The daily morning journal and courier., 1904-01-30


 riations of infection, Webs de sedo
 (tallow eandIes); eAlxui son velos de 1 sedo;" 've-los-de-se- -bo-o-o." 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 a 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 ta- males are sizzling in grease. Others have gay feather clusters, 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, buffn and white, brought from down toward the Straits of Magellan 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 Pata-
 gonian Indians I have succeeded in
 capturing a beauty, about three yards
 square, which was originally intended
 to be worn as dress by the favorite
 wife of a Patagonian chief. It is in di-
 amond-shaped squares of gray and
 white in regular pattern, and is com
 posed Of the breasts of nine young os-
 triches Those feathery skns wear as
 well as furs, and nothing can be more beautiful for sofa coverings, carriage
 robes or rugs.
 Arrived at the Polanco we find the lChilian caballeros (gentlemen), out in full force on their prancing nags, exhib- liting horsemanship of which they have
 good reason to be proud. In this coun- try horses are seldom broken to har-
 ness, all the teaming and hauling being done with oxen. The gear of the Chill
 ian gentlenan's saddle-horse is a most
 curious and complicated affair. The bit is long heavy, fiat piece of iron,
 which rests on the horses tongue and presses against the roof of his mouth. I At each side of the mouth is placed an
 other iron ring, to which the reins are
 fastened. The entire mouth-rigging
 weighs about five pounds. and if sud-
 denly 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, termi-
 mating in long lash called chilote, at
 the end of which is small piece of lead,
 usually hidden in a handsome tsssel.
 When not in use the chicote hangs down
 the flank of the horse, often dragging
 on the ground. Its load of lead is usu- ally heavy enough to furniseh weapon
 of offence and defence as formidable as
 a slung-shot, and the poor horse is
 beaten unmercifully with it. These
 soft-voiced, mild-mannered and excess
 sively 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 subjected to the
 same treatment. No care is taken to
 protect domestic animals, or to make
 them comfortable. Although the win
 ters in this latitude are cold to degree
 of ice and snow, stables for horses and
 cattle are unknown. When their day's labor is done they are turned into a Icorral, 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 oslid silver, and brides plaited , txx,i+h wi IA IA I ' wire. Sonora Cousino-the wealthiest widow in South America-had one thai cost twenty-five hundred dollars Those costing onethousad dollars ol
 more are common in Santiago The lChilian saddle is even more queer an6 } complicated than the ,bdle. Firstl , half a dozen sheep-skins are piled, ont } above anothed, on the horses back; { leather strap is passed around them ant | firmly secured. Then comes a sort 0, ! skeleton saddle, or rather piece O. ! wood cut into the shape of a saddle tree with a cantle at each end; on tol } of this are piled any number of sheep l skins, or, if the owner is rich enough : rare and costly furs furnish the seat : which is called a montura. The foul f corners are fastened down by broat : leather straps, ornamented with silve, 3 and brass buckles, to enable the ride l to wedge himself in; and the whole i { bound around the horse with broat band of canvas or leather. som z wealthy equestrians have a high-pom mel, like those of the Mexicans, whicl . is covered with silver and stamped ol } top with the owners coat-of-arms. Il : Chili it is distinctly understood that tn ? amount of silver on a mans riding out l fit indicates his station in life, and nat s urally there is a good deal of competi t ton in that direction among the swel e caballeros. While the poor mans stir e rup is a rude affair, fashioned by han, : out of a block of wood, as above de l scribed his aristocratic neighbor use l one quite as heavy but much more or , riamental, made of brass or silver, usu l ally in the shape of a slipper. Those de signed for ladies are often made 0 S solid silver beautifully chased, and ar {, a favorite gift. Thus you see that S fully equipped saddle horse for Chil d ian gentleman, with silver spurs, gol e and silver mounted saddle and bridle e furs, sheep-skins and all the rest or tn S toggery represent an outlay olive thou f sand dollars or more. It is considere y the height of vulgarity among the aris e tocrats to use modern English saddlery : and new ponchos; especially the pon S chos, which in their families have bee