The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-06-19

TO have upon ehe minds and even the morals OF the
inhabitants; but there was none OF the squalid APP
pearance mentioned by former visitors. In the
poorer quarters here as at home, there are nth,
misery and degradation; but In the houses OF the
an absence OF exterior decoration, were found in.
variably q degree OF refinement and elegance,
almost OF luxury rare with US except In large
PERSONAL RECEPTION AND TREATMENT,
nothing could have been more kind, more attentive
more hospitabe, and there was degree OF cult.
walton and lack OF prOvinsiasm which would be
anomalies in town of the same size in the States.
The population, of about four thousand, probably
elements as In the larger South American cities,
with perhaps little less admiXture OF the Ameri.
can and English element. The three prominent
classes are The descendants Of the old Spaniards,
who constitute the upper stratum Of society; mid
die working class, corresponding to our labOrers
and hafbreeds, usually holding mental Positions
and resulting from the union OF the preceding class
with the native Indians. These half-breeds have
many distinct and interesting physical characters-
tics, and some time was spent In obtaining photo
graphs OF those who showed them most markedly.
CONCEPTION WAS VISITED FREQUENTLY,
the ride between 1t and TacahuanO being one OF
our chief forms OF amusement. The road Is about
nine miles long, straight, broad, and, except In a
few places, quite firm. 1t passes through wide
plain covered with baldos bushes and then runs for
several miles between cultivated fields One OF the
frequent sights along the road was q migratory
Chileno family, travelling in an oxcart consisting
Their advent would be heraIGed from afar by the
shrill whistling and creaking OF the rude convey
not exceeded by the clatter OF tongues arising
from the women and children packed In the vehicle.
A Como y "a ?" was always answered politely,
though rather too vOlubly for one with but limited
acquaintance with the language.
In front OF the huts on either side Of the road
women and men were seated at work, the former
picking out threads from pieces OF muslin, so as
to form the lace which they sell In the cities, the
men making straw mats for the same purpose.
Although there were none Of those indications OF
prosperity common with us, no comfortable dwell
ings, commodious barns or neat enclosures yet.
the necessaries of life, the children, well as the
parents, beng fat and well nourished, though
neither OF them were remarkable for personal
one stored, quadrangular buildings; the hotels are
good and very inexpensive; the streets are all
straight and do not err extremely on the score Of
either width or cleanliness, and the town has q
general air Of respectable mediOcrity There are
number OF public buildings,
SCHOOLS, COMMENTS AND CHURCHES,
the latter being the most creditable IN the way Of
architecture and decoration. The Alameda is q
park on the eastern side OF the town, the chief
ornament OF which Is several rows OF noble Lom-
hardy poplars. 1t is now almost entirely neg
lected for the more modern and convenient Plaza
In the centre OF the town. On the streets the
majority Of the population seemed to consist OF
priests and policemen, both usually looking sleek
and well fed. The influence OF the Church, though
still predominant, appears to be diminishing as
modern education, leading to more liberal modes
OF reasoning and thinking, is becoming more COM
took place at Conception between the spiritual
and temporal authorities which created so much
excitement and has been the cause of SO much
political and religious controversy that, although
Insignificant in Itself, 1t has, on account of the
principles involved become OF great Importance.
well known and popular military officer died, re-
fusing to receive the attentions Of priest. The
curate declared that his body should not be inter.
red in the Catholic cemetery, he
HAVING DIED AS A HERETO.
The Intendente OF the province, however, in
sisted on his burial in the ordinary locality, and,
take place, and the remains, followed by a vast
concourse were deposited In consecrated ground.
The curate appealed to the Archbishop and the
latter to the general government In published
address, setting forth many sins against religion
and morality, OF which, he said the deceased had
been Systematically guilty. The matter was
agitated in Congress- q resolution sent to the
Executive asking that some action be taken, and
the result was that In short time decree was
sinner, believer or hereto, Jew or Mohammedan,
In the consecrated ground, hitherto held sacred for
sect snd re ay e from gos
measure by priestly influence and striking as 1t
does blow at one OF the fundamental institutions
OF the Church, is believed by many to be an unmis.
taxable indication OF the approaching downfall of
power which has always been clog on the pro-
gress of the nation. Some ofhe characteristic dishes
OF the country are worthy OF mention, as we GER
tainly considered them worthy OF much more mate
rial attention during our stay; but to attempt
mentioning ingredients apparently incompatible,
without being able to explain the skill which COM
blnes them, the only conclusive proof Of their eX-
cellence being precisely similar TO that OF
THE PRovERBIAL PUDDING.
On the afternoon OF April 25 our machine work
being concluded and our new reversing quadrant
In place, we got under way after a little delay
caused by the packing OF our rort anchor chain.
the northwest, for Juan Fernandez We were going
to sea for the first time since leaving Boston with
out female society, the two ladies who had added
to the pleasure and ligbtened the care OF the trip
having remained behind-One to reiOn MS at Nalpa-
rais0, the other at Panama. Professor Agassiz and
an overland trip OF few hundred miles We stop
pei several times to sound and dredge on our way
out, but early on the morning Of April % we
SIGHTED JUAN FERNANDEZ,
and by daybreak were quite close to II. The ap-
proach to the island is remarkable for it's pic
turesqueness and nearer view adds greatly to it's
beauty, though II IL were mere sandbank 1t would
have an intense interest from the atmosphere OF
mixed romance and reality surrounding it-remem-
brances OF Robinson CrusOe and Alexander Selkirk,
Spanish buccaneers and ChilenO c0nvicts, ship
wrecks and earthquakes caves, cannbals tame
parrots and goatskin umbrellas intermingling in
ones thoughts. We were not, however, able to
satisfy desire to set foot its shores for forty
eight hours, during which time we sounded and
dredged in the vicinity Of the island and also made
various observations upon the action and penetra-
ton Of light at different depths. 1t Is now gen.
orally known and understood that associated with
the ordinary Illuminating rays of light are Others,
called the "actinic," or sometimes the chemical
rays which have distinct properties, being absorbed
by various bodies not Affecting the others, and
especially exercising decomposing action on GER
tam chemical compounds which action in the case
OF the salts OF silver constitutes the basis Of pho
Biography. As has been previously asserted OF the
Illuminating rays, no facts whatever were known
in regard to the presence absence Of this quick
ening and
vITALIzING FORCE IN THE DEPTHS OF THE OCEAN.
and whether these rays were absorbed
transmitted far below the surface has been ques
ton on which few geological facts alone threw %
feeble and uncertain light. novel and interesting
experiment on this subject was made by the help OF
an extremely ingenious apparatus invented by DR..
Thomas Hill, ex-President Of Harvard College. 1t
consists OF a small brass case containing the works
Of an ordinary Waltnam watch. Covering this case
and OF equal size are two plates, the upper one
responding In its motion to the minute hand of a
watch, and having crescentic opening around two
thirds OF its circumference, the other fixed immova-
bly, and perforated by q small circular aperture,
under which is a chamber for the reception OF
a coated and sensitized plate Now starting
the watch at the moment when the opening
In the upper plate Is just about to uncover
by its motion that in the lower, IL Is evident
that during forty minutes or two-thirds OF the hour
required by the fattened and expanded minute hand
to make its circuit, light will he admitted through
the revolving crescentic opening and the fixed cir
cular aperture, and win penetrate TO the surface OF
the sensitiZed plate. AT the end OF the tw0thirds
OF an hour the unperforated portion OF the upper
plate comes over the lower circle and all access OF
light IL shut of and remains for twenty minutes.