A VISIT TO THE SOUTHWARD. 375 



iMciili-ulal.lv; ami, as it is li\ M'-.l into small estates, every portion is under cultivation. Colin, 

 ; I. -IIH -lit like K.-M.-.-I. uear SantfcgO, is at the i|i>taiice lirnt named, ami M-alt.-j ,-,| over a mile 

 or two in each ilirertion ahoiit tin- mail. Within that space is embraced a population of nearly 

 4,000 souls, fameil lor their honesty in the neighborhood of a district somewhat proverbial in 

 the n. .it IIITII part <! Chile- the Maulino being the type of all that is finished in knavery. Be- 

 si.le the mail tin-re are hut t \\ o dwellings of persons probably wealthy ; the rest are a better 

 class of ranches surrounded by a few acres of ground. From the "chacras" of Colin the finest 

 I'm its and vegetables are carried to Talca, the white strawberries having especial recommenda- 

 tion. 



Passing by occasional trees and a mile of shrubby bushes near the south bank of the Lircay, 

 the road turns to the south for a short distance, and ascends a slightly rising hill, in reality 

 a part of the western cordilleras intercepted between that river and the Maule. Here night over- 

 took us; and sterility, the dominant characteristic of the surface of this range, needed darkness 

 to soften its desolate aspect. For miles the ground is so indurated that loaded carts, though 

 constantly passing, fail to cut tracks ; and there are so few rocks to serve as guides, that even with 

 bright moonlight one may easily be lost on its monotonous waste. By riding in advance of 

 the guide I once or twice got astray, and nothing but the sound of horses' feet on the hard sur- 

 face enabled me to regain the road. It was just such an evening as that at San Fernando, 

 when all space above was seemingly deprived of atmosphere, and the stars almost within one's 

 grasp. As I stopped for a few moments on one occasion to detect the direction from which the 

 sounds came, there was an instant when I thought the Descabezado again an active crater after 

 its ages of repose; but the light which glimmered about its black and flattened summit was that 

 *of Jupiter just coming to replace the bright rays of Venus, then disappearing behind the cor- 

 dilleras to the northwest. 



Soon after eight o'clock we reached the bodega, a store-house on the banks of the Maule 

 for goods in transit. Its distance from Talca is said to be seven leagues, and here passengers 

 await the departure of the launches or the arrival of conveyances from Talca. When we left 

 town it was supposed that there would be a boat ready to start at daylight, but we had been 

 misinformed. The agent told us one would be despatched some time during the day, if the 

 remainder of the intended cargo arrived ; though as the river was very low, he thought it might 

 be the better part of two days in reaching Constitucion. A rather discouraging prospect this! 

 Usually travellers pass the night in the bodega, so as to be ready for an early departure, 

 and make all the voyage during daylight. At this time it was half rilled with new cheese, 

 whose odors, if not sweet, were certainly strong enough ; and during the first five minutes I sat 

 within it I received proofs that a multitude of its inhabitants would highly appreciate company. 

 Having, unfortunately, neither taste to enjoy the fragrance, nor generosity to gratify the desire 

 one moment longer than the usual hour of leaving, if it should be possible to get away, a bargain 

 was struck by which, in consideration of six dollars, the launch was to start at daylight with 

 the half freight it would be possible to put on board during the night. 



After a night passed in combating the insinuating solicitations of my co-occupants of the 

 dark and odorous domicil, it was no little gratification to learn from Nor Nicolas that the day 

 was at last breaking. But instead of being able to commence our journey at once, as had been 

 agreed on, not a man of the crew had come, and the bags of barley intended for cargo were 

 still lying on shore. Even the agent, or owner, with whom the contract had been made, had 

 gone, the Lord only knew where. As there was no chance to get away for hours, I availed my- 

 self of the stream to drop some of the young lobsters of the bodega into it, whilst Nicolas super- 

 intended the preparation of a casuela for our breakfast in a rancho near by. About nine 

 o'clock, and when the very estimable gentleman knew that I had just commenced the meal, he 

 bustled to the bodega, and had the assurance to complain that / was detaining the boat. This 

 was spoken in such a tone of injured innocence and outraged rights that Nicolfis, I verily 

 believe, bolted potatoes ami chicken legs whole in his hurry and fright. Too glad to get away 



