Farther on we found Pyrrhocactus horridus, Trichocereus litoralis, Eulychnia castanea and Neoporteria subgibbosa. As evening drew in, a strong wind came in from the Ocean and it was remarkable how cold it had become. This impression was reinforced during our first night in our 'hotel': the back of the pickup. Ritter slept up front in the cabin while my wife and I, lay packed, like fish in a barrel, stretched between the drafty wooden sides of the car and a pile of spare tyres and our luggage. The first night was not easy, but as nights went by, it became clear thyat people can get used to many things. The next morning was unexpectedly cold and we were glad when the sun sent down its warming rays.

Today brought a large assortment of cactus species. In the coastal hills we found a lot of Trichocereus skottsbergii. Crossing a plain without roads, we eventually reached the coast. We found the most southern Copiapoa, C. pendulina on difficult to climb rocks. Turning once again inland, we found the widely occurring Tephrocactus berteri as well as the following interesting species, Trichocereus serenanus, Eulychnia acida, E. castanea, E. breviflora, Pyrrhocactus setosiflorus var. grandiflora, Eriosyce ihotzkyana, Copiapoa coquimbana and Neoporteria litoralis.

Trichocereus skottsbergii at the coast of the Pacific Ocean.
photo: Buining

The fruits and flowers of Eulychnia are very interesting. Late in the evening we arrived in the town of La Serena, where we found very simple lodgings. We arranged with a friend of Ritter, Mr. Wagenknecht, to visit him in his office. There he showed us an unknown Copiapoa that he had found, with heavy, golden yellow spination. He was so kind as to give me a large off-set which is fortunately now growing in my greenhouse.

Today, we travelled with Ritter up one of the many valleys of rivers that come down from the east out of the high Andes. In various remote places we found Copiapoa wagenknechtii, Neoporteria nidus, Pyrrhocactus jussieui and its variety spinosior, Pyrrhocactus eriosyzoides and, at high altitude, Eriosyce sandillon. The hills here are completely barren, coloured in various shades of ocer yellow. Only cacti grow here. The small globular ones can only be found by looking closely - nose to the ground - and peering between nooks and crannies in the rocks.

(to be continued)