"Valparaiso has suffered from earthquakes; twice it has been nearly destroyed by them, and there is hardly a week in the year without a shock. For this reason the houses are mostly of one or two stories, especially in the resident portion, and every inhabitant is ready to flee to the open air at a moment's warning. I don't want to become a permanent dweller in this city until earthquakes are done away with."
CUSTOMS GUARD-HOUSE, VALPARAISO.
The city has theatres and churches, schools and hospitals, a custom-house and a government palace, great warehouses for the reception and storage of goods, street railways, gas, steam fire-engines, fine shops, poor hotels, and a fairly good police system. It has a large and increasing commerce, and is destined to grow in wealth and grandeur as time goes on, unless the earthquakes make an end of it—a contingency not pleasant to contemplate. It was bombarded by the Spanish fleet in 1866, and, though few lives were lost, there was an immense destruction of property, of which nine tenths belonged to foreign merchants.
SPANISH-AMERICAN COSTUMES.
About three o'clock on the afternoon of the day following Frank's arrival the flag on the custom-house signalled the approach of the English steamer. Our young traveller, accompanied by Manuel, engaged a boat, and as the great ship came to her anchorage he was rowed alongside, and exchanged greetings with his old companions and friends.