these few miles south of Santiago the climate is much damper; in
consequence there are fine tracts of pasturage, which are not
irrigated. (20th.) We followed this valley till it expanded into a
great plain, which reaches from the sea to the mountains west of
Rancagua. We shortly lost all trees and even bushes; so that the
inhabitants are nearly as badly off for firewood as those in the
Pampas. Never having heard of these plains, I was much surprised at
meeting with such scenery in Chile. The plains belong to more than one
series of different elevations, and they are traversed by broad
flat-bottomed valleys; both of which circumstances, as in Patagonia,
bespeak the action of the sea on gently rising land. In the steep
cliffs bordering these valleys, there are some large caves, which no
doubt were originally formed by the waves: one of these is celebrated
under the name of Cueva del Obispo; having formerly been consecrated.
During the day I felt very unwell, and from that time till the end of
October did not recover.
September 22nd.--We continued to pass over green plains without a tree.
The next day we arrived at a house near Navedad, on the sea-coast,
where a rich Haciendero gave us lodgings. I stayed here the two
ensuing days, and although very unwell, managed to collect from the
tertiary formation some marine shells.
24th.--Our course was now directed towards Valparaiso, which with great
difficulty I reached on the 27th, and was there confined to my bed till
the end of October. During this time I was an inmate in Mr. Corfield's
house, whose kindness to me I do not know how to express.
I will here add a few observations on some of the animals and birds of
Chile. The Puma, or South American Lion, is not uncommon. This animal
has a wide geographical range; being found from the equatorial forests,
throughout the deserts of Patagonia as far south as the damp and cold
latitudes (53 to 54 degs.) of Tierra del Fuego. I have seen its
footsteps in the Cordillera of central Chile, at an elevation of at
least 10,000 feet. In La Plata the puma preys chiefly on deer,
ostriches, bizcacha, and other small quadrupeds; it there seldom
attacks cattle or horses, and most rarely man. In Chile, however, it
destroys many young horses and cattle, owing probably to the scarcity
of other quadrupeds: I heard, likewise, of two men and a woman who had
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