The Republican journal., 1904-02-04
AWAY DOWN IN CHILL.
STREET CURIOSITIES. AN EQUES-
TRAN GENTLEMAN. SOME FUNNY
ATIONAL CHARACTERISTICS.

sires to take a ride, he does not send
around to the livery stable for vehicle,
but sallies forth on foot, carrying what
EVER paraphernalia the excursion may
require, and walks until a birlOcherO
ONES along. The public carriages are
much like the 'hacks" in common use
at home, except that they are built in
more substantial fashion, for these
dughly paved roads would soon shake
u ordinary coach into kindling wood.
Jail a passing birlochero, and the
river will whirl his raw boned horses
yO or three times in the narrow street,
laZing the houses on either side, to
ne imminent peril of pedestrians;
1g he considers that deal of noise,
ourish and Whip-cracking are needed
do proper honor to the occasion.
iaving satisfied his conscience in that
gard and brought his foaming steeds
a stand-still, you Chamber in and are
Ntished away, pell-mell, over the
tones, at pace that may truly be
ermed spanking" one, for you are
.ounded against the top like rubber
all and hurled into your neighbours
arms with force enough to fracture
alnly cushioned ribs-bonnets batter
d. hats knocked off; but you may be
5nsoled with the reflection that you
Ire riding for pleasure, and that this
eroic exercise is good for garlic i'm
aired digestion.
IIereabouts the favorite after-dinner
rive is to suburban pleasure garden,
alled the Palancho, which is much
eQuented by all classes of society.
he place in itself has no attractions;
ut there are few ways of varying the
uonotony of life in Chill, and the
imam species are like sheep the world
yer, you know, in following the lead
/ bell-wether.
When first arrived in this part of the
ountry, we used to carefully explain to
II coachmen that we were strangers
D the land and desired to be shown the
OSt beautiful and entertaining sights.
found the cocheros obliging fellows,
ways delighted with the mission and
roud to exhibit home Institutions;
Mt unfortunately, their ideas of the
eautifui and entertaining differed
realty from our own. The first Jehu
owe us straight to the slaughter
Juse. and throwing wide the door, tri-
mphantly invited us to enter and view
= whole process of killing and dress
:. Having declined that amusement.
9 his infinite surprise and disappoint-
Ieut, he drove us next to the big hos
tai, where legs and arms are sawed
-AOre, and where a vast array of am
jtated sores and tumors and mon
sosities are set forth in glass bottles.
nding us still not agreeably diverted,
eu by this gruesome display, which
assesses extraordinary fascination for
liz low class Chileno, he spent the re-
ainder OF the afternoon sulkily driv-
. mp and down the same streets, evil
nifty Illuminating upon the stupidity
los Griugoes.
Another cochero delighted with the
me mission, made a Decline to the
ms-hoUse; another carried Us at once
the penitentiary: and another 20 the
-metery. At last we learned that
oucepcion has no 'sights," even her
urches being too new to be interest
Z: and now on our afternoon drives,
give the unyarying order of ladies
The manner born, ''Naya al Palancho"
60 to the pleasure garden" One is
Te to encounter many novelties en-
tie, and the streets are lively piano.
ma, sloW-moving but Kaleidoscope
unfaillng interest to the foreigner
Forexample: There is a gray rded,
Snlfled guaso, mounted on fine
rise, with his fat wife behind him.
] is topped by broad brimmed hat,
rest of his person enveloped in a
ght-hued poncho, or native blanket,
lth slit in the center through which
thrusts his head; while she wears
lrple cotton gown, scarlet shawl,
nd mans hat of Panama straw.
he horses bride is plated with sill
n and Oh his saddle are piled five
SIX shaggy pillones, or wooden
oths, which almost cover his thighs.
lie rowels of the guaso's spurs are,
thout exaggeration, large as ordinary
a-pIates, five or six inches across, and
avily plated with silver. His stir
ps are made of block of oak, elabo-
3tely carved and followed inside-say
IN inches high by nine in diameter for
Moderate size, each weighing four or
sc poundS-forming complete pro-
"rtlon for the feet when passing
Iongh mud, mountain bushes and
ky detiles. A one side of the saddle
fastened coiled lasso, made of
lSted hide, about as thick as your
lmb, fifty or sixty feet long, with
lp-noose at the end The guaso is
er without a lasso, and the skill
TIL which he can use it is amazing. If
wishes to catch an animal that may
t running away at full speed. he takes