st
340 dollars, or about sixty guineas, and fifty pounds is not at all an
uncommon price to pay, though the inferior kind may be had for two
pounds. Those ordinarily worn by the gentlemen here cost from twenty
to thirty pounds each, but they are so light, pliable, and elastic
that they will wear for ever, wash like a pocket-handkerchief, do not
get burnt by the sun, and can be rolled up and sat upon--in fact,
ill-treated in any way you like--without fear of their breaking,
tearing, or getting out of shape. For the yacht, however, where so
many hats are lost overboard, they would, I fear, prove a rather
unprofitable investment.

We now drove back to the hotel, past the Mint, a handsome building,
guarded by soldiers, and with windows protected by iron gratings. On
our return I found that one of the valuable ponchos, given to me in
the Argentine Republic, had been taken from our room. The landlord
declined to trouble himself about its recovery, as he said it was
'most unlikely that any one would take a thing of no value to him
here;' the real truth being that the guanaco ponchos are worth nearly
double as much in Chili as they are on the other side of the Andes.

After dinner we walked to the theatre, where we saw _La Sonnambula_
well put on the stage, and well sung and acted by an Italian opera
company. The _prima donna_, contralto, baritone, and bass were all
good, but the scenery was occasionally somewhat deficient. The house,
which is highly decorated--perhaps too much so for the ladies'
dresses--looked well by night, though if it had been full the effect
would have been still better. The box-tiers are not divided into
pigeon-holes, as they are with us, and everybody can therefore see
equally well. The Presidential box seemed commodious and handsome, and
had the Chilian coat of arms in front of it, making it look very much
like a Royal box.

The walk back by moonlight was delightful. Some of our party
afterwards went to the Union Club, where they met several English
gentlemen, who were most kind and pressing in their invitations to
them to stay a few days longer, and go up the mountains to see the
views and to have some guanaco shooting. About twenty-four hours from
here they say you can have your first shot, and a little further on
you meet them in herds which may be counted by thousands. There are
also wild horses and wild donkeys. Quaggas and huemuls used to be
found, but are now extinct. The last named is a rar