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.
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