The next stop was Valparaiso in Chile. I went for long walks in the countryside where I observed the plants and flowers and noted that despite the vegetation there were few insects, birds and mammals. As usual, I was fascinated by the geology and it dominated my observations here. The discovery of seashells far above sea level led me to ponder the massive uplift from the seafloor that had created the land on which I stood.
I have already found beds of recent shells, retaining their colours at an elevation of 1300 feet and beneath this level the country is strewn with then. It seems not impossible that the lack of animals may be owing to none having been created since this country was raised from the sea.
By Artemis