104 INTERNAL TRADE. [1839 



In 1834, only 450 vessels, aggregating 77,700 tons, entered 

 this harbor, and in 1842 there were 6S5 vessels, 617 of which 

 were commercial, aggregating 187,453 tons. The transit 

 trade is enormous. On the 21st of May, 1842, there were 

 over seven hundred thousand bales of merchandise, valued at 

 upwards of seven millions of dollars, and coined metals ex- 

 ceeding three millions, at the custom-house of Valparaiso 

 alone. 



The internal trade of Chili is not very great ; there being 

 no principal towns in the interior except the capital. Be- 

 sides, there are few accommodations or facilities for travelling. 

 The only passable roads are those leading from Santiago to 

 Valparaiso and Concepcion ; bridges are scarce and poorly 

 constructed, and in some places the mountain torrents and 

 ravines are crossed by Indian hanging bridges, made of osiers 

 and thongs of raw hide, which sway to and fro fearfully, 

 with the weight of the person crossing them. Burdens are 

 chiefly carried, over the high ridges separating the valleys, 

 on the backs of mules ; on the main roads, heavy merchan- 

 dise is hauled in ox-carts constructed entirely of wood, strongly 

 framed and pinned together. From two to four yoke of oxen 

 are attached to one cart ; the box, or top, — similar in shape 

 to the tilt of a Pennsylvania wagon, but not so large, — is 

 made of wattles covered with stout bull's hide. The vehicle 

 principally used for the convenience of travellers is a sort of 

 double gig, called a birloche, carrying two passengers. Three 

 birlocheros, or drivers, and from ten to fifteen horses, accom- 

 pany the carriage. One horse is secured in the shafts, and 

 one on either side, attached to the vehicle by thongs of hide, 

 is ridden by a driver. The horses on duty are relieved by 

 those that run along in the cabalgada. These conveyance, 

 like the Irish jaunting-car, are driven at break-neck speed, 

 and the traveller is fortunate if he reaches his journey's end 

 without any injury. The paisdnos, or country people, bring 

 their wares to the market towns in panniers, on the backs of 

 asses or mules, which they delight in scourging with the long 

 poles that they invariably carry. Hay, mainly consisting of 



