158 



THREE YEARS IN ^HE PACIFIC. 



every where prevails, and it is seldom broken, except by the 

 bell of the leading mule of the troops that occasionally file 

 through the streets, to deposite their loads of copper from the 

 mines. Each of these laborious animals brings into town from 

 four to six quintals, a distance of ten or twelve leagues. 

 We saw one troop deposite a thousand quintals. The peones 

 who accompanied the mules were remarkably muscular and 

 well proportioned, and handled two hundred pounds of cop- 

 per without apparent exertion. In addition to the dress worn 

 by the same class at Valparaiso, these men had red caps cut 

 into a long point hanging rakishly in front, and pieces of 

 sheep skin over the chest, right arm, and shoulder, and the 

 sitting part of their ample breeches was defended by a broad 

 disk of leather. 



At present there is no society among the natives ; even the 

 natural vivacity and buoyancy of youth seem oppressed by the 

 stillness and quiet of the city. There are no terttalias, no re- 

 uni&nes, no amusement, no hotels. The ladies occupy their 

 time in domestic affairs, and in the cultivation of flowers. 

 Reading is not among their pleasures. They possess but little 

 beauty ; those whom I saw have dark, rough skins ; but they 

 bear evidence, in many particulars, of the healthiness of the 

 climate. 



The males, when free from their avocations, spend what 

 time they have left from the siesta, in playing cards, billiards, 

 or dice. Smoking is universal, but is entirely confined to 

 "hojas." 



The province of Coquimbo abounds in mines of copper, sil- 

 ver, gold, and iron, which last is not worked on account of the 

 scarcity of fuel. There is no coal in the province. The wood 

 used is that of the ^^espinos" (thorns), and a species of acacia, 

 called algarovilla, which is considered to be the best. It bears 

 a fruit, the infusion of which is said to possess the rare virtue 

 of restoring lost paternity and maternity — a frequent source 

 of complaint in many parts of Chile. " 



Cabinet specimens of minerals are obtained with difficulty. 

 Miners seldom make collections, and it is only through their 

 orders that they can be procured, because none but proprietors 



