170 CHILI. 



This may be called the national dance, and is in vogue among the 

 common people. It is usually performed at the chingano, which is a 

 kind of amphitheatre, surrounded by apartments where refreshments, 

 including strong drinks, are sold, and is generally well filled by both 

 sexes. The dance is performed on a kind of stage, under an open 

 shed. The music is a mixture of Spanish and Indian, and is performed 

 altogether by females, on an old-fashioned long and narrow harp, one 

 end of which rests on the lap of the performer, and the other on the 

 stage, ten feet off. A second girl is seen merrily beating time on the 

 sounding-board of the instrument. On the right is another, strumming 

 the common chords on a wire-string guitar or kitty, making, at every 

 vibration of the right hand, a full sweep across all the strings, and 

 varying the chords. In addition to this, they sang a national love- 

 song, in Spanish, at the top of their voices, one singing a kind of alto ; 

 the whole producing a very strange combination of sounds. 



The dance is performed by a young man and woman ; the former 

 is gaudily decked in a light scarlet jacket, embroidered with gold lace, 

 white pantaloons, red sash and pumps, with a tiny red cap; whilst 

 that of his partner consists of a gaudy painted muslin dress, quite short 

 and stiffly starched, not a little aided by an ample pair of hips ; thrown 

 over all is a rich-coloured French shawl ; these, with well-fitted silk 

 stockings, complete her attire. These last are in truth characteristic of 

 the Chilian women of all classes, and they take no pains to conceal 

 them. One not unfrequently sees the extravagance of silk stockings 

 in the washerwomen at their tubs, and even with their hands in the 

 suds. The dress in general fits neatly, and nature is not distorted by 

 tight lacing, or the wearing of corsets. Nothing is worn on the head, 

 and the hair, parted and equally divided from the forehead back to 

 the neck, hangs down in two long plaits on each shoulder to the 

 waist. 



The style of dancing is somewhat like a fandango. The couple 

 begin by facing each other and flirting handkerchiefs over each other's 

 heads, then approaching, slowly retreating again, then quickly shooting 

 off to one side, passing under arms without touching, with great 

 agility, rattling and beating time with castanets. Their movements 

 are quite graceful, those of their feet pretty, and withal quite amorous ; 

 the gestures may be readily understood, not only by the native 

 audience, but by foreigners. I cannot say much for its moral tendency. 



The higher classes of females have the name of being virtuous and 

 estimable in their domestic circle, but we cannot say that they are 

 beautiful. They dress their hair with great care and taste. Their 

 feet are small, and they have a graceful carriage. 



