50 . CHILI AND VALPARAISO. 



and have a healthy look. They bear the best character of any 

 of the South Americans. They are honest, industrious, and 

 brave. The men are good riders, and very skillful in the use 

 of the lasso. The women have very pretty feet and hands. 



Their habitations are built of reeds, plastered with mud 

 and thatched with straw. The poncho is universally worn by 

 the men ; it is a piece of cloth of a home manufacture, of the 

 shape of an oblong square, with a hole in the middle, through 

 which the head is passed, the longer ends hanging down to the 

 knees before and behind — the shorter at each side falling over 

 the shoulders. 



Their favorite amusements are the two dances, Fandango 

 and Sama Cueca. The latter is performed in cities and large 

 towns at the Chingano ; the performers are usually a young 

 man and woman, gaudily attired; they sta,nd on a kind of 

 stage, and begin the dance by facing each other, and flirting 

 handkerchiefs over each other's heads — then they approach 

 and retreat alternately — occasionally they dart off on each 

 side. The whole is well calculated to display the graces of a 

 fine figure to the best advantage. Its moral tendency may be 

 questioned. Some of the gestures are quite lascivious, and 

 may be easily understood by every one who witnesses the 

 scene. The music is executed altogether by females, and 

 consists of the harp, the castanets, and the guitar. They also 

 add to this a national love-song, sung in Spanish, which the 

 audience seem to enjoy more than any other part of the per- 

 formance. 



The higher classes are of a pure Spanish blood, and are 

 intelligent and courteous ; they pass their evenings in small 

 social assemblies, called Tertulias. The women cannot be 

 said to be beautiful, but they are virtuous and amiable. They 

 are fond of dancing and music, in both of which they excel. 



