872 A VISIT TO THE SOUTHWARD. 



were not clearly distinguishable, as at Santiago, or as I had seen them on the preceding morning. 

 But there is a marked contrast between them and the western range, whose summits are here 

 scarcely a league distant in an air line ; the former being thickly covered with trees, and the 

 latter having on it scarcely wood enough within the whole range of vision to kindle a watch-fire. 



The city was founded in 1742. Its latitude is 35 14' S. ; longitude 71 57' W. ; and from a 

 mean of six barometrical observations on four different days, it is 620 feet above the level of the 

 sea. Prof. Domeyko makes it only 114 varas, about 317 feet; but I apprehend there must have 

 been some misreading of the barometer, as I had the same instrument, and all the observations 

 agree. The city is built on undulating ground, falling towards its centre from three directions ; 

 audits plan differs in no respect from that of other Spanish-American towns, viz: rectangular 

 streets, with an open plaza near the centre, on which its principal public edifices front, and an 

 alameda. From one extremity to the other of its longest streets the distance is about a mile, 

 although in compactly built houses Talca probably does not cover more than half a mile square. 

 A small stream flows along its southern suburb in a northwest direction ; from which, and a 

 number of springs to the northeast, a supply of water is obtained for drinking purposes, as well 

 as for cleaning the town. There are no public water-carriers. Each family has its little hand- 

 cart and barrel, with which a servant brings a daily supply of potable water. The streets are 

 quite wide, well paved, and most of them have sidewalks of a sandstone found in the vicinity. 

 As they are kept in good repair as well as clean, the city fathers and police are probably faith- 

 ful also in other obligations to the public. 



In their architecture, the houses resemble those of other national towns, some few attaining 

 the respectable height of two stories, the upper one having balconies on the streets. All are well 

 whitewashed ; and as there is no illumination at the general expense on dark nights, each pro- 

 prietor is required to suspend at his front door a lantern with a light. The style of the churches 

 is in better taste than those even of the metropolis. Indeed, its cathedral, when completed, will 

 be an extremely handsome building. Only a part of it has been roofed, and its towers are 

 wanting, so that one can scarcely appreciate its future appearance ; but the limited population 

 of the city, and the multitude of other religious edifices claiming alms, will probably prevent 

 such a result for many years. Within three squares of this (the plaza) the Franciscans, Domin- 

 icans, Mercedarios, and Augustins, have each large churches attached to their convents ; the 

 last order, as well as a body of nuns, having extensive new establishments in course of construc- 

 tion. There is very little within the churches to attract attention. They are poor, and are 

 note-worthy only for their outward architecture. Though occupying space enough for several 

 hundred cells, according to published returns the convents have only thirteen occupants in 

 all of the several orders a statement which, if reliable, shows them to possess a power that 

 would sometimes be invaluable to the commander of an army ; for I certainly never saw so few 

 men appear so numerous in any other streets. 



There is nothing to remark in the other public buildings. The cabildo, prison, and inten- 

 dencia, are all on the plaza ; though the last, occupied by the chief of the province, is only pri- 

 vate property. No public mansion has been provided, as in some other parts of the republic. 

 In the ordinary acceptation of the word factory, there is no such establishment, except one or two 

 small flour-mills. In various parts of the surrounding country, as well as in the city, there 

 are hand-looms employed in making blankets, ponchos, and coarse cloths of wool ; and some 

 of the blankets are subsequently embroidered by hand with much elaborateness and taste. 

 The ponchos wrought are quite famous for their evenness of texture, the excellent quality of the 

 material, and the tenacity of the interwoven colors. So abundant is good wool that it may be 

 purchased at $4 per hundred pounds, and it is a matter of surprise that a manufactory has not 

 been erected long since. There is ample water-power at command for a dozen. All goods 

 made from wool fetch high prices, labor is cheap, provisions of native growth at scarcely half 

 the Santiago rates, and the Maule affords an economical line of communication with a port from 



