Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1889-11-15
THE ARGENTINE REPUBLIC.
Description ms of Life the Atlantic ana Pa
cihc Sea- Boards of South America.
BuENos ANREs, Sept. l. 1889.

FRIEND PARKER.-At last l sit down
10 let you know that l am in South
America. l left Puget Sound, January
22nd, on board sailing vessel bound
for the coast of Chilli. She was lumber
laden and the captain kindly took me
along o as to have some one to listen to
his yarns. We had a very tedious trip,
being eighty days on the way, and were
twice becalmed. But presume it was
a profitable trip. as l nearly read the
Bible through. and found ont that Adam
was not Of the first creation; also that
they knew nothing about the Devil I'M
Ill lie afflicted job, and snndry other in
teresting items OF information which
are not generally known.
In passing under the Equator it was
not nnpleasantly warm and let me say
right here, that if you are thinking Of
coming to South America and have
some friend you pity IN Idaho's cold
climate, and think of making him
present of your overcoat do not do so,
my friend. Better by far buy yourself
an extra one, as the ocean breeZes are
very cold. The northern coast of Chill
is very mountainous, barren and drear.
and reminds one of the little lamb that
wandered away and ran down a steep
place to the waters edge. There is not
II sign Of brush, verdure or vegetation
to be seen. The chief industry of the
country is copper mining, and as the
price of copper is very low, times are
hard, wages low and provisions high
but the climate is Heavenly and serene,
although the earthquakes rumble can
often be heard. One day at Tocobeija
l was Just about TO take an outdoor
group when the earth commenced to
shake, and off they scampered like a
bunch of Idaho's cayuses when you are
after them with lariat on the open
range. The buildings are from palaces
to novels, and the latter are worse than
Idaho pig-pens. The inhabitants range
from the most refined and educated to
ten degrees below our North American
indians. The lowly class are as much
in the majority rs bachelors in Idaho.
stopped in Valparaiso seven days
that most delightful of all climates-the
name itself being Spanish for "Vale OF
Paradise" Here the evergreen flour
ishes and the flowers never cease 10
bloom. The beautiful parks and flower
gardens rival description, but it WAS
raining while WAS there, and had to
stay in bed five out of the seven days to
keep from chilling TO death. There is
not fire to warm or dry oneself by in
the place. 1t is a lively city of $50, 900
inhabitants, and the people and houses
and horses are of all descriptions. The
thermometer does not rise higher than
eighty nor sink lower than forty above
zero, and it certainly is delightful if on
ly they would provide fires. | Was in
the interior some. The country is very
beautiful, and they raise all kinds of
fruits, grains, vegetables and tame grass.
There is plenty of timber but no fires.
They are like the people of Idaho about
starving their horses on the range They
say here it is not healthy to sit by Tres,
no they hover down in corner with a
blanket around them and shiver. 1t is
very nice country, but it has two
draw backs. One is, that it rains in
southern Chill fourteen months out OF
the year; the other is. that If you have
two coats you must wear them both, or
back. As near as l could learn life and
property are unsafe. They stole my va
lise and u box of chemicals from under
my head on one of the river boats, and
] WAS we'll Satisfied that they left my
head. Wages are very low. A girl on
ly gets four dollars a month. They are
plentiful enough-about three TO every
msn-snd many are very handsome
When told them TO so to Idaho and
make some of the bachelors there hap
by, they would say mo Intendo."
must say that tile young ladies are more
handsome than our North American la
dies. As to the men, did not look at
them. How could l, when | only had
two eyes-and SO many young ladies'!
Let me warn all who want to go TO
any part of South America east of the
Andes mountains. not 10 20 by way OF
San Francisco and the west coast. A
massage from Frisco to Valparaiso costs
1919, in gold. and from there to Buenos
Ayres 5000. or $3.50 second class. As to
crossing the mountains, they can only
lie crossed for short time at Christmas
and the railroad will not he finished for
wears. The best and quickest way is To
go direct to England, and fron there
you can get to Buenos Ayres for 500,
first-class, or $40 aud $50 for second and
third class. The English steamers have
very good accommodations, even in the
steerage. The bill of fare consists OF
good soft bread, beef-steak, salt Il h, tea,
coffee, potatoes and soups, and wine
twice day, even in the steerage. The
state rooms are furnished with mattress
ss and blankets, and, in fact, when not
oveIcrow ded better than Idaho bachel-
ors are used TO. TO make it plain, you
are as far in dollars and cents when you