the-way spot in Chili. The
interior of the house, which is simply but tastefully furnished, and
at the time of our visit was full of fresh flowers, arranged with an
artistic eye to colour, bears the same indescribable _homelike_ air.
We were kindly received and regaled with luncheon, including, amongst
other good things, fried _pejerey_ (king of fish), deservedly so
called.

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
specimens of _minaque_ 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 personal 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 ponchos universally worn,
winter and summer, by the men in this country. These ponchos are not
made of nearly such good material as those used in the Argentine
Republic, but they are considerably gayer and more picturesque in
appearance.

After dinner, there was nothing to do except to stroll about the town
and buy photographs. They are extremely good in Chili--both views and
portraits--but proportionately dear, the price being double what would
be charged in London or Paris for the same thing.

[Illustration: Waiting for the Train, Chili.]

_Saturday, October 21st_.--Having wished good-bye to Mr. Mackay, and
taken our seats in the train for Linares, we were now fairly launched
on our own resources in a strange country, I being the only one of the
party who could speak even a little Spanish. At San Romde we stopped
half an hour to allow the train from Chilian to pass. Most of the
passengers took the opportunity of breakfasting, but as we were not
hungry we occupied the time in having a chat with the engine-driver, a
very intelligent Canadian. He told us that, as it happened, we might
have gone to Angol to-day after all, as a special car and engine were
going there to take a doctor to see a patient, returning early
to-morrow morning.

The railroad runs alongside the Bio-Bio all the way to San Romde. On
either bank are low wooded