Atnight，astrangerarrivedatthehouseofDonBenito，andaskedpermissiontosleepthere。Hesaidhehadbeenwanderingaboutthemountainsforseventeendays，havinglosthisway。HestartedfromGuasco，andbeingaccustomedtotravellingintheCordillera，didnotexpectanydifficultyinfollowingthetracktoCopiapo；buthesoonbecameinvolvedinalabyrinthofmountains，whencehecouldnotescape。Someofhismuleshadfallenoverprecipices，andhehadbeeningreatdistress。Hischiefdifficultyarosefromnotknowingwheretofindwaterinthelowercountry，sothathewasobligedtokeepborderingthecentralranges。

　　Wereturneddownthevalley，andonthe22ndreachedthetownofCopiapo。

　　Thelowerpartofthevalleyisbroad，formingafineplainlikethatofQuillota。Thetowncoversaconsiderablespaceofground，eachhousepossessingagarden：butitisanuncomfortableplace，andthedwellingsarepoorlyfurnished。Everyoneseemsbentontheoneobjectofmakingmoney，andthenmigratingasquicklyaspossible。Alltheinhabitantsaremoreorlessdirectlyconcernedwithmines；andminesandoresarethesolesubjectsofconversation。Necessariesofallsortsareextremelydear；asthedistancefromthetowntotheportiseighteenleagues，andthelandcarriageveryexpensive。Afowlcostsfiveorsixshillings；meatisnearlyasdearasinEngland；firewood，orrathersticks，arebroughtondonkeysfromadistanceoftwoandthreedays’journeywithintheCordillera；andpasturageforanimalsisashillingaday：allthisforSouthAmericaiswonderfullyexorbitant。

　　June26th——IhiredaguideandeightmulestotakemeintotheCordillerabyadifferentlinefrommylastexcursion。Asthecountrywasutterlydesert，wetookacargoandahalfofbarleymixedwithchoppedstraw。

　　Abouttwoleaguesabovethetownabroadvalleycalledthe“Despoblado。”

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