1839.] VALPARAISO. 81 



structed of adobes, from one to two stories high, and sur- 

 mounted with heavy red tiles. They are for the most part 

 erected in a loose and straggling manner. All are plastered 

 on the outside, and whitewashed ; and when the level rays 

 of the declining sun are poured full upon the walls, they 

 glisten like burnished silver. A closer examination, how- 

 ever, destroys much of this pleasing and picturesque illusion. 

 On the north, the town stretches out on the revel sea shore, 

 in a long double row of houses, called the Almendral ; to- 

 wards the south, it rises in the direction of the hills, upon 

 which there are many neat cottages, with tasteful flowei 

 gardens. One of these eminences, Mount Alegre, rises ab- 

 ruptly from the centre of the city, and is chiefly occupied by 

 the residences of wealthy foreigners and merchants. The 

 main street is intersected by a number of quebrddas, or 

 gorges, running parallel to each other, and leading up which 

 there are narrow and inconvenient thoroughfares, with a few 

 houses built at intervals ; these streets are badly lighted, and 

 are very dangerous at night. The southern part of the town 

 is divided by two principal ravines, into three districts, to 

 which sailors have given the names of Fore Top, Main Top, 

 and Mizen Top. 



Tlfe harbor, or bay of Valparaiso, is open to the north and 

 northwest ; but on the south and southwest, it is protected 

 by the small promontory of Punta de Coronilla, though the 

 shore on this side of the bay is steep and rocky, and the waves 

 dash against the heights with great fury. From the point, 

 the bay sweeps round to the northwest, in the form of a cres- 

 cent, having a sloping sandy beach whicli rises gradually to- 

 wards the hills. In entering the harbor from the south, there 

 is great danger, at times, of drifting upon the point, from the 

 sudden dying away of the wind. The holding ground being 

 of stiff clay, the anchorage is secure, except during the north- 

 erly gales, which, though far less frequent than those from 

 the opposite quarter, sometimes blow with terrible violence, 

 and often terminate in severe storms. The bay is protected 

 by three small forts ; the most strongly fortified is the castle 



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