The Republican journal., 1903-11-19

in uniting all the interests of the diff
ferent factions.
Fronting the Alameda are some of
the most splendid palaces of this proud
old capital Houses which cost half a
million dollars to build, and as much
more TO decorate and furnish, are CON-
mon here. Many are of carved sand
stone, fully 200 feet square, with the
inevitable central patio, Some have
two, even three patios, one behind an
other, so that the vista of orange trees,
palms and blossoming shrubs, foun-
tains, flowers and statuary, is most
charming as seen from the great arch
ed doorway which is usually closed by
a high gate of gilded iron bars. We
have visited a number of these man
sions, and will tell you something of
their interiors another time.
Ell Zorro de Santa Lucia is strange,
steep hill of solid rock, cast by some
volcanic freak into the center of the
and rises abruptly to the height of near
ly thousand feet 1t is surrounded at
the base by a lofty wall, which zig-Zags
like a battemented fortress some dis
lance up the sides; having bartizans,
towers and parapetS, aud an enclosing
gateway where a small entrance fee is
charged. a wide, well-kept carriage
way winds around and around the stony
hillside more than half way to the sum-
nit; While paths, bordered by shrubs
and flowers, and steep stairs dug in the
solid rock, lead to the very apex, which
is topped by an octagonal observatory
with glass roof. All these embellish-
ments were effected by the late Benja-
min Nicuna Mackenna, an eminent
CHILEAN editor author, orator and
statesman, who was governor of Santi-
ago for many years and i'll 1876 was
one of the candidates for the Presi-
dency. Being public spirited citizen,
and possessing considerable wealth, he
undertook the work of converting an
unsightly mound which could not be
moved into a thing of beauty and a joy
forever. By the aid of private sub
scriptions, and using much of his own
means, he improved the natural re-
sources of the bare rocks by all that
money could compass and taste sug-
gest. He designed it also as his own
posthumous monument, and now lies
buried on the side toward sunset, at
the edge of precipice 800 feet above
the town. Here is a miniature castle
fronted by a lovely little chapel; and in
the crypt of the latter Mackenna re-
poses.
Tradition tells us that the king of
the unconquerable Araucanians had
stronghold here centuries before the
coming of white men; and from as far
back as the Spanish invasion in Valid.
Was time, down to a recent date, it
served as fortress, commanding the
entire valley with its guns. 1t was on
Santa Lucia that the United States AS
Economical Expedition, under Lieut..
GILES Gin 1882 made its observation
From base to summit are winding
walks and stairways, overhanging bal
comics, grottoes, statues, belvideres,
kiosks, groves, flower beds and vine
draped arbors. The stairway leading
to the summit is necessarially very
steep and narrow, requiring tolerably
strong head and steady foot to make
the ascent; but mercifully, the dizzy
heights are partially hidden by vines
and overlapping branches. Following
a winding path among dense shrubs
and trees, the way grows narrower,
wilder and more crooked. Suddenly
you come to craggy grotto, within
which perpetual twilight reigns and ice
cold water drips, and you are startled
to meet the wicked eyes of horribly
life-like serpent, its head raised as if to
strike. Along the crooked path giant
geraniums are growing, some ten feet
high with trunks like saplings; besides
roses, in infinite variety, azaleas, honey
suckle, Indian pinks, pansies and for
get-me-nots-all apparently clinging to
the bare rock, but in reality well
grounded in a coating of fertile soil
brought up from the valley.
Ever SO far above the city's din and
tumult is an obscure dormer, which
can be reached only by zig-zag foot
paths, where rustic seats are set under
sheltering trees; and it is safe to say
that right here "the old, old story"
which is as new and sweet today as
when first told in the Garden of Eden,
has been repeated oftener than any
where else in Chilli.