I Am Sure That This Extreme Clearness Of The Air
Gives A Peculiar Character To The Landscape, All Objects
Appearing To Be Brought Nearly Into One Plane, As In A Drawing
Or Panorama.
The transparency is, I presume, owing to
the equable and high state of atmospheric dryness.
This
dryness was shown by the manner in which woodwork
shrank (as I soon found by the trouble my geological hammer
gave me); by articles of food, such as bread and sugar,
becoming extremely hard; and by the preservation of the
skin and parts of the flesh of the beasts, which had perished
on the road. To the same cause we must attribute the singular
facility with which electricity is excited. My flannel
waistcoat, when rubbed in the dark, appeared as if it had
been washed with phosphorus, - every hair on a dog's back
crackled; - even the linen sheets, and leathern straps of the
saddle, when handled, emitted sparks.
March 23rd. - The descent on the eastern side of the Cordillera
is much shorter or steeper than on the Pacific side;
in other words, the mountains rise more abruptly from the
plains than from the alpine country of Chile. A level and
brilliantly white sea of clouds was stretched out beneath our
feet, shutting out the view of the equally level Pampas. We
soon entered the band of clouds, and did not again emerge
from it that day. About noon, finding pasture for the animals
and bushes for firewood at Los Arenales, we stopped
for the night.
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