/ 



NOTICES OF CHILE. 



I^orth American and English. The foreign society, compared 

 with the Chilian, is more intellectual — more conversational- 

 more devoted to eating — while the Chilian is more musical — 

 (not of the highest order, however) more chit-chatable — more 

 flirtationable — and then they dance and glance ; — there is a 

 sort of rivalship, too, between the qualities of the head and 

 heels, for the face grows grave whenever the feet ^'move to 

 measure." The Spanish society is more fitted to please and 

 amuse naval officers during their short visits ; but, for a long 

 sojourn, the English and North American, met with in Valpa- 

 raiso, is preferable. Considering the discordant materials of 

 which it is composed, the foreign society may be pronounced 

 good. The English abroad, so far as I have seen, generally as- 

 sume a higher stand than they have held or can hold at home ; 

 and adopting the maxim of Hamlet — assume a virtue, if you 

 have it not," set up for distinction, and from their efforts to 

 gain it, very often deserve it. North Americans are occasion- 

 ally obnoxious to similar remarks. There is a jealousy between 

 the two nations that sometimes peeps forth; — in fact there is 

 a disagreeable sort of surveillance^ mutually exercised by the 

 people of both sides of the water. 



CHAPTER HL 



Eide to Santiago — Mode of travelling — Peonada — The honey palm — Carretas 

 — Mode of descending hills — Peiiuelas — Throwing the lazo — A bivouac- 

 Casablanca — Posada — Mode of making butter — Bread— Cuesta de Zapata — 

 Bustamente — Breakfast — Cuesta del Prado — A view — Entrance to Santiago 

 — Custom house officers — Table of Barometric observations. 



Finding myself, towards the end of May 1832, in Valpa- 

 raiso, with a few weeks leisure, and a friend about returning 

 to his residence near Santiago, I determined to embrace the 

 opportunity of paying a visit to the Capital of Chile. This is 

 not the most favorable season for travelling, but inasmuch as 



