Fromthemountainswehadaverystrikingviewofthiswhiteandbrilliantaerial-field，whichsentarmsupthevalleys，leavingislandsandpromontoriesinthesamemanner，astheseadoesintheChonosarchipelagoandinTierradelFuego。
WestayedtwodaysatFreyrina。InthevalleyofGuascotherearefoursmalltowns。Atthemouththereistheport，aspotentirelydesert，andwithoutanywaterintheimmediateneighbourhood。FiveleagueshigherupstandsFreyrina，alongstragglingvillage，withdecentwhitewashedhouses。
Again，tenleaguesfurtherupBallenarissituated，andabovethisGuascoAlto，ahorticulturalvillage，famousforitsdriedfruit。Onacleardaytheviewupthevalleyisveryfine；thestraightopeningterminatesinthefar-distantsnowyCordillera；oneachsideaninfinityofcrossing-linesareblendedtogetherinabeautifulhaze。Theforegroundissingularfromthenumberofparallelandstep-formedterraces；andtheincludedstripofgreenvalley，withitswillow-bushes，iscontrastedonbothhandswiththenakedhills。Thatthesurroundingcountrywasmostbarrenwillbereadilybelieved，whenitisknownthatashowerofrainhadnotfallenduringthelastthirteenmonths。TheinhabitantsheardwiththegreatestenvyoftherainatCoquimbo；fromtheappearanceoftheskytheyhadhopesofequallygoodfortune，which，afortnightafterwards，wererealized。
IwasatCopiapoatthetime；andtherethepeople，withequalenvy，talkedoftheabundantrainatGuasco。Aftertwoorthreeverydryyears，perhapswithnotmorethanoneshowerduringthewholetime，arainyyeargenerallyfollows；andthisdoesmoreharmthaneventhedrought。Theriversswell，andcoverwithgravelandsandthenarrowstripsofground，whichalonearefitforcultivation。Thefloodsalsoinjuretheirrigatingditches。
Greatdevastationhadthusbeencausedthreeyearsago。
June8th——WerodeontoBallenar，whichtakesitsnamefromBallenaghinIreland，thebirthplaceofthefamilyofO’Higgins，who，undertheSpanishgovernment，werepresidentsandgeneralsinChile。Astherockymountainsoneachhandwereconcealedbyclouds，theterrace-likeplainsgavetothevalleyanappearancelikethatofSantaCruzinPatagonia。AfterspendingonedayatBallenarIsetout，onthe10th，fortheupperpartofthevalleyofCopiapo。Werodealldayoveranuninterestingcountry。Iamtiredofrepeatingtheepithetsbarrenandsterile。Thesewords，however，ascommonlyused，arecomparative；IhavealwaysappliedthemtotheplainsofPatagonia，whichcanboastofspinybushesandsometuftsofgrass；andthisisabsolutefertility，ascomparedwithnorthernChile。Hereagain，therearenotmanyspacesoftwohundredyardssquare，wheresomelittlebush，cactusorlichen，maynotbediscoveredbycarefulexamination；andinthesoilseedsliedormantreadytospringupduringthefirstrainywinter。InPerurealdesertsoccuroverwidetractsofcountry。Intheeveningwearrivedatavalley，inwhichthebedofthestreamletwasdamp：followingitup，wecametotolerablygoodwater。Duringthenight，thestream，fromnotbeingevaporatedandabsorbedsoquickly，flowsaleaguelowerdownthanduringtheday。Stickswereplentifulforfirewood，sothatitwasagoodplacetobivouacforus；butforthepooranimalstherewasnotamouthfultoeat。
June11th——Werodewithoutstoppingfortwelvehourstillwereachedanoldsmelting-furnace，wheretherewaswaterandfirewood；butourhorsesagainhadnothingtoeat，beingshutupinanoldcourtyard。Thelineofroadwashilly，andthedistantviewsinteresting，fromthevariedcoloursofthebaremountains。Itwasalmostapitytoseethesunshiningconstantlyoversouselessacountry；suchsplendidweatheroughttohavebrightenedfieldsandprettygardens。ThenextdaywereachedthevalleyofCopiapo。
Iwasheartilygladofit；forthewholejourneywasacontinuedsourceofanxiety；itwasmostdisagreeabletohear，whilsteatingourownsuppers，ourhorsesgnawingthepoststowhichtheyweretied，andtohavenomeansofrelievingtheirhunger。Toallappearance，however，theanimalswerequitefresh；andnoonecouldhavetoldthattheyhadeatennothingforthelastfifty-fivehours。
IhadaletterofintroductiontoMr。Bingley，whoreceivedmeverykindlyattheHaciendaofPotreroSeco。Thisestateisbetweentwentyandthirtymileslong，butverynarrow，beinggenerallyonlytwofieldswide，oneoneachsidetheriver。Insomepartstheestateisofnowidth，thatistosay，thelandcannotbeirrigated，andthereforeisvalueless，likethesurroundingrockydesert。Thesmallquantityofcultivatedlandinthewholelineofvalley，doesnotsomuchdependoninequalitiesoflevel，andconsequentunfitnessforirrigation，asonthesmallsupplyofwater。
Theriverthisyearwasremarkablyfull：here，highupthevalley，itreachedtothehorse’sbelly，andwasaboutfifteenyardswide，andrapid；lowerdownitbecomessmallerandsmaller，andisgenerallyquitelost，ashappenedduringoneperiodofthirtyyears，sothatnotadropenteredthesea。
TheinhabitantswatchastormovertheCordillerawithgreatinterest；
asonegoodfallofsnowprovidesthemwithwaterfortheensuingyear。
Thisisofinfinitelymoreconsequencethanraininthelowercountry。
Rain，asoftenasitfalls，whichisaboutonceineverytwoorthreeyears，isagreatadvantage，becausethecattleandmulescanforsometimeafterwardsfindalittlepastureinthemountains。ButwithoutsnowontheAndes，desolationextendsthroughoutthevalley。Itisonrecordthatthreetimesnearlyalltheinhabitantshavebeenobligedtoemigratetothesouth。
Thisyeartherewasplentyofwater，andeverymanirrigatedhisgroundasmuchashechose；butithasfrequentlybeennecessarytopostsoldiersatthesluices，toseethateachestatetookonlyitsproperallowanceduringsomanyhoursintheweek。Thevalleyissaidtocontain12，000
souls，butitsproduceissufficientonlyforthreemonthsintheyear；
therestofthesupplybeingdrawnfromValparaisoandthesouth。Beforethediscoveryofthefamoussilver-minesofChanuncillo，Copiapowasinarapidstateofdecay；butnowitisinaverythrivingcondition；andthetown，whichwascompletelyoverthrownbyanearthquake，hasbeenrebuilt。
ThevalleyofCopiapo，formingamereribbonofgreeninadesert，runsinaverysoutherlydirection；sothatitisofconsiderablelengthtoitssourceintheCordillera。ThevalleysofGuascoandCopiapomaybothbeconsideredaslongnarrowislands，separatedfromtherestofChilebydesertsofrockinsteadofbysaltwater。Northwardofthese，thereisoneotherverymiserablevalley，calledPaposo，whichcontainsabouttwohundredsouls；andthenthereextendstherealdesertofAtacama——
abarrierfarworsethanthemostturbulentocean。AfterstayingafewdaysatPotreroSeco，IproceededupthevalleytothehouseofDonBenitoCruz，towhomIhadaletterofintroduction。Ifoundhimmosthospitable；
indeeditisimpossibletobeartoostrongtestimonytothekindnesswithwhichtravellersarereceivedinalmosteverypartofSouthAmerica。ThenextdayIhiredsomemulestotakemebytheravineofJolqueraintothecentralCordillera。Onthesecondnighttheweatherseemedtoforetellastormofsnoworrain，andwhilstlyinginourbedswefeltatriflingshockofanearthquake。
Theconnectionbetweenearthquakesandtheweatherhasbeenoftendisputed：
itappearstometobeapointofgreatinterest，whichislittleunderstood。
HumboldthasremarkedinonepartofthePersonalNarrative，[1]thatitwouldbedifficultforanypersonwhohadlongresidedinNewAndalusia，orinLowerPeru，todenythatthereexistssomeconnectionbetweenthesephenomena：inanotherpart，howeverheseemstothinktheconnectionfanciful。
AtGuayaquilitissaidthataheavyshowerinthedryseasonisinvariablyfollowedbyanearthquake。InNorthernChile，fromtheextremeinfrequencyofrain，orevenofweatherforebodingrain，theprobabilityofaccidentalcoincidencesbecomesverysmall；yettheinhabitantsareheremostfirmlyconvincedofsomeconnectionbetweenthestateoftheatmosphereandofthetremblingoftheground：IwasmuchstruckbythiswhenmentioningtosomepeopleatCopiapothattherehadbeenasharpshockatCoquimbo：
theyimmediatelycriedout，“Howfortunate！therewillbeplentyofpasturetherethisyear。”Totheirmindsanearthquakeforetoldrainassurelyasrainforetoldabundantpasture。Certainlyitdidsohappenthatontheverydayoftheearthquake，thatshowerofrainfell，whichIhavedescribedasintendays’timeproducingathinsprinklingofgrass。Atothertimesrainhasfollowedearthquakesataperiodoftheyearwhenitisafargreaterprodigythantheearthquakeitself：thishappenedaftertheshockofNovember，1822，andagainin1829，atValparaiso；alsoafterthatofSeptember，1833，atTacna。Apersonmustbesomewhathabituatedtotheclimateofthesecountriestoperceivetheextremeimprobabilityofrainfallingatsuchseasons，exceptasaconsequenceofsomelawquiteunconnectedwiththeordinarycourseoftheweather。Inthecasesofgreatvolcaniceruptions，asthatofCoseguina，wheretorrentsofrainfellatatimeoftheyearmostunusualforit，and“almostunprecedentedinCentralAmerica。”
itisnotdifficulttounderstandthatthevolumesofvapourandcloudsofashesmighthavedisturbedtheatmosphericequilibrium。Humboldtextendsthisviewtothecaseofearthquakesunaccompaniedbyeruptions；butI
canhardlyconceiveitpossible，thatthesmallquantityofaeriformfluidswhichthenescapefromthefissuredground，canproducesuchremarkableeffects。ThereappearsmuchprobabilityintheviewfirstproposedbyMr。
P。Scrope，thatwhenthebarometerislow，andwhenrainmightnaturallybeexpectedtofall，thediminishedpressureoftheatmosphereoverawideextentofcountry，mightwelldeterminetheprecisedayonwhichtheearth，alreadystretchedtotheutmostbythesubterraneanforces，shouldyield，crack，andconsequentlytremble。Itis，however，doubtfulhowfarthisideawillexplainthecircumstancesoftorrentsofrainfallinginthedryseasonduringseveraldays，afteranearthquakeunaccompaniedbyaneruption；suchcasesseemtobespeaksomemoreintimateconnectionbetweentheatmosphericandsubterraneanregions。
Findinglittleofinterestinthispartoftheravine，weretracedourstepstothehouseofDonBenito，whereIstayedtwodayscollectingfossilshellsandwood。Greatprostratesilicifiedtrunksoftrees，embeddedinaconglomerate，wereextraordinarilynumerous。Imeasuredone，whichwasfifteenfeetincircumference：howsurprisingitisthateveryatomofthewoodymatterinthisgreatcylindershouldhavebeenremovedandreplacedbysilexsoperfectly，thateachvesselandporeispreserved！Thesetreesflourishedatabouttheperiodofourlowerchalk；theyallbelongedtothefir-tribe。ItwasamusingtoheartheinhabitantsdiscussingthenatureofthefossilshellswhichIcollected，almostinthesametermsaswereusedacenturyagoinEurope，——namely，whetherornottheyhadbeenthus“bornbynature。”MygeologicalexaminationofthecountrygenerallycreatedagooddealofsurpriseamongsttheChilenos：itwaslongbeforetheycouldbeconvincedthatIwasnothuntingformines。Thiswassometimestroublesome：
Ifoundthemostreadywayofexplainingmyemployment，wastoaskthemhowitwasthattheythemselveswerenotcuriousconcerningearthquakesandvolcanos？——whysomespringswerehotandotherscold？——whythereweremountainsinChile，andnotahillinLaPlata？Thesebarequestionsatoncesatisfiedandsilencedthegreaternumber；some，howeverlikeafewinEnglandwhoareacenturybehindhand，thoughtthatallsuchinquirieswereuselessandimpious；andthatitwasquitesufficientthatGodhadthusmadethemountains。
Anorderhadrecentlybeenissuedthatallstraydogsshouldbekilled，andwesawmanylyingdeadontheroad。Agreatnumberhadlatelygonemad，andseveralmenhadbeenbittenandhaddiedinconsequence。Onseveraloccasionshydrophobiahasprevailedinthisvalley。Itisremarkablethustofindsostrangeanddreadfuladisease，appearingtimeaftertimeinthesameisolatedspot。IthasbeenremarkedthatcertainvillagesinEnglandareinlikemannermuchmoresubjecttothisvisitationthanothers。Dr。
UnanuestatesthathydrophobiawasfirstknowninSouthAmericain1803：
thisstatementiscorroboratedbyAzaraandUlloahavingneverheardofitintheirtime。Dr。UnanuesaysthatitbrokeoutinCentralAmerica，andslowlytravelledsouthward。ItreachedArequipain1807；anditissaidthatsomementhere，whohadnotbeenbitten，wereaffected，asweresomenegroes，whohadeatenabullockwhichhaddiedofhydrophobia。AtIcaforty-twopeoplethusmiserablyperished。Thediseasecameonbetweentwelveandninetydaysafterthebite；andinthosecaseswhereitdidcomeon，deathensuedinvariablywithinfivedays。After1808，alongintervalensuedwithoutanycases。Oninquiry，IdidnothearofhydrophobiainVanDiemen’sLand，orinAustralia；andBurchellsays，thatduringthefiveyearshewasattheCapeofGoodHope，heneverheardofaninstanceofit。WebsterassertsthatattheAzoreshydrophobiahasneveroccurred；
andthesameassertionhasbeenmadewithrespecttoMauritiusandSt。
Helena。[2]Insostrangeadiseasesomeinformationmightpossiblybegainedbyconsideringthecircumstancesunderwhichitoriginatesindistantclimates；foritisimprobablethatadogalreadybitten，shouldhavebeenbroughttothesedistantcountries。