In the middle of summer cattle are brought up here to graze; but they had now all been removed: even the greater number of the guanacos had decamped, knowing well that if overtaken here by a snow-storm, they would be caught in a trap.

We had a fine view of a mass of mountains called Tupungato, the whole clothed with unbroken snow, in the midst of which there was a blue patch, no doubt a glacier;--a circumstance of rare occurrence in these mountains.

Now commenced a heavy and long climb, similar to that of the Peuquenes.

Bold conical hills of red granite rose on each hand; in the valleys there were several broad fields of perpetual snow.

These frozen masses, during the process of thawing, had in some parts been converted into pinnacles or columns, which, as they were high and close together, made it difficult for the cargo mules to pass.