. Journal of researches into the natural history and geology of the countries visited during the voyage round the world of 'Beagle,' under the command of Captain Fitz Roy. CHILIAN MINER. 78 CENTRAL CHILE a little charqui. But these men come down from their bleakhabitations only once in every fortnight or three weeks. During my stay here I thoroughly enjoyed scramblingabout these huge mountains. The geology, as might havebeen expected, was very interesting. The shattered and bakedrocks, traversed by innumerable dykes of greenstone, showedwhat commotions had formerly taken place. The scen
. Journal of researches into the natural history and geology of the countries visited during the voyage round the world of 'Beagle,' under the command of Captain Fitz Roy. CHILIAN MINER. 78 CENTRAL CHILE a little charqui. But these men come down from their bleakhabitations only once in every fortnight or three weeks. During my stay here I thoroughly enjoyed scramblingabout these huge mountains. The geology, as might havebeen expected, was very interesting. The shattered and bakedrocks, traversed by innumerable dykes of greenstone, showedwhat commotions had formerly taken place. The scenerywas much the same as that near the Bell of Quillota—dry. CACTUS J CEREUS PERUVIANA. barren mountains, dotted at intervals by bushes with a scantyfoliage. The cactuses, or rather opuntias, were here verynumerous. I measured one of a spherical figure, which, includ-ing the spines, was six feet and four inches in height of the common cylindrical, branching kind, is fromtwelve to fifteen feet, and the girth (with spines) of the branchesbetween three and four feet. A heavy fall of snow on the mountains prevented me, duringthe last two days, from making some interesting attempted to reach a lake which the inhabitants, from some xii LEA VE JAJUEL 279 unaccountable reason, believe to be an arm of the sea. Duringa very dry season, it was proposed to attempt cutting a channelfrom it for the sake of the water, but the padre, after a con-sultation, declared it was too dangerous, as all Chile would beinundated, if, as generally supposed, the lake was connectedwith the Pacific. We ascended to a great height, but becominginv
Size: 1467px × 1704px
Photo credit: © Reading Room 2020 / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, booksubjectge, booksubjectvoyagesaroundtheworld
