Bullard Letters

by Martha DeWolf
In December 1883, Jenny Hastings wrote to Aunt Fanny Bullard from Pisagna, Chile saying, “You are almost the only person of all my relatives and friends that I do not owe a letter, still such is the perversity of human nature in general or my own in particular, that you are the only one of all, that I feel like writing to.

We, that is, Jennie, the baby, the nurse and myself have been at this place since the seventh of November, Jennie and her husband in the meantime spending two weeks in the Pampas, then Mr. Campbell had to return to Tacna and we are kept here by Master Jack who is cutting his teeth and the doctor says we must not move him until several which are now on the way are through. We intended staying only four weeks when we came but I think it will be eight if not more before we can leave here.

Jack was very backward about his teeth ... having one when he was eight months old but to make up for this he commenced with an eye tooth, and now has three teeth through and three more that will soon come. I wish you could see him he is such a lively little fellow, he creeps like a spider and pulls himself up by chairs and is so proud when he does it that he crows and laughs and says in Spanish, here I am. He speaks a number of words but all in Spanish but understands English just as well but all the children speak Spanish first for it is easier for them.

I must tell you of this place where we are for I am sure you would like it and I have often thought of you when I have been looking at the waves dashing over the rocks here. We took the train from Tacna to Arica, then one of the large Pacific Steamers on which we were about ten hours before reaching this place so you see it is quite a journey here although it is the shortest one we can make from Arica.

This is a most curious place, the fine harbour being the only thing that makes it. There is but a very narrow strip of level land where the town is built then the mountains rise right up apparently to the sky. There is not a drop of fresh water in the whole place consequently not a blade of anything green. All the water for drinking, cooking, washing & c. has to be brought in boats expressly for that purpose from Arica and like every thing else here is very expensive.

There is a railway built zigzag up the mountain to the different places in the Pampas where the nitrate is prepared and brought here to load the ships for all parts of the world.

The Campbell’s have one of the largest nitrate places in the Pampas and are loading many ships always with it. We are staying in one of their houses here which is expressly for their clerks six in number but the house is large and there is plenty of room for us- These clerks beside having their salary paid have their house and all their meals founds and six servants to cook and wait upon them. There are large coast steamers steaming up and down and calling here every other day so they get fruits and vegetables of all kinds and meat delicious meats, such beef as I have not tasted since I left America.

This house is out of the town and built on the rocks almost over the sea, there is a piazza on two sides of it where we can walk up and down and see the waves dashing up very high. It is full moon now and we are having what they call here their spring tide and it has been grand. The bathing here is excellent, but the water is very cold not being tempered by the Gulf Stream, still if one remains in but a few minutes they feel most delightfully after it. As we are always looking at the water we do not miss the green at all especially as on the balcony out of our rooms there are boxes fastened which are full of mignconette??and all sorts of plants growing and full of blossoms.

This is the most fa