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

1835. CHICHA — APPL12-T11EES — VlLLAGItAN 467 and other favourite libations, to carry so large a number across upon a small raft, was a difficult undertaking. Talking at the pitch of their voices, laughing and tumbling about, their reaching the opposite shore without a cold-bath, was attributed by Vogelborg to tiie protection of the saint whose anniversary they had so dutifully celebrated. The ' chicha,'* is sometimes fermented, and then soon affects a person's head, if drank to excess : but these votaries of St. John had doubtless im- proved its insipid taste by aguardiente. During the chicha season, or autumn, the Indians are said to be more dangerous than at other times, as they indulge in this, their favourite beverage, to excess. Apple trees are now abundant in southern Chile, throughout the Indian aswell as Spanish territories. They were also plentiful on the eastern side of the Andes, particularly about the river Negro and the great lake ' Nahuelhuapi," in the middle of the last century. Whether they are indigenous, or were planted by the early missionaries, has been much disputed in that country; but as the Indian name for them is ' manchana,^-f' I should incline to think they were introduced by the first missionaries. Our road over the heights of Villagran was much worse than at our former passage. Heavy rain and constant traffic, in con- sequence of the wreck, had worn it into a curious succession of steps : and each animal endeavouring to place his feet in the holes made by those which had previously passed — the rain having filled up the hollows with mud and water — had worked the clayey track into a continuation of transverse ridges and trenches. A man might step from ridge to ridge with- out wetting his feet ; but the horses always planted their legs, up to the knees and hocks, in the mud and water of tlie trenches. Their motion was just as if they were stepping over logs of timber : unpleasant enough for the rider, and ex- tremely tiring to themselves. We helped them however as much as possible, to the surprise of our lazy guide, by dismounting and leading them up the hills as well as down. * ' Chicha' is made with maize, apples, or other things, t Manzana is Spanish for apple. 2n 2