Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-06-21
SEASONS GET MIXED.
Winter Lingering in the Lap offspring
Is Nothing in Santiago.
HARVEST COMES In sEED-TIME
Sights to Be Seen on q Rambling Trip
Through Chiles Capital.
A GREAT EXHIBITION OF MUMMIES
CORRESPONDENCE OF THE D1srArcH.l

can boast of a more delightful climate, finer
situation, or grander scenery than this
Though barely ], 300 feet above.the sea, it il
far enough from the equator to escape ex-
cessive heat, yet not so distant as to be sub
ject to extreme cold Set In the midst Of a
great, green valley, the mighty Andes that
stretch away to the horizon on every side
inclose it within walls from &, 900 to 20, 900
feet high-their snowy bulwarks in dazzling
contrast to the cloudless blue above, the
living green" below, and golden sun
j shine that envelopes all as with garment
| The country immediately surrounding the
/ capital is made up Of small estates, with
\ handsome villas upon them belonging to
wealthy families, who have the good taste
to forsake the city's glare in summertime
for few months of rural living. Many of
these suburban casas are fitted up in style
OF elegance rarely surpassed in similar resi-
dences OF Europe or the United States
The true name of this ancient capital, by
the way, is Santiago del Nl4syo EstrenO-
| saint Tames of the New Beginning
strange title, bestowed upon it by the con-
/ querer, Valdivia, something more than
three hundred and fifty years ago, in con-
formity with the jurisdiction that had al
ready been set up at Cuzeo, under Father
Valyerdo, the first bishop of South America
Miracles Accompanying Its Founding.
The history of its founding reads like
romance-how Pizarro's whilom friend,
Diego de Almagro, tried hard to conquer
the tribes in this valley, but failed disas-
trously; of heroic endurance, and deeds Of
valor on both sides; of the direct interposi-
tion Of the Virgin Mary, who appeared
standing in the clouds, to the confusion Of
the savages, and of that blessed spook, Saint
James, the Spanish Patron, who seems to
have had a habit of riding downward from
the skies on a milk-white steed at critical
junctures; and of the later vicissitudes of
Pedro de Valdivia, who came soon after
Almagros defeat, with only few of his
countrymen buta great following of friendly
Peruvians and established the town on the
right bank of the Mapoche, in 'front.' Of
Araucanian village.
The tourist, coming down from the trop-
les, feels exhilarated by the climate of Sam
tiago as by draught of old wine. Benja-
min Taylor, in his NBetween the Gates"
describes it exactly, for nowhere are the
reasons more neighborly. Says he: 1.-THE
impropriety of winter lingering in the lap
of spring has made public scandal; but
when September is on whispering terms
with May, and old January masquerades in
June's clothes, and July gives all her rain
bows to November, it is time to talkl The
winter is in summer and the spring is in
winter, and harvest is in seed-time, and
autumn is left out of the calendar alto
gether. The siroccos blow from the North
and the cold winds from the South; and you
must never sail by the almanac, or you will
lose your reckoning and get lost in the.
weather"
VIII Not Tolerate Fires.
But there is another side to this charming
picture. There is q summertime of feas
and dust during the season Of our midwin-,
ter), and an uncomfortable spell Of chilly
-dampness throughout the rainy months,
when Northern people are suffering most
with heat The people have deep-seated
notion that fires indoors breed diseases of
every sort, and except in houses built by
English or American residents there is
hardly a stove, CRATE or fireplace to be found
in all Chile. The enormously thick walls
retain no end Of dampness, the foors-laid
fat upon the ground, without cellars be-
neath-are cold and clammy as tombstones,
and as every casa is built around central
patio into which all the rooms open, there
are seldom communicating doors between
the various apartments; SO that, whatever
the weather, one must step out into the un-
ing room, bedroom or kitchen.
Although the prevailing diseases arer-
pneumonia, throat and lung troubles, and
the mortality from these causes is frightful9 |
during wet seasons, nothing can convince a
Chilean that artificial heat will not abso-
lutely poison the atmosphere. When he
visits the home of foreigner and finds the
rooms are comfortably warm and dry, he
invariably grumbles and requests that the
door be left open 80 that he may not suffo-
cate-but spreads his hands and coat-tails
before the cheerful blaze as if he thoroughly
enjoyed it. 1t looks odd, at a party, to see
ladies in bare arms and decoletts bodices,
with blue noses and chattering teeth,
wrapped in shswls and fur-lined cloaks,
crowding around Q charcoal brazier, which !,
emits Just enough heat 10 make one more
sensible Of the deadly ehills that come gall
loping up ones spinal columny and odder
still to see them, at table, still wrapped in
cloaks and shawls, the aching feet Of each !
guest thrust into d foot warmer, though sur
rounded by every luxury Except fre) that
wealth can buy.
Foot Warmers of the People.
These foot-warmers are unique institu-
tions, and as ornamental as indispensable.
They are regular pockets, each Just large
enough to slip pair of feet into, and are
made Of fur or flannel, lined with llama |
wool They are often richly embroidered,
and are of home manufacture, or made by |
the nuns or orphans In the asylums, who |
are all experts In needlew0rk. And oldest |
of all, it seems to see gentlemen and ladies /
perambulating the plazas in mid-wintsr-J
the former with mufiers, overcoats and fur
caps, the latter bare-headed, with no other i
wrap than silken shawl The manta L.
universally worn In church by all classes Of
Chilean women, but for riding, shopping
and the promenade, all but the ultra-fash-
ienable still go about with heads uncovered.
Santiago is especially blessed with paseos,
or public walks. Besides the incompara-
BILE Alemada already described, the central
plaza, with its environing arcades and
portales, and beautiful Santa Lucia-theFe.
is the Taiamar, lying along the banks of the
Mapoche, which used to be the favorite |
resort before the Alemada was completed.
1t is an embankment of solid masonry, some
three miles long, which was erected many
years ago by Spanish Governor to protect
the CITY from the annual rise of the river,
which sometimes swept away streets full of
houses A delightful winter promenade is
the Tajamar-doubly attractive because out
Of fashion and therefore comparatively de-
ancient wall oyergrown with
vines and lichens, partially shaded by
struggling willows and eucalyptus trees.
rhen. there is the still popular Canadella-
! broad tree-lined avenue where spooning
overs loiter.
Some of Santiago's Wonders.
Though many cities have extensive and
beautiful botanical and geological gardens,
here are few which can show any thing
ike this of Santiago-and I doubt if its
tH 8 |