ndes or the Cordilleras, among which I had lived so long
without having a clear idea of their extent.

We were not idle during the voyage, for our mother set to work the
second day we were at sea to give us our lessons. She had made a point
of teaching us English as soon as we could utter a word; but though
Ellen spoke it very well from being always with her, I spoke Spanish
mixed with Quichua, the native Indian tongue, much more readily. We
now, however, learned all our lessons in English, and read a great deal,
so that I got on rapidly.

The weather at length began to grow unusually cold, and the sky was
covered with clouds. We put on warm clothes, and kept much oftener than
usual in the cabin. The ship too began to tumble about, and I thought
sometimes would be sent right over. I remember inquiring seriously if a
_waterquake_ were taking place; for I had hitherto seen the ocean so
calm, that I fancied it would always remain so, and that it was only the
earth which was given to shaking and tumbling about. The wind whistled
and roared, and the spray flew over the deck, and the sailors went out
on the yards and reefed the sails; but no one seemed to mind what was
happening, so I was soon content, and thought all was right; and when I
looked on the waves, it struck me that they were not a quarter as high
as the mountains I had been accustomed to see, and wondered how they
were able to tumble the great big ship about in the way they did. Still
on we went day after day, and I discovered that we were sailing in an
opposite direction to that we had before steered. I could not make it
out, till the captain showed me a chart, and gave me my first lesson in
geography on a grand scale; and I then saw that we had come down the
west coast of South America, and were now sailing northward along its
eastern coast.

I was very glad when I could go on deck again without greatcoat, and the
sun shone forth as brightly almost as it does at Quito. Then in a
little time the weather got very hot again, and there was no wind, and
the ship lay on the glassy sea, her white sails flapping against the
masts. There we lay day after day, and I began to think that at that
rate we should never get to England; but Captain Lopez told me that I
need not trouble myself about the matter, as the wind was sure to come
some day or other, and that then we should glide along as fast as ever.
I found that he was right, though we were becalmed severa