196 SANTIAGO. 



It covers one fourth of a square, is, only of one story in height, and is of the plainest possi- 

 hle appearance, as it is thrown hack from the line of the street on its north front, where there 

 is a little open plaza hetween it and the houses on the opposite side. One of its rooms is used 

 as a hall for the representatives of the nation; others, for their clerks and offices. Opposite the 

 representatives' hall is the school of painting, already mentioned ; and within the court, in the 

 rear of these, is the principal theatre the doors of the three scarce twenty feet apart. The 

 theatre is quite large enough to accommodate the regular play-goers, though one cannot say 

 that very great regard was had to their accommodation hy those who planned it : being an 

 oblong, with a semi-circular extremity facing the proscenium, very few can either see or hear. 

 The floors of its three ranges of boxes are without inclination, and without seats, each lessee 

 conveying the chairs he chooses to provide. These it is customary to arrange in two lines, 

 facing each other ; and thus one row of persons in each of the side boxes sit with their backs to 

 the stage, either taxing the imagination for a picture of the scene, or twisting their heads half 

 off in efforts to peep between the shoulders of those who are between them and the actors. 

 There is a much better contrived house in the Calle del Puente, not far from the cathedral ; but, 

 among other unfortunate oversights, it was built over an acequia, whose odors occasionally 

 proved more powerful than the attractions of the performers, and it was never used during our 

 stay, except by travelling jugglers, and the like. A third theatre was commenced, in 1850, on 

 the south side of the Canada, and its company, at first representing comedies appreciable rather 

 by the mob, soon obtained a popularity which drew many of the better classes to witness their 

 performances. But the population of Santiago are not generally theatre-goers. Their love of 

 change could not be gratified by any histrionic company in the world ; and they are too apathetic 

 to encounter the trouble of frequenting the opera-house to hear a repetition of even Bellini's 

 music, or witness a second time the plays of Calderon or Lope. Hence, except during the Sep- 

 tember holidays, even the little Teatro de la Universidad is never filled. Sundays especially, 

 and feast-days generally, are those on which these only places of diversion are best attended 

 the Thursday evening performances never having half as large audiences as the houses will 

 accommodate. 



The Portal, an ungraceful building opposite the palace, and before referred to, deserves far- 

 ther mention, from the multitudes who frequent it. Its front is an arched colonnade, extending 

 the entire length of the plaza, separated from which, by an arcade, is a continuous line of two- 

 story edifices. The lower rooms of these are occupied as shops, and the upper as dwellings, 

 accessible by stair-ways at each end and a gallery of wood above the shop doors. The windows 

 that properly belonged to the shops have been converted into triangular stalls, scarcely large 

 enough for a man to turn round within the upright cases. These are in great demand by small 

 retailers, as are also the wooden shanties built round the base of every column of the arcade. The 

 shanties take off four or five feet each way from the walk within the colonnade, yet leave space 

 sufficient to offer an attractive scene at candle-light, when the ladies flock to it. Encouraged 

 by a French architect in the employ of the government, and by the avidity with which every place 

 was grasped at in this vicinity, the late President purchased about a third of the ground within 

 the square, pulled down the old houses occupying it, and erected covered arcades, with entrances 

 from two other streets, similar to the Parisian passages a blow at the prosperity and popularity 

 of the Portal probably not anticipated by its proprietor, when selling a right of way through it. 

 Including the grounds, the cost of this could not have been much short of half a million of 

 dollars. A somewhat similar building, of equal dimensions, is in progress on the west side of 

 the plaza ; but its architectural style, thus far developed, is scarcely better than that of the Portal. 



At the centre of the plaza there is an octagonal basin, 30 or 35 feet in diameter and about 

 three feet deep, resting upon a platform elevated a step above the level of the surrounding earth. 

 Water for the supply of that part of the city is taken out of the Mapocho more than a mile 

 above, from whence it is led in earthen pipes. As might be supposed, from what was said 

 respecting deposites in "acequias," these are constantly becoming deranged. The sides and 



