152 ELIZABETH CARY AGASSIZ 



because it has everything in it that happens to come 

 to hand and is relishing and savory in proportion to 

 the variety of condiments. 



We drove home by moonlight after a delightful 

 day. Since then we have had one or two such excur- 

 sions and a day at the City of Concepcion, some 

 ten miles from here. It has only been completely 

 destroyed three or four times by earthquake in the 

 last two centuries. There has n't been one for some 

 time, and it occurred to me that we might be swal- 

 lowed up or buried in ruins any minute; but no one 

 seems to think much about it. 



The houses are fascinating; very inconvenient ac- 

 cording to our notions, you know, but the wide doors 

 stand ever open in this mild climate and give you a 

 view of the central court planted with bright flowers 

 and trees and looking so pretty. 



TO MRS. THOMAS G. CARY 



Curicu, Chilly May 4 



WE have had a most fascinating land journey from 

 Talcahuana here, travelling post, five horses abreast 

 and an outrider, after the fashion of the country. But 

 I must tell you all about it in detail from beginning to 

 end if you will have patience. 



Sunday morning we started off, Agassiz, Stein- 

 dachner and myself in a big coach we had chartered 

 for the week. Our first day's journey was to a little 

 seacoast town called Tome. The road was most pic- 

 turesque, and I fancied it might be something like 



