486 THE NATIONAL HOLIDAYS. 



consequent on a self-controlling assemblage of so many thousands. Finally, towards 2 p. M., 

 came the President, his aids and suite, and the exercises of the troops commenced. No doubt the 

 latter were well executed, imposing, and interesting enough to these who saw them ; but every 

 moment our carriage was hurried from place to place by the marchings and countermarchings 

 of different battalions towards us, and the close firing of artillery was by no means pleasant, 

 shut up as we were, and at the mercy of prancing horses. Occasionally a glimpse would be 

 caught of the colossal President galloping from side to side, surrounded by his suite, or of aids 

 hurrying from point to point with orders. Yet those who received most of my sympathy were 

 the wife and two little ones, occupying the state carriage, which ever kept as near the husband 

 and father as the bodies of troops would permit. I may have been mistaken in supposing an 

 expression of anxiety on her face, for which there was ample cause, though he most certainly 

 betrayed no such care. The feeling of the warrior and recollection of actual combats more 

 probably absorbed every sentiment connected with personal risk, and, dressed in his superbly 

 embroidered uniform, he rode his strong charger as free and unconstrainedly as though treason 

 had never been whispered. 



All the fashionables returned to the city towards 3 P. M. , to obtain suitable stands from which 

 to observe the several regiments as they marched up the centre of the Canada, on their return 

 from the pampilla ; and the concourse here was most brilliant. Indeed, so great is the passion 

 for costly dresses, the taste of Santiaguinas, and the efforts all classes make for display on 

 this particular occasion, that it may well be doubted whether a like scene could be presented by 

 any city in the world of equal population. The beautiful promenade where this annual display 

 takes place has already been described; but, at the risk of repetition, I will mention that it 

 passes from east to west nearly through the centre of the city. A weeping willow, with the 

 snow-capped summits of the Andes, bound the view in the first, and a church, overtopped by 

 the Western Cordilleras, limits it in the second direction. The space between the houses on 

 either side exceeds five hundred feet in width, and is very nearly two miles in a straight line. 

 Longitudinally, this is divided into two paved carriage roads, with three wide intermediate 

 walks for pedestrians, separated by rows of poplars and never failing streams of water from 

 the Mapocho. The central walk is from twenty to thirty yards wide, and furnished on both 

 sides, its whole length, with stone benches, at intervals of eight or ten feet from each other. 

 The other walks are narrower, probably half that width. All the seats were occupied by ladies 

 when we reached it ; the central walk was crowded with pron&naders, and it was with difficulty 

 that a good stand could be found among the equipages lining the sides of the paved roads. 

 After the arrival of the President, and when the regiments of dragoons and lancers appeared, 

 filing in far down the Canada, the promenaders moved to the outer walks. Each battalion 

 passed quickly along to the music of its own band, and after saluting his Excellency proceeded 

 to its quarters. By the time half of them had filed past, the concourse had poured from the 

 pampilla and from the suburbs of the city, so that wherever the eye turned there was a sea of 

 heads. But there was neither riotous conduct, noise, nor insolence, even to the numbers of 

 unprotected females, although there were many scores of men evidently excited by drink. True, 

 there was racing and jockeying even among others than guasos, many a one endeavoring to 

 upset a neighbor as he rode along. Still, it was for the fun of the thing, and in the knowledge 

 that, like a cat, the Chileno rider falls on his feet, whether dismounting voluntarily or by 

 casualty. 



Thus terminated the public events of the third day. The illumination was repeated at 

 night, and the opera and many private parties rendered the city somewhat gay ; but there was 

 no enthusiasm or even occasional patriotic huzzas by the people, over whom there seemed an 

 incubus which the bands of the Canada and plaza with all their cheerful music could not 

 shake off, 



The morning of the 20th was celebrated in the same manner as those of the two preceding 

 days music and military salutes ; though the show was evidently beginning to lose its interest 



