he midst of a fertile country, about twenty-five
miles from Valparaiso, where fruit, flowers, &c., were as freely
offered for sale as before, and again at Vina del Mar, the next
station to Valparaiso. There is a good hotel here, in the midst of a
pretty garden, where you can get an excellent breakfast or dinner.

From this spot the line runs close along the edge of the sea, and we
strained our eyes in vain, trying to discover the yacht. At the
station we were assailed by porters and touts of every description,
but, seeing no one to meet us, and not knowing where to go, we
contented ourselves with collecting our luggage in a little heap,
while a fight went on close by between a policeman and a coachman, who
had been too persistent in his endeavours to obtain a fare. They
knocked one another about a good deal, and broke one or two windows,
after which they appeared quite satisfied, shook hands, and were good
friends again. Tom, Mabelle, and Muriel arrived before it was over,
and we were very glad to meet again after our short absence.

A long, dusty drive brought us to the mole, and while the luggage was
being packed into the boat, Tom and I went to call on the British
Consul, where we found some letters. We were on board in time for two
o'clock luncheon, after which, amid many interruptions from visitors,
we devoured our news from home and other parts--for amongst our
letters were some from Natal, India, Japan, Canada, Teneriffe, South
American ports, St. Petersburg, Constantinople, and several other
places, besides those from dear old England.

About four o'clock Tom and I went ashore. We had intended going alone
in the 'Flash' (our lightest boat), but a strong southerly wind had
sprung up, which at once made the sea so rough that we went in the
'Gleam' (the gig) instead, with six oars. It took the men all their
time to get us ashore, though we had not far to go, for wind, tide,
and waves were all against us.

Valparaiso consists mainly of two interminable streets, running along
the edge of the sea, at the foot of the hills, which rise immediately
behind them, and on which are built all the residences and villas of
the gentlemen of the place. Very few live in the town itself, which is
composed almost entirely of large warehouses and fine shops, where you
can get almost anything you want by paying between three and four
times as much for it as you would do in England. For instance, the
charge for hair-cutting is a do