92 



THREE YEARS IN THE PACIFIC. 



the street, "aceit6nas" — olives ; and <«pic^ntes" — morsels of 

 meat and vegetables highly spiced. Both during the day and 

 night, beggars sit at the corners, with their feet drawn up be- 

 neath them, their hands in an imploring posture, crying in a 

 whining, nasal tone, to every passer-by, '«una lim6sna por un 

 pobre, por el amor de Dios" — alms for a poor man, for God's 

 sake. These appeals, however, are seldom heeded. On Satur- 

 days, it is a universal custom, I believe, in all South America, 

 as well as in Spain, for beggars to throng the streets, and ask 

 alms in the name of their patron saints. There is scarcely a 

 family, that has not a certain number of mendicants to whom 

 it gives something on Saturdays, but refuses charity to all others, 

 and to them also on all other days. It is not uncommon to meet 

 old men on horseback, beseeching charity in the most piteous 

 tones 5 — ^' un mediocito por amor de Dios" — a medio (6^ 

 cents) for the love of God. The diminutive, cito, is added, to 

 lessen in appearance the amount of the gratuity asked. I am 

 not aware how much this custom bears upon the proverb, about 

 "set a beggar on horseback," &c., or whether it has, in fact, 

 any truth in Chile. 



CHAPTER II. 



Society — ^Introduction to a Family — Costume — Furnituret-Mat^ — Singing — 

 Cigars — ^Presenting of Flowers — Leave-taking — Traits of Character — A day 

 visit — Anecdote — Tertulia on a Sunday evening — Dancing — ** EI cuando" 

 — "LaPerdxz" — Foreign Society. 



The conventional customs of society in Valparaiso, differ in 

 many respects from those of the United States. Day visiting, 

 except on Sundays, is not usual, which is the reverse with us, 

 that day being set aside for the worship of the Deity. Yet, on 

 becoming intimately acquainted with any family, it may be 

 visited at all times, without any one thinking it improper, or 

 even hazarding a conjecture as to the motive, should the calls 



