In  the  afternoon  we  strolled  about  the  garden,  and
looked  at  the  farm  and  stable,  and  were  shown  the
probable  winner  of  one  of  the  prizes  at  the  forthcoming
race-meeting.  In  the  cottages  on  the  estate  some  speci-
mens of  mifiaqiie  lace  were  offered  to  us — a  lace  made  by
most  of  the  peasants  in  this  part  of  the  country.  It  varies
considerably  in  quality,  from  the  coarse  kind,  used  for
covering  furniture,  to  the  finest  description,  used  for  per-
sonal adornment.  It  is  very  cheap,  wears  for  ever,  and
.strongly  resembles  the  torchon  lace,  now  so  fashionable  in
Paris  and  London  for  trimming  petticoats  and  children's
frocks.  The  women  also  spin,  dye,  and  weave  the  wool  from
the  fleece  of  their  own  sheep  into  the  bright-coloured  pon-
chos universally  worn,  winter  and  summer,  by  the  men  in  this
country.     These  ponchos  are  not  made  of  nearly  such  good

M  2


i64  -^    CHILIAN  RAILWAY.
material  as  those  used  in  the  Argentine  Republic,  but  they
are  considerably  g^iycr  and  more  picturesque  in  appearance.
After  dinner,  there  was  nothing  to  do  except  to  stroll
about  the  town  and  buy  photographs.  Tiiey  are  extremely
good  in  Chili — both  views  and  portraits — but  proportion-
ately dear,  the  price  being  double  what  would  be  charged
in  London  or  Paris  for  the  same  thing.
Saturday.  October  z\st. — tiaving  wished  good-bye  to  Mr.
