CHAPTER XX
SANTIAGO TO BUENOS AIRES BY SEA
Southern Chile and the Straits of Magellan. The great majority of tourists will proceed from Santiago by rail over mountains and plains to Buenos Aires, being influenced thereto by several considerations. Of these the strongest may be the fact that the journey thus made occupies only 48 hours (the return 38), while by sea it requires twelve days, an important consideration in a brief tour. Also in view of the several weeks already spent on the ocean and the several more to come, all but the real lover of steamboat travel will prefer the land for a change, especially with the prospect of the fine mountain scenery always visible on the Trans-Andine journey and the possibility of a glimpse of mighty Aconcagua, which still claims pre-eminence as the culminating point of the Western Hemisphere.
On the other hand the route across the Andes, formerly blocked to general traffic for half the year by reason of the winter snows, may yet be impassable for a week or two, even longer, by reason of the great avalanches which on the Chilian side of the tunnel are liable in winter or spring to obstruct the track. When such a condition prevails, the longer way around may (rarely) become the shorter in time. A few will at any period prefer the Magellan route from inability to endure the 10,000 feet altitude of the mountain journey, from affection for the sea, or from an especial desire to traverse the famous Straits, discovered by Magellan in 1520 on the first around-the-world voyage, and to pass the southern continental limit of the main land if not the dreaded Cape Horn.
The leisurely tourist who desires to see everything of importance may enjoy the chief pleasures of both routes: going by rail to Puente del Inca on the east side of the mountain, or better, on to Mendoza on the edge of the great Argentine plain, returning to Chile by the old route, the splendid horse back and former diligence trail from Las Cuevas over the once frequented pass. Thus he may delight in near and distant views of splendid cliffs and mountains, and pause to contemplate among the everlasting hills the impressive image of a colossal Christ standing on the frontier of two great countries, an emblem of the eternal peace and friendship to which these nations have sworn.
The tourist who always prefers to travel by sea may at Valparaiso take a P.S.N. steamer (they sail once in two weeks) for Montevideo, where he must change for the short run to Buenos Aires. All of these boats call on the way at Coronel (or Lota) and Punta Arenas, every other one also at Port Stanley, Falkland Islands, the voyage occupying 11 or 12 days to Montevideo. A boat of the Kosmos Line may be taken, although they no longer as formerly go through Smyth Channel, all now missing the fine scenery of the fjords. Persons desiring to see more of Chile may go by rail down the famed Central Valley, the wonderful fruit and agricultural section, and through the beautiful lake region, taking the steamer at Coronel. A peculiarity of this longitudinal valley extending several hundred miles between two ranges of mountains parallel to the sea is that instead of being watered by a single stream running lengthwise, it is crossed by a number of rivers flowing west into the ocean. The railroad is now opened to the south for a distance of 400 miles to Puerto Montt on the Gulf of Ancud. Although sleeping cars are provided, the journey should be made by day for the enjoyment of the scenery.
For a considerable distance south of Santiago towns and villages are numerous, some of them especially frequented in the summer. Almost all kinds of fruits, vegetables, and cereals are raised to perfection in various parts of the valley. In the earlier part of the journey there are views of lofty Andean peaks; farther south the range is lower, but with a multitude of lakes and dense virgin forests, the scenery is no less beautiful. From Talca, a prosperous town of 45,000 on the Maule River, 50 miles south of Santiago, a branch line runs to the small but pleasant town of Constitución. It was in Talca, which was founded in 1692 and partly destroyed by a terrible earthquake in 1835, that Director O’Higgins signed the Declaration of Independence. The city has a pretty plaza with a fine Government House, theater, church, and other handsome edifices.
Chillan, 100 miles farther, is a modern city famous for its fine horses and cattle. It affords an unusual opportunity to see the country people, who come in to the market place on the outskirts of the city, two or three times a week, especially Saturdays. Wares are well displayed in booths, gay with mantas, gorgeous ribbons and lace, equestrian outfits, pottery, baskets, and horn ornaments. Street cars run to the historic ruins of old Chillan, the birthplace of Don Bernardo O’Higgins. The famous baths and hot springs of Chillan are beautifully situated among the mountains about 60 miles distant at an altitude of nearly 8000 feet.
The railroad crosses many rivers on some fine bridges, one nearly ¼ of a mile long and 300 feet above the Malleco River at Collipulli. A bridge ¾ of a mile long crosses the Bio-Bio, along the boundary line between the Spanish American settlements and the country of the fierce Araucanians. From Rosendo a branch line leads to the cities near the sea, Concepción, and its seaport Talcahuano 240 miles from Valparaiso, a port both of commercial and military importance on a large bay in which a dry dock has been arranged for the repair and the cleaning of naval vessels. Concepción, which was founded by Valdivia, but has been several times destroyed both by Araucanians and by earthquakes, is now a substantial modern city of 50,000 inhabitants, the third in size in the Republic.
Coronel and Lota, five miles apart on the Bay of Arauco, 40 miles south of Talcahuano, are, one or the other, regular ports of call for all the steamships, and the only one below Valparaiso for the P.S.N. boats before Punta Arenas. Hence one going by rail to Puerto Montt would be obliged to return to this point for his steamer; unless possibly the Kosmos boats call farther down. The boats call at Coronel or Lota to procure a supply of coal. This is pre-eminently the coal region of Chile, of which Lota is the center. In 1852 a property was purchased here by Don Matias Cousiño who explored for coal with success. His son Luis, in 1862 inheriting the property, in 1869 formed a company, keeping most of the shares. His widow later becoming sole owner of the company was called the richest woman in the world, with a property of at least $70,000,000. She died in 1898 leaving six children. Hers was the greatest financial enterprise then carried on by a Chilian. The capital of the Company is now $20,000,000. Half a million tons of coal are annually produced, 1/10 of which is used by the Company for smelters and their own steamships, the rest being sold.