Narrative of the surveying voyages of his majesty's ships Adventure and Beagle (vol.2): between the years 1826 and 1836 : describing their examination of the southern shores of South America, and the Beagles's circumnavigation of the globe

1834 MIRAGE DIIIFTED TREES ANDES. 34)9 heights, a consequence probably of their being undisturbed. They spread over the face of the high country like immense flocks of sheep. During a long walk this evening Mr. Stokes and I were repeatedly disappointed by the mirage over an extensive stony plain, between two bends of the river. We were tired and very thirsty, and went from one apparent piece of water to another, only to be tantalized and to increase still more our dilemma. 27th. Similar country. On the banks of the river some drift wood was found ; the trunks of trees of considerable size. Small trees had been found lying by the side of the river, from time to time, but none so large as these, some of which were almost two feet in diameter, and about thirty feet in length. The wood appeared to be ' Sauci,' of the red kind. That these trees had been drifted from a great distance was evident, because they were much water worn. 28th. In passing a rapid, whose difficulties were much in- creased by rugged blocks of lava lying in the bed of the river, one of our boats was badly stove and barely rescued from sinking in the middle of the stream : fortunately we got her on shore and there patched her up. There was still no change in the scenery, nor any signs of inhabitants : and our work was as monotonous as heavy. 29th. While upon a high range of lava-capped land, Mr- Stokes and Mr. Darmn descried distant mountains in the west, covered with snow. At last, then, the Andes were in sight ! This was inspiriting intelligence to the whole party ; for small had been our daily progress, though continual and severe the labour. The river increased, in rapidity, while but little diminution had taken place in the quantity of water brought down : the breadth was rather less, certainly, but the depth in most places greater. No fish had yet been caught ; indeed, only two had been seen, and those seemed to be hke trout. 30th. The snowy summits of the distant Cordillera were more distinctly seen from the heights, near the river, that rise