EOUND CAPE HORN — VALPARAISO — SANTIAGO. 121 



very dififerent affair from one in England. A vineyard 

 in Chile consists of a field sometimes several acres in 

 extent, divided into regular rows by posts and iron wire ; 

 tlie vines are planted at the foot of the posts, which are 

 about six feet high, and trained along the wire. In the 

 course of time the roof of leaves gets so thick that the 

 space between the rows forms a delightful promenade, 

 impervious to the rays of the sun. All along the line are 

 scattered small ranchos or cottages surrounded by a 

 few paternal acres, the contented owner of which was 

 generally lying at full length in front of his mansion, 

 puffing his everlasting cigarito. 



Limache is rather an important puehlo of some 5000 

 inhabitants ; it boasts a plaza and a superior hotel, kept by 

 a landlord who understands the art of making one com- 

 fortable in a remarkably high degree (when I come to 

 think of it, I believe the landlord was a woman) ; a really 

 first class dinner, excellent claret, and a commodious 

 swimming bath are things by no means to be despised 

 anywhere, much less in distant Chile. A beautiful 

 garden was attached to the house, containing vineyards, 

 pasture land, broad and shady walks, and roses and 

 other flowers without number. The view of the Quillota 

 Sierra was very fine. The town itself is not worthy 

 of any mention; it is simply like any other puehlo in 

 Chile — one and two storied adobe house, with a patio 

 inside and a quinta or garden at the back, large 

 or small as the case may be. All the windows are 

 strongly barred, and the streets execrably paved with 

 small kidney pebbles, sharp end up. After lunch we 

 determined to walk to the top of a hill — it would be 

 a good-sized mountain in England — three miles off. Our 

 host bustled about to get us horses. " But we are going 



