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[Page 74]
1914
then return to the shore, the charge being one of "suspicious conduct". The English colony here were full of enthusiasm about the war. About 50 of their young men had already left for the front, & a big fund was being raised for the war fund. All day long there was a procession of boats with English & Chileans waving their hands & wishing us "Good luck". The Chilean women are extremely good-looking, after the Spanish type, but with rather finer lines. It was nice to have large bunches of flowers in the Mess - the first we had seen for months, and fruit - peaches, apricots, & plums. Fresh food & plenty of war news brought cheer into every heart. There was a wave of disgust ashore over the German bombardment of the unfortified towns of Scarborough & Hartlepool, which probably spelt further trouble for the German colony in Valparaiso. In the early morning, on a clear day, from the harbour can be seen Aconcagua, a mountain of 23,000 feet in height, some 60 miles from Valparaiso. The height of the hill on which Valparaiso is built is about 1000 feet. There is little shrubbery near the town, the hills being very bare, indeed.
Dec. 27
The following morning, having completed our coaling, we made our departure at 8 a.m. If necessary, we could have prolonged our stay, as the Chilean Government had kindly intimated