A VISIT TO TOE SOUTHWARD. 391 



doubtful f<>r a iiminciit whether f.> risk th or try the fonl somewhat lower down. Sor 



Nin.lus had ^<>t .nil ..!' h.-ai in^ iilic;ul . tin- .-h ingle beach afforded MO iMdiratioM when- the ford 

 wan, UMI! th-rr was no way to tent the depth of the stream hut by actual exp<-i iiucut, whilst 

 the rirkrtv eouditioM and vihratni-y pn.pcunity of the bridge were by no means inviting. Recol- 

 lecting thai a \<TV small st rip of raw hide will bear a considerable weight, as there wan no time 

 I -r much il.-lihcraii.'ii. it srrmrd l..-itcr to try the bridge than risk a cold bath in an unknown 

 ii with one's boots and poncho on. But, in order to distribute the weight as much a* 

 possible, and at the same time endeavor to check the oscillation, I dismounted, took the 

 extremity of the bridle, and started to lead my horse over the foaming torrent. As soon as 

 tin vibration began, he resisted, and in an instant more stood still from terror. Nor could he 

 he induced to move until the motion had entirely ceased. When over the very deepest part of 

 the roaring waters, and the swinging had again commenced, his foot caught among the badly 

 tied sticks. Here was a fix! To await the chance of a passing guaso, au fait in such dif- 

 ficulties, was out of the question. The animal was too restless and alarmed, and would inevi- 

 tably have kicked all his legs through in two minutes, even if he did not knock away the whole 

 portion we stood upon. There was no alternative but to approach and liberate him promptly. 

 Quickly laying boots and poncho aside, the better to be ready for a swim in case of necessity, 

 the bridle was gathered in at each inch of my advance ; and no one ever tried harder to 

 imitate the soothing and coaxing terms of the guaso than I did. I fancied myself quite suc- 

 cessful ; for after extricating him, although the bridge swung more violently than ever during 

 the rest of our transit, he went over beside me without hesitation, actually standing perfectly 

 quiet while my clothing was donned again. It would be difficult to say which was most 

 rejoiced to set foot on terra firma horse or rider. 



Beyond the Lontue the valley becomes narrower, and its acclivity is plainly perceptible. To 

 Curico, twelve miles N.N.E. from Quechereguas, the country is tolerably well populated. The 

 land is good, and apparently it produces well. The town lies at the base of a little isolated 

 hill, four or five leagues distant from the western range ; and the white tower of one of its 

 churches is perceptible to the southward of the hill as you approach it from either north or 

 south : but as the body of the population is on the southwest side, and its low houses are 

 completely embowered in trees, one is in its streets before it can be fairly seen. It contains 7,000 

 inhabitants ; is regularly built ; has three churches, paved streets, a good supply of water 

 from a clear little stream flowing from the Andes, and a handsome alameda ; though there is 

 not a single attractive building in all its limits. The Lancers, whom we passed when crossing 

 the Claro, were lounging in its alameda ; and at this early hour of the morning, a number of 

 citizens in its streets gave to it quite a lively appearance. Near the summit of the hill a cross 

 marks the position of its cemetery, to which there is an ascent by a tedious zigzag road on the west 

 side. Just below it is the only house claiming to be a posada. This possesses one small room 

 with a single bedstead. Usually one may obtain a casuela within an hour ; but here more than 

 two elapsed before it could be got ready, and then it was made badly enough. The poor land- 

 lady was sufficiently humble in her exculpatory apologies: "The patron was in a hurry in 

 trying to catch the chickens quickly, they had been frightened into the vineyard she could 

 only find these poor bits of mutton at the plaza there was nothing but small sticks of firewood, 

 and these would hardly make the olla boil so the patron must give her another opportunity 

 to show what she could do." And thus the sun had passed the meridian when Nicolas came 

 to say our horses were ready again. An old gentleman who had the kindness to serve as 

 guide to the posada, and with whom I walked through the town whilst breakfast was preparing, 

 told me that it was customary for travellers to stop at the first house whose appearance they 

 liked, and ask hospitality a request rarely, if ever, declined. As it is a national practice that 

 has existed from time immemorial, and there are very few strangers travelling in the country, 

 public houses cannot very well prosper. 



There are two schools in Curico. One for boys, in which Latin and French as well as the 



