VALPARAISO. 139 



perched on the edge of the plateau some two hundred 

 feet above the main street, and divided by the deep 

 ravines {quebradas) that converge towards the bay, 

 have been described by many travellers ; but I do 

 not remember to have seen any sufficient warning as 

 to the frightful peril to which the majority of the 

 population is constantly exposed. Over and over 

 again earthquakes have destroyed towns in western 

 South America. Houses built of slight materials, 

 with a ground floor only, or at most with a single 

 floor above it, may fall without entailing much loss of 

 life ; but it is frightful to contemplate the amount of 

 destruction of life and property that must ensue if a 

 violent shock should ever visit Valparaiso. And the 

 peril is twofold ; the great wave which is the usual 

 sequel of a violent earthquake, would inevitably 

 destroy whatever might survive the first shock in the 

 crowded streets of the lower town. 



After overcoming the preliminary difficulties of 

 landing and passing my luggage through the custom- 

 house, I proceeded to the Hotel Colon, in the main 

 street, kept by a French proprietor to whose lively 

 conversation I owed much information and amuse- 

 ment during my short stay. Some three hours were 

 occupied by a few visits, a stroll through the chief 

 streets, and the despatch of a telegram to Buenos 

 Ayres. Not choosing to incur the heavy expense of 

 a telegram from Valparaiso to England, I had availed 

 myself of the courtesy of the officials of the Royal 

 Mail Steamboat Company to arrange that a telegram 

 from Valparaiso to Buenos Ayres should be forwarded 

 by post from the latter place, thus saving fully three 



