CHILE AND HER PEOPLE OF TO-DAY
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[Illustration: A CHILEAN GIRL WITH THE _MANTA_.
(_See page 90_)]
CHILE AND HER
PEOPLE OF
TO-DAY
AN ACCOUNT OF THE
CUSTOMS, CHARACTERISTICS, AMUSEMENTS,
HISTORY AND ADVANCEMENT
OF THE CHILEANS, AND THE
DEVELOPMENT AND RESOURCES OF
THEIR COUNTRY
BY
NEVIN O. WINTER
Author of “Mexico and Her People of To-day,”
“Guatemala and Her People of To-day,”
“Brazil and Her People of To-day,”
“Argentina and Her People of
To-day”
ILLUSTRATED FROM ORIGINAL AND SELECTED
PHOTOGRAPHS BY THE AUTHOR
[Illustration]
BOSTON
L. C. PAGE AND COMPANY
MDCCCCXII
_Copyright, 1912_
BY L. C. PAGE & COMPANY
(INCORPORATED)
_All rights reserved_
First Impression, January, 1912
_Electrotyped and Printed by
THE COLONIAL PRESS
C. H. Simonds & Co., Boston, U.S.A._
PREFACE
To the jealousy of Francisco Pizarro was due the discovery and conquest
of Chile. Reports having reached Pizarro that there were regions to the
south yet virgin, and teeming with wealth richer than that of Peru, he
sent Diego de Almagro, one of his lieutenants, with an expedition to
conquer these unknown lands. Almagro failed, and later he sent Pedro de
Valdivia with another expedition. There was another reason for sending
these expeditions, for Pizarro hoped that neither of these men would
return to Peru, since he feared their shrewdness and popularity.
Valdivia succeeded in establishing a permanent settlement, but himself
fell a victim to the hardy tribesmen of the central valley of Chile, who
were far different from the soft and mild Incas enslaved by Pizarro. He
had found that it was no easy task he had undertaken, and the sturdy race
of Araucanians was still unconquered when the Spaniards were driven out
of the country by the generations that had grown up from the time of its
first settlement.
The Chileans have ever been independent in thought and action, and they
have proved to be the best soldiers of South America. The temperate
climate, the mountainous character of the country and its isolation,
and the admixture of blood with the unconquerable Araucanians, who most
nearly resemble the North American redmen of any of the aborigines
of South America, have all contributed to the development of this
characteristic.
The government is now as stable and hopeful as that of any of the South
American nations, and, because of its natural formation, Chile has
developed into the strongest maritime nation of that continent. Its fine
bays and harbours, its coal supplies and its long seacoast, undoubtedly
destine Chile to be the master of the southern seas in the ages yet to
come. Furthermore, its vast and fertile valleys, where every product of
the temperate climate grows, and where immense herds of cattle may be
fed, its mineral wealth and vast nitrate fields, undoubtedly destine it
to a greatness on land as well as on the sea.
The history of Chile has always appealed to the writer, in common with
thousands of other people, and it has been a pleasure to trace the
development of the country from its incipiency to its present condition.
The same care has been exercised in the preparation of “Chile and Her
People of To-day” as in the other books of the series, which have been so
well received. Any repetitions that appear of expressions or ideas are
intentional and not the result of hasty or careless preparation.
The author wishes to acknowledge his obligation to The Pan-American
Bulletin for two or three photographs which appear in this work, and also
to the Bureau under which it is issued for many courtesies received at
the hands of the Director and his associates.
NEVIN O. WINTER.
TOLEDO, OHIO, _January, 1912_.
CONTENTS
CHAPTER PAGE
PREFACE v
I. THE COUNTRY 1
II. THE WEST COAST 19
III. VALE OF PARADISE 46
IV. THE CITY OF SAINT JAMES 69
V. THE GRANARY OF THE REPUBLIC 92
VI. THE LAND OF THE FIRE 120
VII. THE BACKBONE OF THE CONTINENT 148
VIII. A LABORATORY OF NATURE 178
IX. THE PEOPLE 191
X. AN UNCONQUERABLE RACE 212
XI. EDUCATION AND THE ARTS 230
XII. THE DEVELOPMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 243
XIII. RELIGIOUS INFLUENCES 261
XIV. THE STRUGGLE FOR INDEPENDENCE 280
XV. THE NITRATE WAR 315
XVI. CIVIL WAR AND ITS RESULTS 336
XVII. PRESENT CONDITIONS AND FUTURE POSSIBILITIES 360
APPENDICES 391
INDEX 405
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
PAGE
A CHILEAN GIRL WITH THE _MANTA_ (_See page 90_) _Frontispiece_
MAP OF CHILE 2
THE ANDES FROM SANTA LUCIA 6
THE WEST COAST 20
A MILK BOY IN PERU 28
ROW BOATS CROWDING AROUND A STEAMER 33
THE HARBOUR OF ARICA 36
A STREET SCENE, ANTOFAGASTA 42
COQUIMBO, A TYPICAL WEST COAST TOWN 44
AN “ASCENSOR” IN VALPARAISO 47
A CHICKEN PEDDLER, VALPARAISO 57
A VENDER OF DONKEY’S MILK, VALPARAISO 58
AN ATTRACTIVE HOME, VIÑA DEL MAR 60
SANTA LUCIA 71
ALAMEDA DE LAS DELICIAS, SANTIAGO 72
DANCING LA CUECA, THE NATIONAL DANCE 75
A GROUP OF NEWSBOYS, SANTIAGO 81
A MARKET SCENE, SANTIAGO 82
THE OLDEST BUILDING IN SANTIAGO 89
A PLANTATION OWNER 97
DRAWING AN AMERICAN THRESHER 99
VIEW OF PUERTO MONTT 108
IN THE STRAITS OF MAGELLAN 122
A WRECK ON THE COAST OF CHILE 128
GENERAL VIEW OF PUNTA ARENAS 132
PORT FAMINE, IN THE STRAITS OF MAGELLAN 135
THE ACONCAGUA RIVER 149
LOOKING TOWARDS ACONCAGUA 151
THE SALTO DEL SOLDADO 154
REFUGE HOUSE ALONG THE OLD INCA TRAIL 157
THE CHRIST OF THE ANDES 161
THE SOLITUDE OF THE ANDES 163
LOADING NITRATE 186
A GROUP OF CHILEAN GIRLS 206
OX CARTS 223
THE ESCUELA NAVAL, VALPARAISO 233
THE HARBOUR, VALPARAISO 248
JUNCAL STATION 258
TRANSANDINO CHILENO RAILWAY, SHOWING ABT SYSTEM OF COGS 260
A CHILEAN PRIEST 268
JOSÉ DE SAN MARTIN 289
CONGRESS PALACE, SANTIAGO 305
DIGGING NITRATE 316
THE MILITARY BARRACKS, SANTIAGO 346
CHILEAN SOLDIERS 352
A MARKET SCENE, VALPARAISO 364
THE BATTLESHIP, “O’HIGGINS” 371
A TYPICAL COAST SCENE 377
THE CUSTOM HOUSE, VALPARAISO 388
CHILE AND HER PEOPLE OF TO-DAY
CHAPTER I
THE COUNTRY
The republic of Chile has one of the strangest configurations of any
country on the globe. It stretches over thirty-eight degrees of latitude,
thus giving it a coast line of twenty-six hundred and twenty-five miles
from its northern border to the most southerly point on the Fuegian
Archipelago. It is a long and narrow ribbon of land, at no place wider
than two hundred miles, and in places narrowing to sixty-five miles. It
has an average width of only ninety miles, while the length is fully
thirty times the average width. Placed on the western coast of North
America, in the corresponding latitude, this republic would extend from
Sitka, Alaska, to a point on the Pacific coast opposite the City of
Mexico. If the state of Texas should be stretched out into a narrow
strip of land two thousand and five hundred miles in length, it would
give a fair idea of the peculiar shape of Chile. It follows quite
closely the seventieth parallel of longitude, which would correspond
with that of Boston. This strange development has been due to the Andean
mountain range, which, with its lofty peaks and numberless spurs, forms
the eastern boundary throughout its entire length. For a long time the
boundary lines with its neighbours were in dispute, but these have all
been successfully adjusted.
[Illustration]
Within these boundaries there is naturally a wide divergence of climate.
In the north, at sea level, the vegetation is tropical, and it is
semi-tropical for several hundred miles south. If one goes inland the
mountains are soon encountered, and the line of perpetual snow is reached
at about fifteen thousand feet, but this line descends as you proceed
south. On the Fuegian Islands snow seldom disappears from sight, although
at sea level it may all thaw. The temperature everywhere varies according
to altitude and proximity to the sea. In the north it is milder than the
same latitude on the eastern coast, because of the Antarctic Current
which washes the shores, and at the south it is warmer than the same
latitude in North America. Within these extremes, from the regions which
are washed by the Antarctic seas to the banks of the Sama River, which
separates it from Peru, and between the shores where the Pacific breakers
roll and the Cordilleras of the Andes which mark the boundary with
Argentina, there are two hundred and ninety-one thousand, five hundred
square miles, and supporting a population of three and a quarter millions
of people, of many shades of colour.
One-fourth or more of the territory of Chile is made up of islands. The
largest of these, of course, is Tierra del Fuego, of which a little more
than one-half is Chilean territory. The coast from Puerto Montt to the
southern limits of the continent is notched and indented with fiords and
inlets, and scores of islands have been formed, probably by volcanic
action. Few of these have claimed any attention, and, of all those lashed
by the waves of the Antarctic seas, Tierra del Fuego is the only one
that has received any development. The sheep man has taken possession of
portions of that island, and hundreds of thousands of sheep now graze on
its succulent grasses. The island of Chiloé, near Puerto Montt, is one
of the most important of the islands, and several small foreign colonies
have been located on its rich soil. Some of the islands are very remote
from the mainland. The most isolated one is Pascua, or Easter, island,
which is at a distance of more than two thousand miles from the coast.
It is almost in the centre of the Pacific Ocean. The San Felix and San
Ambrosio groups, and that of Juan Fernandez, the reputed home of Robinson
Crusoe, are also at a distance of several hundred miles from the shores
of the republic.
From the northern boundary to Concepción, the coast line is generally
uniform and indentations are rare. There are only a few bays of any
considerable size, and only an occasional cape or promontory. From Chiloé
to Tierra del Fuego is a stretch of coast five hundred miles in length,
which a glance at the map will show is a perfect network of islands,
peninsulas and channels. This is the Chilean Patagonia. It provides
scenery as grandly picturesque as the famous fiords along the coast of
Norway, and greatly resembles that broken and rugged coast. The bays and
gulfs cut into the shores to the foothills of the Andean range. They
are of great depth. The Gulf of Las Peñas furnishes an entrance to this
labyrinth at the north, and the Straits of Magellan at the south. Some
of the passes are so narrow that they seem like gigantic splits in the
mountain ranges—grandly gloomy and narrow. Through these openings in the
rock the water rushes with terrific force owing to the action of the
tides. But, once within, the opening broadens out into little bays, where
the waters are as calm and serene as a mountain lake. These channels
are a vast Campo Santo, or God’s Acre, of wrecked vessels. Numerous as
the disasters have been the sight of a stranded boat is rare, for the
grave is usually hundreds of fathoms deep. In every case, however, the
wrecked vessel has given her name to the rock that brought disaster, and
the official charts are dotted with the names of rocks, which thus form
eternal headstones for the unfortunate vessels. One writer has given the
following account of these channels:—
“If one can imagine the Hudson River bordered continuously by
verdure-covered mountains descending precipitously into the water, and
jutting out here and there in fantastic buttress-like headlands, one has
some idea of Messier Channel. But add to this a network of long, thin
cataracts threading their way thousands of feet down through gullies and
alleys from mountain crest to water edge. Far up the mountain sides they
are so distant as to seem motionless, like threads of silver beaten into
the crevices of the rocks; but near the water their motion can be both
seen and heard as they fall amid the rocks to reach the sea.”
The southern portion of the republic terminates in two peninsulas, known
as King William and Brunswick, which are separated by the gulfs of Otway
and Skyring. The Straits of Magellan then separate the mainland from the
Fuegian Archipelago. This channel, which varies in width from one to
twenty-five miles, is three hundred and sixty-two miles in length from
Cape Pillar to Cape Virgenes, the latter being the eastern, or Atlantic,
terminus. It affords a safe passage for vessels, and is used almost
exclusively by steamers bound from one coast to the other.
[Illustration: THE ANDES FROM SANTA LUCIA.]
After forming the plateau of Bolivia, the Andes, the backbone of South
America, stretches down to the lower end of the continent. It is formed
by a succession of high mountains, with lofty peaks covered with the
eternal snows. At intervals passes are found which permit of access
from one side of the mountain to another. The highest point of this
mighty range is reached just opposite Valparaiso, Mt. Aconcagua, and
from there it descends until, at the Straits of Magellan, it reaches
sea level. It probably continues still farther, but its highest spurs
are engulfed beneath the ocean. The width also varies greatly, from
forty-five to one hundred miles. Along the Chilean border there are more
than fifty definite peaks exceeding thirty-three hundred feet in height,
and twenty-nine of more than ten thousand feet in altitude. Four are
above twenty thousand feet. Most of these were originally volcanoes,
but they are nearly all now extinct or quiescent. South of Aconcagua
is a succession of lofty volcanic peaks, such as San José de Maipu,
San Fernando, Tingueririca and others, all apparently extinct. Then
follow Nevado del Chillan, Antuco, Villarica and Osorno, all of which
occasionally emit vapour, and, lastly, the Tronador (thunderer) near the
southern extremity of the country.
By reason of its peculiar shape easy access is given to all parts of the
republic, and the exploitation of its resources has been comparatively
easy. In no place are the mountains far distant, and short spurs of
railway connect the mineral deposits with the sea. Along the coast there
are no fewer than fifty-nine ports, between which regular communication
by steamer is carried on. Fourteen of these are ports of entry, in which
customs houses are located, and the others are minor ports, at which only
national coasting steamers stop.
There are very many rivers in the country, but only a very few of them
are any aid to navigation. They are mostly short streams which are formed
by the melting snows of the Andes, and then rush onward toward the sea by
a more or less direct route. The principal rivers are all in the southern
half of the country. In the deserts of the northern section the waters
formed by melting snows are evaporated or are absorbed by the parched
soil long before they reach the sea. The Yelcho and Palena are the
largest rivers of Chile. The latter is the longest, for it cuts through a
pass in the Andes and runs back into Argentine territory for seventy-five
miles. Others are the Maullin, Calle-Calle, Bio-Bio, Bueno and Maule.
Some, such as the Bio-Bio and Maule, are navigable for short distances by
vessels of shallow draft. Their importance to commerce is insignificant,
however, when compared with the great rivers of the eastern coast. The
Bio-Bio, for instance, is only one hundred and sixty miles long. They
do furnish water for irrigation purposes, only a small portion of which
has as yet been developed. There are several lakes in Chile, of which
Llanquihue, Todos Santos, and Ranco are the most important. The two first
mentioned have steam navigation.
There are many valleys of very fertile land which can be made among the
richest agricultural lands of the world. As a rule these valleys are
small and irrigated by streams flowing from the east to the west. The
great central valley, which runs in a southerly direction for several
hundred miles from Santiago, is one of the most remarkable features of
the country and the garden of the republic. This valley is almost six
hundred miles in length from north to south, but varies considerably in
width. Its average width for the entire length is probably thirty miles.
This is the granary of the country, and the source of its principal
food supply. All of the cereals grow to perfection in this climate
and on this soil. Wheat, barley, corn, rye and oats are cultivated in
large quantities. All of the vegetables and fruits that flourish in
the temperate zone of the Northern Hemisphere also grow to large size.
Alfalfa makes a fine pasture. And yet even this fertile valley has only
been developed in part. Not more than one-fourth of the landed surface
of Chile is fitted for cultivation, but of this portion not more than
one-fourth has been touched by the agriculturist or ranchman. Hence
there are great possibilities of development yet unexploited in this
republic. Cattle and sheep are profitable and are increasing in number.
The waterfalls, also, give great possibilities of cheap power for
manufacturing purposes, and the future will probably find all of the
railroads operated by electric power, because of the cheapness with which
current can be produced. This result seems to be only the natural outcome
of existing conditions.
Such a country, with such a long extent of sea coast, would ordinarily be
an almost impossible country to handle. It has, perhaps, been fortunate
that the coast is easily reached in all parts, from the inhospitable
deserts of the northern regions to the dense forests of the south.
No country of equal size in the world has such a marvellously varied
configuration. The humming-bird follows the fuchsia clear to the Straits
of Magellan, and the penguin has followed the fish almost as far as
Valparaiso. The government has done well in managing this ribbon-like
country. Coast service has been built up and a longitudinal railway
promises an interior development. Cross lines and transcontinental routes
will provide much needed facilities for the interchange of commerce. The
telegraph and telephone have linked together hitherto remote sections,
and a creditable postal service has been created.
Chile is a republic, with the customary division into legislative,
executive and judicial branches. It is not a confederation of provinces,
as in Brazil and Argentina, but is a single state with one central
government. It is divided for governmental purposes into twenty-three
provinces and one territory. These are again divided into departments,
districts and municipalities. Congress is composed of a Senate and
Chamber of Deputies. The former is at present composed of thirty-two
members and the latter of ninety-four. Deputies are elected for a term
of three years by direct vote, in the proportion of one to every
thirty thousand inhabitants. Senators are elected for six years in the
proportion of one to every three deputies, and the terms of one-third
expire every two years. Members of the House of Deputies must have an
income of five hundred dollars a year, and a Senator must be thirty-six
years of age and is required to have an annual income four times that
sum. Congress sits from June 1 to September 1 each year, but an extra
session may be called at any time. A peculiar feature is that during
the recess of Congress a committee consisting of seven from each house
acts for that body, and is consulted by the President on all matters of
importance.
The President is chosen by electors, who are elected by direct vote, for
a term of five years. He serves the state for a salary of about eleven
thousand dollars, including the allowance for expenses. He is ineligible
to serve two consecutive terms and may not leave the country during his
term of office, or for one year after its expiration, without the consent
of Congress. He has a cabinet of six secretaries, who are known as
Ministers of Interior, Foreign Affairs, Justice and Public Instruction,
Treasury, War and Marine, Industry and Public Works. The Minister of the
Interior is the Vice-President, and succeeds to the office of President
in the event of his death or disability. Elections are held on the 25th
of June every fifth year, and inauguration of the new President follows
on the succeeding 18th of September. The cabinet may be forced to resign
at any time by a vote of lack of confidence by Congress, to whom they are
directly responsible. In addition to the cabinet there is a Council of
State consisting of eleven members, six of whom are appointed by Congress
and five by the President, who assist that official in an advisory
capacity. Furthermore, when Congress adjourns, it appoints a standing
committee of seven from each house, which acts as the representative of
that body during vacation. The President must consult with it in certain
matters, and the committee may request him to call an extraordinary
session if, in their opinion, such a course is advisable.
There is a national Supreme Court of seven members that sits at Santiago,
which is the final judicial authority. Courts of appeal consisting of
from five to twelve members also sit at Santiago, Valparaiso, Tacna,
Serena, Talca, Valdivia and Concepción. There are also a number of
minor courts which are located in the various provinces and departments.
Each province is governed by an _intendente_, who is appointed by the
President of the republic. The departments are governed by governors, who
are subordinate to the _intendentes_, and the districts by inspectors,
who are also appointed. The only popular element is the municipal
district, or commune, which is governed by a board composed of nine men,
who are elected by direct vote in each municipality.
When the Spaniards reached Chile they found native races occupying it.
In the northern portions the tribes were under at least the nominal sway
of the Incas, although separated from them either by the inhospitable
Andes or dreary desert wastes. In the great central valley, however,
the land appeared a pleasant garden, and so rich that nowhere had
the Spaniards seen anything similar either for its fertility or the
wealth of its fruits and herds. “It is all an inhabited place and a
sown land or a gold-mine, rich in herds as that of Peru, with a fibre
drawn from the soil rich in food supplies sown by the Indians for their
subsistence”—so wrote the chroniclers. They lived in comfort and had a
certain civilization. Each _cacique_ had his own ranch house, the number
of doors indicating the number of his wives, of which some had as many as
fifteen. These people were the Araucanians, who proved to be a brave and
courageous race. The Spaniards immediately began their usual cruelties
and efforts to enslave these people, but succeeded only temporarily. The
natives soon rose in rebellion. Three hundred years of warfare decimated
their ranks, but did not subdue them, and when the Spanish rule ended
these people were as unconquered as when it began. Their history has been
written in blood, but it is the struggle of a heroic race, and it is not
dimmed by the excesses and cruelties that attached to the Spaniards in
their efforts to subjugate and enslave these valiant people.
After he had conquered Peru, Pizarro sent an expedition south to explore
the country and take possession of it in the name of the King of Spain.
One of his lieutenants, Diego de Almagro, was placed in charge. He
crossed the great nitrate desert and reached as far as Copiapó, where
he was driven back by hostile Indians. He had reached a valley called
by the natives Tchili, which signified in their language beautiful,
and that name was given to the country. A few years later, in 1540,
another expedition was fitted out under Captain Pedro de Valdivia,
which was more successful. He marched as far as the present city of
Santiago, and founded a city, which has ever since remained the capital.
Although colonists came from Spain, little progress was made for a long
time because of the hostility of the Araucanian Indians. These attacks
continued until 1640, when a treaty was concluded with these indomitable
natives by which the Bio-Bio River was established as the boundary, and
both together were to resist the English and Dutch buccaneers, who had
begun to harass the coast. Early in the nineteenth century the spirit
of independence reached Chile, and insurrections against the Spanish
authorities broke out.
On the 18th of September, 1810, the Spanish authorities were deposed and
a provisional government was set up. Troops were poured in by Spain,
and it was not until 1818, when the Spanish troops were defeated in the
battle of Maipu by the Argentine general, San Martin, that freedom from
the foreign yoke was secured. General Don Ambrosio O’Higgins, an Irish
patriot who had greatly distinguished himself in the war for freedom,
was chosen as the first President, and he introduced many reforms and
endeavoured to ameliorate the condition of the natives. The Jesuit
missionaries followed in the wake of the soldiers and began their work
of converting the natives. Since that time there has been considerable
internal struggle between rival political factions, and some foreign
troubles. There was a brief war with Spain, a frightful conflict with
the neighbouring republic of Peru, and disagreements with Bolivia and
Argentina. A few years ago war with the latter country seemed inevitable
over the international boundary, but wise counsels prevailed and the
matter was successfully arbitrated. At the present time peace prevails,
although there are continual mutterings in Peru, and that country only
needs a hot-headed leader to bring about another war with Chile over the
lost revenue from the nitrate fields.
The Chileans are a brave and a courageous people. The natural boundaries
have no doubt aided in developing a national spirit and love of
independence. Truly no people in South America have fought so long and
so hard to achieve national independence. The Araucanian mixture has
brought virility and industry into the race—a far different element
than the Inca blood farther north. These Yankees of the South American
continent have accomplished much, and there is still greater promise for
the future.