andthisprocessmayberepeatedevensixorseventimes；
butthegoldeachtimebecomeslessinquantity，andtheintervalsrequired(astheinhabitantssay，togeneratethemetal)arelonger。Therecanbenodoubtthatthechemicalaction，alreadymentioned，eachtimeliberatesfreshgoldfromsomecombination。Thediscoveryofamethodtoeffectthisbeforethefirstgrindingwouldwithoutdoubtraisethevalueofgold-oresmanyfold。
Itiscurioustofindhowtheminuteparticlesofgold，beingscatteredaboutandnotcorroding，atlastaccumulateinsomequantity。Ashorttimesinceafewminers，beingoutofwork，obtainedpermissiontoscrapethegroundroundthehouseandmills；theywashedtheearththusgottogether，andsoprocuredthirtydollars’worthofgold。Thisisanexactcounterpartofwhattakesplaceinnature。Mountainssufferdegradationandwearaway，andwiththemthemetallicveinswhichtheycontain。Thehardestrockiswornintoimpalpablemud，theordinarymetalsoxidate，andbothareremoved；
butgold，platina，andafewothersarenearlyindestructible，andfromtheirweight，sinkingtothebottom，areleftbehind。Afterwholemountainshavepassedthroughthisgrindingmill，andhavebeenwashedbythehandofnature，theresiduebecomesmetalliferous，andmanfindsitworthhiswhiletocompletethetaskofseparation。
Badastheabovetreatmentoftheminersappears，itisgladlyacceptedofbythem；fortheconditionofthelabouringagriculturistsismuchworse。
Theirwagesarelower，andtheylivealmostexclusivelyonbeans。Thispovertymustbechieflyowingtothefeudal-likesystemonwhichthelandistilled：thelandownergivesasmallplotofgroundtothelabourerforbuildingonandcultivating，andinreturnhashisservices(orthoseofaproxy)foreverydayofhislife，withoutanywages。Untilafatherhasagrown-upson，whocanbyhislabourpaytherent，thereisnoone，exceptonoccasionaldays，totakecareofhisownpatchofground。Henceextremepovertyisverycommonamongthelabouringclassesinthiscountry。
TherearesomeoldIndianruinsinthisneighbourhood，andIwasshownoneoftheperforatedstones，whichMolinamentionsasbeingfoundinmanyplacesinconsiderablenumbers。Theyareofacircularflattenedform，fromfivetosixinchesindiameter，withaholepassingquitethroughthecentre。Ithasgenerallybeensupposedthattheywereusedasheadstoclubs，althoughtheirformdoesnotappearatallwelladaptedforthatpurpose。Burchell[3]statesthatsomeofthetribesinSouthernAfricadiguprootsbytheaidofastickpointedatoneend，theforceandweightofwhichareincreasedbyaroundstonewithaholeinit，intowhichtheotherendisfirmlywedged。ItappearsprobablethattheIndiansofChileformerlyusedsomesuchrudeagriculturalinstrument。
Oneday，aGermancollectorinnaturalhistory，ofthenameofRenous，called，andnearlyatthesametimeanoldSpanishlawyer。Iwasamusedatbeingtoldtheconversationwhichtookplacebetweenthem。RenousspeaksSpanishsowell，thattheoldlawyermistookhimforaChilian。Renousalludingtome，askedhimwhathethoughtoftheKingofEnglandsendingoutacollectortotheircountry，topickuplizardsandbeetles，andtobreakstones？Theoldgentlemanthoughtseriouslyforsometime，andthensaid，“Itisnotwell，——_hayungatoencerradoaqui_(thereisacatshutuphere)。Nomanissorichastosendoutpeopletopickupsuchrubbish。Idonotlikeit：ifoneofusweretogoanddosuchthingsinEngland，donotyouthinktheKingofEnglandwouldverysoonsendusoutofhiscountry？”Andthisoldgentleman，fromhisprofession，belongstothebetterinformedandmoreintelligentclasses！Renoushimself，twoorthreeyearsbefore，leftinahouseatSanFernandosomecaterpillars，underchargeofagirltofeed，thattheymightturnintobutterflies。
Thiswasrumouredthroughthetown，andatlastthepadresandgovernorconsultedtogether，andagreeditmustbesomeheresy。Accordingly，whenRenousreturned，hewasarrested。
September19th——WeleftYaquil，andfollowedtheflatvalley，formedlikethatofQuillota，inwhichtheRioTinderidicaflows。EvenatthesefewmilessouthofSantiagotheclimateismuchdamper；inconsequencetherearefinetractsofpasturage，whicharenotirrigated。(20th。)Welfollowedthisvalleytillitexpandedintoagreatplain，whichreachesfromtheseatothemountainswestofRancagua。Weshortlylostalltreesandevenbushes；sothattheinhabitantsarenearlyasbadlyoffforfirewoodasthoseinthePampas。Neverhavingheardoftheseplains，IwasmuchsurprisedatmeetingwithsuchsceneryinChile。Theplainsbelongtomorethanoneseriesofdifferentelevations，andtheyaretraversedbybroadflat-bottomedvalleys；bothofwhichcircumstances，asinPatagonia，bespeaktheactionoftheseaongentlyrisingland。Inthesteepcliffsborderingthesevalleys，therearesomelargecaves，whichnodoubtwereoriginallyformedbythewaves：oneoftheseiscelebratedunderthenameofCuevadelObispo；havingformerlybeenconsecrated。DuringthedayIfeltveryunwell，andfromthattimetilltheendofOctoberdidnotrecover。
September22nd——Wecontinuedtopassovergreenplainswithoutatree。ThenextdaywearrivedatahousenearNavedad，onthesea-coast，wherearichHacienderogaveuslodgings。Istayedherethetwoensuingdays，andalthoughveryunwell，managedtocollectfromthetertiaryformationsomemarineshells。
24th——OurcoursewasnowdirectedtowardsValparaiso，whichwithgreatdifficultyIreachedonthe27th，andwasthereconfinedtomybedtilltheendofOctober。DuringthistimeIwasaninmateinMr。Corfield’shouse，whosekindnesstomeIdonotknowhowtoexpress。
IwillhereaddafewobservationsonsomeoftheanimalsandbirdsofChile。ThePuma，orSouthAmericanLion，isnotuncommon。Thisanimalhasawidegeographicalrange；beingfoundfromtheequatorialforests，throughoutthedesertsofPatagoniaasfarsouthasthedampandcoldlatitudes(53to54degs。)ofTierradelFuego。IhaveseenitsfootstepsintheCordilleraofcentralChile，atanelevationofatleast10，000feet。InLaPlatathepumapreyschieflyondeer，ostriches，bizcacha，andothersmallquadrupeds；itthereseldomattackscattleorhorses，andmostrarelyman。InChile，however，itdestroysmanyyounghorsesandcattle，owingprobablytothescarcityofotherquadrupeds：Iheard，likewise，oftwomenandawomanwhohadbeenthuskilled。Itisassertedthatthepumaalwayskillsitspreybyspringingontheshoulders，andthendrawingbacktheheadwithoneofitspaws，untilthevertebraebreak：IhaveseeninPatagoniatheskeletonsofguanacos，withtheirnecksthusdislocated。
