Pacific Steamers. — High Fares. — Battle of Coqiiimho. 339 



nama, are tolerably large, clean, and elegantly fitted, 3^et 

 the number of passengers for intermediate ports make them 

 anything but a comfortable mode of travel. For, notwith- 

 standing the high fares,* it is necessary to crowd three or 

 four passengers into each state-room, which in the heat 

 of the tropics is most inconvenient, and at times almost in- 

 tolerable. Personally, however, I had no reason to complain 

 on this score, as all the captains of the various steamers in 

 which I journeyed north, so soon as my connection with the 

 Novara Expedition was known, at once, with the most marked 

 courtesy and attention, secured to me a state-room for my 

 own exclusive use, and whenever we reached a port, placed 

 tlieir own boats at my disposal during our stay. 



The morning after we left Valparaiso, we reached Co- 

 quimbo, w^here, a few weeks before (24th April, 1859), a 

 severe action had been fought between the Chilean troops 

 and those of Pedro Gallo, the former proving victorious. 

 Coquimbo is a small towai of about 2000 souls, whose sole 

 claim to importance is its ' proximity to some rich coj^per- 

 mines. M. Longomasino, one of the many victims of the 



* The fares, first class (including provisions and bedding, but without wine), are 

 as follows: 



z 2 



