COAL DEPOSITS OF LOTA. 207 



excellent quality. I have heard various estimates of 

 its value as steam coal, the lowest of which set five 

 tons of Lota coal as equal to four of Welsh anthracite. 

 The seams appear to be of considerable thickness, 

 and the underground works have now extended to a 

 considerable distance from the shore. All the ocean 

 steamers returning to Europe now call here for their 

 provision of fuel, and in addition the proprietor has 

 established extensive works for smelting copper and 

 for making glass. The owner of this great property 

 is a lady, the widow of the late Mr. Cousino, whose 

 income is rated at about i^200,ooo a year. About 

 2500 people are constantly employed, who, with their 

 families, inhabit a small town of poor appearance 

 which has grown up on the hill overlooking the 

 harbour. 



I was courteously invited to the house of Mr. 

 Squella, a relation of Madame Cousino, who has the 

 direction of this great establishment, and there had 

 the pleasure of again meeting my former travelling 



companion, Mr. H , and also Captain Simpson, 



an officer of the Chilian navy of English extraction, 

 who, while commanding a ship on the southern coast, 

 has rendered some services to science. The conversa- 

 tion was carried on chiefly in English, which has 

 decidedly become the lingua franca of South America, 

 but was shortened by my natural anxiety to turn to the 

 best account the short time at my disposal. I had a 

 choice between three alternatives — a descent into the 

 coal mine, a visit to the works above ground and the 

 miners' town, or a ramble through the so-called park, 

 which occupies the promontory stretching westward 



