Our first day's journey was called fourteen leagues to Estacado, and the second seventeen to Luxan, near Mendoza.

The whole distance is over a level desert plain, with not more than two or three houses.

The sun was exceedingly powerful, and the ride devoid of all interest.

There is very little water in this "traversia," and in our second day's journey we found only one little pool.

Little water flows from the mountains, and it soon becomes absorbed by the dry and porous soil; so that, although we travelled at the distance of only ten or fifteen miles from the outer range of the Cordillera, we did not cross a single stream.