ing system)]

At Puna one gets a good view of Lake Titicaca, still a large lake, but
once of much greater dimensions. Sailing over and among the high peaks
it was here my good fortune to view for the first time that majestic
bird, the condor, which, it is declared, has never been seen to flap its
wings. Thus in the South Seas I had been privileged to see the
albatross, and here the condor. Lucky, indeed, to have viewed these
monarchs of the air, free in their proper element, in all their pride,
grace and beauty. How often, as a boy, or even as a man, has one
anticipated "some day" seeing these noble birds in their native haunts!
Also many llamas and alpacas, the former very handsome animals. The
vicunas and guanacos are the wild representatives of this family, and
are also very abundant. In Arequipa I suffered somewhat from "nevada,"
due to electric conditions, and distinct from "saroche." Saroche never
affected me.

December 27th.--Sailed for Valparaiso, calling at Iquique, Antofagasta
and Coquimbo. The coast country is so desolate and arid that at some of
these purely nitrate towns school-children's knowledge of trees and
other plants is derived solely from painted representations on boardings
erected for the purpose. This may seem libellous, but is not so.

We arrived at Valparaiso on New Year's Day. The city showed few signs of
its late disaster. The harbour is poor, and the place has few
attractions. Society was attending a race meeting at Vino del Mar. Went
on to Santiago, the capital, 1500 feet elevation, population claimed
300,000; our route lying through rich, well-cultivated valleys. The
climate and general appearance of the country are much like those of
California, the temperature being quite hot at mid-day but cool always
in the shade, the nights being chilly. This was midsummer. Santiago has
some handsome buildings and a very attractive Plaza Mayor; the hotels
are poor. The Chilians are an active, intelligent, wide-awake people;
are great fighters and free from the religious trammels of Peru. From
here I took train to Los Andes; then by narrow gauge line, the grade
being 7 per cent. on the cog track, through barren rough gorges to the
Cumbre, or summit, 13,000 feet high. The most commanding peak that we
saw was Aconcagua, over 23,000 feet high, and the highest mountain in
the Western Hemisphere. At Lago del Inca, at the entrance to the
incompleted tunnel, we left the train and took mules or carts to the