126 JOURNAL. 
the knee, and displaying the drawers. In the neighbourhood of Val- 
paraiso trowsers are fast superseding the short breeches, however. 
White woollen or cotton stockings, and black leather shoes, are 
worn by the decent class of men: the very lowest seldom wear stock- 
ings; and in lieu of shoes they have either wooden clogs or oxotas, 
made of a square piece of hide bent to the foot, and tied in shape 
while green ; the latter are sometimes put over shoes in riding 
through the woods: the hair is usually braided in one large braid 
hanging down behind, and a coloured handkerchief is tied over the 
head, above which a straw hat is fastened with black cord. In some 
districts black felt hats are used; in others, high caps. When the 
Chileno rides, which he does on every possible occasion, he uses as 
a cloak, the poncho, which is the native South American garb: it 
is a piece of square cloth, with a slit in the centre, just large enough 
to admit the head, and is peculiarly convenient for riding, as it 
leaves the arms quite free, while it protects the body completely. 
A pair of coarse cloth gaiters very loose, drawn far up over the 
knee, and tied with coloured listing, defend the legs; and a huge 
pair of spurs, with rowels often three inches in diameter, complete 
the equipment of an equestrian. These spurs are sometimes of 
copper, but the true pride of a Chileno is to have the stirrups, 
and the ornaments of his bridle, of silver. The bridles are usually 
made. of plaited thongs, very neatly wrought; the reins terminate 
in a bunch of cords also of plaited thongs, which serves as a whip. 
The bit is simple, but very severe. The saddle is a wooden frame 
placed over eight or nine folds of cloth, carpet, or sheepskin ; and 
over that frame are thrown other skins, dressed and dyed either blue, 
brown, or black; above all, the better sort use a well-dressed soft 
leather saddle-cloth, and the whole is fastened on with a stamped 
leather band, laced with thongs instead of a buckle. Some go to 
great expense in their saddle-cloths, carpets, skins, &c.; but the 
material is in all nearly the same, and a saddled horse looks as if he 
had a burden of carpets on his back. To the saddle is usually fas- 
tened the Jaza or cord of plaited hide, which the Spanish American 
