194 JOURNAL. 
of Chile for the first time the use of brooms to sweep their houses ; a 
slander which is greatly resented by the Chilenos, who are remarkably 
neat in that particular, and who sweep their floors at least twice a day. 
Captain the Honourable F. Spencer had kindly accompanied us 
thus far. I felt little fatigue from the ride, which is only thirty miles, 
but my poor maid was so fagged that I began to regret having brought 
her, as we had only accomplished one-third of our journey ; however, 
a good night’s rest in beds so decent as to induce me not to unpack 
our own for this night, an excellent dinner, and still better breakfast, 
made us all so strong that there was no doubt of doing well when we 
set off next morning. The inn is kept by an English negro, who 
understands something of the comforts required by an Englishman, 
and really presents a very tolerable resting-place to a traveller. 
23d.— Capt. Spencer went with us to the Cuesta de Zapata, a 
very steep mountain, up which the road winds in such a manner 
as to form sixteen terraces, one above the other, making a most 
singular appearance, seen in perspective from the long straight road 
which leads directly to it from Casablanca. The plain on this side 
of the town appears much richer than what we passed yesterday ; 
amidst the thickets of espinella clear spaces appeared belonging to 
different dairy farms. The road-side is bordered with fine trees; 
maytenes, Chile willows, molle, and other evergreens, which became 
more numerous as we approached the Cuesta, and formed groves 
and woods in the deep glens into which it is broken. At the foot of 
the hill Capt. Spencer left us, to my great regret; for so agreeable 
and intelligent a companion, delightful every where, is doubly valua- 
ble at this distance from Europe. 
I wonder that I have never heard the beauty of ‘this road praised. 
Perhaps the merchants who use it frequently may be ruminating on 
profit and loss as they ride; and our English naval officers, who take 
a run to the capital for the sake of its gaieties, think too much of the 
end for which they go to attend to the road which leads thither. It 
reminds me of some of the very finest parts of the Appenines. The 
undulating valley, called the Caxon de Zapata, that opened on our 
