Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-09-06
THE JEHU OF CHILE.
His Idea of a Pleasure Ride Is a
Tremendous Shaking Up.
ODD CONCEPTION OF THE SIGHTS.
The Horseback Outfit Of an Aristocrat
Stands Him $1,000.
STREET SCENES IN CONCEPTION
CORRESPONDENCE OF THE D1srArcH.l

CORRESPONDENCE OF THE DIsPATcH.1
CoNCEPcIoN, CHILE, Aug. 5.-In this
country when one desires to take ride, he
does not send around to the livery stable
for a vehicle, but sallies forth on foot, carry
ing whatever paraphernalia the excursion
may require, and walks until a birlochero
comes along. These public carriages are
much like the "hacks' in common use at
home, except that they are built in more
substantial fashion, for these roughly-paved
roads would soon shake an ordinary coach
into kindling wood.
Hail passing birlochero, and its drover
will whirl his raw-boned horses two or
three times around in the narrow street,
grazing the houses on either side, to the
imminent peril of pedestrians. for he con-
siders that deal of noise, flourish and
whip cracking are necessary to do proper
honor to the occasion. Having satisfied his
conscience in that regard, and brought his
foaming steeds to stand-still, YOU Chamber
in and are whisked away, peil-mel, over
the stones, at pace that may be truly
termed a spanking" one, for you are
bounded against the top like rubber ball
and hurled into your neighbours arms with
force enough to fracture thinly-cushioned
ribs-bonnets battered, hats knocked off;
but you may be consoled by the reflection
that you are riding for pleasure, and that
this heroic exercise is good for garlic-im-
paired digestion.
THE JEHU's IDEA OF BEAUTY.
Hereabouts the favorite after-dinner
drive is to a suburban pleasure garden
called the Polanco, which is much
frequented by all classes of society. The
place in itself has no attractions; but there
are few ways of varying the monotony of
life in Chile, and the human species are
like sheep, the world over, you know, in
the following the lead Of a bell-wether
When first arrived in this part of the coun-
try, we used carefully to explain to our
coachman that we were strangers in the land
and desired to be shown the most beautiful
and entertaining sights.
We found the cocheros obliging fellows,
always delighted with the mission and
proud to exhibit home institutions; but
unfortunately their ideas of the beautiful
differed greatly from our own. The first
Jehu drove us straight to the slaughter
house, and throwing wide the door,
triumphantly invited us to enter and view
the whole process of killing and dressing.
Having declined the amusement, to his in
finite surprise and disappointment, he drove
next to the big hospital, where legs and
arms are sawed galore, and where a vast
array of amputated sores and tumoss and
monstrosities are set fourth in glass bottles.
Finding us still not agreeably diverted
even by this gruesome display which pos
sesses extraordinary fascination for the low
class Chilend, he spent the remainder of
the afternoon driving sulkily up and down
the same streets, evidently Illuminating
upon the stupidity of Gringoes.
THE SIGHTS OF THE STREETS
Another cochero, delegated with the same
mission, made bee-line to the almshouse;
another carried us at once to the peniten-
tiary, and another to the poor little ceme-
terry. AT last we learned that Conception
has no "sights," even her churches being
too new to be interesting; and now on our
afternoon drives we give the unvarying or
der, "Vaya al Polanco," go to the pleasure
garden. One is sure to encounter many
novelties en- route, and the streets are
lively panorama, slow-moving but kaleido-
scopic, of unfailing interest to the foreigner.
For example: There is gray-bearded,
Guaso, mounted on o fine horse,
with his fat wife behind him. He is topped
by broad -brimmed hat, the rest of his per-
son enveloped in bright-hued poncho or
native blanket, with slit in the center
through which he thrusts his head; while
she wears purple cotton gown, scarlet
shawl, and mans hat of Panama straw.
The horses bride is plated with silver,
and on the saddle are piled five or six
shaggy pillones, or wooden cloths, which
almost cover his thighs. The rowels of the
Guaso's spurs are, without e1aggeration,
large as ordinary tea plates-from six to
eight inches across, and often heavily |
plated with silver His stirrups are made
from block of oak, elaberately carved |
nine inches IN diameter for moderate size,
each weighing four or five pounds-form- |
ing complete protection for the feet when |
passing through mud, mountain bushes and |
rocky defiles.
HOW THEY USE THE LAsso.
At one side of the saddle is fastened q |
coiIed lasso, made of twisted hide, about as |
thick as your thumb, 80 or 60 feet long,
with a slip-noose at the end. The Quaso is |
never without his lasso, and the skill with |
which he can use it is amazing. If he
wishes to capture an animal that may be |
off at full speed, he takes the coil |
in his right hand, urges his horse to a mad
gallop, and whirling the lasso to give it
hurls its loop with unerring
aim around the neck, horns or legs of the |
animal, with as much ease and accuracy as
skilled baseball player sends his ball The
horse is so trained that the instant the lasso
leaves his riders hands, he stops and braces
himself, to bear the strain of the struggling
animal Chileans of the Guaso class are
bred to this exercise from infancy, and
every ragamufin urchin old enough to
toddle, is forever practising his art on
poultry, dogs, cats and other small animals
that come in his way with the same dia-
bolical persistence that the gamin of Peru
and Bolivia shy stones out of strings at
and Patagonian boys, a degree
less civilized, shoot their bone-tipped
arrows.
Hurrying on toward the Polanco, we meet
md pass other birlocheros, all filed with
,hattering and smiling Chileans; drunken
sailors, come over from the port of Talca-
luano to ''paint the town." galIoping the
streets at break-neck speed, knowing little
bout horsemanship and caring less; and
,eons, seated on the rear end of little
lonkeys, carrying before them huge PAN
liers of fruits and vegetables.
MERCHANTS OF THE SIDEWALKS.