Chilian ox-carts. 



Plain of Maypo. Santiago. 



CHILI. 



River Maypocho. 

 Cathedral at Santiago. 



peaks of the Andes, covered with eternal snow, 

 some reaching above the clouds. They appear but 

 a few hours' ride off, although at a distance of 

 twenty leagues. On either side rise the high ridges 

 of the Cuesta. Beneath lie grazing grounds, ex- 

 tending over the plain, and covered with flocks and 

 herds. Variety and life are given to the whole by 

 the view of the national road, on which are seen 

 numbers of vehicles, mules, &c., threading their 

 way up and down the mountain-side, laden with 

 foreign and domestic products. This is the only 

 road of any extent for wheel-carriages in the 

 country. It is kept in good repair by convicts, 

 who are seen working in chains. A moveable 

 prison or lock-up house, somewhat resembling the 

 cages used in caravans of wild beasts, is used for 

 their accommodation and security at night. 



The heavy merchandise is for the most part 

 transported in ox-carts of enormous dimensions. 

 Their wheels are clumsy and without tires, and the 

 whole frame is made strongly with timber pinned 

 together. Their perpendicular sides and rounded 

 tops are wattled with cane and covered with bull's- 

 hide. No iron is used in their structure ; wooden 

 pins and raw-hide lashings seem to answer the pur- 

 pose better. The yoke is set on the heads of the 

 oxen, behind the horns, and fastened to them. The 

 creaking of these carts may be heard for miles, as 

 the drivers never think of greasing the axles to 

 lessen the friction. They are generally drawn by 

 four or eight oxen. 



Lighter articles are transported by mules, and 

 immense numbers of these animals are seen on the 

 road at all times. 



The mode of changing horses is truly charac- 

 teristic of the country. The relays are made as soon 

 as the shaft-horse tires ; he is quickly taken out, 

 and one of the drove caught with a lasso, and put 

 in his place, when on they go. These relays occur 

 every eight or ten miles ; the only relief the poor 

 horses have is a trot out of harness, and without a 

 load. The bilocheros seldom dismount; all is done 

 on horseback. On going up hill, a third or even a 

 fourth horse is soon hitched to the vehicle to assist 

 the draught. The horses are all in good condition, 

 and it is not a little remarkable that they should be 

 so, for I understood that their only food at this 

 season was chopped straw. The teamsters and 

 guachos themselves are equally abstemious. They 

 live mostly upon bread and their favourite chica, 

 which is made from the grape, and resembles cider; 

 but after it has passed through a fermentation, it 

 is quite intoxicating. The mud huts or ranches, 

 oil the road-side, are filled with happy and con- 

 tented faces. 



Begging is common on the road to the city, and is 

 quite a business. The beggars let themselves to the 

 highest bidders, and value themselves according to 

 their deformities. At Valparaiso two days are 

 allowed in each week for begging. 



The plain of Maypo, which reaches to the foot of 

 the Cuesta del Prado, is extremely level, and is 

 almost thirty miles in width, extending to the foot 

 of the Cordilleras. The road leads nearly in a 

 straight line over it to the city of Santiago, which 

 is situated on the eastern side of the plain. 



The elevation of Santiago above the sea is fifteen 

 hundred and ninety-one feet, upon the third step or 

 plain from the coast. Its entrance is through ave- 

 nues bounded by high adobe walls, which shut out 



all the view, except the Cordilleras, which tower 

 above and beyond it. 



The more the Cordilleras are viewed, the greater 

 appears their attraction. They have at all times an 

 imposing aspect from the neighbourhood of the 

 city. Their irregular and jagged outline is con- 

 f.tantly varying under the effects of light and shade. 

 The rays of the setting sun, with the deepening 

 shadows, throw the innumerable peaks into bold 

 relief, and at times produce yellow and red tints, 

 which give a remarkable character to the whole 

 scene. The red tints are often accompanied with a 

 green hue in the sky. The city is surrounded by 

 many fine orchards, gardens, farms, and grazing 

 grounds. The former being enclosed by high adobe 

 walls, give it a rather unpleasant appearance, until 

 the city is fairly entered, when the streets have a 

 fresh and clean look. The city is laid out in squares. 

 Its streets are well paved, and have good side- 

 walks. This fresh and clean appearance, we after- 

 wards understood, was owing to a law, obliging all 

 to whitewash their houses and walls once a year, a 

 practice which gives a general uniformity, at 

 least in colour, to the whole, and forms an agree- 

 able contrast with the red - tiled roofs. The 

 houses are mostly of one story, built in the 

 form of a hollow square, from twenty to forty 

 feet wide, round which the rooms are situated. 

 The roof projects so as to form a kind of piazza 

 or covered way. The gateway is usually large, 

 and the rooms on each side of it are not con- 

 nected with the rest of the building, but are rented 

 as shops. Opposite to the gateway is the centre 

 window, guarded by a light and ornamental iron 

 frame, painted green or richly gilt. The court-yard 

 is usually neatly paved with small rounded pebbles 

 from the bed of the Maypocho, arranged in fanciful 

 forms ; but in many cases they are laid out in 

 flower-gardens, where roses and geraniums are 

 seen in full bloom. 



The river Maypocho runs through one portion of 

 the city, and supplies it with water. In the centre 

 of the city is the great plaza, where the public 

 buildings are situated. These are built of a coarse 

 kind of porphyry, obtained from the mountains, 

 and are on a large scale. The cathedral and palace 

 each occupy one side ; in the centre is a fountain, 

 with several statues of Italian marble ; too small 

 however in size to have any effect in so large a 

 square. All these buildings are much out of re- 

 pair, having been at various times damaged by 

 earthquakes. 



The cathedral is very large and extensive. Its 

 altar is decked with a great quantity of gold and 

 silver. There are many paintings and hangings, 

 among which is a large number of trophies, taken 

 in their various wars. The niches are filled with 

 wax figures, representing saints ; and there are 

 also the remains of two martyrs of the church, in a 

 tolerably good state of preservation. 



The place was originally built for the viceroy. 

 It is now appropriated to the accommodation of 

 the president, and the public offices. On the side 

 opposite to the palace is a colonnade, which is not 

 yet finished, and will occupy the whole side of the 

 square. Under its portico are fancy and dry-goods 

 shops, and between the columns various trades, or 

 lace and fringe-makers, are at work. In the even- 

 ing, this becomes a most busy scene. Females, 

 with large flat baskets before them, are vending 



