SANTIAGO. 203 



blue as black, good teeth, and as for their complexion, — the red 

 and white. " Nature's own pure and cunning hand" never laid on 

 finer, — but, alas ! " liberal not lavish is kind nature's hand;" and these 

 pretty creatures have generally harsh rough voices, and about the 

 throats of some there is that fulness that denotes that goitres are 

 not uncommon. 



26th. — This morning, on looking out soon after day -break, I saw 

 the provisions coming into town for the market. The beef cut in 

 quarters, the mutton in halves, was mounted on horseback before a 

 man or boy, who, in his poncho, sat as near the tail of the horse as 

 possible. Fowls in large grated chests of hide came slung on mules. 

 Eggs, butter, milk, cheese, and vegetables, all rode, no Chileno con- 

 descending to walk, especially with a burden, unless in case of dire 

 necessity ; and as the strings of beasts so laden came along one way, I 

 saw women enveloped in their mantos, and carrying their alfombras 

 and missals, going to mass another. 



The cries in the streets are nearly as unintelligible as those in 

 London, and, with the exception of Sweep and Old Clothes, concern 

 the same articles. Judge Prevost came in soon after breakfast 

 and settled my mode of paying my respects to Dona Rosa O'Higgins 

 in the evening. It appears that to walk even to a next-door neigh- 

 bour on occasions of ceremony is so undignified, that I must not 

 think of it, therefore I go in a chaise belonging to the family where 

 I live, and two of the ladies will accompany me. This last proposal 

 I own startled me. They are of one of the best families here ; but 

 a daughter was married to a Can-era : they were all partizans of Car- 

 rera, and more than one have been implicated in conspiracies against 

 the present government : nay, it is said against the Director's life ; 

 and I know that no intercourse, of a friendly nature, notwithstanding 

 the good-natured wishes of Mr. Prevost, has as yet taken place be- 

 tween the palace and the house of Catapos. If I am the means of 

 spreading peace, so much the bettei", though I perhaps would rather 

 know openly the use to be made of me. 



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