The morning call., 1891-08-28
DESCRIPTIVE.

The Country Where the Balmaceda and
Insurgent Forces Are.
Chile, the and of strife and Balmaceda
Is long strip of country lying on the coast
of South America west of the Andes
Mountains. It's greatest length is nearly
$500 miles, stretching from Cape Horn to 1S0
south latitude. Its greatest breadth is
across the famous desert of Atacama, in
the northern part of the country, and is less
than 800 miles. and It's direction is nearly
north aud south.
From the north the first town of any i'm
portance is lquique, or, as it is sometimes
called by seafaring men, a port without a
harbor. as it is one Of the worst anchorages
on the entire coast of South America. This
is the point from which most of the nitrate
is shipped, and often quite fleet of vessels
may be seen riding at anchor there. But at
the least sign of blow they up anchor and
put to sea as fast as possible. The town is
situated on high bluff overlooking the
roadstead, and In the piping times of peace
Is very busy place, and many thousand
tons of nitrate are shipped from it every
year. Prior to the present war the town
possessed no defenses whatever, but Bal
maceda's troops erected few batteries,
which were afterward strengthened by the
insurgents when the city fell into their
hands. The next town, going south, of any
importance is
CoBIJA.
Situated about $50 miles south of fIquiQue, and
back of 1t for nearly 800 miles stretches the
dreary Atacama Desert The coast from
lquiaue south is mountainous AID rocky and
generally bare of vegetation, and even a goat
would find 1t hard work to make Ii wing
thele. Cobija is port of call for the lines
OF steamers that run up and down the
coast, and is also nitrate port, but very
little is ever shipped from there. The town
is practically deienseless. not IA single gun
OF any description being mounted there.
The trade OF the town is limited to supply
ing the nearest nitrate works with provis-
ions, and most of this is carried on the
backs of mules. Antofagasta, about $50
miles south of Cobija, next to Iuuieue
Is the largest nitrate-shipping port.
This port prior to the Chlean-P Peruvian
war enjoyed the distinction Of being the
principal seaport of Bolivia. Its entire
commerce is derived from the vast fields of
nitrate in the desert with which the town
Is practically surrounded. Nearly all the
food consumed in Antofagasta is carried
there from the southern part of the coun-
try, as nothing can be made to grow in the
poor soil on which the town is built. Every
steamer
FROM THE SOUTH
Brings large quantities of all kinds of vege-
the harbor form the principal food of all
classes. A long stretch of coast interyenes
between Antofagasta and Caldera, the next
town down the coast. Here, too, nature
has not done much in the way of providing
a good harbor, but it is far better than
either. of the northern ports. Here for the
first time in going south along the Chilean
coast green fields may be seen, as the coun-
try has lost the barren aspect of the desert
region. The soil is rich, and vast crops of
all kinds OF cereals are harvested every
year. Fruit is plentiful and cheap, and in
the region back Of the town herds Of cattle
are raised which furnish the animal food
used In the more northern portion of the
State. The trade Of the town is confined
entirely to the coast steamer calling there
onca week, and few small sailing vessels
suffice to keep the town awake. During the
grain season, however, extra steamers are
put on, and then for short time things are
rushing.
About fifty miles inland from Caldera is
the city OF Copiapo, town that carries on
large trade with the country to the east
and south of it.
HUASCo
Is the next town going south, and It Is one
OF the sleepiest places on the entire coast.