94 NORTHERN CHILE. 



of as bright a green as verdigris, from the beds of 

 alfarfa, a kind of clover. We proceeded to Los 

 Hornos, another mining district, where the princi- 

 pal hill was drilled with holes, like a great ants'- 

 nest. The Chilian miners are a peculiar race of 

 men in their habits. Living for weeks together in 

 the most desolate spots, when they descend to the 

 villages on feast-days there is no excess or extrav- 

 agance into which they do not run. They some- 

 times gain a considerable sum, and then, like sail- 

 ors with prize-money, they liy how soon they can 

 contrive to squander it. They drink excessively, 

 buy quantities of clothes, and in a few days return 

 penniless to their miserable abodes, there to work 

 harder than beasts of burden. This thoughtless- 

 ness, as with sailors, is evidently the result of a 

 similar manner of life. Their daily food is found 

 them, and they acquire no habits of carefulness ; 

 moreover, temptation and the means of yielding to 

 it are placed in their power at the same time. On 

 the other hand, in Cornwall, and some other parts 

 of England, where the system of selling part of the 

 vein is followed, the miners, from being obliged to 

 act and think for themselves, are a singularly intel- 

 ligent and well-conducted set of men. 



The dress of the Chilian miner is peculiar and 

 rather picturesque. He wears a very long shirt of 

 some dark-coloured baize, with a leathern apron, 

 the whole being fastened round his waist by a 

 bright-coloured sash. His trousers are very broad, 

 and his small cap of scarlet cloth is made to fit the 

 head closely. AVe met a party of these miners in 

 full costume, carrying the body of one of their 

 companions to be buried. They marched at a very 

 quick trot, four men supporting the coipse. One 

 set, having run as hard as they could for about two 

 hundred yards, were relieved by four others, who 



