The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1866-10-06
AFFAIRS IN CHILE.
our SANTIAGO CORRESPONDENCE.

SANTIAGO, sept 10, 1000.
TRIP TIEouoH COUNTRY ON THE PAHrAs
recently took trip down the Southern Railroad,
from Santiago south IS San Fernando eighty miles
distant and had some good shooting the pampas
beyond Chimborazo. The railroad 10 American
work. with rolling stock from the United States the
cars bearing tho trade plate Of Evans Gilbert, Troy
and the switches, &c, the stamp OF Jersey City foun-
dries The station Ia very nne iron structure and s
appurtonances, we'll the small stations along the
road compare favorably with those OF roads In the
United States The valley through which the railroad
extends about forty miles wde and consists OF fiat
meadows, which reach with unbroken surface the
base Of tho mountain ranges that up bleak and
into the regions Of eternal Tho contrast be-
tween the white SUBMITS Of the Cordlleras and the
green fields, where the grass and grain grew thick and
iusiy, was very striking. Thousands OF cattle were
grazing on tho pampas, and at every hacienda tho
pso@ were busy ploughng, although 1t was
the middle of winter The country is divided
into immense hNiendss. some of which include
many thousand acres. These worked by tho
pe,W who live on them, each man being
PEELED by law 70 labor tor the VI the hacienda
certain number OF days in each day.
Catte sneep ana horses arc raised In numbers
Good farm horses be purchased at from $40 to $50
and donkeys at from IS to $40 apiece Ceilings are
used for the saddle for coaches and carrying packs ont
AL the work on the hacendas performed by oxen.
Horses arc never used for drawing burdens and mares
are not even ridden but kept in herds for breeding
and for threshing grain. few threshing machines
have been brought into the country but all have been
thrown aside after one season. together with mod
ern agricultural implements which tho farmers abandon
Immediately whenever any part Of the machinery gets
out Of order The only plough used except by very
few farmers who have obtained those implements from
the United States Is the old fashioned wooden concern
made BY sharpening one end Of short log and attach
ing to II a handle, and beam with which 10 draw It.
The Jokes OF the oxen, instead Of having bows,
dashed to the horns with strips OF rawhide and
the guided with long pole having a sharp
spike in the end OF IT, HOr00a and ri
year and fed grain. No barns used az
rain falls only during the winter months OF July Au-
gust and September and grain In threshed In the
fields soon after harvest Wheat and barley arc raised
In great quantities little Of inferior quality Is
also cultivated, but oats and buckwheas unknown
Agriculture IL dependent upon irrigation through all the
valleys Notwithstanding tho apparently natural
~ INC sou. snsal cansis run along me SIDES o. the
these along which water In conducted through the level
iAfA Thousands Of acres be Hooded by these
streams In atew hours Some portions OF tho valleys
are 70 impreRnated with saltpetre TO render them
unit for cultivation, end tho grass only becomes for
cattle sheep when the winter rins have thorou ghly
washed II Of the saline deposits The houses OF The
poems Of the most wretchcd description, consisting
In most cases Of few stakes driven into the
ground and covered with rushea In these rude
shelters, with furniture except kettle and few
blankets, hundreds live all their lives The children run
twelve years DID, and the costume OF the women gene
rally consists OF only coarse cotton chemise and
m'ssr s dress o. calico banging IN .ss and coverd
Of the United States and retain all the tradt aud
supetitions Of the Indian tribes from which they have
descended The houses Of the upper classes very
comfortable and know Of nothing more pleasant than
10 sojourn nj some Of the magnificent hceeadaL Fruit
The sstea Includes many kinda particularly bsonsins
70 the uopics One rs surprisd net little at tho con
trares 70 be met with here December and January
the middle Of summer. Our cold winds are from the
south, and the Northers always The houses
have floors Of brick cement and ceilings Of WOOD and
smoke In ladies' saloons and the ladies' attend church
every week day, and give balls and 10 the theatre
Sunday Oranges arc sour and lemons arc sweet, aud
republic.
Al San Fernando. city Of eight or ten thousand in.
ns pg enough M % srS through The
priests conducting their cersmoniss and few half
yelled females In black were gliding among the shadows
where were shoos-the distance 10 nine miles, and
mounting good horses We rode - gailop across ths
glana We met great many horssns. with lsssees
herd Of ssmpsded cattle or horses single out and catch
any particular with wonderful deIterity Game 10
snips pssrdgss, pigeons species Of parrot called
lvaa Thousands u poveu u bird larger than crowj
s:s !. y: |'.SS: Nd :u The ~
birds frequent the water coursea Falcons donesi
Gated and Taught 70 hunt while out On che pam
psssresss = he nsss approved ys rhsls ss sso
capital shooting 10 The mountains, where guonAcas
q run = ed s q: : -.
nsass snssaissd D. Us Tor The sasis and l. rssy 100
them On b ssss sang along ths DARK sidss q The
cordiilsra and - they circle round sxposng thsir
NOV White eseka = v'sw ne sascs vsry nns ssms
with the sxcsptios a the under portion of tina body ana
wines vhils sthsu bsaaufdily marked with white
smes I'M den sh cuba Where s me- have SssS =
tnesed By seme caroaas Shove the snow, and round
which ne nssives hsvs Erected hiding Ilscs,-ths
The mounonkneern