1835.] CHILIAN MINERS. 325 



is likewise small in proportion to the lateness of the season at 

 which it commences. 



4<7i. Finding the coast-road devoid of interest of any kind, wo 

 turned inland towards the mining district and valley of Illapel. 

 This valley, like every other in Chile, is level, broad, and very 

 fertile: it is bordered on each side, either by cliffs of stratified 

 shingle, or by bare rocky mountains. Above the straight line of 

 the uppermost irrigating ditch, all is brown as on a high road ; 

 while all below is 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 principal 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 extravagance into which they do not run. They some- 

 times gain a considerable sum, and then, like sailors with prize- 

 money, they try 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 thoughtlessness, 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 ; more- 

 over, 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 intelligent 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. We 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 corpse. One set having run as hard 

 as they could for about two hundred yards, were relieved by four 

 others, who had previously dashed on ahead on horseback. Thus 

 they proceeded, encouraging each other by wild cries : altogether 

 the scene formed a most strange funeral. 



