XII GAUCHOS AND GUASOS 275 



Almost every part of the hill had been drilled by attempts 

 to open gold-mines : the rage for mining has left scarcely a 

 spot in Chile unexamined, I spent the evening as before, 

 talking round the fire with my two companions. The Guasos 

 of Chile, who correspond to the Gauchos of the Pampas, are, 

 however, a very different set of beings. Chile is the more 

 civilised of the two countries, and the inhabitants, in con- 

 sequence, have lost much individual character. Gradations in 

 rank are much more strongly marked : the Guaso does not by 

 any means consider every man his equal ; and I was quite 

 surprised to find that my companions did not like to eat at 

 the same time with myself This feeling of inequality is a 

 necessary consequence of the existence of an aristocracy of 

 wealth. It is said that some few of the greater landowners 

 possess from five to ten thousand pounds sterling per annum : 

 an inequality of riches which I believe is not met with in any 

 of the cattle-breeding countries eastward of the Andes. A 

 traveller does not here meet that unbounded hospitality which 

 refuses all payment, but yet is so kindly offered that no 

 scruples can be raised in accepting it. Almost every house 

 in Chile will receive you for the night, but a trifle is expected 

 to be given in the morning ; even a rich man will accept two 

 or three shillings. The Gaucho, although he may be a cut- 

 throat, is a gentleman ; the Guaso is in few respects better, 

 but at the same time a vulgar, ordinary fellow. The two men, 

 although employed much in the same manner, are different 

 in their habits and attire ; and the peculiarities of each are 

 universal in their respective countries. The Gaucho seems 

 part of his horse, and scorns to exert himself excepting when 

 on its back ; the Guaso may be hired to work as a labourer 

 in the fields. The former lives entirely on animal food ; the 

 latter almost wholly on vegetable. We do not here see the 

 white boots, the broad drawers, and scarlet chilipa ; the 

 picturesque costume of the Pampas. Here, common trousers 

 are protected by black and green worsted leggings. The 

 poncho, however, is common to both. The chief pride of the 

 Guaso lies in his spurs ; v/hich are absurdly large. I measured 

 one which was six inches in the diameter of the rowel, and the 

 rowel itself contained upwards of thirty points. The stirrups 

 are on the same scale, each consisting of a square, carved 



