[19] The Central and South American Cable Office, built of _tabique_, stood the shock. One telegraph operator seems to have pluckily stuck to his post throughout the confusion. The _Mercurio_ newspaper office also stood firm, and indeed this paper was regularly issued.
"The condition of the wretched inhabitants was most pitiable. Some 60,000 were encamped on the barren hills above the town without food or clothing; others took refuge on boats or steamers in the bay, for mercifully there was no tidal wave such as commonly accompanies great earth tremors on that coast, and no damage was done to the shipping in harbour.[20] The number of people killed has been variously estimated at from 300 to 10,000 persons; it is probable that from 500 to 1,000 were killed and another 1,000 wounded. The damage done was at least £20,000,000."[21]
[20] The disturbance produced a tidal wave 5 feet high at Hawaii, Mani and Hilo.
[Illustration: THE LANDING STAGE AT VALPARAISO.
From earliest times the history of Chile upon this coast has been a tortured one--the barbarities and the sufferings both of the early Spanish conquerors, the reprisals of the Indians, the bloodthirsty and unsubduable Araucanians, the feuds between the Spaniards themselves, the toll of earthquakes and tidal waves, the battles between Spaniard and colonist and between Chilean and Peruvian and Bolivian, the dreadful pages of revolutionary and civil strife. It is veritably a blood-stained coast, and both man and nature might well cry to Heaven for surcease. Yet to-day there hangs a menace over it--the feud with Peru over Tacna and Arica: and for the future the savage strikes of the workers against the oligarchies of industry.
But we need not dwell too much on this aspect. There are many beautiful and peaceful attributes about the land, much to admire in its people. It has been said that Chile seems to rise more vigorous and more enterprising after every disaster.
Let us turn for a space to view somewhat more in detail the Chilean capital, as described by a recent writer:
"Santiago, 'most noble and most loyal,' is a mixture of Paris, Madrid and Seville. It is far ahead of Spanish towns in its electric tramways, broad avenues and brisk movement. But the larger houses are all characteristically Spanish. They are built round a central court or patio, which is usually open to the sky above and full of flowers and graceful shrubs. Very often there are sparkling fountains and statuary also. In fact, through the great gateway of a large Santiago house the most delicious little views of water, flowers and greenery can be gathered in passing. This gateway has heavy wooden doors, carefully locked at night; the windows opening on the street are usually heavily barred, which is by no means a useless precaution.