April6th——Inthemorningwefoundsomethiefhadstolenoneofourmules，andthebellofthemadrina。Wethereforerodeonlytwoorthreemilesdownthevalley，andstayedtheretheensuingdayinhopesofrecoveringthemule，whichthearrierothoughthadbeenhiddeninsomeravine。ThesceneryinthisparthadassumedaChiliancharacter：thelowersidesofthemountains，dottedoverwiththepaleevergreenQuillaytree，andwiththegreatchandelier-likecactus，arecertainlymoretobeadmiredthanthebareeasternvalleys；butIcannotquiteagreewiththeadmirationexpressedbysometravellers。Theextremepleasure，Isuspect，ischieflyowingtotheprospectofagoodfireandofagoodsupper，afterescapingfromthecoldregionsabove：andIamsureImostheartilyparticipatedinthesefeelings。
8th——WeleftthevalleyoftheAconcagua，bywhichwehaddescended，andreachedintheeveningacottageneartheVilladelSt。Rosa。Thefertilityoftheplainwasdelightful：theautumnbeingadvanced，theleavesofmanyofthefruit-treeswerefalling；andofthelabourers，——somewerebusyindryingfigsandpeachesontheroofsoftheircottages，whileothersweregatheringthegrapesfromthevineyards。Itwasaprettyscene；butImissedthatpensivestillnesswhichmakestheautumninEnglandindeedtheeveningoftheyear。Onthe10thwereachedSantiago，whereIreceivedaverykindandhospitablereceptionfromMr。Caldcleugh。Myexcursiononlycostmetwenty-fourdays，andneverdidImoredeeplyenjoyanequalspaceoftime。AfewdaysafterwardsIreturnedtoMr。Corfield’shouseatValparaiso。[1]Scoresby’sArcticRegions，vol。i。p。122。
[2]IhavehearditremarkedinShropshirethatthewater，whentheSevernisfloodedfromlong-continuedrain，ismuchmoreturbidthanwhenitproceedsfromthesnowmeltingintheWelshmountains。
D’Orbignytom。i。p。184，inexplainingthecauseofthevariouscoloursoftheriversinSouthAmerica，remarksthatthosewithblueorclearwaterhavetheresourceintheCordillera，wherethesnowmelts。
[3]Dr。GilliesinJourn。ofNat。andGeograph。