VALPARAISO. 19 



hills in every direction, giving the appearance of a general 

 illumination. 



It is in this city that the foreign element in the popula 

 tion is more considerable. European and American are well 

 represented, and French, English, Italian, and German lan 

 guages are heard on all sides as much as Spanish. The tone 

 of society is very agreeable and friendly. Once introduced 

 you are always sure of a hearty welcome. 



The bay of Valparaiso is large and beautiful, alive with 

 fishes, but very badly protected from the north winds. Tem 

 pests are very frequent in the months of June and July, and 

 the only way to avoid the danger of being wrecked is by 

 going at large, and returning when it it has ceased ; but even 

 by so doing, complete security is not always obtained, and 

 many are the ships which are annually lost in these parts. 

 In the winter of 1823, during a norther, as they are called, 

 eighteen vessels were totally lost in twenty-four hours. There 

 are fine steamship companies doing business on the coast, the 

 principal is the Pacific Steam Navigation Company, of Eng 

 land, sailing weekly to England via Panama, and bi-monthly 

 by the Straits of Magellan. 



In 1883, Chili had in operation 1,102 miles of railroad, 

 and surveys were being made for the speedy construction of 

 as many more. Chili is the first country of South America 

 which inaugurated the construction of a railroad, that from 

 Caldera to Copiapo, in 1850. 



The commerce of the Republic is very prosperous, and by 

 reason of its agricultural products for export, and its extra 

 ordinary mineral riches, is one of the great markets of the 

 world. 



The importation of foreign goods can be estimated at 

 about 10,000,000, chiefly in Articles of food, Textile fabrics, 

 Clothing, Jewelery, Machines, Furniture, Tobacco, Drugs, 

 Wines and liquors, Material for railways, etc., etc. England is 

 the largest importer, France and Germany come next, and the 

 United States holds the fourth place. The principal articles 

 of exportation are wheat, flour, barley, wool, hides, skins, 

 wines, silver and copper in bars, ingots, or ores. 



In the animal kingdom, Chili possesses some remarkable 

 forms, some of them peculiar to that country, and others 

 which are also found in the neighbouring Republics of Bolivia, 

 Peru, and Argentine. Among the Mammals the Huanaco 

 and the Vicuna, usually called Llama and Alpaca, when 



