alca, and went straight to the Hotel
Colon, kept by Gassaroni. Every Italian who starts an hotel in this
part of the world calls it, as a matter of course, 'The Columbus
Hotel;' for they are very anxious to claim the great navigator as a
countryman, though the Spaniards dispute their right to do so, on the
ground that Genoa, where he was really born, was at that time an
independent State. While we were waiting for dinner we walked about
the town, which so exactly resembles Concepcion and Chilian in the
arrangement of its streets, buildings, and trees, that I doubt whether
any one familiar with the three places could tell immediately which
town he was in, if transported suddenly to the middle of the Plaza,
though I believe Talca is rather the largest. It still retains its old
Indian name, meaning 'thunder,' doubtless on account of the frequency
and violence of the thunder-storms by which it is visited.

_Monday, October 23rd_.--Soon after midnight I was aroused by a great
noise. At first I thought I was dreaming, but a very brief reflection
convinced me of the existence of an energetically played big-drum,
somewhere in the immediate neighbourhood of my bed-room. I at once got
up and, peeping through the window in the door, saw a military band of
twenty-five performers, standing on the other side of the courtyard,
blowing and hitting their hardest. It must be confessed that they
played well, and that their selection of music was good, but it was,
nevertheless, rather annoying, after a long and fatiguing day, and
with the prospect of an early start, to be kept awake until half-past
three in the morning, while they serenaded and toasted the _prima
donna_, and each of the other members of the theatrical company who
are staying here. The noise was, of course, increased by the
reverberation from the walls of the courtyard, and, finding it
impossible to sleep, I abandoned the attempt, and took to writing
instead. At last the welcome notes of the Chilian national air gave me
hope that the entertainment was over for the night--or rather
morning--and soon afterwards all was once more quiet.

We left Talca by the 7.30 train, Mr. Budge, who had business at
Curico, accompanying us. All the engines and rolling stock this side
of Santiago are of American make and pattern. Mr. Budge had secured
one of the long cars, with a passage down the centre, and a saloon at
each end, for us, so we were very comfortable, and he told us a great
de