50 CHILI AND VALPARAISO. 



complexion, and have a healthy look. They bear the best 

 character of any of the South Americans. They are 

 honest, industrious, and brave. The men are good riders, 

 and very skillful in the use of the lasso. The women 

 have very pretty feet and hands. 



Their habitations are built of reeds, plastered with mud 

 and thatched with straw. The poncho is universally worn 

 by the men ; it is a piece of cloth of a home manufacture, 

 of the shape of an oblong square, with a hole in the mid- 

 dle, through which the head is passed, the longer ends 

 hanging down to the knees before and behind — the shorter 

 at each side falling over the shoulders. 



Their favorite amusements are the two dances, Fandango, 

 and Sama Cueca. The latter is performed in cities and 

 large towns at the Chingano ; the performers are usually 

 a young man and woman, gaudily attired ; they stand on a 

 kind of stage, and begin the dance by facing each other, 

 and flirting handkerchiefs over each other's heads — then 

 they approach and retreat alternately — occasionally they 

 dart off on each side. The whole is well calculated to 

 display the graces of a fine figure to the best advantage. 

 Its moral tendency may be questioned. Some of the ges- 

 tures are quite lascivious, and may be esily understood by 

 every one who witnesses the scene. The music is executed 

 altogether by females, and consists of the harp, the casta- 

 nets, and the guitar. They also add to this a national 

 love-song, sung in Sj)anish, which the audience seem to en- 

 joy more than any other part of the performance. 



The higher classes are of a pure Spanish blood, and are 

 intelligent and courteous ; they pass their evenings in small 

 social assemblies, called Tertulias. The women cannot be 

 said to be beautiful, but they are virtuous and amiable. 

 They are fond of dancing and music, in both of which 



