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, Chili, 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 Tomé. The road was most pic- 
turesque, and I fancied it might be something like 
