ARRIVE AT VALPARAISO. 



165 



and it was ten o^clock at night before we reached 

 Valparaiso : thus making thirteen days from the 

 time of leaving Mendoza ?^ The first thing that 

 struck my attention was the enormous length of 

 the town^ with the mountains close behind the 

 houses ; in fact^ touching their backs^ which made 

 it appear dark and dismal: then the guardians of 

 the night first blowing a whistle^ the same as a 

 boatswain on board a ship, and c haunting the hour 

 of the night. The next circumstance in direct 

 opposition to what appeared so decidedly foreign, 

 was, on enquiring where the fonda or hotel was 

 situated, we were asked if we could speak 

 English. I took up my abode at a house kept 

 by Mr. French, which was a very good one ; and 

 after taking some refreshment, the cleanest and 

 best I had tasted since leaving Buenos Ayres, 

 I was heartily glad to get to bed. 



Having thus performed the arduous task of 

 crossing the whole continent of South America, 

 during the most severe winter that had been 



* Got sight of the Pacific at 8 o'clock, P.M. 



