The Republican journal., 1904-02-04

break-neck speed, knowing little about
Craftsmanship and caring less; and
poems seated on the extreme rear end
of diminutive donkeys, carrying before
them huge panniers of fruits and vege-
tables. Every street corner is occupied
by ragged exile from sunny Italy,
with hand-organ and monkey, grinding
out alleged music to the delighted pop
ulace. These troubadouring nuisances
are more fortunate here than in the far
North, for in Chilli they are never
routed by the police, but are actually
paid by the authorities.
Here comes a peon with long pole
over his shoulder, from which dangle
punches of tallow candles, while he
sings in a musical voice, with many
variations of infection, "Velos de sedo"
(tallow candles; "Aqui son velos de
sedo" "ve-los- desc bo-o-ow." Behind
him comes another bare-footed citizen
carrying an armful of country brooms,
each being merely a bunch of broom
corn tied around the end of rough
stick about two feet long. We pass no
end of merchants, male and female,
seated on the ground with broad, shall
low baskets before them containing
fruits and dulcies for sale, or charcoal
pots over which garlic seasoned tamales
are sizzling IN grease. Others have
gay feather busters, made from the
plumage of Patagonian ostriches; and
the stock in trade of one or two are
elegant robes of guanaca SKINS fine,
soft fur of mingled canary-color, buff
and white, brought from down toward
the straits of Mag elan and here used
for foot-rugs in winter time. Now and
then one is so fortunate as to encounter
an itinerant merchant with some Of
those splendid robes made of the
breasts of ostriches, covered with gray
and white feathers from four to six
inches long, which are prepared by the
Patagonian Indians. l have succeeded
in capturing beauty, about three
yards square, which was originally in
tended to be worn as dress by the
favorite wife of a Patagonian chief. 1t
is in diamond-shaped squares of gray
and white in regular pattern, and is
composed of the breasts of nine young
ostriches. These feathery skins wear
as we'll as furs, and nothing can be
more beautiful for sofa coverings, car
riage robes or rugs.
Arrived at the Palanco, we find the
Gillian caballeros (gentlemen), out in
full force on their prancing nags, ex-
hibiting Craftsmanship of which they
have good reason to be proud. In this
country horses are seldom broken to
harness, all the teaming and hauling
being done with oxen. The gear of the
CHILEAN gentleman's saddle horse is a
most curious and complicated affair.
The bit is a long, heavy, fiat piece of
iron, which rests on the horses tongue
and presses against the roof of his
mouth. At each end is a hole, through
which is passed an iron ring about four
inches in diameter, which encircles the
low jaw. At each side of the mouth is
placed another iron ring, to which the
reins are fastened The entire mouth
rigging weighs about five pounds, and if
jerked, is powerful enough to
break any animals jaw. The reins are
made of finely braided hide or horse
hair and are joined together when they
reach the pommel of the saddle, ter
in long lash called a chilote,
at the end of which is small piece of
lead, usually hidden in handsome tas-
sell When not in use the chilote hangs
down the flank of the horse, often drag
ging on the ground. Its load of lead is
usually heavy enough to furnish
weapon of offence and defence as for
midable as a slung-shot, and the poor
horse is beaten numerically with it.
These soft voiced, mild hammered and
excessively polite Chilenos are as cruel
to beasts as to men. Horses are so
cheap that even beggars may ride A
good native broncho can be bought for
five dollars and his owner knows no
mercy. The beasts are driven until
they drop and then fresh ones are sub
Jected to the same treatment. No care
is taken to protect domestic animals,
or to make them comfortable. AL
though the winters in this latitude are
cold to degree Of ice and snow, stables
for horses and cattle are unknown.
When their days labor is done, they
are turned into corral, or a pasture,
or the street, to seek their own food;
and every year thousands of them die
from over-work and starvation.
have seen number of fancy bits
made of solid silver, and brides plated
with gold, with reins made of golden
wire. Sonora Cousino-the wealthiest
widow in South America-had one that
cost $1,000. Those costing one thous-
and dollars or more are common in
Santiago. The CHILEAN saddle is even
more queer and complicated than the
bride. First, half dozen sheep skins
are piled one above another on the