FIRST l N'CES IN CHILE. 



arc manned by citi/ens who choose to serve in thin rapacity rather than in tin- National Guard; 

 and Sunday nmrm'n'4 is their regular period \'r : M-rcisc. Hut the machine* proved iiiKiiflicient , 

 and (In- chief of p.diee siihse<|iiently can>ed a supply t : ied as far AH thecaatleori mules, 



and thence in goat .skins <>n tin- hacks >!' peOQl, Kadi .skin holds from five to nix gallons. The 

 first ascent was hy a ladder, and thenee (he vertical height to he overcome in sixty or seventy 

 .\er an irregular surface of rock, inclined about forty degrees. As the sun was glaringly 

 hot, the lahor proved very severe. Stripped as they were, with only pantaloons, hat, and 

 sandals, when the pimr fellows deposited their loads heside the excavated trench every muscle 

 of their hodies trembled, and their hearts could be seen throbbing as though they would burst. 

 But the task was accomplished without accident. The little building originally constructed at 

 Washington, and then packed for shipment, was again put together, and on the 6th of December 

 I had the satisfaction to obtain a first look through the telescope erected on its pier. 



As the buildings advanced, the curiosity of the people increased, and there were stories of all 

 kinds circulated respecting them. One was that government had imported a new kind of flour- 

 mill from America, and these were the two houses we the millers. Nor was this at all 

 implausible to those who were unable to ascend the hill ; for the smaller observatory (as has 

 been said) is circular, and has a conical roof, whose apex is of tin. The latter opens upward, on 

 a hinge at one side, and has also a roof-door, extending from the eaves to the junction with the 

 tin, which opens to something more than a right-angle. As the whole house revolves on balls 

 that move between grooved rails of cast-iron under its sill, when it is whirling round with the 

 doors open, it might readily be thought a mill. Moreover, our stone-mason (something of a wag 

 in his way) assured many good Chilenos that the broad flat stones he was conveying to the sum- 

 mit were to grind flour with ! It was rare sport for the boys when permitted to turn the house, 

 and curious enough to see how many grown up boys (and girls too) were desirous to take a 

 fancied ride within it. The flooring on which they stood was permanent; but the illusion was 

 so perfect, that the motion of the house produced giddiness to those within, and in one or 

 two instances, among the ladies, nausea like sea-sickness. Will some M. D. expound the 

 sympathies of the eyes and esophagus? 



With the erection of the telescope a new era commenced. The planet Saturn presented a 

 never failing source of admiration and interest to the crowd that assembled every evening about 

 our doors. Where there were so many spectators, all eager to look through the instrument, it 

 was necessary to restrict their view to one object, and close the doors at the hour fixed for the 

 commencement of work. Yet numbers returned several successive evenings to wonder at the 

 new world and its gorgeous system of rings and satellites displayed to them for the first time by 

 us ; and for nearly three hours of every evening, during three months, either Lieut. MacRae or 

 myself attended the pleasure of all who came. Rich and poor, old and young, were alike 

 treated with attention; and when all others had had their turn, the sentinel, who stood patiently 

 by the door, was never forgotten. Soon the younger portion of the visitors were desirous to 

 know when the class would be formed and lectures commence ;* the older to speculate about 

 the cost of such a beautiful machine : both good symptoms, if the sparks thus elicited could 

 only be nursed into flame. As one of the fruits of our expedition here, I hoped to make it burn 

 brightly, and that we might boast that Santiago through our influence established the first 

 national observatory of South America. 



Slow progress was made in obtaining piers for the meridian circle. The instrument required 

 blocks six feet eight inches long, two feet square at the base, and one foot square at top ; but, 

 from the imperfect knowledge of blasting possessed by our workmen, it would have been exceed- 

 ingly difficult to obtain single masses of such dimensions, even had it been possible to elevate 



* The ambassador at Washington had advised his government to place some of the best and most advanced students of the 

 National Institute under my direction, that they might learn the use of instruments, and become familiar with astronomical 

 computations. His letter had been printed in the journals of the day, and those who read it doubtless understood my position; 

 but the mass supposed that, like every other foreigner, I had come to make money, and to this end was about to teach 

 astronomy. 



