46 



SANTIAGO. 



hotel, when the streets were crowded with 

 people, I heard the bell of a neighbouring 

 church toll the time for the ascent of the 

 host. In an instant, the moving population 

 became, as it were, transfixed, even to the little 

 boy peeping over a bundle of long grass, which 

 was carried down the street on horseback, 

 so covering the animal, that it had the appear- 

 ance of an ambling haycock. Some fell on 

 their knees, and all the men took off their 

 hats. Again the bell tolled, and off trotted the 

 haycock, whilst a little priest, in a white sur- 

 plice, who had uttered a prayer in his hat close 

 to me, looked up in my face and said, Buenas 

 noches, senor for it was now a settled point 

 that the night had commenced. 



We have visited the theatre, which is 

 a pretty building. Every box is like a bal- 

 cony, with open rails; so that the ladies^ 



