ñijzl. ir

THE

G E O O R A P H I C A L ,

N A T U R A L A N D C I V I L

H ISTORY OF CHILI.T R A N SLATED FROM TH E O RIGIN AL ITALXAN OF

T H E A B B E D O N J . ÍG N A T IU S M O L IN A .

TO WniCB .O IE ADDED,

N O T E S

FROM THE SPANISH AND FRENCH VERSIONS,

ANO

TWO APPENDIXES,

B Y T H E E N G L I S H EDITOR}

T H E F IR S T , A N ACCOUNT. OP TH E ARCHIPELAGO OF CHILOE, FROM TH E DESCRIPCION H ISTORIAL OF V. F . PEDRO GONZALEZ. D E AGÜEROS J

TH E SECÒND, A N ACCOUNT OF TH E N A T IV E T R IB E3 WHO IN R A B IT TH E SOUTHERN E X T R E M IT Y O F SOUTH A M E R IC A , EX TR A C TED Ç IU E FL Y

FROM F A LK N E R ’ s DESCRIPTION O F PA TA G Ò N IA.

IN T W O VOLVMÈS,

VOL. I.

PRINTÉD POR LONGMAN, HURST, REES, AND ORME,FA T E R N O S T E R -R p W .

1809,

Pfiüted by J. I). ü<*\vick'40, Baiutcan.

TRANSLATOR’S PREFACE.

I m p o r t a n t and interesting as has ever been the History of the Spanish settlements in Ame­rica, particularly to the inhabitants of the same continent, that importarme and interestis at the present period greatly increased, by the oc- currence of events of such magnitude, as will most probably be attended witli the total sevér- ance of those colonies from Europe, and the estàblishment of a new empire in the west. O f thèse séttlements, Chili is in many respects one of thè Uixiòst important. Blest with a soil fertile beyond description, à climate mild and salubrious in thé highest degree, productive of evèry con- véniencé and most of the luxuries of life, and fich in the precious metáis, Nature appears to haye been delighted in lavishing its bounties upoh this favoured portion of the globe. In its minerals, its plants, and its animals, the natu­r a l \yill find an interesting and copious fïeld o f research; and the character of its natives fur-

vol» i. b

VI

nish.es a subject no less cupons and interesting té the moralist. The proud and ihvincible Arau- canian exhibits some characteristic,tráits altoge-r ther new in the aborigines of this continent, and gcarcely tó be paral leled in any nation of thè pld, The long and successful resístance of this brátye peopie to the arms of Spáin, even in the meridian of its military glory, is a wonderful instançe Of what a nation can perforin wlien animated|py a spirit of liberty, and detefmined upon fréedom ordeath. The Araucanians, it is trae, té their high sense of independence and unyielding cou«? rage, had the good fortune of uniting á system of tactics so excellent as even tó excite the admira tion of their enemies, and to this in a great mea*? gure may be ascribed their successfülly opposing, with far inferior arms, a po'yverfal and disci* plined foe,

Whether the peculiar character o f the A w i~ caniáns proceed from the influence pf climate combinirig with moral causes, of is whofly de- rived from their institutions and freeform óf go- vernmeiit ,* whether,. with the Chilians in general, they are of foreigp origin, apd a distinet race from tlie otber natives of America, the rematáis, as the author supposes, of a great and powerfn It peopie, who had attained a high degree o f çivi- lization, and possessed a polished and eopións

•j language; or whether their agricultura! khow- Jedge, military skilí, and the culíivation of their

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idïOïïi, are pwing mere]y to forteiíous cireum- stances, are points of eurioes inquiry* and such as will '¿fiord an ampie field for conjectare, :’V.Thp author of tlie present work> Don Juaa Ignatrus Molina, was a native of Chili, distin- gpished for his íiterary aequirements* and parti- cularly his knowledge of natural hisiory> large collections hvwhiéhhe. had nmde dnring Iris re- sidpifce iia that Comiiry. Gn the dissolutior* ©£ the eelebrated oráerof tke Jesuíta» of whicfe lie #as a member, he shared ih e general fate of that comrmmity, in being empelled from the territorios of Spain, and was, ai the same time* áeprived not only of bis eollections in natural hisiory., but also of bis manu Scripts. The most important of tbe ¿«latter, relati ve to Chili* he b&d* however» ^ good fortune to regain by accident, sorae fime after bis residenee in Bolog&a* m . Itály* Jvhither 'bé^d-.-gone outMs arm at in Europe.?vi? ;FuTnisliéd with these materiálv be applxed himself to writfng the lúsíory o í that emmfry*

at?lwe different pemds; iilie brst parfc> comprising the. Natural Hisíory* |n tire yeaf iTS7,.,aná the seçend* eontaining the Eiv.il,- í or: re a la s meñtioned in his Prefaee, mol pntil • some yearf after. Tbis work* which was ■wfíiteri in Italiaft, has ©btámed a. r e i y Mgh re- pufation on the continent of Europe* where it baávfrbeeii transíate# into the Freneh, Germán* and Spanish langnages. The celebrate d Ábhá

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Clavigero,, iii his History of México, in referring in a note to that of Chili, mentions it in the most respectable terms, and calls the author his learned friend.

In rendering this work into English, reférence has heen had both to the French and Spanish versions, which contain some valuable additional notes. Through the politeness o f agentlemanof his acquaintance, the translator has also been furnished with an anonymous compendium o f the History of Chili, printed in Bologna, in 1776, from which the supplementary notes to this volume are taken.

In addition to what is said ab ove, the English Editor has to state, that he has, from documents in his possession, added a few occasional Notes, which are distinguished by the ïetters JB. JE- He has also subjoined, from Falkner’s Descrip- tion of Patagònia, a further elucidation of the language of the Auracanos; andtwo Appendixes, the first containing an Account of the Archi- pelago of Chiloé, from the Descripción Histo­rial of that Province, by P. F. Pedro González de Agüeros, printed at Madrid, in 17 9 1 ; and the second, an Account of the Native Tribes who inhabit the Southern Extremity of South Ame­rica, extracted chiefly from Falkner’s work.

PREFACE

TO THE

NATURAL HISTORY OF.CH1LL

T h e attention o f Europe is at tliis time more than ever directed to Am erica. W e are desirous o f obtaining information o f its climate, its natu­ral productions, and its inhabitants; in short,

every thing that is w orthy o f notice in that part o f the world is now a subject o f intefest to the most enlightened nations.

C h ili is acknowledged, by all who have writ- ten upon Am erica, to be one o f its provinces meriting the most attention. T his country is distinguished, not so much by its extent, as by the mildness o f its clim ate; and it raay be said to enjoy all the advantages o f the most fayoured. countries w ithout their inconveniences.

In m y opinión, it may, w ith propriety, be compared to lta ly ; as this is called the garden o f Europe, that, w ith more justice, may be styled the garden o f South Am erica. T h e climate o f the two countries is nearly the same,

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X

and they are situated under nearly similar pa<* ralléis o f latitude. T h ey likewíse resemble each ollier m tíie circumsíance o f íheir being o f much. greater exten t'in iengih iban in breadth, and that they are boíh divided by a chain o f moun- faias. T h e Cordilleras or fhe Andes are to C h ili, what tire Appennhies are to Iíaly, tlie source o f almost a ll the rivera that water the coüntry, and diffuse over it fertility and abundance^ This cbain o f mountains has as sensible an infíúence onthe salubxiiy o f the air o f C h ili, as the Apen- nines have upon that o f í t a ly ; and so ñrmly are the iuhabitants couyiuced o f this fact, that, whenever they álteospt to account for any chango in the state o f the atmosphere, they attribute it to the effeci o f these mouniaíns, which they con- síder as power-ful and iufallïble agenta.

A coimhy so revnarkabíef boíh for iís natura! productions, and its politi cal staíe, certainly werits to be well fcriown ; j e t the accounts that we have o f it are merely superficial, and titile is to be fouaá, respeeting its natural productions,

su wnters opon natural history. O f the ian- g u a g e and the cusióms o f the íohabitants we are equally ignorant, and scarcely any thing is known o f ¿he excrtions.which the Chilians imVe made, oyen in our <lavs, t© deferid íheir libertíésv

Á few well-íoforraed travellers, who have been ín the com itry, have publislied some v&Iuable accounts, b u l too conscise to fu-rnish a

fcòmpetent ideà o f it. Father Lotiis F eüiílé, a French Minina friar, has given a scientific de- scription o f the plants that he found upon the coast, to which he has.added an account of se- veral animals that hé noticed tliere. This is a Wórk o f great m èrit; the désciiptions are pre­cise., and perfecti y correct; bu t as it was pub- lished by tíie ordér and at tlie expense o f tbe king3 the copies o f it have become very scaree, and are in the possession ó f but fevv.

A number o f Spanish authors have treated o f this country. T h e last century produced severa!, noi to mention those o f the present; but few o f their writings, however, have been published, for reasons which I sliall liereaffer assiffn, O fOthe latter, tlie first in point o f merit are those o f D on Pedro de Figueroa, and the Abbés M i- chael de O livarez and Philip VM aurre. T h e two former treat o f the political history o f the country, from the arrival o f tbe Spaniards to' the present time. T h a t o f tbe A b b é O livarez merits particular attention, from the great number o f interesting facts relative to the long wars be-

tween the Spaniards and Araucanians, whicli lié has collected with no less judgm ent than indus- try. T h e work o f the Abbé V idaurre is prin-

çip ally employed upon the natural productioris and customs o f C bilí, and displays much intelli- gence and acutene3s o f research.

Besides the histories, or, more properly spcak- b 4 .

• «X l l

ing, the accounts that have been written o f tlú j country, there are four poems that have for their subjectth e Araucanian w a rs; alsoan anonymous abridgement in Italian o f the Geographical and N atural History o f Chili, published in 1776, w hich, in some respects, particularly with re- gard to geography and natural history,. furr nishes a more complete account o f C h ili than we have liad. B ü t as that compen*? dium is mucli too concise, I presume I shall venderán important Service to those who feel

an interest in^what respects Am erica, by pre- senting them with this essay, in which I have dw elt more fu lly and precisely upon the natural productions o f C h ili, as w ell as upon the most conspicuous events that have occurred in that country.

A t an early period o f life, I began to turn my attention both to the natural and political history o f Chili, with the view o f publishing, at some future time, the resuit o f my inquiries. Some untoward circumstances, however, interrupted m y progress, and I had even relinquislied the hope o f liaving it in my powçr to carry my plan into ejfect, when a fortunate accident put me in to possession o f thei requisite materials, and enabled me to offer the present work to the púb­lic ; to w hich, in a shorí time, I proposed adding another essay or compendium ò f the civil and political history o f the same country.

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T h e method tliat I have adopted in arranging this work, has been to divide it into four chap- te rs : The first, after a succinet geographical account o f C h ili, which may serve as an intro- duction, treats o f the seasons, winds, meteors, volcanoes, earthquakes, and state o f the climate. T h e other three I have devoted to a description o f natural objects, proceeding from the simplest to the most complex, that is, from the mineral to the vegetable and animal kingdom s; and, iii the last, have added some conjectures o f my own re- spectingthe inhabitants o f C hili and the Patago- nians, or pretended giants, whom I consider as the mountaineers o f that country.

I have referred, as far as was in my power, the various objectsnoticed to the genera o f Linnseus, but in some instances where I have not been able to reduce thera to those that are known, I have invented new, in conformity to his System. T h at author’s mode o f classification I have not, how - ever, pursued, as it appcared to me incompatible w ith the plan o f my work. T hough I have fol- lowed the System o f that celebrated Swedish na- turalist, it is not from a conviction o f its supe- riority to that o f any other, but because it has been o f late so generally adopted; for, great ag is the respect which ï feel for that learned writer, I cannot alvvays approve o f his nomenclature, and should have preferred pursuing the system o f W allerius and Bomare in mineralogy, that o f

2

Tournefort in botany, and o f fírissoíi ín goólogy,' as I tliink íiiem to be more simple and better known to the workl in general*

In describing objects o f natural liistory, í have avoided the use o f technical tenus, as being difficult to be understood by those not conver­sant with that stu d y; but for the gratification o f such as are familiar w ith that Science, I have given, at the bottom o f the page, the Linnsean characters in Latin, both o f the known species, and o f those that are new, which I have dis- covered*. M y descriptions w ill, for the most part, be found to be short, and such as merely furnish the esseritial character o f the species. The common characteristics o f the genus I have

passed òver intent i onally, and it w ill be found that the same brevity prevails throughout the work, w hich is written in a plain and imaífected manner, w ithout bewildering m yself with vague conjectures and hazardous hypotheses, which w ould have been deviating alíogether fro m th e límits that I had prescribed to myself.

I have frequently quoted those authors; wïio have writtea upon Chili, and have ju d g ed tliis precaution the moie necessary, as, in treating o f a country so remóte and so Titile known, 'I could

* lt has leen thoughi advisable in íhis versión to make some variation in this respecti and9 conforvially tkereto, the techni­cal descriptions ivill be fa&nd at the end of the volume, ar-

ranged under ikeir respective heads.-.t.Mn&r* Trans,

XV*ïòt eXpect to "be believed on m)r own unsupporíed assertion; but the passages that I have selected w ill evincje tliat I liave not exaggerated in my accounts o f the saíubrity o f the climate* and the excellenee o f the soil* and that I m ight have been justified in saying still more.

W ith rèspect to this work, it is no more tban a compendi urn* or an abridged history o f many o f the natural productions o f C h ili. T h e redect- ing reader w ill not look in it for a complete na­tural history o f that cou n try; such a work would hav-e requi red much greater means than I possess* and such assistance as I have not been able to procure.

Those acquainted with M . de P a u w ’s philoso- pbical inquines respecting the Americans* w ill perhaps be surprised to find in my work sorne remarks which do not correspond with what that author has said respecting Am erica in gene­ral. B ü t whatever ï have asserted respecting

C h ili is founded upon personal experience and attentive observaíion during a residence o f many years in that country; and* in support o f what I, have advanced* I have cited the authoriíy o f se- veral respectable authors* who were eye-wit- nessesj and not bear-say relaters* o f what they have written. M . de Pauw* on the coutrary* not only never saw the country that he has under- íakcn to characterize, but even appears not to jbave been solicitous to consuit those authors who

XVI

have written upon i t ; for, althougli lie frequently mentions Frazier and U lloa, he cites their opi­nions only as far as they tend to confirm his theory. 1 Both those authors speak o f C hili as very fertile, but M . de Pauw has not thought proper to insert those passages, but only observes, in general terms, that wheat cannot be raised ex- cept in some o f the N orth American provinces.

Led aw ay by inferences drawn from an ideal «ystem o f his own invention, he has carried his visionary notions so far that his work partakes more o f the nature o f a romance than a philoso- phical disquisition. It is sufficient for his pur- pose to find, in the vast extent o f Am erica, some small district or unimportant island labouring under the disadvantages o f an unfavourable c li­mate or unproductive soil, to attribute these cir- cumstances as general to ali the provinces o f that country. A wretched tribe o f the most obscure savages serves as his model o f character for all the Americans. Such is the logic so f M . de P a u w : It would be an endless task were I to en- deavour to confute the numerous erroneous opi­nions that he has advanced respecting A m erica ; upon that subject he has deduced his conclusions from the most uufounded premises, and employed a mode ò f reasoning that m ight, with equal pro- priety, be applied to the prejudice o f any other portion o f the g lo b e; a proceeding that can be justified ncither by reason nor philosophy. In

XVIIshort, D e Pauw has made use o f as much free- dom wlth regard to Am erica as i f he liad been w riting upon the moon and its inhabitants. E u t to appreciate properly the observations o f this author, I shall refer the reader to tjhe opinions o f many learned men who have visited that country, and have fu lly refuted his assertions. Am ong those who merit particular attention on this sub- je c t , is Count Juan Reynaldes Carli, so w ell known by his various literary productions, parti- cu larly his American Letters*, in w hich, with inuch critical and philosophical investigaron, he has comprised whatever may serve to convey a clear and correct idea o f America.

N , B . T h e reader is informed that the mile made use o f in this work is the geographical mile o f sixty to a degree, the foot the French foot, and the pound that o f Italy, o f twelve ounces.

• Those literati who are desirous of beeoming perfectly a«- quainted with America, wiil do well to consuit this work, which coasists of three voluraes,,„Sp, Trms,

C O N T EN T S,

C H A P . I .

PageSituation, Climate, and Natural Pbenoujena - - i

SECTION 1.— Limits - - - 22. -— Ñamé - - - - 33. — NaturaLDivisibns - - 44 . — Poiitical Divisions - 85 . — Of Rain, &c. - - - 1 4

6. _W in d s - - - - J9

7. — Meteors - - 238. — Volcan oes - - 2 4

<).— Earthquakes - * -/ 2 6

10.— Salubrity o f Climate - - 2¡)

C H A P . II .

Waters, Earths, Stones, Salts, Bitumens, and Metals - 36 SECTION 1.— Rivers - - ib.

2 . — Lakes - - - - 393 . — Mineral Waters - - - ib.4 — Soil - - - - - 4 3

5*.— Physieal Organization - - 4 S6. — Earths - - - 53

7. — Stoues - ' - - - 598. — Salts - - * - 66

XX CONTENTÍ.

FageSECTIO N 9»,—'Bitumeus - - - 69

10. — Py rites - - - - 70

11. — Semi-Metals « *■ 7112. — Metals . - - - - 7213. — Concretions - - - 9 7

C H A P . I II .

Herbs, Shrubs, and Trees - 100SECTÍON 1.— Herbs - - - 101

2. — Alimentary Herbs or Plants - 1053. — Herbs used in Dying - - 1154. — Medicinal Plants *» - 1205. — Grasses - - 1256 . — Climbing Plants - - 1277. — Shrubs - - - 1298. — Trees - 135

C H A P . I V .

Worms, ïnsects, Reptiles, Fishes, Birds, and Quadrupeds l6 l SECTIGN 1.— Molluscas - - ib.

2. — Crustaceous Fishes and Ïnsects - 1693. — Reptiles - - - 1784 . — Fishes - - - - 1815. — Birds - - - - 1916. — Quadrupeds - 222

A Methodical Table of the various species of NaturalProductions described in this Work - - 281

A Suppiement to the Table of the Vegetable Kingdom - 2p3Suppleracntary Notes illustrative of the History of Chili 295

TH E

NATURAL HISTORYOF

CHILI.

CH APTER I.

Situation, Climate, and Natural Phenomena.

C h i l i , a country o f South Am erica, is situ- ated upoii the South Sea or P acific Ocean, between the 24tli and 45th degrees o f south lati­tudes and the 304ih and SOSth degrees o f Ion-

gitude from the meridian o f Ferro.Its length is estimated at 1260 geographieal

miles, but it varíes in breadfh as the great range o f mountains, called the Cordilleras or the An­des., approach or recede from the sea; or, to speak with more precisión, as the sea approaçhes or retires from those mountains. Between the 24th and 32d degrees o f latitude, the distance o f the sea from the mountains is about 210 m iles; from the 32d to the 37th it is but 120 ; and in the broadest part o f Chili, near the Árchipelago o f

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2Chiloé, it is littíe less than 300 miles. In caleu- ïating from these vqrious extents, the surface o f C h ili may be estimated at 378,000 square miles.

S e c t . I. Lirnits.— Chili is bounded upon the West by the Pacific Ocean, on the north by Peru, on the east byTucum an, Cujo, and Patagònia, and on the south by the land o f M agellan. It is separated from all these countries by the C or­dilleras, which forin an insurmountable barrier ori the land side, while the sea renders it secure upon that quarter. T h e few roads which lead to C hili from the neighbouring provinces are impassable, cxcept in summer, and are so narrow and dangerous that a man on horseback can with diíficulty pass them.*

* There are about eight or nine roads which cross thç Cordilleras o f Chili, of which that leading from the province o f Aconcagua to Cujo is the most travelled. Tliis road, which canuot be passed in less than eight days, is bordered on one side by the deep beds which the Chile and the Mendoza, two considerable rivers, have worn there; on the other side, by very lofty and perpendicular mountains. lt is so narrow and incommodious, that, in many places, travellers arc obliged to quit tbeir mules, the only animal that can be employed, and to procced on foot; nor does there a year pass when some loaded mules are not precipitated from these roads into the rivers. These precipices, however, do not follow the whole course o f the road; for occasionally it passes over very agreeable and pleasant plains, where travellers halt to refresh themsclves. In these places the Incas, when they couquered Cusco and the northern provinces of Chili, cau'sed some stone

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T he extent which modern geographers assign to Chili is much greater than that which the in- habitants allow i t ; the former usualij compre- hend within it, Cujo, Patagònia, and the land o f M agellan. B u t these countries are not only separated from it by natural limits, but their d i- mate and productions d iffer; their inhabitants llave countenances totally unlike the Chilians, and their language and customs llave no resem- blance.*

S e c t . II. Ñame.— T h e writers upon Am erica have given various derivations o f the ñame o f C h ili, which are either w holly false, or founded on absurd conjectures. It is certain, however, that it was known by its present ñame long before the arrival o f the Spaniards. T he inhabitants derive the name from certain birds o f the thrush kind, that are very commou in the country, and

houses to be constmcted for the accommodation of their officers: one o f which has been ruined, but the others still remain entire. Tiie Spaniards have built some more, for the greater convenience o f travellers.

* Although the principal mountain of the Cordilleras is the natural terminatio» o f Chili to the east, I comprehend within its confines not only the western valleysof that mountain, as necessarily attached to it, but also the castcrn ; as, though not comprised within its natural limits, having bcen occupied by Chillan colonies from time immemorial.

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whose note has some resemblance to the word Chili. And it ¿s not improbable, that the first tribes, who settled there, considered this note as a good ornen, and named the country accord- in g ly .*

S e c t . III . Natural Divisions.— Chili natural- ly divides itself into three parts, the first com- prehending the islands; the second, C hili pro- perly c a lle d ; and the third, the Andes, or the country occupied by that range o f mountains. T h e islands that belong to C h ili are : the three Coquimbanes, M ugillon, Totoral, and Pajaro. These islands are d esert; and are said to be six or eight miles in circumférence.

T h e two islands o f Juan Fernandez; one o f these known by the ñame o f Isola di T erra ( the shore-island) from its being the nearest to the continent, is about 42 miles in circumference. Lord Anson, w ho remained there some time, describes it as a terrestial paradise; it is at pre-

* The colonists who went from the Southern part o f Chili to settle the Archipelago o f Chiloé, an emigratio» that took place some ages prior to the arrival of the Spaniards, called those istands Chil-hue, which signifies a district or province of Chili, influenced, undoubtedly, by the desire o f preserving the memory o f their original country; and all the Chilians, those who iiave continued free as well as the subjugated, cali their country Chili-inapu, that is, the íand o f Chili, and its language Chhi-dugu, the language o f Chili.

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sent inhabited by the Spamards. T h e other, which bears the ñame o f M asafuera, ( the more distant) is smaller, and although its appearance is as beautiful and inviting as that o f the Isola di Terra, it has remained till the present time un­cu Itivated and uninhabited.

T h e island o f Carama. Thxs is rather a rock than an island capable o f cultivation. Quirin- quina, at the entrance o f the harbour o f Con- ception, and T a lca or Santa M aria, are two islands o f about four miles in le n g th ; and are the property o f two wéalthy inhabitants o f Con­cep tí on.

M ocha. T his island, w hich is more than 60 miles in circumference, is handsome and fertile. I t was in the last century inhabited b y the Spa- niards, but is at present deserted.

T h e Archipelago o f Chiloé, with that o f the Chones, w hich is dependant upon it, compre- hends eighty-tw o islands that are inhabited by some Spaniards and Indians. T h e largest o f these islands, which has given its ñame to the Archipelago, is C h iloé ; it is about 150 miles in length ; the capital o f it is Castro.

A ll these islands are near the coast, except those ©f Juan Fernandez, the first o f which is

330, and the second 420 miles distant.*

* In the same sea, but very remote, are situated the litíle

islands o f St, Ambrosio, St. Felix, and that o f Pasqua, (or

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Chili properly called, or that part w bich ïs «ituated between the Andes and tlie sea, is at ïeast 120 miles in breadth : It is commonly di- vided into two equal parts, that is, the maritime country, and the midland còuntry ; the maritime country is intersected by three cliains o f moun- tains, running parallel to the Andes, between

w hich are numerous valleys watered by delight-

Easter Island) much celebrated for the great number o f sta­tues which the natives have erected in various parts o f it, either as ornaments, or, what is more probable, as tutelary divinities. The two first, which are desert, are distant 2 8 0

leagues from the coast of Chili, and are situated in 26 deg. 2 7 min. south latitude; but that of Pasqua, which is probably

the same with Davis’s land, and is in 27 deg. and 5 min. south latitude, and about the 26'Sth deg. of longitude, is 6 0 0 leagues distant from that coast. This island is but a little more thau íïve leagues in exteut, and its inhabitants, who do not exceed 8 0 0 , are whiter tlian most of the Indians, and permit their beards to grovv. The státues that are mèt with throughout the island are very numerous, and of various sizes; some of them being 27 feet in heiglit, and others not exceeding that o f a man. T o the sight and touch they appear like stonc-; but as they are all of a single piece, and there are no qnarries on the island capable of furnishing stones o f thatsize, it is pro­bable that they are formed of some kind o f plaister or cement that, when dry, assumes the consistency and colour of stone» The Dutch admiral, lloggewein, who was the first that visited this island, in the year V722, says, that these statues were wrought with much skill. Don Philip Gonsalez, commander o f the ship of war P*.osalia, who was there in the year 1770, and Captain Cook, in March, 1 7 7 4 , boih agree with Rogge- wein as respccts the number and size o f these statues.

ful rivcrs. T h e miclland country is almost fíat; a few insolated hills only are to be seen, that diversify and render the appearance o f it more pleasing.

T h e Andes, which are considered as the lof- tiest mountains in the world, cross the wliole continent o f Am erica, in a direction from south to north; for I consider the mountains ín N orth Am erica, as only a continuation o f the C ordil­leras. T h e parí that appertains to C h ili may be 120 miles in breadth; it consists o f a great num* ber o f mountains, all o f them o f a prodigious height, w hich appear to be cliained to each other; and where nature displays all the beauties and all the horrors o f the most picturesque situations. A lthough it abounds with frigh tfu l prccipices, many agreeable valleys and fertile pastures are to be found th e re ; and the rivers that derive their so urces from the mountains,* often ex-

* The highest mountains of the Cordilleras of Chili are the Manilos, in 2 8 deg. 4 5 mi», the Tupungato, in 33. 2 4 . the Descabezado, in 35 deg. the Blanquillo, in 35. 4. the Longavi, in 3 5 . 3 0 . the Chillan, in 36. and the Corcobado, in 4 3 . 1 had no opportunity, while in the couutry, to measuve the height o f these mountains, which naturalists assert are more than2 0 ,0 0 0 feet above the level o f the sea. Buffon asserts, that the highest mountains o f the earth are to be found under the equator; but having seen and particularly noticed bolli those o f Perú and o f Chili, I doubt nmcli the corrednos* o f tliis axiom, and ain more inclined to adopt the opinión o f M. Bcr-

fraud, wlio, in his Memoirs upon the Structure o f the IV.iuth*

' B 4

hi bit the most pleasing as well as the most terri- fying features. T h at portíon o f the Cordilleras which is situated between the 24th and 33d degrees o f latitude, is w holly desert; but the remainder, as far as the 45th degree, is inha- biíed by some colonies o f Chilians, who are cal- led Chiquülanes, Pehuenches, Puelches, and H uilliches, but are more generally known b y the name o f Patagonians.

S e c t . I V . Political Divisions.— T he political divisions o f C hiïi consist o f the part occupied by the Spamards, and that which is inhabited by the Indians. T he Spanish part is situated be- tweeu the 2 éth and 37th degrees o f south latitude, and is divided into thirteen provinces, to w i t : Copiapo, Coquim bo, Q uillota, Aconcagua, M elipilla, and St. Jago, (w hich contains the capital city o f the country o f the same name) Rancagua, Calchagua, M aúle, Y ta ta , Chillan, Puchacay, and H uilquilem u.* T he división o f

says, “ It is not true that the highest mountains are found under the equator, since the Andes increase in height in pro- portion as tbey recede from it.” The Cordilleras are lower at Copiapo, notwitlistanding it is nearer the tropic, than in the

otiier paris o f Chili.

* I have thonght proper in this place to give a short account o f the situation and extent of ali these provinces, with their capitals, ports, and principal rivers. I should also have given

9

íhese provinces is very irregular, and imperfecti) desigiiated: there are some o f them w liich ex-

a sfatement o f their populatïon, but was not able to obtain an estímate which satisfied me.

Copiapo— extending from the Andes to the sea, is 100 leagues in lengtb, and 70 ia breadth. ïts capital— Copiapo, sitúate in 26 deg. 5 0 miu. south latitude. Ports— Copiapo and Guaseo. Rivers— the Salado, Copiapo, Totoral, Que­brada, Guaseo, and Chollay.

Coquimbo— extending from the Andes to the sea; in length 4 5 leagues; in breadth 7 0 . Its capital— Coquimbo, in 2 9

deg. 5 4 min. Ports— Coquimbo and Tongoy. Rivers— Co­quimbo, Tongoy, Limari, and Chuapa.

Quillota— situated on the sea-coast, in length 25 leagues, in breadth 21. Its capital— Quillota, in 3 2 deg. 5 6 min. Ports— Fapúdo, Herradura, Quintéro, and Valparaíso, in 3 3

deg. 2 min. Rivers— Longotoma, Ligua, Chile, and Limache.Aconcagua— in the vicinity of the Andes; 2 5 leagues in

length, and o f equal width. Its capital— Aconcagua, in 3 2

deg. 4 8 min. Rivers— Longotoma, Ligua, and Chile.Melipilla— on the sea-coast; 11 leagues in length, in breadth

2 3 . Its capital— Melipilla, in 3 3 deg. 3 2 min. Port— St. Antonio. Rivers— Maypo, Maypoche, and Poangue.

Santiago— near the Andes; 11 leagues in length, in breadth 20. Its capital— Santiago, in 3 3 deg. 31 min. Rivers— Co­lina, Lampa, Mapoche, and Maypo.

Rancagua— from the Andes to the sea; in length 13 leagues, ín breadIh 4 0 . Its capital— Rancagua, in 3 4 deg. Rivers— Maypo, Cedegua, Chocalan, and Cachapoal,

Colchagua— from the Andes to the sea; 15 leagues in length, and 4 3 in breadth. Its capital— St. Fernando, in 3 4 deg. 18 min. Ports— Topocalma and Navidad. Rivers— Rio-Clarillo, Tingiririca, Chimbarongo, Nílabue, and Teño.

Maúle— from the Andes to the sea; 4 4 leagues long and2

10

tend from tlie sea to tlie A ndes; others occupy but the h a lf o f that space, and are situated near themountains or upon the coast. Their extent is also very various, some o f them being six or seven times larger than others. Tliese provinces were formerly inhabited by the Copiapins, Co- quimbranes, Quillotanes, Mapochinins, Pro- maucians, Cures, Cauques, and Penquons. A t present there exist but few remains o f any o f these nations.

T h e Indian country is situated between the river B io-bio and the Archipelago o f Chiloé, or the 36th and 41st deg'rees o f latitude. 'I t is in­habited by three different nations : the Arauca-

4 8 broad. ïts capital— Talca, in 3-1 deg. 3 3 min. Port— Astillero. Rivers— Mataqnito, Rioelaro, Lircay, Maúle, Pu- tagan, Achihucnu, Liguay, Longavi, Loncomilla, and Purapel.

Itata—-on the sea-coast; 1 1 leagues in length and 2 3 in bveadth. ïts capital— Coujemu, in 3 6 deg. 2 min. Rivers— Lonquen and Itata.

Chillan— near the Andes; in length 12 leagues, in breadth 2 5 . ïts capital— Chillan, in 3 6 deg. Rivers— Catillo, Cato, Nuble, and Chillain.

Puchacay— on the sca-coast; 12 leagues long and 2 5 broad. ïts capital— Gualqui, in 3 6 deg. 4 2 min. Rivers— Lirquen, Andalién, and Bio-bio.

Huilquilemu— near the Andes"; 12 leagues long and 25

broad. ïts capital— Huilquilemu, in 3 6 deg. 4 2 min. Rivers — Itata, Claro, and Laxa.

The Spaniards likewise possess the port and town of Valdi­via with its territory, situated upon the south shore o f the river

o f the same ñame, in 3 9 deg. 5 5 min. south latitude,

nians, tlie Cunches, and the Huilliches. T he

Araucanians do not, as M . de Pauw pretends, in- habit the barren rocks o f Chili, but, on the con- trary, tlie finest plains in the whole country, si- tuated between the rivers Bio-bio and V ald ivia. Araucania lies upon the sea-coast, and is calcu- lated to be 185 miles in ïength ,* it is generally considered as the most pleasant and fertile part o f C h il i ; its breadth, from the sea to the foot o f the Andes, was formerly estimated at 300 mileSj but the Puelches, a nation inhabiting the western part o f the mountains, having joined th e 'A rau ­canians in the last it cannot at presentbe less than 420 miles in breadth, and tlie whole o f their territory is calculated to contain 78,120 square miles.

T h e Araucanians have divided their country into four principalities, or uthamnapu, to w hich they have given the follow ing ñames : Eavquen- mapu, or the maritime country; Lclvunm apu, or the flat coun try; Inapiremapu, or the country at the foot o f the Andes ; and Piremapu, or the country o f the Andes. E ach principality is di­vided into five provinces, or aïíla-rehuc, and each pro vince into nine commanderies, or rehue. T he maritime principality contains five provinces ; Arauco, Tucapel, Ilicura, Boroa, and Nagtolten. T h e principality o f the plain, Eucol, Puren, R e- pocura, M aqueliue, and M ariquina. T he prin­cipality at the foot o f the Andes, Marven, Col-

1 2

hue, Chacaico, Quecheregua, and Guanahue. T he principality o f the Andes comprehends a ll the valleys situated between the limits heretofore mentioned. T h e country o f the Canches extends along the coast, between the V ald ivia and the A rch ipelago o f Chiloé. Cunchcs is derived from the word cuneo, which signifies a bunch o f grapes, and is allusive to the great fecundity o f that nation. T h e H uilliches occupy all the plains to the east o f the Canches, from whom they are separated partly by an imaginary line, and partly by that chain o f the Andes which ex­tends from the V a ld iv ia ** extiennty o f C h ili. TJiey are called H uilliches, w hich sig­nifies Southern men, from their country being the farthest towards the south. B oth the Cun- ches and the H uilliches are w arlike nations, and allies o f the Araucanians, to whom they have rendered important Services in their wars with

the Spaniards.C liili is one o f the best countries in Am erica.

T h e beauty o f its sky, the constant mildness o f its climate, and its abundant fertility, render it, as a place o f residence, extremely agreeable; and w ith respect to its natural productions, it m ay be said, without exaggeration, not to be in­ferior to any portion o f the globe. T h e seasons succeed each other regularly, and are sufficienti/

marked, although the transition from cold to

beat is very moderate. T h e spring in C h ili com-

13

menees, as ia aïl tlie countries o f the soutliem hemisphere, tlie 22d September, the summer in December, the autumn ia M arch, and the winter in June.*

* That part o f Chili which may properly be deemed a Spanish province, is a narrow distríct, extending along the coast from the desert o f Atacamas to the island o f Chiloé, above 900 miles. Its climate is the most delicïous o f the New World, and is hardly equalled by that o f any región on the face of the earth. Though bordering on the tòrrid zone, it never feels the extremity o f lieat, being screened ou the east by the Andes, and refreshed from the west by cooling sea» breezcs. The temperature of the air is so mild and equable, that the Spaniards give it the prefercnce to that o f the South" ern provinces in their native country. The fertility o f the soil corresponds with the benignity o f the climate, and is wonder-

fully accommodated to European productions. The most valu- able of these, corn, wine, and oil, abound in Chili, as if they had been native to the country. All the fruits imported from Europe attain to full inaturity there. The animals o f our hemisphere not only multiply, but improve in this deiightful región. The horned cattle are of larger size than tliose o f Spain. Its breed o f horses surpasses, both in beauty and in spirit, the famous Andalusian race, from which they sprang. Nor has nature exhausted her bounty on the surface o f the eartli; she has stored its bowels with riches. Valuable mines o f gold, o f sil ver, o f copper, and of lead, have been dis- covered in various parts o f it. A couuíry distinguíshed by so inany blessings, we may be apt to conclude, would early become a favourite station o f the Spaniards, and must have been culíivated with peculiar predilection and care. Instead of this, a great part o f it remains unoccupied. In all this

extent o f country, there are uol above eighty thousand white

S e c t . V . O f Main, &;c.— From the begin- iiing o f spring until autumn, there is throughout C h ili a constant succession o f fine weather, par- ticularly betweén the $4th and 36th degrees o f latitud e; but in the islands, which for the most part are covered with wood, the ráins are very freqüent even in summer. T h e rainy season ori the continent usually commences in A pril, and continues until the last o f A ugust, In the northern provinces o f Coquimbo and Copiapo it very rareïy rains; in the central ones it usually rains three or four days in succession, and the pïeasant weathey continues fifteen or twenty days. In the Southern the rains are much more fre­qüent, and often continue for nine or ten days without cessation. These rains are never ac- companied with storms or h a i l; and thunder is

scarcely known in the country, particularly in places at a distance from the Andes, where, even in summer, it is seidom ever heard.* AmongrOthose mountains, and near the sea, storms occa- sionalïy arise, which, according to the directiori

inhabitants, and about three times tliat number o f negroes and people of a mixed race. The most fertile soil in America lies uncultivated, and some o f ils most promising mines remain umvrought.— Roberlson's Hisiory of America, vol. iv. chap. 7.

* “ Lightning is wholly unknown in the province of Chili, notwithstandiug thunder is occasioaally heard at a great dis­tance over the Andes."— American Gazeièeer,

o f the wind, pass over, and take their course to the north or soutli.

In the maritime provinces snow is never seen. In those nearer the Andes it falls about once in five years; sometimes not so often, and the quan- tity is very trifling; it usually melts while falling, and it is vcry uncommon to have it remain on the ground for a day.

In the Andes, on the contrary, it falls in such quantities from A pril to November, that it not only lies there eonstantly during that time, but cven renders them w holly impassable during the greater part o f the year.* T h e highest summifs o f tliese mountains, w hich are eonstantly covered with snow, are distinguishable at a great dis-

* Those who venture to pass the Andes in the depth of winter, when overtaken by snow-storms are frequently í’rozen, as Iiappened to the Spaniards under the command of Diego de Almagro, in the year 1 5 3 5 . Tliis lias led soine authors to as-

sert confidently, without attending to the diíFerence o f places, that such is the severity o f the winter in Chili, that men fre­quently perish with cold ; , yet it has been repeatedly proved, that in those parts not comprised within the Andes, the weather is so mild, that it is very unusual for the mercury in Réaunuir’s thermometer to sink to the freezing point, and none o f the rivers or streams are ever frozen. Abbé Gauri says, in his Treati.se upon Natural Philosophy, that the cold is

*o extreme in the plainsof Chili, that the inhabitauts arc com- pelled to forsake their houses, and, like the wretched inhabit- ants of the polar regions, to shelter themsclves in caverns; a story which beírays no less iguorance of the real situation of Chili, than a total disregard o f piobability,

15

1 6

lance by their whiteness, and form a very singu­lar and pleasing appearance. Those o f the in- habitants who are not sufíiciently wealthy to liave iee-houses, procure snow from the moun- tains, which tbey transport uport mules. T h e consumption o f this article is very considerable, as a general use is made o f it in summer to cool their liquors. T h e maritime countries, being at a distañce from the Andes, do not enjoy this ad- vantage, but they feel the privation o f it less, as the lieat is much more, moderate upon the coast than in the interior. In the midland pro vinces is sometimes seen, in the month o f A ugust, a white frost, accompanied by a slight degree o f coid, w hich is the greatest that is experienced in those districts. T his coldness continues two or three hours after sun-rise ; from which time the weather is like that o f a fine day in spring.*

* So general is the opinión of the excessive coid ín the South­ern extrejmity o f America, that it is hazardous to contradict it. I shall, however, venture to s.uggest some doubts respect- íng so geuerally an admitted fact. At the same time that Commodore Byron compares the temperature of the Straits of Magellan in summer with the climate o f England in midwinter,

he describes the country in the following manuer: “ Upon Sandy Point we found a plenty o f wood and very good water, and for four or five miles the shore was exceedingly pleasant. Over the point there is a fine íevei country, with a soil that, to all appearance, is extremely ricli, for the ground was ce- vered with flovvers o f various kinds, that perfumed the air with

their fragrance; and ainong them were berries almost innu-

17

T he dews are abundant throughout Chili, in the spring, summer, and autumnal niglits, and in a great measure supply the want o f rain during

thpse seasons. A lthough the atmosphere is then

merable, where the blossoms had been shed 5 we observed that the grass was very good, and that it was intermixed with a great number of peas in blossom. Among tliis luxuriance o f herbage we saw many hundreds o f birds feeding, which, from their forni, and the uncommon beauty of their plumage, we caíled painted geese. We walked more than twelve miles, and found great plenty o f fíne iresh water." “ The place abounded witli geese, teal, snipes, and other birds that were excellent food." “ On cach side of Sedger river there are the finest trees I ever saw/' “ Some o f them are o f a great height, and more than eight feet in diameter, which is pro- portionably more tlian eight yards in circuinference; so that four men, joining hand in hand, could not compass them ; among others we found the pepper trce, or Winter's bark, in great plenty. Among these woods, notwithstancling the cold- ness o f the climate, there are innumerable parrots, and other birds, ofthe most beautiful plumage.” “ The country betwcen Port Fainine and Cape Forward, whicli is distant about fonr leagucs, is extremcly fine; the soil appears to be very good, and there are no less than three prelíy large rivers, besides severa! brooks." “ I made another excursión along the shore lo the northward, and found the country for many miles ex- ceedingly pleasant, the ground being covered with flowers, which were not inferior to those 'that are comvnonly found in our gardens, either in beauty or fragrance."— HawkesivorlKs Voyages,'vol. i. cliap. 4 . " • ..

This description is no doubt corred, and it is confopirable to that given of the country by many other navigaíors. But how is it possible that so pleasiug and plentiful a vegetatio»

V O t . I. C

18

loaded with humklity, its salubrity is not injured thereby, for both husbandmen and tràvellers àleèp in the open air with perfect sécurity.

Fogs are cornmon on the coasi, especially in

could be met wilh amidst such excessive cold, or that parréis, birda so attached lo beat, should voluntarily inhabita climate condemned. to perpetual winter? And if the sumnier is so cold that, according to this author, it may be compared to midwinter in England, what idea must we form o f the Ma- gellanic winters. It is certain that Winter’s barb is not only

met with in abundante ou the norlhern shores o f this strait, but also from the account of Capt. Cook, in his second voyage, on the island o f Fuego; yet this tree, which grows so pleoti* fully in the open air, cannot endure the winter o f England, whither it has been carried, unless aided by the artiñcial warmth o f a hot-house. T o which may be added, that th© sea which surrounds those shores is never frozcn, notwith- standing the great quantities o f fresh water that flow into i t ; a fact which ali the Europea» navigators who double Cape Horn in midwinter can testify. In the month of June, 1768, I was myself upon a voyage in that sea, as far as the (Jlst degree of latitude, without.^óiceting with the least indication o f free2ing; and though it snowed very often, the cold was not severer tlian that which is usually felt dnring the winter in Bologna. The floating islands o f ice which are frequently met with in those seas, particularly in the summer, a'Ve driven by the Southern winds wliich blow from the antarctic regions.

The French who, in 1765 , fgrtned a settlement upon the Maluine islands, in 51 dcg. 4 0 min. lat. affirnied, that the win­ter which they passed there was by no means severe, and that the soow was never in such quantities as to cover the soles o f their%hoes.* 1 have no doubt of the unpleasant occurrcDce which befel Mr. Banks and his companion on- the island o f

* See M. de NerniUe’s Letters.3

19

tiiè aútuihn ; tliey continúe but á few hours in the morning, and as they consist only o f watery partides, are not prejudicial either to tlie? health o f the inhabitaóts, òf to the vegetation.

S k c t . V I . Winds.— T h e north and nòrth-west winds usually bring fam , and the soUth ànd south-east a clear sky. These serve _às infàllible indications to the inhabitants, who are observant o f them, and furnish íliem with a k in d o f bàfo- meter to determine previously èïie state o f the weather. T h e same winds produce direótïy ton- irary eftects in the Southern and in the northera heniispheres. T h e, north and nòrtherly winds,

Fuego; but a single fáct is' not sufficient to establish a theory» The crew o f Ihe Spanish sliip Cenception pussed the vvliole wintev o f 176O' there, wíthou't experiencing any thing ó f a si­milar nature, which miglit have been produced by a coucur- rence o f various accidental causes. Whenever this part o f the vvorld becomes we)l peopleà; the cold,\vhich is now còn« siclered as natural to it, will be very sensïbly decreased ; on the lands being cultivated, the aír will be rendered as mild and pleasant as that which is enjoyed by the inhabitaots o f the northern hemisphere situàted under similar parallels of lati- tude, it being a fact well ascertained, that a desert country covered with woods is mücft móre subject to all the inconve­nientes o f the atiiióspliere, tlian one filléd with inhabitarrís, and iniproved by cultivation.

The account giveu by Juli us Gaesar of the climate o f trance, which at that period v/as covered with wood and uncultivated, .correaponds with that which the writers o f our times have given b f the Magellaníc couutries.

C %

2 0

bcfore they arrived at Chili, cross the tòrrid zone, and tlicrc becoming loaded with vapours, bring with them lieat and rain. This Iieat is, however, very moderate, and it w ould seem that these winds, in Crossing the Andes, w bich are constantly covered with snow, become qualified, and lose much o f their heat and unhealthy pro- perties. In Tucum an and C ujo, whefe they a je known by the ñame o f Sonda, they are much more incommodious and a re ' more suffocating than- even the Siroc in Italy. T he southerly winds coming immediately from the antarctic pole, are coid and dry. These are usually from the south-west, and prevail in C hili during the time that the sun is in the Southern hemisphere. T h ey blow constantly towards the equator, the atmosphere at that period beiiig h ighly rarified, and no adverse eúrrent o f air opposing itself to their course. As they disperse the vapours, and drive them towards the. Andes, it rains but sel- dom during their continuance. T h e clouds thus collected upon these mountains, uniling with those which come from the north, occasion very

heavy rains, accompanied with thunder, in al 1 the provinces beyond the Andes, particularly in those o f Tucum an and Cujo, while, at the same time, the atmosphere o f C hili is constantly clear, and its inhabiíants enjoy their finest season. T h e contrary takes place in wintcr, whicli is the fine season in tiñese proYÍnces, and the rainy in Chili,

21The south wind never continues blowing during the whole day with the same forcé : as the sun approaches the meridian it falls very eonsiderably, and rises again in the afternoon. Àt noon, when this wind is scarcely perceptible, a fresh breeze is* felt from the sea, which continues about two Or three hours. The husbandmen give it the name of the twelve o'clock breeze, or the coun- tryman’s waich, as it serves to regulate them in detefmining that liour, This sea-breeze returns regularly at midnight, and is supposed to be pro- duced by the tide. It is stronger in autumn and sometimès accompanied with hail, The east winds rarely prevail in Chili, their course being obstructed by the Andes. Hurricanes, so com- mon in the Antilles, are unknown there; therç exists, indeed, a soiitary example of a hurricane, which, in 1633, did much injury to the fortress of Caremalpo, in the Southern part of CJiili.

The mild temperature which Chili almost al- ways enjoys, must depend ehtirelyuponthe sucees- sionof these winds, as a situationso near the tròpic would naturaliy expose it to a more violent d%* gree of heat. In addition to these, the tide, the abundant dews, and certain winds from the An­des, which are distinet from the east wind, cool the air lo. muçh in summer tliat, in the shade, na one is ever incommoded with perspiration. The dress of the inhabitants of the sea-coast is the same in winter as in summer; and in the interior,

22where the beat íb more perceptible than elsewliere^ Réaumur’s therm.ora.eter scarcely ever exceetjs $5 degrees. The nigliis, thrpughout the cpuhü> are generally of a yery agreeable temperature. Notwithstanding the moderate heaí of Chili, alí the fruits of warm couutries, aud even those of the tropics arrive to great perfectioa íhere,*

* Contiguous to Perú is situated the province p f Chili,. which extends in a long, narro\v strip upon the epast o f the South Sea. The air is remarkably clear and serene, and for three quarters o f the year this country enjoysan almost constant temperature, as it rains very Jiltle during .that period. The want ot rain is ampjy compensated by the copióos'dews and the many streams .wíiich, descemling from the.Andes, fertilize the plaius, and render them productive o f every kind o f graiu, as well as wine, oil, and all those fruits which its inhabitants, Wílio are miicli redueed in their numbers, and not rcmarkable for their industry, think proper to cultívate. Were the go- vernment to show itself a little more favourable to the encou- ragemeut o f its industry and the increase o f its population, no country in the world could rival it; since, at the same time, it enjoys a clear sky and a degree of heat which, though températe, perfectly matures those tropical fruits that do not grow spontaneously except in the torrid zone. The plains o f this country furuish in abundance wliatever is necessary or conduciblc to the comfort o f iife; while the mountains contain the richest treasures, in mines of gold, silver, copppr, lead, jron, and quicksilver. Those that are principally wrought are the gold minés, and there is scarcely in the wliole country a stream whose sands do not contain this precious metal in greater or less abundance. But the indoience o f the inha- bitants prevenís many o f the orines from being wrought, and, what is a still greater eyij, the so.il from being cultiyaíed in

wliich renders it probable, that the warmth of the soil far exceeds that of the atmosphere. The countries bordering on the east of Chili do not enjoy these refreshing winds ; the air there is suffocating, and as oppressive as in Àfrica under the same latitude.

Sect. V II. Meteors.—Meteors are very fre- quent in Chili, especially those called shooting stars, which are to be seen there almost the whole year, and balls of fire that usually rise from the Andes and fall into the sea. The aurora austra­lis, on the contrary, is yery uncommon. That which was obseryed in 1640 was one of the largest; it \yas visible, from the accounts that have been left us, from the month of Februarythe manner ¡t deserves. Notwithstanding so few are employed in cultivation, and those by no means very industrióos, a suf­ficient quantity o f wheat for the subsistence o f 6*0 ,0 0 0 per- sons, is annually sent frora Chili to Callao, and the other ports o f Peru, for there are not in the world lands inore productive o f every kind o f grain. Besides the great quantities o f wine and hemp that arc exported every year, the last o f which is cultivated in no other part o f the South Sea, those of hides,

tallow, jerked beef, gold and other metáis, which constitute

the most valuable cargoes, and are shipped from all the ports, •are much more considerable. The cbief occupation of the inhabitants is the breeding o f cattle, which are so plenty, that an ox may be bought for a trifling sum; an unequivocal proof of tire fertility of the country, where money is cornparatively o f little valué.— History o f the European Setllem&nts in America, vol, i. part 3 . chap, 11 .

c 4

until Àpril. During this century they bave ap- peared at four different times, but I cannot de­signate their particular periods. This pheno- menon is irrore frequently visible in the Àrclii- pelago of Chiloé, from the greater elevation of the pole in that part of the country.

Sect, V III. Volcanoes.—That a country pro- ducing such an abundance of sulphureo us, nitrous, and bituminous substaïices, should be subject to volcànic eruptions, is not to be woü- dered at. The numeroUs volcanoes in the Cor­dilleras would, of themselves, furnish a-sufficient proof of the quantity of these combustible ma­terials. Therè are said to be fourteen, wliiçh are in a' constant state of eruption, and a still greater numbèr that discharge snaoke only at in­tervals. These are all situated in that part of the Andes appertaining to Chili, and nearly in tlie middle of that range t)f mountains ; so that the lava and aslies tlirown out hy themnever ex- tend beyond their límits. These mountains and their vicinitics are fomid, on examination, to con- tain great quaníities of sulphur andsal-ammoniac, marcasile in an entire and decomposed state, cal- cincd and crystallized stones, and various me­tall i c substances.

The grcatest eruption ever known in Chili was that of Peíeroa, wbich happencd on the 3d of December, 1760, whcn that volcano formed

2 4

itself a new cráter., and a neighbouring moun- tain was reni asunder for many miles in extenty The eruption was acçompanied by a dreádful ex­plosión^ which was lieard throughout the whole country; fortunately it was not succeeded by any very violent, shocks of an earthquake. The quantity of the lava and ashes was so great, that it filled the neighbouring valleys, and occasioned a rise of the wàters of the Tingeraca, which con- tinued for many days. At the same time the course of the Lontue, a very considerable river, was impeded for ten days, by a part of the moun- tain which fell and filled its bed. The water at ïengíh forced itself a passage, overflowed alï the neighbouring plains, and formed alakewhich still remains. In the whole of the country not included in tlie*Àndes, there are but two volca- noes, the first, situaf.ed at the mouth of the river Rapel, is small, and discharges only a little smoke from time to time. The second is the great vol- cano of Villari ca, near the lake of the same ñame in the country of Arauco. This vol.cano may be seen at the distance of 150 miles, and altliough it appears to be isolated, it is said to be connected by its base with the Andes. The sum- mit of the mountam is covered with snow> and is in a constant state of eruption. I t is fourteen miles in circumference at its base, which is prin- cipally covered witli pleasant forests. À great number of m ers derive their sources from it, and

26

its perpetual verdure furnishes a proel that ií$ #ruptions liave never beçn very violent.

Sect. IX. Earthquakes.—The quantity ef inñammable substances with which the soil of Chili abounds, rendered active^by the electric fluid, may be considered as one of the principal causes of the earthquake, the only scourge that afflicts tliis favoured country. Auother, however, not less capable, in my opinión, of producing this terrible phenomenon, is the elasticity of the air contained in the bowels of the earth, in con- gequence of the water which, insinuáting itselí by subterranean passages from the sea, beçomes changed into yapour. This hvpothesis will ex- plain why the countries to the east of the Andes, at a distanee from the sea, are so little incom- modecl by earthquakes. Two provinçes however, Copiapo and Coquimbo, although near the sea, and as rich in minerals as the others, have never fuflered from earthquakes ; and while the other parts of the country llave been violently shaken, these have not experienced the least shock, or been but slightly agitated. It is a general opi­nión that the earth in these proyinces is inter- sected by large caverns, The noises heard in many places, and which appear to indicate the passage of waters or subterraneous winds, seem to confirm this opinión, and it is highly probable that by afíbrding a free vent to the iafíamed sub-

%1stances, these çaverns may serve to çouulenict the progresa of those convulsions to which tjie neighbouring couptry is subjeci

The inhabitants usually çalculate tliree or four earthquakes at Çbili armuaïly, but tbey are very slighí, and littlo attention is paid to theip. The great earthquakes happen but rarely.* The

* In a period o f 2 4 4 years, from the arrival o f the Spa* niards to the year 1 7 8 2 , fi ve great earthquakes have eccurred in. Chili, The firsr, which was in the year 15 2 0 , destroyed gome viliages in the Southern provincçs j the second, on the 1 3 th o f . May, inthp year 1647, ruined many o f the houses o f St. Jago ; the third, on the lóth o f March, 1 6 5 7 , destroyed a great part of that capital; the fourth íook place on the t 8 th o f June, 1 7 3 0 , wben the sea was driven against the city o f Conception, and overthrew its walls; and the fifih on the 2 fith o f May, 1 7 5 1 , completely destroyed that city, which vvaj again inundated by tbe sea, and levelled with the groupd all tjie fortresses and villages situated between the 3 4 th and 4 0 tb degrees o f latitude. Its course was from south to north, and it was annqunced by some slight shocks on the preceding nights; more especially by one aboat a quarter of an bour before its commencement, accompanied by a ball o f fire that precipitaíed itself from the Andes into the sea. The great shocks began about midnight, and continuçd four or five minutes each, but the earth was in a state o f almost constant vibration until day-break. Just before the earthquake the sky was perfectly clear in every quarter, but immediatety after its commencement it became covered with black clouds, which

poured ,down a continual rain for the space o f eigbt days, at the end of which there was a recurrence o f slight trerablings

that continued during a month, with short intervals between each, of fifteen or íwenty minutes. It is not supposed that oh

2 8

shocks were probably more violent before íhe in- flammable materials found outletsbyíhe means of volcanoes. A t present they produce only hori­zontal or oseillatory motions. From a course of accurate observations it has been ascertained, that earthquakes never occur ijnexpeetedly in tlíis country, but are always announced by a hollow sound proceeding from a vibration of the air; and as the shocks do not succeed eacli other rapidly, tlie inhabitants llave sufficient time to provide for their safety. Tliey have, however, in order to secure themselvcs, at all events, built their citics in a veryjudiçious manncr ; thestreets are left so broad, that the inhabitants would be safe in the middle ofthem , shquld even tlie houses fall upon both sides.

In addition to tliis, all the houses have spacious çourts and gardens, which would serve as places of refuge. Those who are wealihy, have usually in their gardens, several neat wooden barracks, where they pass the night wheneYer they are< threatcned with àn earthquake. Under these circumstances, the Chilians live without appre- hension, and consider themselves in perfect secu­ri ty ; especially, as the earthquakes have never been hitherto attended with any considerable.tlíis occasion a single person pcrished in the whole province, cxcepting seveu invàlids, who were drowned in the city o f Conception ; and the Ioss o f lives, if any, was no greater ig

the preceding earthquakes.

sinking of ihe ^eartli, or faliing of buildings» This, in my opinion, is owing to subterranean passages communieating ,with the volcanoes of the Andes, which are so raany vent-holes for the inflamed substances, and serve to counteract their effects* Were it not for the númber of these volcanoes, Oliili would, in all probability, bé iendered uninhabitable.

Some preterid tliat they can forétel an earth- quake from certain clianges in the atmospkere. Although this does not appear to me impossible, I must acknowledge that my owa experience has furnislied me with nothing to induce me to cre­dit it. I was born and educated in Chili, and while in tliat country paid great attention to the state of the air during earthquakes : I have known them occur both in the rainy and dry sea- sons, during a storm as well as a caïm.

Sect. X. Salubrity o f Climate.—The inha- bitants of Chiíi, notwi'ílistanding the freqüent occurrence of earthquakes, are very well satis- fied with their country, and ï aín cotovinced would not readily be induced to quit it for any other exempt from this calamity.

This preference is not founded solely upon that natural atfachment to country, which is common to alí men, but is derived from some advantages peculiar-to Chili; a soil naturally fertile, and vrell adapted to every useful and

mraliiftblè próductióü, a iñild áftd álmofct cqüábló téiiipératufe of el i maté, and a remarkable salu­bri ty, áré the blessings énjoyed by thís délight* ful cóúntry.* Béforé the arrival of thé Spá-

'* I f Chili Í3 not populous, it cannot be attributed to tfié fault o f iis climate, which is one o f the most salubrious o f any known, the contignity o f the Cordilleras communieating to it a delightful temperature, which, from its latitude, it could uot be éxpected 16 éhjoy. Ííór does Spain posséss a province more pleasant and agreeáble as a placé o f resideíice.-—PA¿* ¿oSophica.1 History o f thé Emopean Estahlishments, book viii. chap. 2.

There are two reasons which liave impeded the population o f Chili, and counterbalanced the advantages it has received from naturé: The first, the almost continual wars between the Spáiriards and the AraucanianS from its first discovery, which liave destroyéá a» infinite number o f peoplé: The second (and the principal) the commercia! réstriclions which were im-

posed upon that country, as for a century the CJbilians had no direct communication with Europe, nor were they permitted to seud any o f their produce to any other place than Calcao, from wlieuce it foliówed, that every species o f exportation and importafion was cónducted by the merchañts o f Perú, who o f cdurse reaped ali the profit o f this trade. Thís permeious system discouráged industry, and had a sensible effecfc apon the population; but of late, since a direct commerce has been carried on with Europea» ships, which arrive every year in «orne o f the ports o f Chili, that delightful country begins to iherease in numbers, and, in some measure, to raise itself to that important statioh which iís natural advantages claim. In the year 17 5 5 , in the province o f Maúle alone, there were calculated to be 1 4 ,0 0 0 whites capable o f bearing arms, and the population o f the other provinces had increased in a de- gree proportionate to the exierit o f their limits. The esti-

31

niards contagïous disorders were unknownt the small pox, which occasionally makes its appear- ance in the northern provinces, and is known by the ñame of the plague, was first introduced by thein.* Át such times, the inhabitants of the neighbouring provinces oblige every person coming from the infected district to perform a. rigor ous quarantine, and by that means have presérved themselves from the ravages of that destructive malady. Whenever the Indians sus- pect any one to be attacked with it, which sorne- times happens from their intercourse with the Spaniards, they bum him in his own h u t,f bymates, therefore, made by Dr. ïtobertson and the Abbé Raynal, in tbeir histories, are, in this particular, incorrect, fceíng foünded on accòunts furnished durÍDg the last centUry.

* The small pox raged in Peru hefore the Spaniarcís enteredit % Juit wben Pizarro was first off the coast, and had landed his two nien. The Inça died o f it. Whence did this come ?-— Ferhaps it had spread from México.— E. Editor.

Herrera, 5 . 3 . 17«

f In Abyssinia al so, whenever a house is supposed to be in* fected with the small pox, the people set fire to it, and bum

it with all its inhabitants!— E. E.The most striking picture o f the ravages o f tiris dreadful

malady among savage tribes, is given by Mackenzie.It spread áround with a baneful rapidity which no flíght

«ould escape, and wilh a fatal effect that nòthing could resist. Itdestroyed witli its pestilential breath- wfaole famílies and tribes, and the horrid scene presented to the beholders a cora* bical ion o f the dead, the dying, and such as toavoid the hor*

32

means of fiery arrows. By this method, wliich Is truly a violent one, they have hitherto pre- vented its progress, and been exempted from this disorder.

A physicianof tbe country, Matthias Verdugo, a monk oí the order of St. John, was the first who, in 1761, introduced inoculation, and since tliat period it has been práctiscd with great suc- cess. Tertian and quartan fevers are also un~ Icnown there ; and tlie inhabitants of the neigh- bouring provinces who are afflicted with them,ridfate o f their friends around them, prepared to disappoinfc the plague o f its prey by terminating their own existence.

The habits and lives o f thesc devoted people, wliich provided not to-day for the wánts o f to-mòrrow, must have heightened the páins o f such an affiiction, by leaving them not only without remedy, but even without alleviation.

T o aggravate the picture, if aggravation were possible, may be added, the putrid careases wliich the wolves dragged forth from the huts, or -wliich were mangled within them by the dogs, whose hunger was satisfied with the disfigured remains o f their mastersJ Nòr w’as it uncommon for the father o f a family whom the infection had not reached, to cali them arouud him, to represent the cruel sufferiugs and horrid fate

ot their relations, from the iniluence of some evil spirit who was preparing to extírpate their race, and to invite them to báflie deatli with all its horrors by their own poniards. At the same time, if their hearts failed them in this necessary act, he was himself ready to perfovm the deed of mercy with his own hand, as the last act o f his affection, and instantly to' follow them to the common place of rest and refuge from human evil.— Mackenzie¿

4

are accustomed tó come inío Cíiili for tbe benefit of tlieir health, where they very soon recover. A violent fever, accompanied with delirium, is sometimes prevalent among tbe country people, particularly in summer and in auturcin. This complaint, which tbe Indians cure with certain herbs, whose properties tliey have learnt by ex- perience» bears the ñame of chavo longo, which signifies the disorder of the head. The venereal disease is but Iittle known in the Spaiiish settle- ments, and stili less among' the Indians. As the last have no word in tlieir language expressive of it, tkere is every reason to presume that this ma- lady was not known among them until after the arrival of the Spaniards. The rickets, a disease which for three. centuries has been a scourge to Europe, is as yet unknown within the bound- aries in Chili, and lame or deformed persons are very rarely to be met with.* To many of the

33

9 The Creóles áre generally well shaped» and there are scarce any of those deformed persons» so common in other counlries, to be seen among them ; besides which, they almost all possess great flexibility and activity o f íimbs.— Philosophi* cal History, book xi. chap» 18 .

Notonly tbe Creóles» vvho are descendedfrom the Europeans, but also the aborigines o f the country, display equal perfec- tion oí form. Some authors pretend, that the reason why none wbo are deformed, or cripples, are to be found among these people, is owing to the savage custom whiçh the parents liave o f destroying such unfortuuate children at their birth; but this is a mere picture o f the imagination; at least, among

YO L. I. D

34

maladiès, peculiar to hot countries, such as tíre Siam fever, the black vòmit, and the leprosy, its inhabitants are likewise equally strangers. No instance óf the hydrophobia has ever occurred, and M. de la Condamine justly observes, that in South America the dogs,* cats, and other animals are never affiicted with madness.

Ohili produces none of tliose dangerous or ye- nomous animals which are so much dreaded in hot countries; and it has but one species of smali serpent, which is perfectlyharmless, as the French Acadèmicians ascertained when they went to Peru, in 1736, to measure a degree of the meridian.'f The lions, which are sometirnes met with in the thickest and least frequented forests, are distin- guished from the African lion, both by their being without hair, and their limidity ; tliere isthe Chilians no trace o f so inhuman a praclice has ever been discovered, as numbçrs who have iived with them for years have positively assured me.

• * This faci is certain. Does it not foílow that this dread- fui malady is never generatcd without infection, and therefore that it is possible to annihilate it ?— E. E

f This country is not infested by any kind o f insect except the chiguas or pricker,or anypoisonous reptile ; and although in the woods and fields some snakes are to be fouud, their bite is by no means dangerous; nor does any savage or fero- cious beast excite terror in its plains.— Uiloa's Voy age, part ii. vol. 3 .

35

ho instance of their ever having attacked a man, and a person may not only travel, but lie down to sleep with perfect security, in any part of tlie plaiiij and even in tbe thickest forests of the mountains. Neither tigers, wolves, nor many other ferocious beasts that infest the neighbour- íng countries, are known there. Probably the great ridge of the Andes, which is every where extremely steep, and covered with snow, serves as a barrier to their passage. The mildness of the climate may also be unfavourable to them, as the greater part of these animals are natives of the hottest countries*

5*2

36

CHAP. ï.

Wàters, JEarths3 Stones, Salts, Bitumens3 and Me. tais.

C h il i is a plane very percepíibly inclined to- wards the sea, and may be considered as a pro- íongation of the western base of the Andes, From its situation it naturally vec.eivesthe wàters produced by the melting of that immense body of snow that annually falls upon those mountain, while the provjnces to the east are frequently in want of water. The number of rivers, streams, and springs, which irrigate the country, is incon- ceivable. They are to be found in every part, even on the tops of some of the maritime moun- tains.

S e c t . I. Rivers.—It is diíiicult to determine the number of rivers and strcams that havetheir sources in the Andes ; the principal, however, aniount to one hundred and twenty-three, fifty- two of wliich communicate directly with the sea, and convey thither the wàters of all the others. Although, from the inconsiderable breadth of the country, the course of these rivers is short,

37

tliere are several of them that are navigable at least half their distance For slïips of the line. O f this ruimber are,, the Maúle, in tlie province of the same ñame; the Rio-bio, which is two miles in breadth ; the Cauten ; the Tolten ; the Valdivia, in the countryof Arauco ; theChaiviíi; the Rio-bueno, in tlie country of the Cunches ; and the Sinfondo,* which discharges itself into the Archipelago of Chiloé.

The course of these rivers is extremely rapid as far as the maritime mountains, wliérè, front the make of the ground, they flow more slowly. The beds are very broad, their bottoms generally stony, and the banks low.

This last circumstance is of great service t<j the husbandmen, who avail themselves of it to Jet the water into canals, from which, in times of drought, they water their fields; by this means they are never in want of water, even in the dry season, as the rivers are then always full, in consequence of the melting of the snow on the Andes at that period.f

* Probably so called from its depth.— E. E.

f The rivers which water and fertilize the whole country opon the western side o f the Andes, from whence they spring, ave very numerous, and discharge themselves into the Pacific Ocean. The banks, covered with bei-.utiful tices that always retain their verdure, and the clearnessand coolnessof so many crystal streams, rcnder this country the most delightful in the

D 3

38

From the ïatter part of September to Febru- ary, the water in these rivers is at its greatest height; their rise is, liowever, by no means uni~ form, since some of them are observed to increase most in the morning, others at mid-day, and others towards evening ; a circumstance whicli may probably be owing to the greater or less exposure of their springs to the sun. Notwith- standing these floods are copious, theynever in­undate the adjacent plains, from the beds of the rivers being, as I have already observed, very broad. Though many of these streams appear to be shallow, freqüent instances have occurred of persons being drowned who have attempted to ford them on horseback. The common opinion that snow-water produces goitres, appears to be *unfounded, if we may be allowed to form a judg- ment from that of these rivers. Their wàtersworld. Its thermal and mineral wàters likewise contribute much to the heallh o f the inhabitanls.— Coleiïs Dictionary o f South America*, article C h il i .

. * There is a passage iu the Coroneca del Orden de S.Augmtin en el Perú, by M. F. Antonio de Calancha, which inentions goi­tres as commou among some o f the Peruvian mountaineers. I made no reference to this fact, not supposing that I should ever want to refer to it; the book has no other Index than an absurd one of all the texts o f scripture which it quotes; and I want leisure, as well as inclination, again to examine a volume containing more than 900 lavge and full folio pages, with about two lies to evcry page.— E. E.

39

wliich are excellent, and constantly drank by the inbabitants, cannotbe considered as any thing but Hquefied snow, yet is this disease vvbolly unknown in Chili.

S e c t . II. Lakes.—Lakes of salt and fresli water are common in Chili. The first are situ- ated in the marshes of the Spanish provinces; the most remarkable are the Bucalemu, the Cagüil' and the Bojeruca, which are from 12 to 20 miles in length. Those of fresli water are contained in the interior provinces, and are the Ridaguel, the Aculeu, the Taguatagua, the La­quen," and the Nahuelguapi; the two latter, situated in the 'country of the Araucanians, are the Iargest. The Laquen,• which the Spaniards cali the lake of Villariea, is .72 miles in circum- ference, and in the centre of it rises a beautiful lijtle hili in the form of a cone. The Nahuel- guapi is 80 miles in circumference, and ha3 likewise in the middle a pleasant island covered with trees. These lakes are the sources of two considerable rivers ; the first of the Taitón, which falis into the Pacific Ocean ; the latter of the Nahuelguapi, which empties itself into the Patagonian Sea, near the straits of Magellan. Within the Andes are also many lakes, but they are of little^mportance.

/Sect. III. Mineral Waters.—A country like

i> 4

40

Chili, abounding in mineral and bituminous sub stances, mustnecessariiy produce a great number of mine al springs, the virtues of whose wàters must have become known to the inhabitants. Gaseous and acidulated wàters are com mon in all the provinces, particularly in the valleys at the foot of the Andes. Borne springs are vitriolic and .impregnated with iron, others sulphuric or m uriatic; their temperature is in general that of the atmosphere; but there are some that are cold in sumiller, a quality probably derived from their sources beipg in the vicinity of mines or springs of salt. But as I have never carefully analyzed these wàters, ï am not ahle to giye accurate In­formation respecting them.

The provinces of Copiapo and Coquimbo are rich in salt springs. In the former, there is a river called from its saltness Salado, which, like the oiher large rivers, has its sourçe in the An­des and falls into the Pacific Ocean, The water of this river is very clear and extremely salt; and its speci fi c gravity is, according to the season of the year, from fifteento eightcen degrees,

The salt crystallizes naturally . upon the shores; it is excellent and fit for use without any preparation, as it is very pure and not mixed with calcarious earth, or any heterogeneous salts. In a val ley of the Andes, inhabited by the Pe- huencl.es, in 34 deg. 40 min. latitude, are eleven springs of very clear and límpid water, which

4 1

Overflows the surface, and becomes crystallized into a salt as white as snow. This valley is about fifteen miles in circumference, and is en- tirely covered, for tbe depth o f six feet, with a crust o f salt which is collected by the inha- bitants in large pieces, and used for all domèstic purposes. The surrounding mountains afford no external indication o f mineral salt, but they musí necessarily abound with it, from the great quan- tities deposited by these springs.

Mineral waters are coramon in Chili. The most celebrated are those of the Spanish settle- ments of Peldehues and Cauquenes. The source of the former is on the snmmit of one of the ex­terior mountains of the Andes, to the north of St. Jago. I t consists of two springs of very different temperatures, one hot, and the otheí coid; the former is sixty degrees above thé freezing point by Réaumur’s thermometer, the latter four degrees below it. They are about eighfy feet distaut, and their waters are United, by means of canals, so as to form a tepid bath, which is found very efficacious inmany disorders. The water of the hot spring is oily to the touch, and foams like soap suds ; it abounds with mi­neral aíkaíg which appears to be combined with an unctuous substance in a state of solútion. It is clear, inodorous, impregnated with a very little íixed air, and its specific weight is but two degrees above that of common distüled

42

water. Its heat is probably owing.to the efferi vescence of a large body o£ pyrites in the vicinity of its sourcc. The water of the coid spring is iron and vitriolic, and, when mixed with that of the warm, deposits Glauber’s salt and ayellowish ochre.

The baths of Cauquenes are in one of the valleys of the Cordilleras, near the source of Caciapoal, a very considerable river. As the situation is very pleasant, great numbers of per- sons resort there during the sumraer, as well for amusement as for the recovery of health.

The springs are nuraerous and of various qualities and temperatures, Some of them aré coid, others h o t; some acidulated, and impreg- nated in a greater or less degree with iron; while others are alkalescent or vitriolic, and several, like those of Pisa, are merely gaseous. The principal spring is very warm and sulphuric; its margin is covered with a yellow efflorescence of sulphur, and the water has a strong hepatic smell; it contains besides an alkali and a neutral salt. The surrounding mountains abound with every kind of mineral, and near the spring are great numbers of willows, which are covered with a species of manna, in globules of the size of grains of gun-powder.

Three mineral springs, adjoining the high voad to Cujo, afford a neutral salt, with a cal­cáreo us base, of a sharp and bitter tasté, and

4 3

easily soluble ; it is collecíed in great quantities upon the borders of these springs, where it shoots into crystals tbat are iisuallyof a quadrangular prismàtic form. The inhabitants use it for Glauber’s salt, whieh tbey believe it to be; but I atn more inclined to think it a species of Ep- som salt, as it has neither the base nor the form of the true Glauber, yet, as I have never had an opportunity of analyzing it critically, I cannot determine with positiveness. Mineral wàters are in great estimation with the Araucanians, who consider them as peculiarly beneficial, and as under the particular care and protection of Meulcn, one of their benevolent deities, whom they call Gencovunco, or, Lord o f the mineral wàters.

Se c t . IV . Soil.—The soil of Chili is wonder- fully fertile ; its fertility is not, .however, equal throughout the country, but is increascd in pro- portion to its distance from the sea.* The mari­time are less productive than the middle districts, and the latter are inferior in quality of soil to the valleys of the Andes. In these last, the ve- gctation is more luxuriant and vigorous, and the animals lay-ger and stronger than in the other

* The plains, the mountains, the valleys, in short, all Chili, . wiíhout exception, is an objectüf wonder; since from its ex- treme fertility, it would seem as if every pavticle o f eartli ivas couveríed ihto seed.— Jmerican Gazetieer; article C i i i l i .

44

parts o f thé country ; but às the people who in- habit these rich valleys are Nomades, or herds- men, and in reality cultívate nothing, it is difíi- cult to determine with precisión the degree of their fertility. Thé various salts and other prin­cipies of fècundity contained in these mountains, and by means of the air and the rivers distributed throughòut the country, combinihg with the natural heat of the soil, may be considered as the real causes of that inexhaustible fertility which requires not the aid of manure. The husbaiidmen have discòvered by éxperience that all artificial manui’es are superfluous, if notinju- rious ; they allege in proof the great fertility óf the land in the vicinity of St.‘ Jago, which, not- withstanding ithas never been manured siricethe settlement of the Spaniards, a period of two hun- dred and thirty-nine years, though constantly cultiyated by them, and for an unknown time by the Indians before them, has lóst nothing of its productive properties.

Another advantage resulting from the richness of the soil is, that Chili is notinfestedwith those worms so destructive to grain in the blade, which are produced or mulíiplied by 'the fermentation and putrefaction of manure.

Those'who have written upon Chili are not agreed as to the produci of the.soil. Some say that it yields from sixty to eighty, and even a

4 5

lumdred fold ;* otliers, that ilie crop is con- sidered as poor if it does not exceed a liun-

* The river of Chile, callecl also the river o f Aconcagua’, from its rising in a valley o f that name, is celebrated for the prodigious quantity of wheat which is every year produced upon its sbores; from whence, and the vicinity o f St. Jago, is brought ali the grain exported from Valparaíso to Callao, Lima, and otlier parts o f Peru. Such is the quantity, that it is inconceivable to any one unacquainted with the excellence o f the soil, which usuaily yields from sixty to eighty for one, how a ¿ountry so thinly peopled, whose cultivable iands are comprised wilhin a few valleys o f not more than ten leagues square, canfiirnish such quantities o f grain in addition to what is wanted for the support o f the inhabitants. During the eight months while we were at Valparaíso, there sailed from that port alone thirty vessels loaded with wheat, each of which would average six thousand fanegas, or three thousand mule loads, a quantity sufficient for the subsistence o f sixty thousand persons for a year.— Frazicr's Voyage, vol. i.

Besides the commerce o f liides, tallow, and dried beef, the inhabitants o f Conceplion carry 011 a trade in wheat, with which they annually load eight or ten ships o f four orfive hun- dred tons burthen for Callao, exclusive o f tire flour and ship bread for the supply of the French ships that stop at Peru on their return to France. But ali this would be little for this excellent country, if the cartli was properly cultivated, which' is so fertile aud easy o f tillage, that the inhabitants merely scrateh it over witli a plougb, or more frequently with the crooked branch of a tree, used for that purpose, drawn by a pair o f oxen; and so prolific is the soil, that, for the purpose

o f vegetation, the seed scarcely requires a slight covering, and will yield a hundred for one.— Iiul,

dred ;* wliile there are those who assure uà tliat it often amounts to ihree h'undred for one.i* I am not disposed to question the account of respect­able writers, several of whom have beert eye witnesses of what they describe: especially, as instances of fertility occasionally occur tliat are truly wonderful. I have myself seen lands that produced a hundred and twenty, and even a hun- dred and síxty for one, but these are extraordi- nary cases, and cannot serve as data for a gene­ral estímate.

The commou crop in the middle districts is* Another more important source o f wealth, although iess

appreciated by its possessors, is what arises from the fertility o f the soil, which is truly astonishing. Ail the European fruits attain perfection in this favoured climate, and the wines would be excellent were it not for a bitter taste acquired in conse- quence o f their being kept in jars smeared vyith a kind o f rosiu, and afterwards put into skins for transporlation. When the crop o f grain does not exceed an hundred for one, it is consi-, dered as poor and scanty.— Philosophical Hisiory, boolc viii.

It is not a good year when the crop o f wheaf does not ex­ceed a hundred for one, and it is the same with all other grain.

-—Ulloa’s Voyage, vol. iii.

fT h e soil is excellent, but differing, in somé degree, as it:Í '

approaches or recedes from the equator. The valleys o f Co- piapo frequently yield three hundred for one; the platas o f Guasko and Coquimbo, are nearly as productive, and the lands on the river Chile are so fertile that they have given its ñame to the countrv.— Sansóns (o f AblevilleJ Geography j article

C h il i .

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from sixty to seventy for one, and from forty to fifty in the maritime. Between the 24th and 34tli degrees of latitude the husbandmen irrigate their fields by artificial means, wliich renders their crops generally more certain iban in the South­ern provinces, wheretliey depend upon the dews,. although the rivers and streams oífer them the same advantages. The estímate which I have made, might, however, be increased, were the grain -which is lost during the harvesting tò be taken into account; as the husbandmen have adopted a very injurious custom of not reaping their com until it begins to shell out, in conse- quence of which much is wasted and serves as food for the birds ; and it happens not ünfre- quently, that what is Ieft produces a second crop without any tillage or farther sowing of the ground.

The difference in the vegetation of the mari­time and middle provinces depends upon the qualities of their respective soils. That upon the*coast resembles the rich grounds of Bologna; its colour is brown, inclining to red, it is bri-ttle, clayey, contains a little marle, and is filled with flint, stones, pyrites, shells,' and other marine substances. In the interior, and in the valleys o f the Andes, the soil is of a blackish colour, inclining to yellow; it is brittle, and frequently mingled with gravel and marine substances in a state, of decomposition. This quality of the

as is. . . ' . .soil is continued to a considerable deptn,discoverable in the ravines and beds of the riyers.

S e c t . Y. Physical Organization.— The ma­rine substances that are met witli in every part of Oliilij are incontestible proofs of its having been formerly covered by the ocean, whiclr, gra- dually retiring, has left the narrow strip-of land extending from the sliore to the^Andes.* Every

* The retrocession o f the sea from the coast o f Cbili is every year very perceptible, although not the same in every part. In some places it does not excecd two inches, while in others, especially at the mouths o f the rivers, it is more thau half a foot. This circumstance, apart from other more general causes, is most probably owitig to the shoals produced by the ílowiug o f so many large rivers into tlie sea ; these consist the first year only o f a light sand, in the second they produce a little grass, and iii the third are entirely clothed with verdurc. T o this cause is the confonnation o f the shores assignable, which consist in general o f a plain two leagues broad between the sea and the maritime mountains. Upon the western declivities of these mountains, llie vestises of ihe ocean are stiU vevy perceptible; they are excavated in various modes, and exiiibit many singular grottos, eontaining rooms hung with shells and beautiful spars, which aíford shelter to the cattle during the heats o f summer. On the left bank o f the river Mahle, at four lmndred paces distance from its moutb, is an insulated mass of white marble, consisting of a single piece, seventy-five feet in height, two hundred and twenty-four in length, and fifty-four in breadth. This immense block, called from its appearance, the church, is excavated within like an arch the third part ó f its height, and has on tlie outside

3

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49

tliing within tbese límits offers incontestible proofs, that the land has been for a long time co- vered by the ocean; the three parallel chains of maritime mountains, the bilis that unite them with the Andes, in fine,, all the ramifications ofthree doors o f a semi-circular form, and proportionate. lieight and breadth. Through the one on the western front, the sea continually flows; the two others, which are on the north and south sides, and placed opposite, serve to admit those who wish to visit it at the tide o f ebb. This natural edifice, constaut- ly washed by the sea, serves as a place o f resort for the sea- wolves, who herd in great numbers in the lower part, and make the cavity re-echo with their lugubrious cries; while the upper is occupied by a species o f sea-bird, very white, called ¿ili, in figure and size resembling a house-pigeon. On the shore of the provínce o f Rancagua, at a short distance frorn the sea, is a mass o f stone, excavated in a similar manner, called by the inhabitauts ihe church o f Mosario. Grottos and caverns o f this sort are very nümevous in the Andes, and o f great extent. In the mountains near the source o f the river Longa vi, is a cavem o f an oval form, and so large that it wili readily admit am an on= horseback; but what renders this cave particularly remarkable is, that at sunrise, before the summits o f the Andes are tinged by its beams, the rays o f that luminary, penetrating through some aperture, presents to the eye a wonderful phenomenon. In the same range o f mountains is, likewise, the celebrated bridge o f the Inca, which is nothing but a large mountain, 'eut through by the river Mendoza. This mountain principally consists o f gypsum, and large clnsters o f beautiful stalactites, formed by the crystallization o f that substance, are su-pended from the aich o f the b/idge.

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the latter appear tohave been successitely forraed by the agency of its waters.

The interior structure of the Andes every where exhibits a very different origin, and ap- pears to be coeYal ^ ith the creation of the world. This immense mountain, rising abruptly, forms but a small angle with its base ; its general shape is that of a pyramid, crowned at intervals with conical, and, as it were, crystallized elavations. I t is composed of primitive rocks of quartz of an enormous size and almost uniform configuration, containing no marine substances, which abound in the secondary mountains. On the top of Descabezado, a very lofty mountain in the midst of the principal chain of the Andes, whose height appears to me not inferior to that of the celebrated Chimboraso of Quito, various shells, evidently the production of the sea, oysters, conchs, periwinkles, &c. are found in a calcined or petrified state, that were doubtless deposited there by the waters of the deluge.

The summit of this mountain; whose form appears to be owiug to some volcànic eruption, is flat, and exhibits a plain of more tlian six miles square; in the middle is a very deep lake, which, from every appearance, was formerly the crater of a volcano.

Tlie principal chain of the Andes is situated betwcen two of less height that are parallel to it, These lateral chains are about twenty-five

5 1

or tlrirty railes distant frorathe principal, but are connected with it by transverse ramifications, apparently of the same age and òrganization, although their bases are more extensive and variegated. From the lateral ridges many other branches extend outwardly, composed of small mountains, occasionally running in different directions.

These éxternal mountains, as well as the middle and maritime, are of a secondary formation, and an order essentially different. Their summits are generally more rounded, and they consist of horizontal strata of various substances and unequal thickness, which abound vvitli marine productions, and often exhibit the impressions of animals and vegetables. ï liave observed both in excavations formed b y . the water, and those made by the inhàbitants, that the inferior stratum of these mountains is gene­rally a kind of whetstone, of a reddish coloür and a sandy grain, sometimes a quartzeous sand, or a compact dark grey f sandstone; this is succeeded by layers of clay, marle,. various kinds of marble, schistus, spar, gypsum, and coal; beneath the whole are found véins of ore, ochre, quartz, granite, porphyry, sand, and roeks of various degrees of hardness.

Thedisposition of the strata varies vefy eonú- derably in different places, and in these derange- mcnts the laws o f gravilation are seldom db-

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served, as what forms tbe upper stratum in one mountain,' I have discovered to be the inferior in another. They in general, however, preserve a degree of regularity in their inclination, wliicli is from south to north, a little tending towards the west, corresponding with the relative situation of the ocean, whose currents are from south to north.

Notwithstanding these moúntains in general are composed of various strata, there are several that are uniform ; some are entirely calcareous, others are of gypsum, o f granite, o f freestone, o f quartz, of basaltes, o f lava, and other volcaniG substances; while, as U lloa ju stly observes, some appear to con si st entirely of shells, s^arcely, i f at all, decomposed. But all these homo- geneous moúntains are barren, and produce only a few languid shrubs, while the stratified moúntains, which are covered with a depth o f cultivable soil, are always clothed with a plen- tiful and vigorous vegetation.

The exterior of the stratified moúntains like" wise furnishes a proof of their formation by the ocean. Their bases are almost always very extensive, heightening progressively and forming various valleys, whose inflections are correspondent to the undulation of the waves. On exara in ing the valleys, their organi- zation is readily perceived to be the same with that of the stratified moúntains: similar ma-

5 3

feriáis., and a like disposiíion of them* are found every where, thougli, in general, more pulver- ízed or reduced to earth.

The variety of fossils witli which the earth abounds, must necessarily add to the valué of this delightful country ; and although at present the precious metáis appear to attract the soíe attention and regard of the inhabitants, there will doubtless be a time when, stimulated by Science, they will apply themselves to the dis- covery of various minerals not less worthy of attention.

S ect. V I. E a rth s .— I f Nature has been pro- digal o f the precio us metáis to Chili, she has not been sparing in the variety of its earths. Under diderent modifications, I have discovered both the argillaceous, the calcareous, the sandy, and the mineral. ít contains all the kinds- of clay described by Liunseus and Wallerius, ex- cepting the flesh-coloured clay, or terra lem nia;

but, in place of this, I have met with five other kinds that appear to me to be entjrely distinet from those of Linnaeus.

The first of these is the clay of Buccari, (argilla Buccarina). It is a species of bolar earth found in the province of St. Jago. ít is very fine and light, of an agreeable smell, and of a brown colour spotted with yellow dissolves . readily in the mouth, and like all

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those kinds of earth, adhères strongly to the tongue. ïn many of tlie convents of the capital, the monks manufacture from this clay, jars, bottles, cups, and several other articles of beautiful ware, which they varnish and paint yery handsomely, on the outside, with the figures o f plants and animals.

These vessels communicate a very pleasant smell and flavonr tothe water that isput intothem, which undoubtedly proceeds from the solution of some bituminous substance contained in the clay. But as no appearance of bitumen is perceptible in the vicinity of the pits from whence it is pro- cured, its qualities can only be ascertained by analyzation. Considerable quan tities of this ware are exported to Peru and Spain, where it is held in greaí estiraation, and known bj the name of Búcaros. The Peruvians eat the broken pieces of these vess-sls as the natives o f Indostan do those of Patna.

The second kind is the clay of Maúle (argilla Maulica). This clay is as white as snow, smooth and g r e a s y to the touch, extremely fine, and sprinkled with brilliant specks. It is found on the bordees of rivers and brooks in the province of Maúle, in strata which run deep into the ground, and its surface when seen at a distance has the appearance of ground covered with snow, and is so unetuous and slippery that it is almost im­possible to walk upon it without falling. It

5 5

does not effervesce with àcids, and instead of losing in the íire any portion of its shining whiteness, it acquires a slight degree of trans- parency. From its externa! appearance, when I íirst saw this clay, I supposed it a kind of fuller’s eartli very common in the country ; but I afterwards discóvered fhat it was not lamellous, was easiiy wrought, and retained tlie forní that was given it, and, although saponaceous to the touch, did not foam witli water. These cir- cumstances induce me to believe tliat this clay is very analogous to the kaolín o f the Chínese, and that combined with fusible spar, of which there are great quantities in the same province, it would furnish ani excellent porcelain.

The third species, is the subdola (argilla subdola) so called from the places where it is found, which are usually marshes, containing pits very dangerous for animals, especially horses, ^ho, i f they fall in them, are sure tó perish unless immediate assistance is obtained. This clay is black, viscous, and composed of coarse partides of various sizes; the pits are from lifteen to twenty feet in circumference, and of an immense depth. Wallerius and Linnaeus de­scribe a clay, found in Sweden, that has resem- blance to this, to which they baye given the ñame of argilla tumescens, but on inyestigation it appears to be very different both in its colour and properties. The Chillan clay is a little

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alkalescent, continues in the same state through- cíut the yeár, and is constantly covered witli a very fine ver dure that attracts the animals, who are frequently mired and perish in it; while that of Sweden inclines to an acid, swells much in certain seasons, and is naturally barren.

The fourtb kind is the rovo (argilla rovia) from which the inhabitants procure an excellent black ; it is used in dying wool, and represented by Feuillé and Frazier as superior to the best Europcan blacks. This clay is of a very fine grain, of a deep black, a little bituminous, and very vitriolic. It is found in almost all the forests, and has the property of communicating to pieces of wood that are buried in it for a short time, a sort of black varnish, very shining and durable. The colour is obtained by boiling the clay with the lea ves of a piant called the pankc

Unctoria, hereafter described.They grey clay, which is the fiftli species,

posseses all the properties requisite for pottery. It appears to be of a kind suitable for retorts, crucibles, &c. as the vessels that I have seen of it are very strong, and capable of resisting the most violent fi re.

Amone: the calcareous earths is a kind of lime or gravelly chalk, found in the Cordilleras, in quarries of many miles in extent, and of a depth hitherto unexplored. I have given it the name of volcànic lime (calx vulcanica) as I ám con-

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vmeed it was originally marble reduced to this state by volcaneos or subterranean íires. Its sürface appear to have been burnt, and the surrounding mountains afford unequiYOcal proofs of an extinguíshed volcano.

This substarice is distinguisbed from common lime by several particulars: it is not so caustic eveu when burnt; and, when mixed with acids, effervesces but slightly, and deposits a neutral salt of a very irregular crystallization. The only use to which this lime is applied by the in- habitants is to whitewash their houses. It is ©f two kinds, one perfectly white and easily rej ducible to an impalpable powder, found in the mountains of Calchagua and Maúle; ihe other which is of a yellow hue, but becomes paler and discoloured with age, is brought from the pro- vince of Chillan.

The metallic earths or chalks, discovered in Chili, are the mountain green and blue, native ceruse, lapis caliminaris, brown, yellow* and red ochres; of the latter there are two varieties, one of a palé, and the other of a bright red like cinnebar ; the last is calied Qucnchu, and is mentioned by commodore Anson as being found in great quantities in the island of Juan Fernandez. Some give it the ñame of native minium from its appearance, and its weight differs very little from that of red lead; it is supposed to have been produced from the calci­

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58

nation of mines of lead by subterraneous tires. The venís of both these ociires run deep into the ground, and their qualify is found to improve in proporiion to their dcpth.

Fev/ places in Cliiii are in reality sandy, or so covered with sand as to be incapable of vegeta- tion. But the rivers abound with it, owing to the constant friction of the pebbles with whieh their beds are lined, and on their shores all the various kinds of sand described by naturalists may be found. The black sand of Virginia (arena micácea nigra) first described by Wood- ward, is common on the sea shore and on the banks of several rivers; it is black and very heavy from the quantity of.fermginous partides it contains. In the same places is also found another kind, differing from the former only in colour, which is a beaiififul Prussian blue; for ibis reason I have called it the black blue sand (arena cyanea). Near Talca, the capital of the province of Maulé, is a little hill which fur- nishes a species of cernent sand, known by the ñame of Talca sand (arena íalcensis). This sand is finer than tbat of Puzzoli in Italy, and appears to be a volcànic production, as iís eartby and ferruginous parts are half caleined. The inhabitants employ it in their buildings for those walls which they intend to whiten, as of itself it forms a very strong cement, to which the lime adheres firmly.

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S ect. V II. Stones.— In Chili, a country wliose mineralogy is so imperfectly known, very few new species of stones have been discovered, in either of the four orders into which naturahsts have divided them. In the shorí excursions which my occupatíons allowed me to make among the mountains, I have noticed, of the argilia- ceous kind, various sorts of schistus, slate, tale, asbestos, and mica. O f the latter the membra- naceous mica of Chili, othcrwise called Mus* covy glass, is found there in its greatest perfec- tion, both as respeets its trans pareney and the size of its laminae; of this substance the country people manufacture artificial iiowers, and, like the Russians, make use of it for glazing' their houses. The thin plates which are used for Windows areby many preferred to glass, from their being pliable and less fragüe, and possess- ing what appears a peculiar property, o f frcely admitting the light and a view of exfernal ob- jeets to those within, while persons without are prevented from seeing any thing in the honse. It is as white and transparent as tlie besfc glass, and is frequently found in plates of a foot loncr; and I arn convinced, if a liííle care was used in digging it, they might be procured of double that size. There is a second kind, found in very large plates, which I have. called mica variegara.

It is spotted withyellow, red, and blue; but as it

6 0

camiot be applied to the uses of ílie first, it is of course held in rauch less estimation.

Those of the ealcareous kind are limestones, marbles, ealcareous spars, and gypsums. O f the limestones, there are those that are very compact and of ali colours, the shining red, the coarse white, the blue, and the grey.

The plain marbles, or those of but one colouo hitherto discovered in Chili, are the white sta- tuary marble, the black, the green, the yellow, and the grey. Two mountains, one in the Cor­dilleras of Copiapo, and the other in the marshes of Mahle, consistwholly o f a marble striped with bands of various colours, which have a beautiful appearance. The variegated marbles are- the ash- coloured with veins of white, yellow, and blue ; the green speckled with black; and the yellow with irregular spots of green, black, and grey. This last is found at St. Fernando, the capital of Calchagua; it is in high estimation, is easily wrought, and becomes harder from exposure to the air. The Chilian marbles are generally of an excellent quality, and take a fine polish. Several who have examined the interior Andes, have informed me that those mountains ahouud with marbles of various kinds, and of almost all colours; but their observations werç too superficial to afford me a correct description.

In the plains néar the city of Coquimbo, at

61

the depth of three or four feet, is found a white testaceous marble, somewhat granulated. It is filled with shells of the snail kind, more or less entire, which give it thé appearance of shell work. The quarry is several miles in. extent, and generally about two feet in thickness, but varying according to the number of strata, which arefrom five to eight, frequently interrupted by very íhin layers of sand. These strata increase in hardness in proportiori to their depth; the upper consists wholly of a coarse brittle stone, which is only proper for lime; but the marble of the others is very compact, requires but little labour to dig, and after a short exposure to the air, obtains a degree of solidity an*d firraness sufficient to resist the injuries of the weather.

Spar, a substance common to all metallic mines, and which often serves as a guide to the miners to determine thé character of the ore, abounds in Chili, whereallthe known species ha ve been discovered, cxceptingtliecrystalof íeeland. O f these species the varieties are infinite, and many of them, i f examined attentively, miglit be found to be real and distinet species. Co- loured spar, known by the ñames of false eme- raid, topa-z, and sapphire, is one of the ¿\jecies most frequently met with. But the most cu- rious of all the Chilian spars is one of an hex­agonal form, and perfectly transparent; it is found in the gold mine of Quiiiata, and is

62crossed in various directions by Tery fine goldcn filaments, which give it a most beautiful appear- ance.

Quarries of the comraon or par alíelo pipedal gypsum, the rhomboidal, and the striated are numerousin Ghili. But the inhabitants make lit- tle use of either, preferring a species of gypsum¿ of a beautiful white a little inclining to blue, which is very briítle and composed of small ir­regular partides ,* it is always found in the vi- cinity of volcanoes, in a semi-calcined state, froin whence I have denominated it the volcànic gypsum (gypsum volcanicum.) The quarries from wheiice it is procurad are o f great extent; it is principally empioyed for plaistering walls, to which its slight tint of blue gives a very agreeable appearance; it may be used in its na­tive s.tate, but the raasons generally prepare it by a slight calcination. The Andes abound with quarries of fine alabaster, and a species of pel- lucid sel enite, which is used by the inhabitants of St. Jago instead of glass for the windows of their churches.

O f the sandstone the re are various kinds the whetsíone, flint, quartz, and rock crystal. The firstcbntaius three varieties, the white, tlie grey, and the yellow: the mill or grindstone, and the freestone, which likewise belong to the same class, are very common in Chili. The mountains contain great quantities of quartz, both the

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opake, the pellucid, and that of different colours, as well as common fiint, and several species of agate. O f tiíe plain jaspers there are tlie fine red, the green, the grey, the white, and the true lapis lazuli ;* and among the variegated, the grey spotted with black, the whitish inierspersed with yellow and blue, and the yellow markéd with bine, red, and grey spots. Besides the pieces of rock crystal found in all parts of the country, blocks of it are obtaioed from the Cor­dilleras of a size sufficient for columns of six or se ven feet in height. They also cdntain grcat quantitjes of coloured crystals, or spurious prc- cious stones, resembling in appearance rubíes, jacinths, diainonds, &c. Not many years since, a real topaz of a very large size was found in the province of St. Jago, and a beautiful eme- raid at Coquimbo. From time to time the rivers wash down with their sands vaiious kinds of precious stones, particularly rubíes andsapphires,

* In the plañís o f Copiapo, are also great quantities of loadstone, and o f lapis lazuli, wliich the inhabitants consider as o f no valué. These mines are at the distance o f fourtcen or fifteen leagues from Copiapo, and in the viciuity of a tract o f country abounding in mines o f lead.— Fraziers Foyaget

vol. i.

The lapis lazuli, according to the opinions of the lest in- formed miner alogis ts, be longs to the genus of zeolites,— Fr.

Trans.

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which, though small and of little valué, fully prove tbat the mounfa’ns producing them con­ia n those that are. of great worth. Bul the in- dolenceof the; inhabitants, which induces them to negleet many other i mportant branches of com- merce, has hitherto prevented them from attend- ing to tbis, notwithstanding it might'become of the utmost importance.

A little hill at the north-east of Talca, con- sists almost entirely of ametliysts. Some are found enclosed in a grey quartz, which serves them for a matrix, and others isolated among the sand. They are more perfect both in colour and hardness in proportion to their deptb, and were those who search for them to dig deeper, they would, most probably, discoyer them in the high- est state of perfection. A short time before I left Chiíi, I saw some thàt were of a beautiful violet, and w'ould cut glass repeatedly without injuring their points. Among them were a few o f as fine a water as the diamond, and perhaps they may serve as precursors to that most valu- able gem. They are so abundant, that in some of the crevices of the rocks, those of a fine pur- ple may be discovered at almost every step.

The province of Copiápo owes its name, ac- cording to the Indian tradition, to the great quantity of turqüoises found in its mountains* Though these stones ought, with propriety, to be classed among the concretions, as they areonly

65

the petrified teeth or bones of animals, coloured by metallic vapours, I have thought proper to mention them here, as they are placed by many among the precious stones. The turquoises of Copiapo are usually of a greenish blue, some, however, are found of a deep blue, which are very hard, and knovvn by the name of the tur­quoises of the oíd rock.

Mixed stones, of those formed by the combi- nation of several heterogeneous substances, are here, as elsewhere, the most numerous, and form a considerable portion of the Chilian mountains. Beside the commou stones of this class, various kinds of porphyry and granite of the first qua- lity are constantly met w ith; and the skirts of the mountains borderiíig the high road across the Andes to Cujo, consist wholly of red, green, black, and other coloured porphyries. Among ihese is one which deserves particular attention ; it is yellow, spotted with red and blue, and from its being found in the neighbourhood of the river Chili, I have giyen it the name of saxum

Chilense.In the plains near the confluenee of the Rio-

claro, a large quarry of brown porphyry with black spots has been discovered. It is disposed in strata of two feet broad and four inches thick, a proportion which hiíherto has been found inva­riable ; and notwithstanding the layers are fre- quently bròken by erevices or sóme foreign sub-

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siance, pieces have been procuréd of mòre iban eight feet in length. These pieces are so even and sraooth, that they are tised by the painters to grind their colóurs upon, wiíhout any prepa* aration. It is not easy to account for the arrange- ment and regular formatíon of this stone; the earth in the environs is composed of sand, cïay or marle, and between the layers only is a eoarse sparry or quàrtzeous sand to be found.

In the plains, and upon.most of the inountains, are to be seen a great number of flat circular stones, of five or six inches in diameter, with a hole through the middle. These Otones which are either granite or porphyry, have dòubtless received this form by artificial means, and I ara induced to beïieve that they were the clubs or maces of the ancient Chilians, and that the holes were perforated to receive the handles.*

S ec t . V III, Salts.— Th& t part of the Andes corres ponding with the provinces of Copiapo and Coquimbo, contains several mountains of fòssil salt, dispersed in strata or layers, crystal- lized in transparent cubes/ frequently coloured

* The natïons of the South Sea Islands, discóvered ly Cap- tain Cook, have aviong their urapons clubs of a similar form to wkat our auihor suppo s'es these lo have leen.— Fr. Traus.

Any shape woukl be betíer for the head o f a mace than the fiat circle. Is it not more likely that this was a missile wea-~ pon, similar to the chuchra o f the Ilindoos 1— E. E.

with yellow, blue, and red, The surface gene­ra! Iy cònsists of an argilláceous eàrth. This salt is excellent,, but it is used ónly by sucíi ás live in the vicinity; as those whó aré at á distance prefer the sea sàlt, which is óbtained in great quan ti ti es., and of á fine quáliiy upan tlie coast> particularly at Bucalemúj Boyeiruca., andVicliu- quen. In the middle districts, however, the salt from the spriiigs of Pehuenches> which I llave already mentioned in treating of mineral waters, is most generally used.

Sal-ammoniac, eithér incriisted or ín á State o f efílorescénce, is very commofl in many párts of Chili. It is also foiind o f various colours, in a fossil státe in thfevicinity of volcanoéSj of which it' appears to be a production.• Much of the marly ground in the neighbour*

hood of the city of Coquimbo is covered with a crust of„some inches of crystállized nitre., with a base of fiied alkali.*

In other párts of the same province this saliis found with a calcareotís base,* but we müst not consider as nitre all the salts which thé iríhábit ants représen! as such> for the natrón is likewise found tliere, Or earthy alkaline salt, combined with áeá salt> and áonietinaes witli tlié volátilé

* Ñor is sallpètrè less cbriimoh there, which is frequently foutad in the valleys an inch íliick lipón the surface of the eàrth,— Fraxier's Voy age,, vol. i.

alkali, to which they improperly give the natne of nitre.

Besides comraon alum, and that called the plumed,* which are found in many parts of Chili, a semi-crystallized aluminous stone has been disco vered in tlie Andes» This stone, called by the inhabitants polcura , is brittle and of a pale white, of a very fine grain and a vitriolic taste; its external appearance is like tbat of white mar- ble, but it coiitains no calcareous partides, nor is it in reality any thing but a clay saturated with vitriolic acid, analagous to the aluminous stone o f Tolfa. It is useful in dying, and the quar- ries from whence it is procured comprehend a space of many leagues among the mountains, which also afford another stone in some measure resembling it, but coarser and of much less valué. Its yellow hue, and the quantity o f sul­phur and pyrites it contains, distinguish this last from the real polcura , which is very pure, and not combined with any metallic substance.

The four principal kinds of vitriol, the green , or irou, the blue or copper, the white with a zinc base, and the mixed, are found in a stalactite or crystallized state as wcll as that of efflorescence in the mines, and e ven isolated in different earths ; the metallic subsiauces which produce it being,

* This ñame is given to a species o f tale, consis ting o f f l a - ments, otkerwise called the asbestos stone.— Dictionnaire de. 1'Academie.

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under different modifications, dispersed through- out tlie country.

S s c t . IX . B itum en s.— The Andes, heated by subterraneous fires, produce in many places white and red naphtha, petroleum, asphaítos, and mi­neral pitch of two kinds, the common, and another of a bluish black, which whenburnt ex­hales an agreeable odour like amber. This bi­tumen, which I believe to be condensed naphtha, I have named bitumen andinum, and itis perhaps only a variety of the Persian mummy. It is not uncommon, and is discovered in large quantities in tliose places that produce it. Jet is very plen- tiful in the Araucanian provinces; and near the city of Conception, and in various other parts of Chili, pit-coa! is found in great abundance.*

Considerable quantities of ambergrisarethrown up by the sea upon the Araucanian coast and the islands of Chiloé. The Indians call it meyene

(theexcrementf of whaies) and pretend that when

* The mountains in the neighbourhood of the Puelches af- fórd mines o f sulphur and o f salt; and io Talcaguano, b e ­quin, and even in the city o f Conception, several good mines o f coal have been discovered at the dppth o f one or two feet from the surface.— Fraxders Voy age, vol. i.

tT h e Brazilian Indians believed it to be the food o f the vvliale, which had been vomited. These opinions tend strongly to confirm the received theory that it is the ill-digested food o f this animal.— E. E.

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it is first thrown up i i is black, tliat it ne%t be- comes brown, and after a long exposure to ihe sun acquires a grey colour. Pieces of yellow amber áre oecasionally fóund upon the shores, which prové thát Chili cóntairis also this valuablé pro- düction. In the pro vince òf Copiapo, ose of the richest parts of the world in minerals,, are two little mountains almost entirely compósed of the most beautiful crystallized sulphur, so puré that it does not require refming.* And there is scarce a valley in the Andes, but what contains a reservoir of this mineral.

S e c t . X . T y rites.-—-The whole territory of Chili is sown with pyrites. They are Of different qualities and shapes, and discovered at various depths, frequently in groupes, but more usually in veins varying in extent and thickness. They most generally accompany metáis of some kind, and are found bo,th in veins of ore, in chalk, clay, and common stone, but rarely in quartz or in rock crystal.

In the three divisions, under which they may be classed, the iron, the copper, and the arsenic,

* On the hígh ridge o f the Cordilleras, forty leagues south- east from the Iiarbour of Copiapo, are the best mines o f sul­

phur. It is procured, from veins about two feefc wide, in a state so pure as to require no refining.— Fxaúers v oyage, vol. i,

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íhey present themselves with sueh different mo- difications, that a particular enumeration and desçription of them would require a volume. The most remarkable species of those that I have seen, is the auriferous perites, generally denomi- nated the Inca stone. M . Bomare, in his Dic- tionary of Natural History, observes, that this stone is very rare, and found only in the tombs of the ancient Peruvians. This may perhaps be the case in Peru, but it is otherwise in Chili, where it is found in great quantities up on the Campana., a high mountain in the province of Quillota, and is kribwn by the same ñame. This pyrites is of a cubica! figure, and eontains a m ixture of gold and cop per miner alized with sulphur. It emits but a very few sparks with the steel, a circumstance which distinguishes it from all other species,

S e c t . X I. Sem í-m etals.— All the known kinds of semi-metals are met with in Chili, and are found either in mines by themselves, or combined with metallic ores, and* generally in a state of mineralization, But the working; them is nes1- ïected or prohibited, and antimony is the only one sought for, as it is necessary for refining the precious metáis. This mineral is discovered under various forms, as, the red antimony com-? bined with arsènic and sulphur, the striated and the compact, all o f which are found in mines of

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gold, silver, iron, and lead. One mine alone has furnished crystallized antimony.

The digging of quicksilver is rigorously pro- hibited in consequence of its being a royal mono- poly. It is found in a metallic form, or mineral- ized with sulphur* under thatof cinnabar. The two richest mines are in the provinces of Coquim­bo and Copiapo, from whence vast quantities might be obtained i f it were permitted to work íhem, the greater part of which would proba-' bly be sold in the country itself, as much is re- quired for the amalgamation of the precious metáis. The mine of Coquimbo is in one of the midland mountains. The bed of matrix of the quicksilver is a species of brownish clay, or a very brittle black stone ; in this the quicksilver is found in great abundance in its natural state, in horizontal veins, occasionally intersected by mineralized mercury or cinnabar. Thatof Quil- Iota is situated in a very high mountai.n near Li- mache, and appears to be as rich as the former. The quicksilver is mineralized with sulphur: its matrix is a calcareous stone, which would serve very well, as an intermedíate substance, to retain the sulphur, if the mercury were to be separated from it by a Chemical process.

S e c t » X II. M etals.— The Chilians set little valué upon lead mines, aíthough tliey possess those that are of an excellent quality. No

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more of th¿s metal is dug than what is wanted ia the foundries for the melting of silver, or is emploved for domèstic purposes. Lead is not only found in all the silver mines, but, in cubes o f Various sizes with the galena or black lead, in mines o f puré ore, or intermixed with spar of different colours. All the lead mines contain either gold or silver, but in too small a quantity to excite the attention of the miners. The mines o f tin, although excellent, are equally neglected with those of lead. This ore is usually found in sandy mountains, not like other metáis in continued veins, but under the appearance of black stones, very brittle and heavy, of an unequal size and irregular shape. In this state, the tin contains a small portion of iron, mineralized with a little arsenic. Crystals o f tin, of various colours, are also commoa throughout Chili.

M . de Pauw, with a dasli o f his pen, has driven out of this country all its iron mines, since he boldly asserts that Chili does not contain a single mine of iron/' But Frazier, and other \vriters who havebeen in that country, declare the contrary.*

* “ In ©rder the more to deprecíate America, Pauw asserts, that there are but few iron mines in that quarter of the world. And, what is still more singular, that the iron pro- cured from them is of very inferior quality to that of the oíd continent, so much that it will not answer even for nails; and

So plentiful is tbis metal in the coqntry, that, as Ï have already observed,.íhe brooks and rivers deposit great quantiíies of sand, replete with partides of iron üpon their shores, the sea also washes it up at times in great abimdance.

The provinces of Coquimbo, Copiapo, Acon­cagua, and Huilquilemu, arevery ricli in mines of iron ; it is found under various appearances, as a black, a grey eompact ore, or crysíallized in bluisli cubes. From the essays tbat have been ,made, the iron of these mines is of the very best quality; but the working of it is prohi- bited, in order to favour the trade of Spain, from whencc all the iron used in the country is brought. But during tbe last war between England and Spain, when ironwas atan exorbitant p rice, seve<- ral quintáis were secreti v wrougbt, which pro ved to be of a superior quality. The Araucanian

that, in consequence, it is so dear as to be so]d in Perú at the rate of a crow», and steel at a crown and a lialf for tiie ponnd weight/’

The iron, however, so mnch decried by tliis autbor, wIiq supposes it to be American, is wbat is imported from Éurope. Bul supposing bis assertion to be true, for what purpose has the Spauish government prohibited the working or selling any iron but that wbich is brought from Spain 1

“ In the vicinity of Copiapo, besides the mines of gold, t he re are many of iron, copper, tin, and lead, that are not worked.” And in the ycar 17 10 , a number of mines of ali kindsof metal, sach as gold, silver, iron, lead, copper, and tin, were discovered at Lampague .—-Fraziefs Poyage, vol. I,

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provinces likewise produce excellent iron, and I have been assuredbyan intel·ligent Biscayan smith, that it was no way inferior to the best in Spain. In the same country has likewise been discovered a species of that mineral substaiice called refrac­

tarias ; and there is scarce a province that does not contain a mine of load-stone: Frazier speaks of a mountain in the Andes, caííed St. Agnès, which is entirely composed of this substance.

I f the Chilians have neg’lected the working of mines in general, this cannot be said of those o f gold, silver, and copper, to whích great attention has been paid, fròm the conquest to the present time. The richest mines of the latter are found betwixt the 24th and 36th degrees of latitude; the ore obtained from them is of vari ous qualities, some yery fine and sorae but indifferent. Ulloa, in speaking of this copper generally, assigns to it ithe second place after that of Corinth, which is properly considered as an artificial metal.* Á1- most all the copper in Chili contains a greateror lessproportionof gold. Thiswaswellknowntothe Frenclii who, in the beginning of thepresent cen- jtury, carried on a profitable commerce with that

* In the province of Coquimbo all kinds of metáis are so comnion, that it would seem as if the eartli was entirely com­posed of mineral. In that province are those mines of copper which supply the consumption of Chili and Peru, and although it is considered as the best of any hítberto known, it is dug very sparingly.— American Gdzetteer; article C h il i .

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country for copper, great quantities of which they expórted, and extracted the gold from it. The proportions o f these metáis arevery varicus, there are sonie copper ores which contain a tenth, and others a third part of go ld; hut in these cases both substances are found in a metallic state, without baving becn mineralized.

The copper ores, containing but little or no gold, are usually mineralized with arsenic or sulphur, sometimes with both, and mixed with iron and silver. They are found under the forms of vitreous and hepatic ore, of ultra*» marine stone, and of malachite and white copper ore. These several ores are rich in metal, but, from the expense of refining them, they are considered as of no valué. The ores thát are wronght are but two kinds, the grey or bell metal, and the malleable copper. The grey ore, or bell metal, is usually mineralized with arsenic and sulphur ; it contains no gold or other meta), except a small portion of tin.* From this mix­ture and its grey colour, which it retains even after baving been melted and refined, it may be considered as a species of native bronze; it has another characteristic of that factitious metal in its brittleness, although its specific gra-

* I f the author has given an accurate descriplion o f this metal, it is o f a very singular species, and nothing similar t<\ it has leen discovered in the mines o f Europe..... Fr. Trans,

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vlty, is mucli greater than that of the metáis çomposing it, when artificially combined. This brittleness renders it unfit for any thing but the casting of cannon, bells, &c.

Large quantitics of this metal are sent to Spain for the use of foundries, vvhence M . Bomare has been led to observe, in his Dictionaryof Natural History, that the copper of Coquimbo is of little valué. The matrix of this ore is a grey sandy stone, easiiy broken; and the relative proportions of the copper to the tin vary consi- derably.

The mal·leable copper is found in manyof the other pro vinces as well as Coquimbo ; it possesses every quality requisite in that metal, and is the species from whence the Chilian copper has principally ¡derived its liigh reputation. Its ma­trix is a soft brown and sometimes white stone ;

the ore, which is mineralized with a small portion of sulphur, in its appearance and ductility resem­bles native copper, a simple roasting being suffi­cient to expel the sulphur, and render it mallea­ble and fit for use. The miners, however, re­tine it in the usual mariner, as they pretend that by this means it acquires a brighter colour. There is a remarkable affinity betwcen this copper and gold ; those metáis are not only always found combined, but veins of puré gold are frequently metwith in the deepest copper mines. In this circuarstance has originated the error of mauy

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miners,, who assert that copper, when it extendsr to a certain depth, becomes transmuted into gold, Theveins do not always preserve the same course> and are frequently divided into small ramifica- tions; and there is a still greater díversityin their gangues or matrices. A great number o f mines bave been opened, but those only are worked •svhose ore is so rich as to yield at least one half its weight in refined copper ; those of a less pro­duci having been relinquished as too' expensive; notwiíhstanding which, bétween the cities o f Coquimbo and Copíapo, there are now ín work more than a thousand mines, besides those in the province of-Aconcagua.

The most celebrated copper mine in Chili. was the oíd mine o f Payen, but the working of it has been for many years relinquished, in conse- quence of the opposition o f the Puelches, who inhabii that district.* On its first discover

* Mines of copper are very freqüent in llie vicinity of Co­quimbo, at three leagues distance to the north-east of that City. It is also said, that mines of iron and of quicksiiver are found there.—Fraxiers Voy age, vol. i.

All the parts of the Cordilleras ncar St. Jago and Concep- tíon abound in copper mines, and particularly a place caiied Payen, some of which were formerly wrought, and pieces of pure copper of fífty and a hundred quintáis weight obtained fromthem.—American Gazeiíeer; article C h il i .

Among the mountains of the Cordilleras a great number of mines of all kinds of metáis and minerals arc to be met withy particularly iu two ridges, distant only twelve leagues from the

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ibis mine furnished pepitas, or pieces of puré copper, from fifty to a hundred weight, which the writers of tliose times represent as of a beau- ti ful colour resembling pinchbeck, and contain- ing in general more than an equal portion of gold. This metal was so puré and easily sepa- rated from its matrix, that it required only a common tire to melt it.

A mine has lately been discovéred at Curico, which is as rich as that of Payen. The ore consists of gold and copper in equal proportions, and the inhabitants have named it natural avan- turine ■ * from its being íilled with brilliant par-

Pampas (or great plains) of Paraguay, and a hundred from Conceptioh ; in one of which have been discovered mines of copper so productive that they have yielded pieces of puré ore of a hundred quintáis vveight. To one of these spots# which the Indians cali Payen, that is copper, the discovever, Don Juan Melendez, gave the ñame of St. Joseph. I saw at Conceptio» a piece of ore of forty quintáis weight, from which, when smelted, were cast six íield pieces of six pounds caliber. And nóthing is more common than to meet with síones com- posed partlyof pure and partly of impure copper. which has giveu rise to the observation, that the soii of this countr'j is crec- tiv e ; that is, that copper is constantly produced or created in it. Tlie samemountain contains mines of lapis lazuli, and the other which is uear it, called by the Spaniards Cerro de Santa Inis, is particularly rgmarkable fov great quantities of load- stone,of which it appears to be entirely composed.—Fraziefs Voyage, voí. i.

* A prccious stone of a ycilowish colour, full of small specks of gold.

soticles that give it a beautiful appearance. This metal is used by the goldsmiths for rings, brace- lets, and other ornaments of jewelry.

In the province of Huilquilemu are hills that furnish a copper ore combined with zinc, or a real native brass. It is found in pieces of various sizes, and the matrix is a brittle carthy stone of a yellow colour, or a dull green. This substance, which has hithertó been obtained only by arti­ficial means, probably owes its formation to eubterraneous fires, which sublimating the zinc, and combining it with the copper, has produced this extraordinary natural mixture. It is of a fine yellow colour, and as malleable as the best artificial brass, and is &alled Laxa copper, from the river o f that ñame in the vicinity of the mine.

The method of melting the ore is very simple: After separating it from the earth and super - fluous matrix, it is broken into small pieces with wooden pestles. These pieces are placed between layers of wood, which are set on fire, and the beat kept up with a large bellows moved by water. The furnace is constructed of an ad- hesiveclay; but the bottom, which is slightly inclined towards the centre, is formed of a cc- ment of plaister and calcined bones. The vault contains a sufficient number of outlets for the smoke, and at the top is an aperture that may be closed or opened at pleasure, which serves for the introchiction of ore and fuel.

À t tlsè bottom of the furñace is a lióle for the pas sage of the liquefiéd ihetah wliich is eonveyéd into a receptacle, aiid from thence taken and re- fined in the European manner.

í do not know what quantity o f copper is an­imal ly obtained from the mines, but from the ex­portaron it must be very considerable. Fivé or six ships sail every year for Spain each of which iisually carries twenty thousand quintáis or up- wards. Much is also sent to Buenos-Ayres by land; and the Péruyians¿ whoháve an extensive corameréé with the coast, export at least thirty thousand quintáis yearly, which is principally employéd in their sugar works. Besides which, thè quantity made use óf in the cannon foim- dries, and for domèstic purposesj is by no means inconsiderabie.

The mines of coppér are nót confined to any, particular distriet, but scattered throughout the country; those of silver, on tho contrary, are found Only in the highest and coidest parts of the Andes. This situation, so unfavourable for yvorking them; and the vast expense of refining, have caused a great number of minesj thóugh rich in orei to be abandoned, and there are but three or four that are at present worked. But it may be presumedi when the population of this coun­try becomes increased and its industry excited, that these mines, now neglected, will become an

VOL. I. ©

©bj'ecí óf attentiòn, and thai the enterprise of as future generation will conquer those obstrue-- tions which impede tbe labours of the present.

All tbe provinces bordering upon the Andes- produce some sil ver mines; but the richest are in-thoseofSt. Jago, Aconcagua* Coquimbo, and. Copiapo. In these it is found notonly in a me-- tallic form, but under- the appearance of vitreous ore, hornbend, and red, grey- and white ore, wherein the silver is 'mineralized with sulphur and arsènic, and it is occasionally found com- bined with oíher metáis¿ In the year 1767, a. piece of silver ore was found in the neighbour- hood o f Copiapo;; it was of a green colour, and, on being assayed; was found to contaba, three-fourths o f pure silver. It was mineral­ized with a small quantity of sulphur, and much search has since been ineffectually made by the inhabitante to disco ver . the vein from which. it was detached.

The ore helddn tbe highest estimationby the. miners is the black, so called from its matrix, being of a. dark colour. Those of them who are experienced are scarcely ever-deceived in this- ore, and whenever they strike upon a- new veia. can nearly- determine by the. eye the quantity of isilver which it will yield. This ore presents three very distinet varieties, though differing but little in appearance. The first, called negrillo,,

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resèmbles the scoria of iroïi, and afFofds ñó ap­parent indication of sil ver. The second, the ros- siclarOj wliich is distinet from the red silver ore, yíelds a ted powder wheri filed; it is very rich> although its éxtemai appearance iis iiot promising. The third, the piombo roncOi is the richest o f ali; as it is mineralized with a very small quan- tity 'of sulphur, it is much more easily separated than the others, which require a more laborious and complicated operátion.

These three varieties of ore are obtained froni the mine of Uspallata, the largest and richest bf any of the silver mines in Chili. It is situated upon the eastern rnoOntains- of that portion o f the Andes which forms à part of the province of Aconcagua. On the top of these mountains is a large plain called Uspallata of more thán seven- teen leagues in leUgth and three in breadth, it is watéred by a pleasánt river and covered with de- lightful groves, the air is healthy and temperate, and the soil fertile. , This plain serves as a basé to another more elevated, called Param illo , upon which the Andes of the first rank rise to such a height as to be seen distinctly at St. Louis de la tuiita, a distance o f one hundred and twenty leágues, The ridgèof these immense mountains is a blackish clay stone, containing a great iium- ber of round stones similar to tho e of rivers, This phenomenon appears to be unexplainable

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in any other way but on the principie o f a generà!* deluge; tbougb sorae authors have, ridiculously enough, accounted for. it, by supposing that the' ancient Indians amused themselves in throwing these stones upon this mass,,while it wasyet sofV and in a state of clay. But bésides the irration- alityof such a conjecture, the Abbé Morales o f €ujo, an intel·ligent naturalist, who carefullyex- amined these mountains,. afíirms tliat the' interior o f this mass is no less filled with these stones- than the exterior, which of itself affords à suf­ficient proof to the contrary.

The mine of Uspallata exténds along the base of the eastern mountains of the plainof the same- ñame, from the thirty-third degree of latitudc, in a direct northerly cotirse; but the terminatiom of it is unknown, for I have been assured, by persons who have followed it for thkty leagues^ that it continues to be equally abundant at that-1 distance, and there are those who assert tíiat it is- a ramification of the celebratad mine of Potosí.

The principal vein is nine feet in breadth, but1 it branchesout upon both sides into several thaf are smaller, which extend to the neiglibouring nnountains, and are said to exceed thiríy'miles im length. The matrix of the greab vein is a- yarious-coloured earth, which sepárales it inta* hve paralled divisions or layers, of different thick- nesses. Themiddle layer is but two inclies íliick ; the ore, which is called by i he'miners the guida>.

as hüaek, but so filled with metallic partidos as to bave a whitish appearance; the two next atrata are brown, and are calledpinterids, the tw o exterior ones are o f a dark grey, and known b y the ñame o f brozas. A lthough the general d i- .réction o f this vein is horizontal, it sometimes runs perpendicular, and is found to increase im jichness in proportion to its depth. From assays, which have been made at Lim a ón the ore o f TJspallata, ít appears that the guida yiclds more

iban tw o hundred marks o f silver the, caxon ;*

the pintarías, mixed with the guíela-, f i f t y ; and the brozas fouíteen ; a produce not inferior to that o f the mine o f Potosí, T h e miné o f U s- pallata was discovered in the year 1638, bu t although on its first discovery it furnished the strongest indications o f its wealth, from want o f labourers, or some other cause, it was neglected nntil 1763, but since that period has been con- stantly w rouglít with immense profit.

B efore the arrival o f the Europeans, the In­dians employed a yery simple method to sepa­rate the silver from the ore, especial!/ wbem th e metal was in a metallic form, and not mineralized

* A tenn made use o f by the American metall urgists to ex­presa the quantity o f ore which a single miuer can dig in a day, usually calculated at fifty quintáis; but, as this quantity contains more or less o f the matrix, it is imposible to ascer*

taía the amount o f puré ore contained in each cazo#»

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or combined with othex substances. Thism ethod consisted in merely exposing the ore to a degree o f heat capable o f melting the metal w hich it contained. Wfhen the ore was United with other. substances, or mineralized., and o.f course more difficult to be meltedj they made use o f a kind o f open furnace, constructed upon elevated ground, in order that. the fire sbould be kept up, b y a constant current o f air. This app.ears tos llave been adopted w ith a view to save labour, as they were not unacquainted with the use o f the bellow s, w hich was known to them under the, name o f pim.afiue; and even at present this mode, is pr.eferred by the poorer class, who practice it, and no small p a ri o f the sil ver, employed as a

* cirçulating medium in Chili, is 'obtained from these clandestine, foundries.

T h e process generally pursued, parficularly b y the wealthy proprietors, is that o f amalgama- tion.* In this case they begin w ith reducing

* Almost ali the precipitous and. broken grounds of Chili ccnlain gold in greater or lcss quantities; the surface o f the carth in which it is found is generally o f a reddish colour and soft to the touch.

These lavaderos, or places producing earth wbich yields gold by agitating it in water, are very common in Chili, but

the indolence of the Spaniards and the want o f labourers. suffer immense treasures to remain in the earth wbich might casily be obtained; but, not satiiified with small gains, they Work tiiose mines only wbich yield a great profit; o f course.

§ 7

the ore to powder by grinding it in a mill. T h is powder is then passéd througb a wire sieve and.

spread upon the biides o f cattle, where it is mixe'd w tíh sea salt, quicksïlver, and rotteri dung- A fter

^vhénever any one of this character is discovered, nambers rdock to it .froïn all quarters, as was tlie case of Copiapo and Xarapagua, which by this meahs became peopled so rapidly, .from tlie great concourse o f Jabourers, that in the space o f two years six mills were estabiished at the latter place, The city of Conceptio» is sltuáted in a couhtry abounding not oníy vt'ifh all the necessàries of lifè, bnt with immense riehes» par- diculariy à place called the King’s Camp, about tweïve leagues to the east, from whence is obtained by the lavadero pieces of pure gold, called in the conntry pepitas, o f from eight to ten xnarks* i» weight. ït has lïkewise been discovered ía the vi- cimty o f Angol; and i f the inbabitauts o f the conntry. were industrióos, raany otlier spots would be explored where it is believed there are very good lavaderos. Nine or ten leagues to the east of Coquimbo are the lavaderos of Andacoll, which produce gold o f 23 carats fine, and are worked constantly with great profit when there is no scarcity o f water, This has given rise to a sayíng o f tire inhabitants that the ground is Creative, that is, that gold is continuajly formed in it ; found- ed in tlie circumstance o f tlieir finding that metal in as great quantities as at firsf, although it is sixty or eighty years since the.se lavaderos have been worked. Besides the lavaderos, xvhich are in all the valleys, so numerous are the mines o f gold and some o f silver that are met with i» the inountains, that they would furnish employment for more than forty thousand men.— Frazier’s Voy age.

Chili abounds in mines of all kinds, more especially in

* The Spanisli mark is eight ounces.

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wetting this. mixture from time to time, and beat- ing and treading it w ell for tlie space o f eight days> in order to incorporate tbe silver and the mercury, it is put into a stone trough w ith water sufficient to dilute it. In this situatiou, fhe silver amalgamated with the mercpry, from its w eight sinks to the bottom, w hilethe lighter heterogenéous partides are dr^wn ó ff with the water íhrough a hole in the trough into a vessei placed to receive it. T his am dgam , after having been repeatedly washed to cleanse it from all foreign substanees, is put into a linen bag, and the mercury., which

those of gold and eopper, wlii-di are very çommon. Co­quimbo, Copiapo, and Guaseo have gold mines, the ore o f which is called by way o f distinction, oro capote, as being themost valuable o f any that lias hítherto been diseovered._.American Gazeltee%\ article C h il i.

These vaUeys coníain, besides mines o f silver, those o f Jead, eopper, and quieksilver, and a very greaí number o f gold i O f this last there ís so much found in the sands o f the rivulets» that a certain authov has sa\d that Chili is a eomposition o f this precious metal. The quantity obtained by Pedro de Valdivia, who entered Chili after Almagro, was immense. That general

opened mines o f gpld which were so rich that each Indias furnished from thiríy to forty ducats daily, as, wlien only twelve or fifteen where employed, he obtained three or four hundred ducats a day. This concurs with what Garcilasso says in bis history o f Perú, that a part o f Chili felMo the

lot o f Valdivia, whp received frotn his vassals an annuaí tribute o f plore than one hundred thousand pieces o f gold.-*? Sansón.» (of Abbeville) Geography ¡¡ article C11114, ‘

89

h$s not become incorporated with the sílver, ex- pressed from it. In this state o f paste the am algam receives any . shape, bu t is usually formed with moulds inte small cylindrica! tubes. T h e last process is that o f separ ating the mer- cury from the sil ver; ib is is done, b y means o f

evaporati on, in a receiver w hich is fílled w ith water, and closely fitted w ith a head. T h e small quantity o f lead or other metal that may remain afler this proeess can only be detached by m elting i t

Gold, o f all the metáis, is that w hich is most abundant in C hili, and it m ay be said that there is not a mountain or h ili but contains it in a greater or less d e g re e ; it is found also in the sands o f the plains, but more especially in those washed down by the brooks and rivers.* Seve- ral French and English authors afïïrm that the go ld o f C h ili is the purest and most valuable o f a n y ; and it is true that its general standard is from twenty-two to twenty-three and a h a lf

carats. In the Southern pro vinces, between the

* A person, on opening a water-course to an estáte ín the plain o f HuilquHemu, discovered, with much surprise, a veia o f gold dust, which produced more thau fifty-thousand dollars without tl)e least Iabour. The same good fortune occurred to another in ploughing q piece o f land for grain. These in- Stauces are not unusual; pnd1 naturalists havc given the name o f montas to these kind of casual mines, which are always o f small extent»

mriver Biò-bio and tbe Archipelago o f Chiloé, several very rich mines o f gold were formerly discovered, w hich yielded immense sum s; but since tbe expulsión o f the Spaniards from those provinces by the Araucanians, tliese mines have been in tbe possession o f tbat w arlike people, who have prohibited the opening them anew by any one under p a in o f death.

T h e most important mines tbat are at present w rought are those o f Copiapo, Guase, C o - quimbo, Petorca, L igu a, T iltil, Putaendo, Caen, Alhue, Chibato, and H uilli-patagua. A ll these, excepting the three last, which are o f recent discovery, have been w rought èver sin ce the conquest, and have constantly yielded a great produci. B u t tbis is by no means the case with all the mines that are discovered : in many the miners are allured at first with ap- peaFances o f great riches, but soon find the ore entirely fail, or in so small quan tities as not to repay them for tlieir labour. T h e metallurgists o f C hili call this kind p f wandéring mine holson; the same ñame is also applied to the ramifi- cations, which in general are circular, and to the richest veins where the ore is foimd lodged in heaps and cavities. Another obstruetiòn to w orking the mines are the inundations to which thcy are subject from subterraneous springs, These are freqüent, and, when they occur,

compel the miners to abandon the raine, w ho

9 1

çeïdom attempt to free it by drawing off or dl- yerting the water. Some years since an , accr- dent o f this kind occurred to the celebrated mine o f Feldehus, in the neighbourhood o f St. Jago. T h at mine,, which produced daily up- wards o f fïfteen hundred pounds w eight o f gold, was suddenly inundated, and the workmen were compelled to abandon it, after having in yain made every exertion to free it from the water.

T h e m atrix o f the gold is very variable,, and it may be said that there is no kind o f stone or earth but what serves it for that purpose. I t is to be seen every where, eitber in small grains or brilliant spangles, under, singular ¿brms, or in irregular masses that may be cut b y the chissel. T h e most usual m atrix is a very brittle red clay stone. T he salbcmda, or the exterior co- vering o f the veins, called by miners cctxas, is as variable as the m atrix ; it is sometimes o f spar or quartz, at others it consists chiefly o f flint, marble, or hornbend. T he principal veins are frequently ramified into a number o f smaller ones that are generally very rich. T h ey some­times deseend almost vertically into the earth, and in those instances require great labour and expense to be pursued ; at othèFS they take a circular direction a few feet under ground, and meet, particularly at the foot o f mountains. T h e usual course o f the veins, though subject to some variations, is from south to northo

The mines are workéd both w itli the pickáxe and by explosión; T h e ore is redaced to pow- der in a jnriill o f a very simple construction, called trapiche, o f w hich two stónes, the lower placed horizontally, and the upper verticaíly, form the mechanism. T h e horizontal is about six feet in diameter, and has near its circurafe- rence a groove o f eighteen inches déep, in which the ore is p la ced ; through the centre passes a perpendicular cylinder connectcd w ith a cog- wheel turhed by water. T h e vertical stone is about four féet in diameter, and ten or fifteen

•inches th-ick, and is furnished with a horizontal axis, Hvhich permits it to tura freeiy within the groove. W hen the ore is sufficiently pulve^ rized, a proportionate quantity o f quicksilver is added to it, w hich is immediately amalgamated with the g o ld ; to moisten the mass, and in­corporate it more fu lly , a small stream o f water is then directed above it, w hich also serves to carry -off the amalgam into reservoirs placed beneath the stone. T h e gold combined with the mercury falls to the bottom o f these reser- voirs in the form o f whitish g lo h u les; the mer­cury is next eYaporated by heat, and the gold appears in its truc colour, and in all its bril~

liancy. In each o f these milis upwards o f tw o thousand w éight o f ore is daily ground and

amalgamated.A s the d iggin g o f the stone ore obtaincd from

tire mines is very expensive, from thenum ber o f workmen and the materials required, it is pur- sued only by the r i d i ; but it furnishes a mucfe

greater profit than the lavadero, or the ore pro- cnred by the washing o f auriferous sands, w hich is praetised only by the poorer dass, and those who cannot aftbrd the necessary expenses o f mining. The washing is performed in the foí- low ing m anner: the earth or sand containing partides o f gold is put into a vessel o f wood or horn, called poruña, which is placed in a run- ning stream, and constantly shaken; by this means the sand w hich coníains no m etallie partides, being lighter, is thrown out o ver the top, and the more w eighty, Or the gold , remains at the bottom. This operat ion is ne­cessary to be repeated several times in order to- carry off all the ferrugino us earth w hich is alwáys United with gold. B u t as many o f the

smaller m etallic partides must necessari ly he washed away w ith the earth by this procéss, a mode, in my opinión, muçh more económica!,, is that erap.loyed in some places o f washing the sand upon inclined planks covered with sheep- skiri’. D efective as tlie process o f washing is, the profit that accrues from it is frequently almosí incredible, as it is not unusuak to find among the sand large pieces o f gold, called pe­pitas, w hich someíimes exceed a pound ia weig'ht; but it is more commonly found in a

Mpulverized state, and in the form o f little found or Jenticular grains. T his gold is sóld in the cities in little purscs, made o f the scrotums o f sheep, as in the time o f Pliny, and is general Iy more esteemed than that o f the mines, as it is o f a better colour and a finer standard.

T he quantity o f gold annually dug in C h ili is difficult to be estimated. T h at called oro- quintadoi whieli pays the fifth to the royaí trea- súry, does not amount to less than four milíions o f dollars, o f w hich there is coinèd at the riiint o f St. Jago, a million and a h a l f ; the residue is exported in bullion, or used in the country for píate and jew elry. T h e amount sm uggled w ith- out paying the duty cannot be calculated, but it certainly is very considerable. I have made much search, but without success, to discover the platina, or whité gold, found in Peru, W h a t bears the name o f white gold in Chili is a mixture o f gold and silver, in which the latter predominatesf B u t since I left that country a nevv immalleable metal, o f a Jkind unknown to' the miners, has been discovered in the góld mine o f Capati, on the mountains o f Copiapo, w hich I imagine can be no other than platina.

M any obstacles present themselves to impede the w orking o f the mines, bòth in the danger to which the miners are exposed from the mephitic vapours, called mountain fires, and in the vast expense attending the d igging them, T he great

95

ïiumber o f fools, the timber required for prop- ping the arches, w hich is very scarce and ex- pensive in the country, the numerous workmen who must be paid and subsisted, together w ith the uncertainty o f the produet, are reasons ■ which operate pow erfully to discourage those who are inclined to engage in m in in g; o f course, the number o f those who pursue thiis b u - siness is very small in comparison to that o f the mines.

W h en any persons are desirous o f opening a mine, application is made to the govérnmenty w h ich readily grants its pèrmission, and ap- points an inspector, under whose authority and direction they begin b y dividing the mine into three equal parts> or estacas, each two hundred and forty-six feet long and one hundred and twenty-three broad. T h e first portion belongs to the kingy in whose name it i» sold, the se- cond to the owner o f the land, and the third to the disco verer o f the mine. As the opening o f a mine is very injurious to the cultivation o f the land in which it is situated, the propriétors o f the soil endeavour to prevent as much as possi- ple the discovery o f veins in their. grounds. T lie number o f persons who dock from ali quarters t o a newly opened mine, that promises to be profitable, is almost incredible. Some come tbither to work, others to sell their pro* Yisions, which at such times are in great de.*

m

iflánd; and in this manner a kind o f falr is grs~ dually established, w hich leads to the erection o f houses, and finally to the formation o f a per­manent town. or village. A magistrate, w ith th etitle o f tb e A Ica y d e o f thé mine, is thèn ap- pointed by thé-governmerít to regulaté and su- perintend it, and as this office is almost alw ays very lucrative, the governor o f the province ge- rterally assumes it, and appoirits a deputy to ma- nage it for his account.

T h e miners o f C hili are in general w ell ac- quainted with m etalíürgy. T h ey áre expert in m ining and in the art o f assaying and refining m etáis; but their knowledge is w holly practi- cal, and they are entirely ignorant o f the theory or the real principies o f the art. T h ey are di- vided into three classess, the hrst those who labour in the mine, the second the founders and refiners, the third the porters, or those w ho earry o ff the mineral. íri general they áre a bold, enterprising,, and prodigal class o f men.

Fam iliarized to the sight o f the precious metals> they leam to disregard them, and attach hut little valué to mpney. T h ey are extrayagant in their expenses, and passionately addicted to gam ing, in w hich they pass almost all their. leisure moments; and instànces are not unfre- quent o f a miner losing one or two thousand crowns o f a night. Losses o f this nature aré

considered by them as trifles, and on such oc~I

9 7

cásions they gaily consolé themselves w ith a professional proverb, that, í<r the móuntains ne- ver keep accounts/’ N oíliing is more abhorrent to tliem than frugali ty, and whenever they find one o f tlieir companions who has amassed a sum o f money by his ecónomy, they leave no means untried to strip liim o f it, observing, that avaricé is a vice pecüliarly degrading to the character o f a miner ; and so addicted are they to ebriety, that those who on first joining them are remarkable for their abstemiousness, ai*e soon led, from the influeríce o f example, to par­ticipa te in the general intemperanee. Frorti tliese causes none o f them acqiiire p r operí y , and they generaíly die in the greatest poverty and distress, while the profits o f their lahour áre w holly absorbed by those who supplv them with provisions and liquor.

Sect. X I I I . Concretione.— T h e last class o f the mineral kirigdom, the concretions, offers nothing very remarkable in Chili. Pum iee ¿tone is so common in the interior o f the Andes, that it forms the subsiance o f several rnountains.

Á speciés o f it, o f a light grey, is in much es- timation w ith the inhabitants, who use it for filtering stones. Pelriíied wood has been dis- éovered in many places. I llave seen pieces o f hewn timber, completely peírified, dug out o f a little hili near Valparaíso, some o f which

VOL. I. H

98

were eiglit feet long, axid bore tbe visible marks o f the E u ropean axe,, a proof that this wood must have become petrified since the arrival o f the Spaniards.* O f ali kinds o f wood

* That the marks in this wood were produced by an axe, or some tool of a similar kind, Ï am not disposed to question; but that it must have been an European axe, will fairly admit o f doubt. The Mexicans, on the arrival o f the Spaniards^ made use o f axes or hatchets o f copper, and, as we are assured by some respectable authors, possessed the art o f tempering that metal for tools iu a manner entirely unknown to the Eu- ropeans; and that this secret was known to the aneient Chilians is by no means improbable,, considering their contiguity and intercourse with the Peruvians, "a pèople whose progress in the arts was not inferior to that of the Mexicans. As the periqd when this timber was cut is however wliolly conjectuval, it may perhaps be referred to an earlier date than any authen- ticated or even traditionary aecounfs of the country; to an era when the use o f iron was very possibly known, perhaps anterior to the deluge, when the face o f the globe exhibited far different aspects and relations Iban at present. That this hypothesis is not wholly destitute o f verisimilitude, the follow- ing may serve to show: One of the numbers of the Richmond Enquirer, for the present year, 1807, in giving an account o f the autiquitics of the^interior o f America, observes, that, “ .a copper mine was opened some years since further down the Mississippi (beiow the falis of St. Anthony) when, to the great surprise o f the labonrevs, a large collection o f mining tools were found several fathoms beiow the s u r f a c e a n d the writer o f this note has been informed, from respectable au- thority, that within a sliort time since, in the state o f Ken­tucky, some tabourers, in digging a well, discovered, at the depth of one hundred feet from the surface, the stump of a

99

tile Chilian ’Willow is perliaps the most suscep­tible o f petrifactioa, and píeces o f it are every where to be met w ith that have undergone this change.; to effect which, it reqúires to be bu- ried but for a sliort time in a moist and sandy soil. I have also found pieces o f the Peruvian

taper with the thorns adhering to thém com- pletely petrified, though instances o f this are less freqüent, as the moist. and spongy textüre o fth a t tree renders itless liable to petrifaction.*

Izfrge tree, with an axe adhering to it, apparently o f irori, as on attempting to disengage it, it fell into pieces, which re- sembled the rusty scales o f that metal.— Am. Trans.

* Ooal is not mentioned among the mineral productioris o f Cliili: Herrera, however, says there is a coal mine upon the beach, near the city o f Conception; a black stohe, hé calis it, which burns like charcoal.— 25. E.

Dec. .8. L . 6 . C. 11.

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C H A P . I I I .

Ilcrhs, Shrubs, and Trees.

W h e n e v e r mineralogista undertake to cha- racierize the external appearance o f a mineral country, they describe it as particularly recog- nizable by the weakness o f its vegetation and the faded colour o f the plants, occasioned by the mineral vapours. T his observation is in ge­neral too bold, and frequently contrary to expe- rience. M . M acquer * observes very properly, that there are some countries vvhich are rich in mines, whose vegetation is not injured thereby. T h is is precisely the situation o f Chili, a country, as w e have seen, rich in mineral pro- ductions o f every kind, and enjoying at the same time a vigorous and profuse vegetation. T h e plains, the vallcys, and the mountains, are covered with beautiful trees, many o f vvhich scarcely e ver lose their verdure, and each season produces vegetables suited to the climate in the greatest perfection. F euille has given an ac- eouiit o f those plants only vvhich grow upon the

* Diciionary of Ckcmistry j articlc MiNES,

101sea shore, or in marshy places in iís vicinity. T h e interior parí o f the country has uever been ^xplored by an able botanist, and I am con- vinced that a great nuraber o f unknown plants

m iglit be discovered there.lia d I been desirous o f enlarging the limits

o f this work, I m ight have given a very copíous enumeration o f the plants o f C h il i ; but I préfer coniining m yself to those only which are most important and useful. As these may be reduced to a small number, I have divided them into herbs, grasses/* clim bing plants, shrubs, and trees, I am aware that this división is not scieníific, but it is convenient, and better suited to the plan I have pursued in my description o f

vegetables.

Se c t . I. Herbs.— M any o f the plants w h ich are found in the country, sucli as the mallows, trefoil, plaintain, endive, mint, nettles, & c. are conimon both to C hili and to Europe. Others that are carefully culíivated in the European gardens grow naturally there, such as lupins, love apples, Spanish pímento, celery, cresses, mustard, fennel, & c . f O f the tropical plants,

* I liave rendered grasses what the authof has called iu Italia» canne (reeds).—Fr. Trans.

t AJI our plants are culíivated there without difficuity, and produce abundautly, and there are some that grow naturally

II 3

10 2

several succesd very w ell in tlie northern pro» vinces, among w liich are the sugar-cane, the pine-apple, the cotton, the banana, the sweet polatoe, ja lap , mechoacan, and others o f less importance. Besides these, C h ili produces a great number o f plants that appear to be pe­culiar to it. There are so me that are common to* all the provinces, others are confined to cer- tain districts. In my different herborizations w hile in C hili, I collected about three thousand plants, the greater part o f w hich are non-de- script, and not to be found in any botanical work. Áraong these were a númber wliose flowers are remarkable for their beauty and fragrance, and which, in their season, give the fields the appearance o f so many parterres; but the inhabitants in general pay but little attention

in the fields, as the tmnip, suecory, endive, &c. Ñor are the aromatic herbs less common, as balm, nnig-wort, camomile, and a kind of mouse-eaf, which has the smell of a hyacinlh ; the alkengi, or winter-clierry, whose fmit is more cdóriíerous than tliat of Fraileé; a species o f sage, called by the Indians palghi, that grows like a shriib, with à leaf resembiing rose- tnary, and an odour like Hungary water. Roses grow na- turally upon the hills; the ínost common kind are éntirely destitute of thorns, or liave but a véry few. In the fields is found a fiówer similar tó the kind of lily called in Britany guerneziaisès, the Indiaii narae of which is liuto ; it consists of six petáis, two of which are in the forra of á plume. The root, when dried in an oven, furuishes a very white medí, Which is excellent for pastry.—Frazier's Voy age, vol. i.

4

103to them, and prefer decorating their gardens with e x ò tic* flowers received from Europe, to cultivating their own.

T he domèstic animals live during tlie whole year in the open fields, and from feeding on the aromatic plants, so abundant in Chili, their flesh acquires a’ flavour superior to w hat it has in any other country. T h e Chiüans have no oc- casion to provide hay for their cattle, as the herbage never fails, and there is a. constant succession o f the different plants which serve them for food. In the cities. the horses are fed w ith barley and a species o f clover. Trefoil, called b y the Indians gualputhe, is one o f the most coramon plants o f the country; o f this there are not less than twelve different kinds to be found in the meadows, which contain much lucerne, and a species o f Y en us’s comb, com- monly called loiqui lahuen, or aJJlleriüo, o f w hich the cattle áre peculiarly fond, T his pïant, w hich I have named scandix chilensis, is distinguished from the European species by its aromatic odour, by its stem, w hich is noi striated, and by its leaves ; these are larger,

* The rose-bush was introduced iuto Peru from Spain: ít shot up so luxuriantly that it did not blossom. By some ac­cident a rosier was burnt, and the young shoots from the root flowered. This taught them. to cut the bushes down, and then thcy succeedcd,—•£. JE.

Herrera 5 . 4 . 8,

H 4

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and althoügh winged like the Tenus’s comb o í Europe, have some o f tbeir lesser leaves entire and fleshy. T his plant is reputed to be vulne- rary, and its Chilian ñame., signifying the lierb o f wounds, is expressive o f this quality.

T h e soil is so fertile that the herbage grows to snch a height in many pastures as completely to conceal the sheep. especially in the valleys o f the Andes, where the vcgetation is always the most vigorous. B u t ainidst this luxuriant growth tliere are two or thr.ee species o f plants injurious to caítle, w hich are much dreaded, especially a kind known in the country by the líame o f yerba loca, or herb o f madness, froni its rendering' those animals whq eat o f it mad, particularly horses.

T his plant, w hich forms a ncw genus, Ï have called }li'pyomanica. Its stalks are o f an an­gular shape, a foot and a h a lf in h e ig h t; the leaves are opposite, lanceólated, entire, and fíeshy, o f a clear grey, about an inch in Jengíh, and attached to the. branches without a foot- s ta lk ; the ílower is formed like a rose, and grow s at the top o f the branches; it consists o f five oval pètals, o f a yellow colóur, supported by a calyx divided -into ílve parts; when ripfe, the pystil beeomes ch&nged into a capsula, separattíd into íour celis, which contain b lack

kiáney-shaped seeds. T h e ju ic e o f this plant is vise pus, o f a yellowish colorir, and sweetish

Ï05ía ste ; the husbandmen take great pains to destroy it, notwithstanding w hich, it consíantly springs up again, and i f a horse eats o f it,, he is sure to die, unless immediate measures are taken tó raake him sweat profusely by violent exercise.

Besides those w hich have been brouglit frora Europe, C hili produces a great number o f valu- able plants, both alimeníary, medicinal, and such as are useful in the arts. M any o f these, parti- cularly the alimentary kind, were w ell known and cu ltivated before tlie arrival o f the Spaniards.

Sect. II . Alimentary H eris or Plañís.— T h e maize (ze a m a is) or T u rkey wheat, called b y the Chilians gna, was well known in Am erica wlien Columbus first arrived there. T liis fact is confirmed by all the writers o f that period, and it is very cectain that it was the only species o f corn at that time made use o f by the natives. T h e improper applicaíion o f the nanae o f the Indies to Am erica has probably led M . Bom are to observe, that the maize is indigenous to Asia, from whence it was carried into Europe, and from thence to Am erica. Tliere are likewise sGffle auíhors, as C. Durante, in his lierbal, who improperly denominate it T u rk ey wheat, considering it as originaily from Turkey.

M aize grows extremely wtell in C h ili,* and

In the olíi continent wheat is the most coinmon grain, but in the ue\y worid niaize has ahvavs been, and sliíl is,* the

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the inhalvtants cultívate eight or ñipe varieties o f it, seve al o f w hich are very productive. B u t that which is in the highest repute with them is called u m in fa ; from this th e j prepare a dish by bruising the corn while it is green be-

tween two stones into the forra o f paste, to which is a.íded sufficient salt or butter and sugar to season i t ; it is then divided into small por- tions or cakes, w hich are enclosed separately within the inner skin or husk o f the corn and boiled.

W■ hen the maize is ripe the Indians prepare it for winter in two different modes, either by sbghtly roasting it, which they cali chuchoca, or by drying it in the su n ; from the former they make a kind o f soup, by boiling it in w'ater, and from the latter a beer o f a very pleasant taste. T h ey sometimes reduce it to meal, but before grinding, roast and crack it by mèans o f heated sand. For this purpose they prefer a kind o f maize called curagua, the grains o f which are smaller than the others, and furnish a meal that is more light, whiter and in greater quantity.

From this meal, mixed with sugar and water, either hot or coid, they make two different be- ver ages, called ulpo and cherchan.

A species o f rye called magu, and o f barley

most general; it is produced in all parts of the West-Indies, in Peru, in N<nv Spain, in Guatinvala, in Cliili, and tbrougiiout Terra Firma.— Acosta s Natural History, book iv.

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called tuca} were cuiti vated b y the Araucanians before the arrival o f the Spaniards; but since the introduction o f the European wheat, the cuiti vaíion o f these has been entirelyneglected, and I have not been able even to procure a spe­cimen, for the púrpose o f desçribing them. A ll that is known at present is tbat the Araucanians made a bread from them called covque, which name they g ive to that made from maize or European grain.

T h e quinua is a species o f chenopodium from three to fonr feet in height; it has large rhom- boidal sinuated lea ves o f a deep green* and the flowers are disposed upon long spikes ; the grain is b lack and spirally twisted, which gives it, o f course,a lenticular appearance. There is.a variety o f this plant called clàhue by the Indians, which has greyish leaves, and produces a wlxite grain. T he grain o f the quinua serves for making a yery pïeasant stomachic b everag e; that o f the dahue, on being boiled, lengthens out in the form o f worms, and is excellent in soup. T h e leaves are aïsoeaten, and are tender and o f anagreeable iaste.

T h e degui is a species o f bean (phaseolus vul­g a ris). Before this country was con quered b y the Spaniards, thirteen or fourteen kinds o f the bcan, varying but litf.Ie from the common E uro­pean bean, were culíivated by the natives. One o f tliese has a síraight stalk, the other thirteen

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are clim bers; o f tbese, tw o are very remark* able, the phaseolis pallar, tlie bean o f w hich i? h a lf an inch long, and the phaseolus asellus^ which is spherical and pulpy.

Chili is considerad by M , Bomare as the na­tive soil o f that valuable esculent the poíatoe (solanum tuberosum ), an indigenous American root, likewise known by the; ñames o f papa and pogny. It is, indeed, found in all the fields o f that co u n try; but those plañís íhat grow w ild, called by }he Indians magliq, produce only very «malí roots o f a bitterish íaste. It is distin- guished ,by two different species, and more than thirty varieties, severa! o f which are earefully culti vated. T h e first is the eoimnon kin d ; the second, called solanum cari, bears white fiovvers w itb a large nectary in the middle like the nar­cissus ; its root is cylindrical and very sweet. T h e usual mode o f cooking it is by roasting it

under the ashes.T h e oca (oxalis tuberosa) appears to be o f a

different kind from the oca o f Perú ; in its form and fruciifícaiion it resemblcs the yellow wood sorrel; its leaves are disposed by threes, and are o f an acid taste, and the flowers are o va l; its root extends itself into five or six tuberosíties d f ihree or four inches in length, covered with a thin smooth skin. T h cy are eatcn cookcd, and have a pleasant subacid taste. T his plant is jtiso, like the,potatoe, multiplicd by means o f its

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b u lb s ; there are several species o f it, oiie o? Which, called by the Chilians red culle, is held in much estimation for dying, and is considered as a specific in inflammatory fevers. Am ong them is likewise tbe harilla, or the alleluia v ir­gosa o f C o q u im b o : T his last produces but a fevv radical trilocaled leaves ; its stalks, w hich are numerous, are very tender, and o f an acid taste ; tliey are five feet in leiigth, o f the size o f a man's finger, and covéred with yellow llowers suspended in vertical bells.

O f the gourd, tvvo principal species areknown in Cliili, the white flowered, and the yellow flowercd, or the Indian gourd. O f the first kind, called b y the Indians quada, therc are twenty-six varieties, several o f which produce fruit that is sweet and edible, but that o f the others is bitter. O f the bitter kinds the most

distinguished is the eider gourd • ( cucurbita ci- ceraria*) so called from the Indians making use o f ií, after cxtFacting the seeds and perfumine: it,

* The calabasbes of llie indians are aftoíhcr wonderful piroduction for their size and tiie luxuriance of thoir growíh ; cspecially those called zapallos, the pulp of which, particu­lar!)’ in Quaresma, are caten boiled orfried. There isa greaí variety of this species of the calabas!); sume of them are so large that when dried, and the shell divided in the iniddle and eleansed, they are usecl as covered baskets to put pro­visions in; others that are smallcr are cmployed as vessels t/> driiik from, or handsomely wrouglu for variou? purposes.—* Acosla’s Natural Histori/, book iv.

I

110

to ferment their eider. It is naturally o f a round form, and frequently grows to a large size. It is also used by the natives instead o f baskets/ and in such cases they give it whatever shape they think proper. T he yellow flowered or ïndian gourd, called penca, is o f tw o kinds, the common and the m am illary; this last in its leaves and flowers resembles the first, but the figure o f the fruit is spheroidal, with a large nipple at the end; the pulp is- sweet,' and its taste is very similar to a kind o f potatoe known by the ñame of camote.

T h e quelghen, or the strawberry o f Chili, differs from the Europeàn in its leaves, w hich are rough and succulent, and in the size o f its fruit, which is frequently that o f a hen’s egg. T he strawberries, likethose o f Europe, are g e ­neral ly red or white, but those that are yellow are also to be found in the provinces o f P uchacay and H uilquilcm u, where they attain greater perfection than elsewhere.* T h e strawberry o f

* The strawbefry of Chili is an hermaphrodite and dioecial, amd the plants brought by Frazier to Europe were probably only some female hermaphrodite shoots, which pro- duced fruit in conseqtience of being impvegnated by some of oiir strawberries which were in the vicinity. Had the autbor bcen in a situatio» to have become aequainted with this cir- cumstance, he would not have called that degeneration which is mcrely the result òf au unnatural fecundity.

The watit of male plants, as appears froïn Miller, is also the reason of the English having abandoned the cultivation of hïs strawberry.—Fr. Trans.

111C hili was introduced many years since into Europe, and 1 have seen in the botànic garden at B ologna the white kind, which is the most common in Chili, but it had lost much by trans- plantation; its fruit was small, and little o f the fragrance was left w hich renders it so highíy es- teemed in Chili.'*'

T h e madi (madia. gen. nov.) O f this plant there are two kinds, the ohe wild, the other cul- tivated. T h e cultivated, w hich I have calletl madia sativa, has a branching hairy stalk, nearly five feet in heigh t; the leaves are villous and

* We fouud in the desert sírawbenies of a very fine flavour, equal in size to our largest nuts, and of a pale white ; and although they resembled the European neither in colour nor in taste, they were nevertheless excellent.—Feuillé, vol. i.

There are whole fields where a species of strawberry is cultivated that díffers from ours in its leaves,‘ which are rounder and more fleshy and hairy; the fruit is usually the size of a nut, aud sometimes that of a hen’s egg. The colour is a whilish red, and the taste uot so delicate as that of our strawberries. But there is not wanting ia the woods a great plenf.y of the European kind.—Frazier's Voyage, vol. i.

The fruits inost abundant in Chili are of the same kinds with those known in Europe, among which are cherries that are large and of a delicate taste, strawberries of two kinds, one called frutilla, which is of the size of a small hen’s egg; and another, in colour, smell and taste, like that of Spain, which grovvs wild at the foot of the little hills; likewise all kinds of flowers are found there without any other cuiti- vation than what they receive from thediands of nature itself, — Ulloa's Voyage, 2d part, vol.iii.

|>1áced b y threes; tbey are four inches irí Iengtft; h a lf an iíich in breadth, ándof a bright green like the leaves o f the rose la u re l; its flowers are rá¿ diated and o f a yellow colour; theseeds are con- vex on one si de, and covered with a^verythm brownish pellicie on thé o th er; they áre from four to five lines in length, and énclosed in à sphè- rical pericarpium o f about eight or niile línes in diameter; An excelleii’t oil is óbtairied from the seeds, either by expression, or merely boiling them; it is o f an agreeablé taste, verym ild , ánd as cleár as the best olive oil. Feuillé, who resided

fhree years in Chili, praises it h ighly, and gives it the preference to ány olivé oil used in France.* T his plant, hitherto unknown in Eüropé, w oüldbe-

'éome themost váluabíe acquisitionio those coun- tries where the olive cannot be raised. T h e w ild madi (madia mellosa) is distinguished from the other by its leaves, w hich are amplexicaul and glutinous to,the feeling.

T h e pimento ( capsicum ) called by the Indiana thapi. O f this piant many species are cultivated in Chili, amongothers the annual pimento, w hich

* From the seed of this plant is obtained an admirable oil, which the inhabitaiïts of the country nse in various ways—to alleviafe pain by rubbing with it thé diseased part, to seasoá their victuals, and álso for light. To my taste it is sweeter and more pleasant than most of our olive oil* which it résembtes* ia coloar.—-Feuillé, vol. iii.

1 1 3

is there perennia!, the berry pimento, and the pi« mento witli a subligenous stalk. T he inhabit- ants make use equally o f ali the three to season their food.

Besides those wbich I have mentiqned, the Chilians make use o f many other excellent plants, which, tbough natural to the country, require a more attentive cultivation ¿ o f these the principal are the umbellifera, the bcrmudiana or illniu, andthehemerocállis o f Feuillé. Tbeum bellifera, or heracleum tuberosum, in its leaves, flowers, and seed resembles theillm u, but is distinguishpd from it by the quantity o f its bulbs, which are six inches long and three broad ; the colour o f the bulbs is yellow and their taste very pleasant, it grows naturally in sandy places near hedges, and produces abundantly. .

T he bermudiana bulbosa, or the illmu o f Feuillé, has a branchy stalk, and its leaves are very similar to those o f the leek; the flower is o f a violet colour, and divided into six parts, which are turned back towards the foot-stalk; it has six stamens and a triangular pystil; the seeds are black and round, and the bnlbs wlien boiled or roasted are excellent food.*

T h e hemerocallis, or, the liúto o f the Indians,

* The natives of the country make use of the root of this piant in their soups, and it is very pleasant to the taste, as I l/ave myself experienced.—Feuillé.

V O L . £. I

has a stalk o f a foot in h e ig h t; the leaves are pointed and embrace the stem, which divides itself at the top into a number o f pedicles bear- ing a beautiful red flower o f the shape o f a lily, T h e root is bulbons, and yields a very ligbt whife

and nuíritious ílour, which is used fo rth e s ic k .T h e liliaceous plants offer a great variety

throughout Chili, andfàre known to the Arauca- nians òy the generic ñame o f gil. ï have col- lected rnyself more than twenty-three different species o f them, many o f which were adorned with superb flowere.

in the province o f St. Jago is fotind a'species o f w ild basii (oeym um salinum) differ ing in itsf appearance from the common or garden species only in its stalk, which is round and jointed; but in its smell and taste it resembles more the alga, or sea-weed, than the basií. This plant con­tinues to increasein growth from the first opening o f the spring to*the -commèncement o f winter, and is everymorning covered with salineglobules that are hard and snining, and give ií the appear­ance o f being coated with dew. T h e liusband- men collect and make use o f this salt instead o f the common kind, w hich it far exceeds in taste. E ach plant produces daily about h a lf an ounce, a phenomenon, the cause o f w hich I am not ablc satisfactorily to explain, as it grow s in a very fertile soil exhibiüng no appearance o f salt, and at more than sixty miles disíance from the

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sea.

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S e c t . III . Herbsused in Dying .— From time immemorial haye the Chilians made use o f indi- geneous plants- for d y in g ; and such is their ex- cellenee, tíiat they communicate the liveliest and inost durable colours to their cloths, without the aid o f any foreign productioni. I have in m y possession a piece o f cloíh dyed in that country, w hich in tbirty years use-has lost nothing o f the original lustre o f its colours, which are blue, yellow, red, and green,. neither from exposure to the air, ñor the use o f soap. T h e natives o f the Southern provinces obtain a blue from a plant with which I ara unacquainted; but in the A rau- canian and the Spanish possessions they make use o f indigo diluted with fermented urine, w hich gives to the substance dyed a beautiful and du­

rable colour.R ed is obtained from a species o f madder

called reïbun (rubia Chilensis). It usually grows under shrubs in sandy places ; its stalk is neady round, tbe leaves oval, pointed and whiíish, and placed by fours as in the filb e rt; its fiowers are monopetalous, and divided into four parte; *

* Besides the medicinal herbs, they have others for dying, the colours of which are very durable, and do not change ia v’ashing. Among these is the reilhon, a species of madder, with a leaf somewhat less than the European, the root of which is boiled in water in the same manner to extract the dye. The poquel is a species of Southern wood, of a golden colour.— Frazier, vol. i.

I %

1 16the seed is contained in two little red berries, whieh are united like íhose o f the European m adder; the root is red, rans deep into the earth, and its lateral Ubres frequently oceupy a spacc o f many feet in circumference.

A species o f agrimony (eupaíorium Chilense) known in the couutry by the ñame o f contra* yerba, furnishes the yellow. T bis plant has a violet stalk o f about two feet iu lieight, divided by small knots, from wbence issue the leaves in pairs opposite to each other ; the y are o f a brig’lit green, three or four inches in length, narrow and iiidented ; the branches are axillary, and produce same fiosculous flowers o f a yellow colour, re- sembling’ those o f the agrimony. In the centre o f the flower a small v/orm is almost always dis- coYcrable,whose body is composed o f eleven very 'distinet rings. A yellow is also obtained from the poquel ( santolina tinctoria) a species o f cress, with long and narrow leaves resembling wild í la x ; it puts forth three or four stalks two feet in lieight, striated and crowned at the top with a yellow semi-globular flower, composed o f several small ones. T h e stalk-s furnish a greeh colour.

T h e root o f a perennial plant, called pan lce ( panke tinctoria, gen. n ov.) furnishes a fineblack, *

* Thig ñame implies, tiiat it was considered as a antidote against hoistmed arróws.— E. E.

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and is acknowlcdged ío be one o f the most use- ful plañís in Chili. Some writers haye given it the ñame o f bardana Chilensis, from the resem- blance o f its Ieaves to those o f the burdock^ although its fructification is entirely different. T h e root is very long, frequently five inclies thick, rougli andblack without, and whitewithin. T h e Ieaves are attached to long petioles, and are palmated ; tliej are o f a bright grcen above, and ash-coloured beneath, frequently two feet in di­ameter, and o f a subacid taste. From the centre o f the radical Ieaves shoots up a single slalk, five feet inheiglit and three inches thick, covered with a rough bark furnished with thorns. T his sfalk has no Ieaves except at thetop, where there are three or four much smaller iban those at the root, surmounted by a large conical fasciculus, or bunch, which produces the flowcrs and the seed ; the flowers are white, a lítele inclining to red, bell-sliaped, and monopetalous; the seed is greenish, round, and enelosed in a capsule o f the

same form.T his plant is peculiar to moist places, and ií

always perishes when not supplied with water. Itg ro w s more luxuriantly and to a larger sizé in the valleys between the Andes, where it frequently exceeds the heighí which I llave mentioned; in low grounds near the sea it is only o f a moderate heig’ht. T he black for dyiug is obtained from

the ju ic e o f the root, and it might ansvver equallyi 3

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well for ink, as iis viscosity and the beautiful black it acquires frora time, give it ali the requi­site qualities. It is also used for tanning leather; but for this purpose it becomes necessary to pound it, and the smeil it exhales is sq strong, that the workmen can rarely endure it aboye h a lf an hour a t a time. T h e stalk contains a white pith o f

an acidulous taste, w hich the country people eat iii suraraer^ and the shoe-makers use the wood for their lasts, as they believe it more durable than any other. Another species o f the panke (panke aculis) called in the language o f the country cimacio, grows in sandy and moist p laces; the root is o f thé shape o f a turnip, as large as a man’s arm, and o f a sweetish taste; it is h ighly esteemed by the inhabitants, but produces no kind o f dye. T his piant is without a stalk, and puts forth from the root a group o f small leaves, ornamented in the centre with a bouquet o f flowers similar to those o f the preceding.

T h e Chilians obtain a violet colour from the berries o f sfeveral shrubs ; but the culli} which I have mentioned among the alimentary herbs, *

* This piant is refrigeraiory, and a decoctio» of the leaves is given in fevers. The ends of the leaves, siripped of their exterior covering, are also eaten raw, and of a sweet and very pleasant taste. The dyers mabe use of the root to obtain a black, by cutting it. into small pieces, which they boil with a certain portion of blaclc earlh.-and the tauners prepare their skins by soaking them with it in warm water.—-Feuillé, vol, ii»

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produces tliat which is most esteemed; it is reduced into the form o f paste like the woad, and the dyers make use oY it in the same manner. After the íirst autumnal rains a small piant springs up in the fields, called the herb o f rosoli, which áppears to be o f a new genus, and w hich I have denominated sassia tmctoria. It bears three or four quadripetal flowers o f a purple

hue, which are used to colour and to communi­cate an agreeable ñayour to' a kind o f liqueur called the purple. A single flovver, although smailer than that o f thyme, w ill colour five or six pounds ò f liq u o r.. T h e cabinet-makei;s likewise make use o f it to stain theif work. I am o f opinion that this piant m iglit be advan- tageously employed in the dying o f wool and Unen, particularly tlie latter, since merely by tinging it with the expressed ju ice o f the flower, it acquires a beautiful colour .that continues a

long time. O f the same genus is the sassia pérdicaria, called by the inhabitants rimú, or the partridge flower, from itsbeing the favourite food o f that bird. It bears but one flower, o f a golden yellow, similar in forni to that o f the panke tihctoria, which gives a beautiful appear- ance to tlie meadows, where it is found in great abundance in autumn. T h e Chilian ñames o f the months o f April and o f M ay are derived frora that o f this piant, A p ril being called unen-

i 4

rimú» the firstrim ü, and M ay, inan-rim u , cr the second rimú.

SficT. I V . M edicinal P la ñ ís .— Á knowledge o f the virtues o f plañís and herbs, acquired by long experience, forms aimost the whole o f the medical science o f the Chilians, particularly o f those aborigines who have never embraced chris- tianity. T he machis and ampives, ñames given lo their physicians, are only skillfu l herborists, ■ who, in reality, often perform extraordinary cures. T he' virques o f many plañís are known only to tbem, as, eiíher from haíred to the Spa- niards, or to enhance their own consequence, íhey studiously conceal their properties: not- withstanding which, near two hundred valuable medicinal herbs have been discovered, besides a great number o f shrubs and trees, which at present form an important branch o f foteign comnierce, the most celebrated o f which are the cachanlahuen, the viravira , the retamilla, the ■ payco, and the quinchamali.

T h e cachanlahuen (gentian cachanlahuen) called by M . Bomare and some other authors chancelague and chanchalagua, is not a native o f Panaraa, as is stated in the Memoirs o f the _Academy o f Sciences for 1707 ; ñor does it grow , as M . Bomare has mentioned, in G uayaquil, but only in Chili, from whence ít has been trans-

m

ported to the other parís o f America, and to Europe. T his piant is a species o f the centaury, and grcatly resembles the common kind, but it difFers from it in 'having a ro'under stalk, a less fibrous leaf, and branches opposed to each other in pairs placed almost horizontally. Its name in the Chillan signifies the herb for curing the pleufisy, in vvliich complaint it is found very cfficacious; it is also cor.siclered as purgative, dissolvent, worm-destroying, an excellent febri- fuge, and a specific for the sore throat.* T he infusión o f it isextrem ely bitter, and io its smeli rcseiübles the balsam o f Peru.

T he viravira (gnaphalium viravira) is a spe» cies o f houseleek very arom atic; it is recom- mended in intermitting fevers ; the infusión is an excellent sudorific, and the Chilians make

* This pluut is extremely bitler; au infusión of it is aperient and sudorific; it strengtbens the stomach, destroys wonns, frequently cures intermitting fevers, and is very ser- vicenbie in rheumatic complaiuts.— Feuillé, vol. ii.

The cachenlahuen, or the canchalagua, which is called cahen- lagua in Chili, is very similar in its appearaucc to the smaller European cenfaury, although not so high. A decoction of it ■ in vvarm water, in the manner of tea, is considered an excel­lent. purifier of the blood. This piant is highly celebrated in Chili, from whence it is ex ported to other parts, as a febrifuge. Ï thiitk it preferible to the European centaury, and it is consi­dered as very cfncarious in complaiuts of the throat.— Per- iielly’s Voyage, vol. i.

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use o f it in catarrhal complainís. T h e leaves are extremely villous, and appear to be covered

w ith cotton; the flowers, w hich do not exceed four, are composite and ñosculated, they are o f a golden-colour and placed at the fcop o f the

foranches, and the seed resembles much that o f tlie stoechas citrina.*

T h e retamilla, (linum aquilinum ) or gmncu lahuen, grov/s üsually at the foot o f the moun- tains. T he root is very long and perennial; it puts forth severa! branchy stalks, furnished with

small alternate lanceolated leaves; the flowers are yellow, with íive peíais, and are attached by pairs to a common pedicle; the pystil becoraes changed into a membranaceous pentagonal cap­sule, containing a number o f little seeds. This plant possesses the same virtues as the viravira, and is usedin the same cases.

* Among the hcrbs that cover the mountains there are many that are aromatic and medicinal; of the lattér, the most in esteem with the country people is the cachinlagua, or little ceutaury, which appears to me to be bitterer than that of France, and, of course, more abundant ¡nthat salt which is considered as an excellent febrifuge. The viravira is a species <of houseleek, an infusión of which was found to be very ser- viceable by a French surgeon in the cure of tertian fevers. There is also a species of senna perfeelly resemblirig that of íhe Levant, in the place of which it is uséd by the apothe* caries of St. Jago; itis called by the Indians unoperquen.-—

Fraziers Voy age, rol. i.

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The paijCG (hemiaria payco*) b y which ñame it is known in many modern medical works, is also denomiuated tea o f the third species,, although it apperlains to thc genus o f hem iaria. It puts forth several trailiug shoots, covered with smaü oval leaves, notehed like a saw, and at-> tached to tire staik w ifhout a petiole. T h e fíowcrs liave -many stamina, and are very nu- merous ; tlie seed is enclosed in a spherical cap­sule,* tlie colour o f the plant is a ligh t green, and its smell is something like that o f a rottea lime. As a medicine it promotes digestión, is excellent in compiainís o f the stomach, and very useful in the p leu risy .f

T h e qmnchmnali ( quinchamalium Cbilense). As this plant forms a new genus, I have retained the narae by which it is known in the coun try; it produces a great number o f staik? o f nine inches in height, -with alternate leaves similar to those o f the linaria aurea t r a g i ; the flowers are

* All the plañís of the'genus hemiaria that are known, and those that liave an affinity to them, as the ilecebrum, the acharantes, &c. have their leaves entire, without being jagged or indented; of course this instance presents an exception from the general rule.— Fr. Trans.

The payco is a plant of middling height, whose leaves are a little dentated, and have a smell like a rotten lime; a decoc- tíonof them ave sudoriíic, and are good in plenritic complaints. Tliere is Iike-.vise a grelí quanlity of bastard rosemary, which produces the same eSects.— Fraziers Voy age, vol. i.

umbellated, yellow, and tubulous, with a bbrder divided into four parts like the jessamin ; the seed is black, lenticular, and enclosed in a sphe- rical capsule, containing tbree celis. T h e coun- try people make use o f the expressed ju ice , or the decocti on, as a rcsolutive after falís or bruises, and it is found to be an excellent remedy in cases o f that kind.* Feuillé, who'se memory w ill be ever dear to the Ghilians, has furnished an account o f a great number o f medicinal planis, with very accurate delineations o f them. ï shall, however, merely mention a few o f the principal ones; as the pichoa, the clïnclm, the

guilno, all o f which are purgative p lan ts; the diuca-lcüiuen, a good vulnerary ,pie<licine ; the mndia-lcthuen, serviceable in menstrual suppres- sions; the corecore, a specific for the tooíh-ach ; and the gnilJnie, m udi esteemed as a purifier o f

the blood.Tobacco, called by the Indians puthem, is o f

two kinds, the cuitivated and the wild. T he

* A drink made of tlie decoction of a certain horb called ou’mcliamaüis esteemed asan infallible remedy for the bleed- ins of the nose, when caused by a fnll or violent blow. It is a species of the lavender, which bcars a small red and yellow ílower. Many of the medicinal herbs that we have in France are also natural to the country ; as several species of the maiden-hair, some of which are equal to the Canadian, the mallows, the„ fox-glove, polipody, spleenwcrt, and some others whose ñames I am unacquaintcd witb.— Fraxiers

Voy age, vol i.

cultivaíed is subdivided into íhe common to­báceo, which is equal to the best B razilian , and íhe little tobáceo (nicotiana minima) whose leaves resemble íbose o f the Cretan dittany ; its fructification is like thai o f tlie commou kind, but the tobáceo itself is much stronger, and rao re violent in its eftects.

S e c t . V . Grasses.— T h e banks o f the rivers and other raoist places produce in general a grcaí number o f reeds and rushes, many o f which are unknown to botaaists. A species o f íhe latter,

w hich I liavc called scirpus elichnarius, serves to make wicks for càndies. T his rush grows to the height o f about four fe e t ; the stem is is round; froni the íop protrude three sword- shaped leaves, in the midst o f which are four globulous spikes or heads.

From a species o f rush, produced in íhe valleys o f the Andes, the Araueanians manu­facture haskets o f so cióse a texture as to hold water, which are employed for many domèstic purposes. O f these great numbers are sold at the annual fairs in the Spaiiish pro vinces. E u t notwithstanding ï have been assured by many that the plant employed in this manufacture is a real rush, from examination í am more inclined to believe it a species o f cane, as its fibres are woody, and the wliole subsíance very solid.

Am ong íhose rushes whose characters are welí

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clefmed, the goïid rush o f Chili deserves to be noíieed: o f this there are many kinds, compre- hended under the general name o f coliu, A ll these rushes resemble the bamboo ; they have a smooth, hard, yellowish bark ; the inside is ge- nerally fdled with a filaceous substanee, a Iittle harder than cork; the leaves are long and very slender, and grow upon several Iittle branches into which the top divides itself. T h e three most remarkable kinds are the rugi, the quila, and the rash o f Valdivia.

T h e rugi (arundo rugi) is about as large as the common European rush, w hich is also w ell kuown in Chili. A t the foot o f the Andes this plant often grow s to the height o f twenty feet, but diminishes çonsiderably as it approaches the

sea, where it scarcely attains twelve.T h e quila (arundo quila) is three or four times

larger than the rugi, but its shoots are not more than a foot distant from each other.

T h e rush o f Valdivia (arundo Yald iviana) has received this name from the circumstance o f its grow ing in the vicinity o f that c ity ; it is o f au orange co lo u r; the shoots are very sliort, and the joints almost touch each other. T h e country people make o f it cages and other Iittle manu­factures; they also use it for their hedges, and someiimes to cover their houses, as it is very d u ­rable when it has not been too long cxposed to moisture. T he Araucanians make use o f the

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quila for their lances, and the rush o f V aldivia for canes, w hich are mucli esteemed.

Sect. V I . Clim bing P ia n ts.— Clirnbing planis, or creepers, are found in great abundante in ali the thickets. Several o f the most beautiful are employed to decorate the trelliees o f gardens. Am ong others, the copin deserves to be noticed ; its ilowers, each o f which is composed o f six petáis, three inches in length, are o f the most beautiful crimson, spotted wiihin with white. T his piant climbs up the highest trees; its leaves are disposed by threes, and are o f a beau­tifu l green, and an oval shape; the fruit is an inch in diameter, cylindrical, o f a dull yellow , and contains a-white tender pulp o f a sweet and pleasant f aste. In C hili is likewise found tlie passion-ftozver (passiflora tiliae folia) the cara­

col, the sarsaparilla, the alstroemeria salsilla,

and four or five other species o f those vines called by the French Uanes3 and by the inhabit- ants voqui. One o f the most useful is the cogul

(dolichos funarius). T he vine is round, and ligneous, and o f the size o f pack-thread, and

a

its ilowers resemble those o f the copiu. It climbs upon the trees like the ivy, but without attaching itself to thern. W hen it reaches the top o f a tree, it descends from it perpendiculariy, and as it continues to grow extends itself from

tree to tree, until at lengih it offers to the e ye a confused tissue, exhibiting some resemblance to the r b g in g o f a ship. This singular piant produces a leguininous flówer o f a purple co- lour ; ifs pod is an inch tbick, and abouí a foot and a h a lf lon g; it contains an oily pulp o f a sweet and very agreeable taste, and five seeds re- sembling those o f the cotlon. T h e vine, which is much toughcr and more flexible than osier, serves for many purposes, and can be procured from one to two hundred fathoms in length, as when it descends it does not take root in the eartb, like another plant analagous to it, w hich is a native o f the torrid zone. T h e liusband- men, before they make use o f this vine, pass it. lightly through the flames, which not only loosens the bark, but at the same time renders it more flexible. T h ey employ it both in making large baskets, and as wattling for their hedges ; it is sometimes eyen used in cables for vessels, w hich wear bettcr than those made o f hetcp, as they are capable o f resistíng moisíure for a longer time. In the Arcliipclago o f Chiloé is another plant called pcpoi, in some respects rcsembling the cogul, which the inliabitants o f those islands use as ropes for their pcriaugres. T h e voqui, or

vochi, described by Feuillé, w hich commonly grows in the woods o f the maritime provinces, is o f a distinet species, as is the urceolaria o f the

m

same author, the flower o f whieh is an inch in lengíh, and is divided into five equal lobes o f a beautiful red.

Seci\ V I L Shrubs.— In my catalogue o f the plants o f C hili I have noticed more than fifty- three indigenous shrubs ; buí I am convinced, i f an opportuuity had been afforded me o f ex* ploring a greater extent o f country, that I m ight have more than doubled that number. E very province or district offers some variety in this class o f vegetables o f more or less utility to the inhabitants.

T h e bark and leaves o f the shrubs called áeu, thilco and uthiu, serve to dye black. T he berries b f the tara (poinciana spinosa) and o f the mayu, furnish a black ju ic e whieh is a good substitute for ink. - T h e guiacum, whieh in C hili never ac­quires the size o f a tree, is employed in turnery.

T h e cabinet-makers use, for inlaying, the wood o f several shrubs whose appropriate ñames I am unaequainted with, but whieh, from their hard- ness, are generally called ebony wood. T h e

w ild rosemary and several oíher resinous shrubs; are used as fuel in the furnaces for melting copper. T h e wood o f the colliguay (colliguaja, gen. rov.) when burnt, exhales a very agreeable smell like roses, w ithouí produciiig the least ia- convenience.

T h e incense is not inferior to that broughtv o l . i. k

ISO

írom Arabia, and is obtained from a slirub that gr.ows in the pro vince o f Coquimbo, to which I have givcn the ñame o f thuraria, gen. nov. It usually grows to the heig’ht o f four fe e t ; the trunk is o f an ash colour, from whence proceed a great number o f branches loaded w ith oval lcaves íhat are alternate, four inches long, rough, very succulent, and o f a palé y e llo w ; the fiovr- ers are small, funnel-shaped, and o f a lig h t groen; the capsule is spherical and divided into two cells, containing as many clongated seeds o f a brown colour. ín the summer the ineense exudes through the pores o f the bark around the limbs in the form o f little drops or tears, and is collected in great quantities in the autumn, wheii the leaves begin to fall. T h e globules are hard, white, transparent and shiniug, and have a bitter taste and a highly aromatic smelL In the hilis near Valparaíso is found a species o f sun- flower with a ligneous trunk, which produces a resinous substance resembling incense.

T he trunk o f the •puya (puya, gen. n o v .) is used for 'cork throughout C hiíi. This shrub has a great resemblance to the anana. From its root issue three or four monstrous shoots o f a conical form, as large as a xnan's body, but not exceeding twenty inches in len g th ; these are covcred with a spongy bark. disposed in the manner o f scales; from the top o f these shoots

er trunks proceed the leaves; these a,re four feet

long> furnished' at the sidès w ith crooked prickles, perfectly similar to those o f the anana; from tlie centre o f tlie leaves rises a stalk, nine feet in length, and three inches in diameter, co- vered with a very hard green bark, enclosing a

whitish spungy substance resembling cork. A t ¿lie top the stalk is divided into a numjjber o f branches covered w ith leaves, mucli smaller than those o f the root, and w ith yellow flowers,

four inches long, composed o f six irregular petáis, w hich form together a large and beauti- fu l pyramid. T h is singular vegetable produces no other fru it than a triangular capsule, con- taining a great nurnber o f very small black seeds. T he nectaries o f the flowers are always filled with honey, w hich is eagerly souglit after b y the children. T h e Araucanian provinces furnish several varieties o f this plant, from whence the inhabitants collect great quantities o f honey.

Besides the kali o f Alicant (saisosa kali) which grows in great abundanee on all the marshes o f the sea shore, a clim bing shrub is found on the coast o f Coquim bo, from whence the soap- boilers obíain large quantities o f alkaline salt.

C hili produces seven species o f the myrtie, all estimable for their beauty and fragrance. B u t the most valuable is the one caiied b y the in ­dians ugni, and b y the Spaniards muríilla. T h e French, who found it in the M alouine islands,

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have given tb this shrub the name o f lucet m uscat* It usualïy grows to the height o f four feet, and resembles much the m yrtle o f T a ­rentum, its branches and leaves being placed opposite each other in p a irs ; the flowers are wbite, have five petáis, and produce a round or red berry, the size o f a small prune, marked w ith four green points like the pomegranate. T his fruit contains several seeds that are flat

and brown, and has a very pleasant aromatic smell, perceptible at a great distance. T he inhabitants obtain from it a very agreeable odo- riferous liquor, which is preferred by foreigners to the best muscat. It requires a long time to ferment, but, when once clarified, is very ciear, and has a delicious taste. Before the arrival o f the Spaniards and the introduction o f the grape,

the natives used to prepare vinous liquors from several kinds o f shrubs, at present neglected ; among these were two or three species o f the ludían fig, or Opuntia, called b y the Chilians tuna, whose fruit is very fine, and as large as the best European figs.

A great number o f shrubs, from time imme-

* Its fruií is of a beantiful appearance and very pleasant taste; by being put inio brandy with a little sugar, it forms a very delicious liquor, which has ia a slight degree the smell of amber aud of musk, by no means disagreeable even to íhosc who dislike those perfumes.— Pernetly’s Poyags, voi, ii.

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morial, have been employed as efftcacious me­dicines by the physicians o f the country. Among these is the cullm fpsoralea glandulosa) well known in E urope; it is cdnsidered as a pow erful vermifuge, and one o f the best stomachíes; the leaves are used in infusión, and from their aromatic taste are by many preferred to tea, and occasionally serve as a substitute for it. T h is shrub is iudigenous to Chili, where it grows spontaneously, and frequently attains the height o f a common sized tree. There is another va- riety vvhich is called the yellow cullen, from the

colour o f its leaves, w hich, like those o f the other, are disposed by threes, but are very thin and crisped, and, conglomerating towards the end o f the limbs, form at the top o f the tree a thick globular tu ft that frequently causes the branches to bend. Its fiowers, like those o f the other species, are leguminous, the seed solitary^ and the leaves o f both are vulnerar y and very b alsam ic.*

* The albaquilla, ia Indian cullen, ¿s a shrub whose leaves emit an odour like that of the sweet basii, and produce a balsam of great efficacy in the cure of wounds, as I witnessed in the case of an Iudian at Irequin, wbo had received a very deep one in his ncck, and 1 bave also experienced tbe beneficial effects of it myself. The fiower is large, of a pale violet, and disposed upon spikes, and is one of that species comprehendcd in the class of the leguminous. Another shrub, called hariilo, is employed for the same purpose. This is difterent fiom the harlllo of Tucuman, and its leaves, which are very smalln

K 3

131T h e guaicuru (plegorhiza guaicuru, gen,

n o v.) grows in the northern provinces. T he root is rough and o f a r,ed colour, and is used as a specific for all kinds o f wounds ; it puts forth a great number o f leaves resembling those o f the myrtle, in the centre o f wliich rises a stem o f about six inches in height, divided at the top into many branches covered vvith leaves less than the radical, and very small bell-shaped fíowers arranged in an umbellate order. Pernetty, in bis V o ja g e to the M alouine Islands, observes, that this plant, particularly the root, is one o f the most powerful vegetable astringents known, and is likewise very excellent for the cure o f uleers and scrophulous complaints, and o f great Service in the dysentery— pr operti es ascertained b y the daily experience o f the Chiiians.

In the province o f Q uillota is a spectes o f the acacia, or mimosa, called b y the Spaniards ja-> villa, which affoids a balsam o f great efficacy in healiug wounds. T his balsam exudes from the branches and'the leaves, and renders them viscous to the touch ; it exhales a very agreeable odour v/hich is perceptible at a great distance. T h e ja r ilia grows to about five fe e t; the leaves are

w inged and notched at the e d ges; the fiowers are yellow and divided into five petáis, and

emit a strong smell sómething Iike that of Iioney, and are so replete with balsam that they appear to be covered with it.—* Fr arder's Voy age, vq!. i.

produce a small berry, containing two or three kidney-shaped seeds.

T lie expressed ju ice o f the falqui (cestrum nocturnum) is considered as the best known re* medy for inflammatory fevers ; it is bitter and o f an unpleásant taste, but very cool and re- freshing. T h e leaves o f this shrub were for- merly considered by the husbandmen as poison- ous to cattle, but modern experiments have proved the unfoundedness o f this opinión. In its appearance and smell the palqui resembles the eider, but the leaves are single, alternate and ob- lo n g ; the flowers are corymbio, yellow , and like those o f the jessamin, and the beVries oval and o f a jrarple colour. T h e wood is very brit- tle, but is preferred to any other b y the Indians for the purpose o f producing fire by friction ac- cording to their custom. T his is done by turning rapidly between their hands a small stick o f this wood in a hole made in another piece o f the same kind.

Am ong the slirubs used for medicinal purposes is also the cassia sena, wliich is in no w ay differ­ent from that o f the Levant. It grows in abun- dance near the source o f the river M aypo. Sage is likewise found in many places, particularly in the low grounds near the sea.

Sect. V I I I . Trees.— T h e forests o f C h ili offer a great variety o f trees, the most o f w hich

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never lose their foliage. Those kinds tliat are knówn, amount to ninety-seven, and o f íhese only thirteen slied their Ieaves. Am ong the former are many that are remarkable for their fragrance,*' and are w ell deser ving culíivaíion. Those thafe are similar or vary but little from the European irees, or which are to be met with in almost all botanical gardens, I shall merely enumerate, re­ser ving my descriptions for such as are less known, or distinguishable for some peculiarity.

T h e valleys of. tlie Andes produce naturally the white cedar and the red, called alerces, the cypress, the pine, and the pellines, w hich is a species of'oak. A ll these trees grow to a great

* The woods ave full o f avomatic shrubs j such as severa] kinds o f myrtle, a species o f laurel whose Ieaves are o f the smell of saffron, but more pleasant; the boldu, the Ieaves of which llave the odour of incense, and the bark a biting taste something like that o f cinuamou; it is a different tree, how- ever, from that called the cinnamon, which produces a bark similar to that o f the East Xndies. The Ieaves o f the boldu are like those o f the greater laurel, but rather larger. There is also another tree called peumo, a decoction o f the bark o f which is very beneiicial in the dropsy. The fruit is red, and resenibles an olive, and the wood is very proper for ship- buikling; but the best tree for this parpóse is a species o f evergreen oak, very huid and durable, whose bark is a cork equal to that of the cork tree. Qn the shores o f the river üio-bio are great quantitics o f cedar suitable for buiiding, and excellent for spars. The bamboo reed is likewise very com­ino» in every part of the couiiíry.— Frazier's Voy age, vol. i»

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height and size, but none o f them can compare in that respect with the red* cedar, w hich, in the Arcliipelago o f Cliiloé, grows so large, that a single tree w ili frequently furnish from six to eight hundred boards o f twenty feet in length.

In the other parís o f C liili are found the w illow , the molle, the Peruvian taper or cherry^ the w ild orange, the floripondio, the w hite cin- namon, the carob tree, the maqui a species o f cornei, the luma a species o f myrtle, the m ul- berry, the chirimoya, and the tamarind. T he island o f Juan Fernandes produces the red, yellow , and w hite sandal, the yellow wood, or fagus lutea, and a tree whose genus I am unac- quainted w ith, tiiat produces a species o f pepper inferior to that o f the East Indies.

T h e tjieige (salix Chilensis) differs from the European w illow in its leaves, w liich are entire, slender, and o f a yellowish green. T his tree yields annually ? .great quantity o f manna; the coiuitry people also make use o f the barle,

which they believe possesses a h igh ly febrifugal quality.

O f the molle there áre tw o kinds, the coinmon

* On my passage from Chili lo Europe I observed that the water which was in casks inade o f the red cedar, ltept sweet ¿or a nnich longer time tlian that in the othcrs. This water had acquired a red tinge, but the taste was not in the least ehanged, and ií appeared to be a? fresh as if just taken from

the fountain.

(schinus m ollis) which is usuallyfound in the marshes, and another called huigan (schinus huigan). T h e last grows naturally in any soil, and its leaves are very stnall. T h e inhabitants prepare from the berries o f these trees a kind o f red wine o f an agreeable ilavour but very heating.-*

T h e Peruvian tapeçy called in C hili quisco3 is o f two kinds, the common (cactus Peruvianus) and that o f Coquimbo, (cactus Coquim banus) the thorns o f w hich are eight inches long, and are uséd by the women for knitting-needles.

The floripondio ( datura aborea) is a tree much esteemed for its beauty and the fragrance o f its flowers., which diffuse an ambcry odour to a great distance.f T he trunk grow s to the height o f twelve feet, but rarely exceeds six inches in diameter, and is pithy within. T h e branches

* The Iudians prepare a beverage from the molle as pleasant and as sírong as wine, if not more so, and make use o f the solution o f the gum as a purgative medicine. The sap, pro- cured by making an incisión in the bark, is said to be a cure for filias, and a liquor obtained from the pith o f the young shoots, excellent for clearing and strengthening the eyes. Thefishermen o f Concon and Valparaíso boil the bark, which produces a dye of the colour o f burnt coffee, with which Ihey stain their uets.— Fraxier's Voyage, vol. i.

t We have no tree in Europe that equals in beauty thè floripondio. When in blossom it far exceeds in fragrance any ©f our trees, and one o f them is sufficient to perfume a wholc garden.— Feuillé) vol. n.

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unite at the top and forra a spherical crown* which produces a most delightful effeci, T h e leaves are w oolly and in the form o f an elon- gated lieart eigh t or ten inches in length, by three in hread th; the flowers are turned back in the form o f a funnel, and are divided into fi ve pointed lo b e s; they are white, from eight to ten inches long, and three in-hreadth. T he fru it is nearly round, o f the size o f an orange, and co- vered with a greenish riijd, containing a number o f oval seeds, but it is ne ver eaten.

T h e w ild orange tree (citrus Chilensis) is dis- tinguished from the cultivated by its sessile leaves, and its fruit, w hich is oval and not larger than a filbert,' but has the taste o f a common orange, T his tree frequently grows to a con­siderable height, and the wood is much esteem- ed by turners on account o f its beautiful yellow colour.

T h e w hite cinnamon, called b y the Chilians doighe, and the Spaniards canello3 may be found in all the thickets o f C hili. It is commonly known by the ñame o f W inter’s cinnamon, from its being first introduced into Europe by Captain W inter.* T h e trunk o f this tree frequently

* The boighe of Chili, or canello o f the Spaniards, is not the tree whieb furnishes the white cinnamon o f merchants, and, o f course, not the same with that described by Linnaeus under llie ñame o f winteriana candía. The boighe of Chili is a real

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rises to the hcight o f fiíty íee t; the branclies are placed opposite each other by fours, in the form o f a cross; the leaves are large, alternate, and iike ttiose o f the laurel; the ílowers are whiíe, quadripetal, and very oderiferous ; the berries oval, and p f a changeable black and blue. L ik e the cinnamon o f Ceylon, this tree produces tw o barks ; the exterior o f a greenish brown, the other, when first taken from the tree, is o f a

• d iriy white, but when dry, becomes o f the colour o f the true cinnamon, which it very much re~ sembles in taste, and in F eu illé ’s opinion m ight serve as a succedaneum for it.* I am o f the same sentiment, p.arficularly i f proper attention were paid to the cultivation o f it, w hich would probably tend to correct that sharp taste which renders it unpleasant. T h e natives employ the timber for building, büt makeno use o f the bark. T h e Araucanians from time immemorial have regarded the boighe as a sacred tree; in their reiigious ceremonies they carry branches of*it in their hands, and when they conclude a peacc, they present tbem in token o f amity and alliance,

drymis, and appears to be the same with that describet! by the Chevalier de Ia Mark, under the name of drymis punctata. -— Fr. l'r ans.

* The bark of the boighe may be applied to the same

uses as the cinnamon; its smell is similar, and it acquires the same colour whcn it is dried.— Feuillé, vol. iii.

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as the ancient nations o f Europe did th o seo f the olive.

T h e carob tree o f Chili (ceratonia Chilensis) is distinguished from tliat o f Europe (siliqua Europea) by its thorns, w hich are usually four inehes long, and so hard that they are used by the country people instead o f nails. Its pod re­sembles that o f the European carob.

T h e maqui ( cornus Chilensis) does not usually exceed ten or tw elve feet in height, and the wood is too brittle for use. T h e leaves are opposite, heart-shaped, denticulated, ju ic y , and three inches lo n g ; the flowers are wliite, w ith four petáis, and the berries piuple. T h e Indians eat tliese berries 'or w ild grapes, w hich are very sweet, and also prepare from them a beverage called theca. T h e ju ic e o f the leaves is esteem- ed a speci fie in the sore throat, and I am con- vinced o f its efíicacy from my own experience. T here is a variety o f this tree which bears a white berry.

T h e lurna (m yrtus luma) is distinguisháble from the common myrtle by its round leaves and its height, which is frequently forty fe e t .. Its wood is the best o f any known for the use o f coach-makers, and large quantities o f it are an­nuali y exported to Perú for that parpóse. T he Indians rnake from the berries a pleasant wine, in high repute as a síomachic. There is like- wise anotber species o f lofty m yrtle- (myrtus

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m axim a) which grows in the same places with the luma, and frequently to the height o f seventy feet; the wood o f this is also very valuable,

A m ongthose trees which p ro d u ce 'th e most useful woods, besides the cedars already 'men-

tioned, are the caven, the quillai, the lithi, the

mayten, and the temu.T h e caven (mimosa caven) called by the Spa-

niards espino, resembles much the accacia folio scorpiodis leguminosa o f E gyp t. T h e trunk is w inding and solid; the bark b lack and filled w ith cracks; the branches scattered and furnish- cd with thorns; the leaves disposed in pairs on a common footstalk,. and twO inches in length ; the flowers are flosculous and y ello w, and form a round bouquet like those o f the acacia nilotica., but difíer in being attached w ithout peduncles to the boughs, which they completely cover., and their odour is so very fragrant that they are de- nominated aromas. T h e pod is.from three to

four inches lo n g ; it is cylindricab o f a dark brown, and contains many oval seeds marked w ith a yellow stripe ; these are enveloped in an astringent m ucilage, from w hich a very good ink is made. T h e caven grows spontaneously in all the midland provinces^ chiefly between the íMth and S7th degrees o f latitude,. where its wood serves as fuel. I t is more natural to the richest soils., and frequently grows to the height o f an oak, T h e wood is hard and compact, o f

a dark brown veined with black and yellow, receives an excellent polish, and is used b y several kinds o f artisans for tlie handles o f their tools.

T h e quillai ( quillaja saponaria, gen. noy,*) derives its ñame from the Ch ilian word quillcan, to wash. T he trunk o f tliis tree exceeds the middle height, and is coyered \vith a thick bark. o f a greyish ash colour ; it divides itself at the top into two or three branches, which produce leaves like those o f the ever-green o a k ; its flowers are also furnished with stamina, b u t the seed is enclosed in a quadrangular capsule. T h e

wood o f the quillai is very Jiard, and does not easily split, for w hich reason the country people make use o f it for stirrups. B u t what renders íhis tree really valuable is the bark, w hich, when pulverized and mixed with a certain quantity o f water, foams like soap, and is efficacious in cleansing woollens and other kinds o f clotb. A very considerable commerce is carried on with this bark; the Peru vians particularly import every year great quantities o f it.

T h e lithi {laurus caustica) a species o f middle sized laurel» is scattered over the whole country.

* The quillai is a tree whose leaves resemble those o f the ever-green oak, The bark ferments in water like soap, and is p refera ble to it for the washing o f woollen clotb, but is apt

ío give Uuen a yeliowish hue,— Fraxicfs Voy age, vol. i.

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Its ïeaves are oval, wrinkled, an inch in length, and o f a dark green ; the flowers, thougli much smaller, and the fru it resemble those o f the eommon laurei. T h e effluvium from this tree, especially in summer, produces painful pustules and swellings on the hands and faces o f those who stopbeneath its shade. T his effect is various, however, with various persons : there are some w ho are very little, i f at ali, incommoded by it, w hile others, who merely pass by the tree, are severely affectcd ; though never attended with fatal consequences, it is nevertheless very trouble- some. Greafc precaution is requisite in cutting the tree, as its viscousjuice is éxtrem ely càustic; but when dry, the wood loses ali its injurious qualities, and is employed for building. Its colour is a handsome red, veined with brown, and it acquires, after having been for some time under water, a very great degree o f hardness, wliich m ight render it very useful in ship build­in g .* There is another large tree w liich I liave reason to believe is tru ly poisonous; it usually grows in the vicinity o f the sea, is callcd the

* The Iithi is a tree very proper for building ships; it is cut with great care when it is green, but when dry, particu- larly if it has been for some time under water, the wood

beeomes almost as hard as iron. It is employed by the natives in building théir houses. Its colour when first cut is white, but when it is dried and seasoncd it changes to a very hand» some red >— FeuUfi's Journ,

botien, and is one o f the most beautiful trees o f Chili. T he jVhysicians, however, in critical cases, direct the buds to be taken in powdcr not exceeding h alf a scru ple, as a pow eríul emetic. T he sap o f this trée is a yellow inclining to green, but is nót hicteous. ïts ílowers and fructifica- tion I shall not prèténd to describe, never having sèen it in á fíowering state.

T he maytèn ( maytenus boaria, gen. n o v .) is a beautiful tree, and alvvavs retains its foliare, í t grows in the same places with the lithi, and is an antidote to its poison. ï t is rarely more than thirty feet li ig h ; its b ran ches, wliieli are nume- rous, and commence at the dieight o f eight feet frora th e ro o t, form a’ very.beautiful to p ; the leaves are denticulated and pointed, about tw o iïiehes in length, and o f a brilliant green ; the flowers are monopetalous, bell-shaped, and o f a purple hue, but so small as not to be distinguish able at a íittle distance These flowers pníi'rèly covef the young shoots, and are succeeded by a small round capsule containing a single biack seed. T h e wood is very hard, and o f an orange colour spotted with red and green. T he caítje • are very fond o f the leaves, and w ill forsake any

herbage for them ; and were it not for the hedges and ditches with w hich the inhabitants surround the young trees, the species w ould pro- bably before this time lia ve been destroyed.

T h eterno (temus moscata, gen. nov.) is a treev o l . i. L

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o f very th ick foliage. T h e leaves are alternate, oval, smooth, and o f a bright green. There are tw o varieties o f this tree, distinguished by their yellow or white flowers, which are divided into eighteen narrow petáis o f two or three inches in length. T h e seeds resemble coffee, and are not unlike it in taste, but haye a certaiñ bitterness that renders them unpleasant. T h e bark is yellow , tlie wood grey, very hard, and much used in various manufactures.

T h epatagua ( cinodendron patagua, gen. nov.) is much valued for its flowers, which are small, but resemble in shape and smell the lily. T he leaves are placed opposite in pairs, lanceolated, serrated, and o f a b righ t green. T h e trunk fre- quently grows to such a size that four men can scarcely encircle it w ith their arms ; the wood is white and easily w rought, but held in little esti- mation.

C h ili, in comparison with those countries in Am erica situated between the tropics, produces but few trees whose fruits are edible ; the prin­cipal o f those are the coconut, the pehuen, the gevuin, the peumo, and the lúcuma.

In the provinces o f Q uillota, Calchagua, and M aúle are large forests o f the coconut tree (palm a Chilensis). T his species difíers from the others o f the same genus in the size o f its fruit, w hich does not usually exceed that o f a walnut. T h e trunk is about the height and

147

diameter o f a date tree, and its growth is very slow ; it is without b ranches and perfeetly cy- lindrical, but when young is covered with the footstalks o f leaves, w hich fall oif as the tree in- creases in size, T h e leaves and fiowers are ana- logous to those o f the p alm ; the last are mo~ noical, and disposed in four clusters which hang around the tree. W hen in the bud they are en- closed within a spath, or woody sheath, which opens as the flower expands* W hen the fruit begins to foim , the spath separàtes itself into tw o hemispherical parts o f about three feet long by two broad. E ach o f these bunches produces more thari a thousand coconuts, and nothing can be more beautiful than to see one o f these trees coYered with fruit, shaded by the upper branches w hich bend over in the forra o f an arch. ' -

T h e fruita like the tropical coconut, lias tw o coverin gs; the outer is hard externally and o f a green colour, wliieh gradually changes into a yellow , and the inside is filled w ith a kind o f íilaceous w o o l; / the interior shell is woody, smooth and round, and so hard that it would be difficult for the nut to germinate were it not for

the tw o stems w hich are attached to the upper part o f the shell, and separated from the nut only by a thin pellicie. T h e kernel is spherical, a little hollow in the middle, white, and o f a very agreeable taste, and when fresh, contains a milky liquor which is pleasant and refrigeratory.

l 2

Á great number o f these nuts are exported eyery year to Perú, where they are h igh ly esteeined. T h e oil obtained from them by expression is web tasted and much used. T he country people make use o f the sheaths. as bags for titile aiticles o f dress, and with the lea ves manufacture baskets and tliatcli their cabins. T he buds, ir cut when young, yield great quantities o f sap, vvhich is thick, and furnishes a more agreeable sirup tlian that o f the sugar can e; but the tree commonlv dies after tliis operation.

T h e date is found in the province o f Copiapo; bu t I know not whether it is indigenous or w as brought thitlier from some other place. T he islands o f Juan Fernandez produce a species o f palm cabed chonta. T h e trunk, like that o f most other pairas, is hollov/, and tlie wood is black and as hard as ebony. Another tree, w hich I have cabed ampclo musa, resembles the palm, and grow sin great quantities in the marshes o f M a ú le ; the leaves procecd directly from the top o f the trunk, and are large and green like those o f the banana ; the fruit is disposed in four clusters like those o f the vine, and the re- semblance is so perfect, that were it not for a

sharp and astringent taste, it m ight readily be mistaken for a grape.

T h epchuen (pinus Araucana) called by the SpaniardspzKO de la tierra, resembles the fir more than the pine, althcugh in some respecis it differs

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from both. It is them ost beautiful o f the trees ©f Chili, and grows spontaneously in the Àrau- canian provinces, but is cultivated in all other parts o f the country, and, from its properties, partakes o f the nature o f the pine, the ehesnut, and the frankincense. T h e trunk is frequently eighty feet in height, and its usual circumference is e ig h t ; the wood is very resinous, and o f a vellowish brown, and the bark smooth and ereen- ish; the tree as it increases in heightshcdding all. the liitle branches and leaves with w hich it is covered w liile young. W hen it attains the h a lf o f its growth it puts forth, in a horizontal di- rection, four durable limbs opposite to each other in the form o f a cross; the four followins:ubranches are disposed in the same manner but shorter, and at the distance o f four or five feet from the first; the others decrease in leno’th in proportiòn as they approach the íop, which terminates in a point. T he extremities o f all these branches incline perpendicular ly, and give ío the tree the form o f a quadrangular pyramid. T his pyramidal shape becomes still more perfect from the number o f little boughs which project laterally from the principal branches in a cruci- form manner, decreasing gradual]y from the common axis. T h e principal branches as well as the boughs, are set round with st»ff leaves enchased in each other, o f aboüt three inches long by one broad ; these are heart-shaped, con-

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vex above, very shining, and so hard that they appear líke wood. T h e fiower is aracntaceous or conical, and perfectly resembles that o f the p in e; the fruit is o f the size o f a mari's head ; it is smooth, spherical, ligneous, suspended to a very short pedicle, and divided w ithinbytw o thinshells into several celis, w hicb contain the kernels in pairs; the kernels are about tw o inches in length and as Iarge as the little finger, o f a conical form, a transparent white, and coyered with a pellicie like that o f the chesnut, w hich they re- semble in taste, and, though rather harder, are* eaten in the same manner. T h e gum exudes through the bark, is yellowish, and its odour very pleasant.f

* Some o f the Quarani tribes reduce théra to a flour, and in that state preserve thern as food. (Coment, de Cabeze de Vaca). In Chile and to the south they are preserved by boil- ing, and prepared ih this manner, says Falkner, theyhave something o f a mealiness, and taste very like a boilcd almond, but not so oily.— E. E.

t This is the dombey of Clúïi o f M. de la Mark. This tree is not a pine, as M. Molina supposes; it is a new gemís, well defined by its fructífication, and clearly distinguishable from yny o f those that are known. In fact, besïdes its flowers being dicecial, they have this very singular discrimination, that they grow upon catkins, with no other pericarpium than what

is produced by the generative òrgans— the forked appendages that terminate the props of the stamina forming the pericarpium o f the male catkin, and the two valves o f each stigma that of the female.

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T he geviiin (gevuina avellina, gem nov.) c a lle d b y th e Spaaiards avellano, or the hazle, from the appearance o f its fruit, grows to a middle height iu marshes and in the valleys o f the Andes. Its lea ves are winged and terminated with one dissimilar like those o f the ash, but the leaflets are rounder, more solid, slightly denticu- lated, and disposed by four or five couple upon a common pedicle. T h e flowers are white, quadripetal, and attached by pairs to a spike w hich proceeds from the hollow part o f the leaves. T he fruit is round, nine lines in diame­ter, and covered with a coriaceous shell, w hich is at first- green, afterwards becomes yellow , and at length b la c k ; the kernel is divided into tw o lobes, and in taste resembles the European walnut.

T h epeumo fpeum us, gen. nov.) is a tree con- sisting o f four very different species, and a great number o f varieties; all o f these are tall and covered with stiff aromatic leaves; the fruit is like the olive, but a little smaller, having a ker-

Tiie fruit is also singular; it consisfs o f large oval rouifded cones, composed o f a great uumber o f elongated seeds, fixed naked around oue common axis. These seeds, o f course, are not to be found in pairs in the hollow o f each scale of the coneas in the pine, siuce that o f the dombeya tas no acales._Fr.Trans.

The Spaniards cali the resin o f tliis tree incensé, and use it «issuch,— £, E. Falkner.

1*4?

nel mone or less hard, according to the species-. T h e howers are white or o f a rose colour, with six pètals shorter than the calyx. T he first spe­cies (peumus rubra) has alternate leaves, oval, petiolated, entire and large, like those o f the hornbeam, and bears a red fru it; the second (peumus alba) has denticulated leaves and a w hite fr u it ; the third (peumus mammosa) has sessile leaves in shape o f a heart, and the fruit is terminated by a kind o f nipple; the fourth

( peumus boklus) bears oval leaves, placed op­posite in pairs, about four inches in length, w oolly beueatb, and o f a dark green. T h e fruit o f this last species is smalíer than that o f the others and almost round, and the kernel so hard that the inhabitants make their rosaries o f it. T h ey also give to the fruit the name o f bolda, and use the shells to perfume the vessels in which they put their wine. T h e fruits o f the tliree íirst kinds are caten; to prepare tliem for that purpose they are merely dipped in warm water, as a greatet degree o f heat would burn and render them bitter. T he interior pulp is white,

huttery, and o f an agreeable taste, and the kernel contains much oil, which m ight be used boíh for lamps and for eating. T h e bark serves for tanning leather, and is also used in dying,

T h e lucuma (lucum a, gen .n o v.) comprehends fivc different species and many varieties, all o f thcm largc trecs, with síiíT leaves resembling the

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laurei. T h e flowers have a great number o f

stamina, and produce a fruit, w hich, in size and taste, has some sirailarity to the peach ; the out-

side skin is yellowish and the pulp sweet, and usually contains one or two kernels o f an irre­gular shape. T w o kinds o f lucuma are cu i- tivated— the lucuma bifera and the turbinata. T h e bifera bears tw ice a year, early in summer and in autum n; but the autumnal fruits alone produce kernels; these are two, and have the appearance o f chesnuts. , T he fru it is round and a little sloped, bu t less so than that o f the tur­binata, w hich has the form o f a wbipping-top» Notwithstanding both these fruits ripen upon the tree, it is necessary to keep them some time in straw, w hich ameliorates them and corrects their natural roughness, and by this means they acquire that pleasant taste w hich renders them

so much esteemed.O f the wild lucuma three species are known

in C h ili by the ñames o f bellota, Icenle, and

chaguar.T h e bellota (lucum a Yaíparaidisea) grovrs in

great quantities in the environs o f Valparaíso, and is distinguished from the otliers by its leaves, which are opposite, and its round or oval fruit, w hich is usually bitter.

T he Icenle (lucum a keulc) which frequently grows to the height o f a hundrecl feet, has oval leaves about six inches long and o f a briUiani

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green. • T his tree usually bears a great quantity o f fruit which is perfectly round and o f a shining y d lo w , forming a fine contrast with thebeautifu l verdure o f the feli age.

T h e chag?ier (lucum a spinosa) lias a trunk about thirty feet high-; the branches are thorny, the leaves oval and sessile, and the fruit resembles that o f the keule, but has a more agreeabíe taste. T h e wood is hard, o f a yellow colour, and mucb valued by cabinet-makers.

T h e different kinds o f pulse, flowers, garden herbs, vines, and fruit trees, which the Spaniards have brought from Europe, thrive as w ell in C hili as in their native country.*

T h e melons, o f which there are many kinds,

are almost always long ; the rind is very thin,

* Eacb house has a garden in which may he found ali kinds o f fruittrees, which produceevery year such abundance of fruit that the iuhabitants pluck off a great part o f it when it tirst fornis, as otherwise it would not oniy endanger breaking the iimbs, but would never come to maturity. The frúiís are not inferior in quality to those o f Europe, except the chesnut which is much less, but in place o f this there are many other kinds o f fruit unknown in our climate.— Feuillé, vol. ii.

All the houses in Coquimbo have large gardens surrounded with walls, in which, in their season, are produced apples,

pears, prunes, delicious cherries, ntits, almonds, olives, lemons, oranges, pomegranates, figs, grapes, and many other fruits, peculiar to the country, not knpw'n in Europe. Ali these fruits are very odoriferpus, as I have myself experienced.— Feuillé, vol, ii.

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and the flavour excellent. Araong them the musk melón and the scritti, tw o marked and constant varieties, are preferred to any oth er; and I have seen many that were tw o feet in length. T h e melons begin to ripen in the nionth o f D e­cember, and continue until the end o f M ay, These last, which I have called winter melons ( invernizi) are green, and w ill keep perfectly w ell during the winter i f they are placed in a

situation where the air raay have free access to

them.T h e inhabitants cultívate seven species o f

water melons o f an excellent kind, b u t the most esteemed is that called pellata, which has a thin rind like the skin o f an apple. T his fru it is a native o f Jamaica, from wlience the Spaniards imported it into Europe, but it is probable that the cuchugna, which is o f the same species o f an excellent flavour, was cultivated in C h ili long before the arrival o f the Spaniards.

I have already spoken o f the great fertility o f the soil in the production o f different kinds o f g r a in ; and shall merely observe in this place that the species o f wheat most generally cul­tivated is one w ithout beard, called mutica; this is sowed in August, and the crop reaped in D e­cember. Hemp and flax grow extrem ely w ell in C h il i ; but as the exportation o f it is rigorously prohibited, the inhabitants raise no more than is wanted for internal consumption.

4

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T he vine produces wonderfully, and the seil appears to be peculiarly favourable to it, as the thickets are filled with wild vines (the seeds having been carried thither by birds) from whose grapes the country people obíain a very good w in e; but the cultivated vines produce delicious grapes o f the best quality. From the borders o f Peru to the river o f M aúle, the mode o f cul- tivating the vines is by raising the sets to the height of three or four feet by means o f props or forked stakes which support th em ; but beyond that river they are planted upon the de- clivities o f bilis, and reclined on the ground. T h e grapes in the highest estimation are those that grow upon the shores o f the Itata. T h e vnne obtained from them is the best in C h il i ; it is called Conception wine, and is usually red, o f a good body, an excellent flavour, and not in­ferior to the first wines in Europe.* A great quantity o f this -wine is annualiy exported to Perú, but it losçs inuch o f its pleasant flavour from being put into casks that are daubed over on the inside with a kind o f mineral pitch.

* The country is fúll o f hills, with fine vineyards on their tops, which produce very excellent wines.— >Feuillé, vol. ii.

The wines of St. Jago are o f several kinds, and although inferior to those o f Conception, are very wcll tasted, and of a good body.— American Gazetleer; article C h il i .

fhat wine which is exported from Chili to Paraguay, is red, thick, and sweet, but has a certain harsbness.— E. E,

Dobrizhoffer, T, 2. p. 229.

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T he muscadel vvine is, acording to U lloa, o f as good a quality as the best o f Spain.* These wines are in general very strong, and great quan- tities are used for distilling brandy. T h e vintage takes place in the months o f A p ril and M ay. A bout twenty years siuce so me vines o f a black muscadel grape, o f an excellent quality, were discovered in the valleys o f the Andes, and from thence transplanted into the other provinces. As these valleys liad never been inhabited, and until that time no such grape had been known in any other part o f the country, it is difficult to deter­mine whether it is a native o f C hili or brought from Europe. I t has besides some peculiarities that distinguisli it, as the leaves being more in- dented, and the clusters perfectly cónica!, w hile the grapes grow so cióse to each other as to render it impossible to detach one without crushing severa!.

A ll the European fruit trees yield abundantly, and their fruit is as fine in C h ili as in their native cou n try.f T h e greater part arealso remarkable

* Chili has iu no less abundance grapes o f various kinds, and aroong thera those which produce a wiue more highly vatued in Perú than any other; it is mostly red, and a mus­cadel is also made, which in its smell and the deliciousness o f its taste surpasses any kind known in Spain.— Ulloa's Voy age.

f The plain o f Quillota is very pleasant. We were tliere at the time o f the carnival, which occurs in that country in the beginning o f auturan, and were much surprised to see a great

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for their numbers and the increase o f their size. In the Southern provinces are forests o f apple and quince trees from three to four leagues in extent, from whence procecds that great variety o f apples, the fruit o f many o f w hich is excellent. Am ong these, however, those o f Q uillota are the raost in estimation. T h e quinces are remarkable for their size and goodness;* like those o f E urope they have an acid and astringent taste, b u t i f suffered to attain perfect maturity, and not gathered until the énd o f autumn, they are very sweet, and are called in the country corda.

quantity o f all kinds o f the best European fruit trees which have been transplanted thither. They ali produced in abun- dance, particularly the peaches, o f which there were large thickcts ; while the only attentiou paid to their cultivation was by introducing some small streams o f water among them, from the river Chile, to supply the vvant o f rain during the summer. — Fraziers Voy age> vol. i.

Pears and apples grow so naturally in the bushes, that it is difficult to conceive, on seeing such quantities o f them, how it is possible for these trees to have multiplied since the conquest to such a degree, if it is true, as is said, tbat they were not in the country before that periód.— Frazier’s Voyage, vol. i.

From these wild apples the Indians made a kind o f eider for present use, not knowing how to ferment it so as to make it keep.— E. E.— Falkner.

* What I most admired was the size of the quinces, for they are larger than a man’s head. But what was no less au object of surprise, was the little account made of them by the inhabitantSjwho suffered them to rot upon the ground without paying any attention to collccting them.— vol. ili.

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I t is a well known fact tliat this fruit loses its astringency by being allowed to remain a long time upou th e tre e ; b u t in this country they pre- tcnd that the autumnal rains and the slight w hite frosts o f that season are necessary to per- fect it. There is likewise a particular species o f the quince., improperly called lucxmia. T h e fru it is very different from that o f the real lú ­cuma, and is always sweet, o f a conical sliape, and in a small degtee um bilical; the skin, as well as the pulp, is o f an orange colour, and the tree is a real quince tree.

T h e peaches amount to fourteen species, and frequently produce fruit o f more tlian sixteen ounces w eight. Am ong the duracines, thatkind called in the country alberchigos, is the most in estim ation; the fruit is large and very excellent, the pulp is o f a reddish white, and the stone per- fectly red. T h e tree, likc the fig, bears tw ice a y e a r ; in the monili o f January it yields large and pulpy peaches, and in A pril a small fruit, resembling the almond, o f a delicious taste, called almendruclws. T he pears and cherries produce also tw ice a year, but the latter growth rarely oblains perfect m aturity.* Oranges, le-

* The fruit trees brought frora Europe thrive very well in that country, whose climate is so favourable as respects vege- tation that the trees bear fruit there the «'hole year. I have

frequently seen iu the same orchard, what is common in oran- geries, the fruit in ali States, in the bud, iu flower, green, and perfectly ripe at the same tim z.-+*Frazier'$ Voy age, vol. L

160mons, and citrofts, o f which theré are irriany va- rieties in Chili, grow e very where in the open fields, and tlieir vegetation isuot inferior to that o f the other tree». Besides the common kind, a species o f small lemon is much cultivated, the fruit o f w hich is about the size o f a walnut, and very ju ic y . T he leaves are small and re- semble tliose o f the orange more than the lemon, a very delicious sweetmeot is made from the fruit, and the ju ic e is much used in inflammatory fevers.

T h e olive* grows very well, particularly in

the vicinity o f St. Jago, where I have seen trees o f three feet in diameter and o f a pro- portional height. M edlars, Service apples, the three-grained mediar and the ju jube, are the only European fruits at present unknown in Chili.

* The first olive was carried from Andalusia to Peru in 1 5 6 0 , by Antonio de Iiibera, o f Lima.— E. E .

P , M anuel Rodriguen. Ind, Chron,

C H A P . I V .

WorrnSi Insects> Reptiles, Fi&hes, B ir d s, and

Quaclrupeds.

Ü h i-L·I ís not quite so abundant in animals as the other countries o f Am erica. T h e reptiles, for instance, are but few, and the indigenous qua- drupeds do not exceed thirty-six species. T h e Classes o f worms, o f fishes, and o f birds are those that contain the greatest number o f species and o f individuals. From my observations, however, I am led to believe that insects are less abundant than in Italy, and that C hili produces a greater number o f worms, particularly the marine kin d ; the vvhole coast o f the P acific Ocean being filied with zoophytes and mollus­cas, many o f w hich are w holly unknown to na- turalists.

S e c t . I. Molluscas.— T h e pyura (pyura, gen. n o v.) is a mollusca, remarkable for its shape and its mode o f dwelling. T his animal, which scarcely meriís the name, is about an inch

v o l , i . M

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in diameter, and o f the shape o f a pear, or it tnay more properly be compared to a sraall fleshy purse, o f nearly a conical form, filled with salt w a ter; it is o f at red colour, and is furníshed on the upper part w ith two very short trunks, one o f w hich serves for a mouth, the other as an anus. Between these are two shining black points w hich I suppose are the eyes. On the strictest

examination I have not been able to discover any òrgans or intestines separate from the flesh com- posing the body o f1 this animal, which is smooth on the outside, and wifliin mammiform. It is not, however, destitute o f sensibiliiy, as, on being touched or drawn from its celi, it ejeots with violence from both trunks the water w hich it contains. Several o f these animals live to- gether in a kind o f coriaceous hive ; this is o f a ’diíferent form in different places, and appears to be corapletely closedon the outside, but with- in is divided into ten or more celis by means o f strong membranes. E ach individual has bis separate celi, wliere he lives a recluse life with- out any visible communication with his compa-

nions, and in which he is compelíed to remain, though there is no perceptible ligament that at-

taches him to it. From this circumstance it may fa irly be presumed that these animals are hermaphrodites o f tlie íirst species, or such as

produce their like without coupling.T he hives, w hich serve as habitations for

168these molluscas, resemble alcyoniums, and are attached to ro.cks, covered by the water, from whence they are torn by the waves and driven on the shore. T h e inhabitants o f C hili eat the pyures, either boiled or roasted in the shells, and

when fresh they have the taste o f a lobster. G reat quantities o f them are dried annually and sent to Cujo, where they are in great request. I believe the animal which Kolben, in his descrip- tion o f the Cape o f Good Hope, calis the sea fountain, is o f the same fam ily.

Various species o f the holotlm ria, especially the holothuria phy salis, or the galley, are fre- quently found upon the shore, whither they are driven by the waves. T his mollusca, called by several authors the sea nettle, from its producing an inflammation o f the skin when touched, is o f the shape and size o f an ox-bladder filled with air. It is furnished within with a great number o f branching feelers, or tentaculm, intertwined with each other, in the centre o f which is placed the mouth, o f a very deformed appearance.

These tentacul® are o f several colours, red, purple or b lu e; the skiri that forms the vesicle or bladder is transparent, and appears to consist o f

tdifferent longitudinal and transverse fibres, within w hich a peristaltic motion is perceptible. T h e top o f this bladder is ornamented w ith a mem-

brane in the shape o f a crest, w hich serves the animal as a sail, and contdns nothing excepting

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a littíe ciear water, confined to oné o f its éXÍfe* mities b y a membrane or diaphragm, w bich pre­venís it from spréading throughout the wllole c a v ity o f the bladder.

Besides tbe common cuttle fish (sepia octo- podia) three other singular species aré found in the sea o f Chili. T h e first, the ungulated cuttle fish (sepia unguiculata) is o f a great size, and instead o f suckers, has paws arraed with a double row o f pointed nails, like those o f a cat, w hich it can, at its pleasure, draw into a kind o f sheath. T h is fish is o f a delicate taste, but is not very

Common. T h e second I have called the tuni- cated cuttle fish (sepia tunicata) frotó its body being covered with a second skin, in the form o f a tu n ic ; this is transparent, and terminates in tw o little semicircular appendages like wings, w hicli project from either side o f the tail, M any won- derful and incredible stories are told by sailors o f the bu lk and strength o f this fish, büt it is certain that it is fréquentíy caught o f one hun- dred a n d , fifty pounds w èight on the cóast o f

C h ili, and the flesli is esteemed a great delicacy. T h e third is the cuttle fish w ith six feet (sepia hexapodia). This species is o f a very singular figure, and when seen in a state o f quiescence, appears much more like a broken piece o f the small branch o f a tree than an animal. Its body does not exceed six inches in length, and is o f the size o f a iiïan’s finger, divided into four or

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fíve articulations decreasing ia size towards the tail. Its feet are usually drawn up near the head, but when extended have the appearance o f so many floating roots ; likethose o f other cuttle fish, they are furnished with suckers, but so 8mall as to be scarcely discernible. T h e head is misshapen, and supplied with two antennae, or trunks. T h e black liquor is contained in a little bladder or vesicle, common to ali the genus, and is very good for w riting. T he animal, when taken in the naked liand, produces a slighfc de- gree ofnum bness, which is not, however, at- tended -'with any disagreeable consequences.

O f the urchins, or sea-eggs, there are severa! species, but the principal are the white and the black. T h e white urchin (echinus albus) is o f a globular form, and about three inches in dia­meter; the shell and spines are white, b u t ihe interior substance is yellowish,. and o f an excel­lent taste. T h e black urchin (echinus niger) is a little larger than the white, and o f an oval form; the exterior and the eggs are b la c k ; it is called the devil's hedge-hog, and is never

eaten.O f the class o f vermes, or worms, the order

o f testacei are most abundant in C h il i ; the sea shore being covered with all kinds o f shells, o f which several bilis are formed, from whence the inhabitants eollect great quantities for lime. I liave no doubt that among theni m ight be dis-

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covered iiot only some o f a new species, but o f a new genus; but as the limits o f my w ork w ill uotperm it me to go into a fu ll description o f them, i shall confine m yscíf tó those kinds that are the most esteemed and made use o f by the inhabitants.

Oysters are found in many places on the coast; there are severa! varieties, but the largest and best are taken near Coquim bo. Escallops are found in "the same places with the oyster, not only those w ith convex, but those with flat shells.

T h e principal species o f the muscle are the common, the pearly miiscle (m ytilus m argariti­fer.) the large and small M agellanic muscle, the chorus, and the b lack muscle. T he large M a ­gellanic muscle is six inches long and three broad, the shell is covered on the outside w ith a brownish skin, beneath which it is o f a beautiful sky blue, crossed transversely with purpïe stripes,

and within is o f a rich mother o f pearl colour striped with red. T h e littje M agellanic muscle is nearly o f the same colour, but o f rather a more oval form. Botli these kinds commonly contain some small pearls, o f little lu stre ; those, on the contrary, that are found in the

pearly muscle, are o f a fine water, but almost always very small.

T he chorus ( mytilus chorus) is seven inches long by three and a h a lf broad. T h e skin is o f

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a déep bine, but the shell, when stripp'ed o f it,- is o f a shining w hite inclining to b lu e ; the muscle itself is yery white and excellently tasted. It is principally ’ found on the island o f Q u in ­quina, and the coast o f Araucania. T h e black muscle (m ytilus ater) is nearly ‘as large as the chorus, the shell is rough and o f a dark blue, and the ñesh black and never caten.

Fresh water rauscles are alsp found in abund­ante in the rivers and the ponds. I have noticed three species o f them, known by the ñames o f dollum.j pellu, and uthif, but they are all o f ait insipid and disagreeablç tastè.

T h e tellinae are also common in C hili, par­tíeu larly the mayco, a species o f rayed tellens,

or sun-beam, and the chalgua, w hich is entirely white.

T h e thaca (cham a iliaca) is a cockle that is nearly .round, about four inches in d iam eter; the shell is striated longitudinally, and spotted on the outsidc with white, yellow , and p u rp le ; the inner part is o f a beautiful yellow , and the flesh excellent eating. T h e macha (solen m acha) is a species o f razor-shell, a genus o f shel'l-fish so called from their form. It is six or seven inches long, and variegated with sky-blue and bro'wn. B oth thesef kinds bury themselves in the sand, from whence the fishermen take them in great numbers.

T h e rocks o f Chiloé afford a residence to a m 4¡

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species o f pholad.es (pholus Chilensis) which the inhabitants call comes. T h e shell is bivalve, but has some cretaceous appendages on the upper

part, and is often six inehes long and tw a broad.

Barnacles o f various species are found in abundance upon all the coast. O f these, one called the parroUbill (lepas psittacus) is rauch esteemed by the inhabitants. From ten to twenty

o f these animals inhabit as many small separate celis, formed in a pyramid o f a cretaceous subí stance. These pyramids arc usually attached to the steepest parts o f rocks, at the wateres edge, and the animal derives its subsistence from the sea by means o f a little hole at the top o f each celi. T he shell consists o f six valves, two large and four sm all; the large onesproject externally in the form o f a parrot-s bill, from whence the animal has received its name. W hen detached from the rocks they are kept alive in tlieir celis for four or fi ve days, duting w hich time they oc- casionally protrude their bilis as i f to breathe. T h e y are o f different sizes, though the largest do not exceed an inch in length, and are veyy whiie,

tender, and excellent eating.O f the buccinum and the murex therearelike-r

wise a great number o f species. One o f the latter, the loco (m urex loco) is h ighly esteemed. It is very -white, and o f a delicious taste, but

rather tougb, and ;n crder to render it tender, it

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is gener al Iy beaten with a small stick before it is çookcd. T he shell is oval, and covered with knots or tuberosities; the animal is about four er fi ve inches in length, and near the neck has a small vesicle w hich contaius a few drops o f a. purple liquoF.

As far as I have had it in my power to ob­serve, there are no naked snails or slugs in C hili, but those that are covered with a shell are very pumerous in all the thickets. One o f the most eurious species is found in the vicinity o f Con- eeption; 1 have called itth e serpentine, from its skin being hard and covered w ith scales like that o f a serpent. T h e shell is conical, and larger than a turkey's e g g ; it is slightly striated, and p f a whitish grey colour, and the edge o f the aperture is turned back and forms a border o f a beautiful red,

Se ct . II . Crustaceous Fishes and Insects.— Thirteen different species o f crabs and craw-fish have been discovered on the sea-coast.of C h ili, and there are four kinds inhabiting the fresli wàters. Am ong the crabs the most remarkàble are the talicm a, the scaiva, the apancora¡ the hairy, the santolla, and the crowned.

T h e talicnna ( càncer talicu na) has a round, çmooth, and convex shell, about four inches in

.diameter. T he claws are denticulated, the head

$pd the eyes very prQtrusíve, and the belly is al-

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most entirely còvered with the tai!. W hen alive it is o f a dark brown, but becomes red when boiled.

T h e ocaiva (cancer xaiva) has a shell that is nearly spherical, abouttw o inches and a h a lf in diameter, furnished with spines uponthe edges.

T h e apancora ( cancer apancora ) is larger than the talicuna< T h e shell is oval and w holly den- ticulated, the claws are hairy, and the tail o f a triangular form and very long,

T h e hairy crab ( cancer setosus) is o f the size o f the preceding, and is entirely clothed with rough hair like bristles; the back shell is in the shape o f a heart, and covered with protuber- ances. T h e beak is dividèd and reverted, and furnished with aegreat number o f hairs.

T h e santolla (cancer santolla) surpassesall the otbers in its size, and the delicacy o f its taste, lts shell is orbicular, convex, and o f a coria- ceous consistence; it is covered with large spines, which are easily detached when it is roasted, and the claws are very long and large, and covered w ith a wrinkled skin.

T h e crowned crab (cancer coronatus) is fur- nished with a shell nearly oval, o f about four inches and a h a lf in diameter, w ith an excres-

cence in the centre representing a mural crown.Crawfísh are no less abundant on the Chilian

coast. 'L o rd Anson mentions havirig caught tbem at J uan Fernandez o f eight and nirie pounds

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w eight, that were o f an excellént flavour. L o b - sters are also found in such quantities on the same island, that the hshermen have no other trouble to take them, tban to stíew a little meat upon the shore,, and when they come to devour this bait; as they do in immense numbers, to turn thera on their.backs w ith a stick. B y this simple method many thousands are taken an- nualíy, and the tails, w hich are in high estima-

tion, dried and sent to C h ili.O f the fresh water erabs, the most remarkable

is that called the masón (cancér cementar i us). I t

is about eight inches long, o f a brown colour striped with red; the flésh is.very white, and preferable to that o f ány other species o f river or sea crab. T h ey are found in abundance in almost a ll the rivers and brooks, on whose shores they build themselves,' w ith clay, a small cylindrical tenement, w hich rises six inches above the sur- face o f the ground, hut admits the water, by means o f a subterraneaÉ canal extending to the bed o f the river. T h ey are readil^ caught b^ letting down a basket or osier pot, w ith a piece o f meat in it, into the water.

T h e insects which I have noticed in C h ili w erein generalTike those o f I ta ly ; agreat num- ber, however, appear to be very distinet, and to merit a particular description. Am ong the latter is a singular species o f the chrysomela ( chryso­mela m àulica) w hich is found upon the flowers

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©f ih e visnega. 11 is o f an oval figure, a ïíttla larger than a house-fly, and is entirely o f a golden colour, and extremely brillianí, T h e country people in the pro vince o f M aúle, where it is prineipally to be met witb, string together a number o f these insects for necldaces and other ornaments, which preserve their beauty and bril- ïiancy for a long time.

In the same province is found ab la ck beetle o f more than h a lf an inch in length, c a l le d pilmo (lucanuspilm us) wliich is very destructive to le- guminous plants, p a rticu la r^ the bean. B u t the husbandmen have succecded in nearly extir-

pating this species,, by shaking the plants, upon w hich they are, o.ver vessela o f hot water placed

beneath.C hili is nruch Jess infested with grasshoppcrs

than Cujo, and many other countries in Am erica. There is but one species with w hich I am ac- quainted; it is found qpon fruit trees, and is about six inches long. 'W hen the insect extends its legs, itjresembles very much a tw ig o f thetree upon which it keeps. T he common people, ac- cording to the vújgar notion that every thing de- formed has some coiinexion with evil spirits, call it the d eviis horse.* It is not a common insect, and appears t,o me. to resemble the grillus elephas

* From the auíhor’s desciiption, this insect appears rather to beiong to the genus of mantis than any other.'-i^. Trans„

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b f tinnaeusi B ed-bugs were unknowh in C h ili till withinthelast sixtyyears. T h ey are saidto have been first introduced by thè European ships, but have since increased very much in the northern provinces, particularly in St. Jago. T b e South­ern provinces are às yet exempt from this trouble- some insect.

T h e g lo w ¿worms that I líave seen were in ge­neral similar to those o f Italy. B u t one night, as I was passing a little wood, I observed three in- sects as large as thè death’s hedd sphinx (sphinx átropos) whicli gave a very brigh t light. M y attempts to take them, however, were fruitless, and I was never afterwards able to discover any o f them, but I am o f opinión that they were a species o f the lantern-flj\

O f caterpillars there is a great variety o f spe­cies ; and in the sumffler the fields o f C hili are

embellished w ith the most beautiful butíerflies. Am ong them are some that are remarkable for their size and the splendour o f their colours. O f these, the most distinguished is one jthat I have denominated th e parrot l·it tte r jly (papilio psitta­cu s). T h is is very large and wonderfuliy beau-

t i fu l ,* thè top o.f the head is o f a fine vermilion, marked with y e llo w ; the back yellow , with red, azure, and green spots; the upper part o f the

wings is green, spotted with yellow and blue, and* the low er^of a p a le .r e d ; the belly is blue,

speckléd with brown and grey, and the antennae,1

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which are sliaped like a club, are purple. T here is another o f the same size (papilio leucothea)

called by the children palama. T his butterfly is cntirely o f a silvery white, except the antennae and legs, w hich are bíack.

In the vicinity o f the sea, between the rivers R apel and M etaquito, is a kind o f Caterpillar said to resemble the silk-worm, w hich forms upon the forest trees small cocoons o f a beautiful silk, not inferior to the European. N or can it be doubted, that a climate so raild as that o f C h ili should be peculiarly favourableto the pro­p agaron o f the silk-worm , but as yet no attention has been paid thereto, and all the silk used in that country is imported from Europe.

I t would not readily be believed that therosin, w hich is collected in such quantities in the pro- vince o f Coquim bo, from a shrub called chilca> a species o f origanum, is not a real gum , and, like others, an exudation o f the sap through the bark. B ut one o f my countrymen, the A bbé Panda, who has examined with much attention the natural productions o f that province, has lately discovered that this supposed rosin is pro- duced by a small smooth Caterpillar, o f ared co- lour, and about h a lf an inch in length.* These

* I am convinced that this resinous substauce is a produc- * tion o f the tree itseif, and that the Caterpillar merely facili ­

tates its exudation, by biting the buds in the spring; the same circumstance occurs iu mauy o f the resinous trees o f Europe. •■—Fr. Trans.

175insects collecí in great numbers in tbe beginning o f tbe spring on the branches o f the chilca, where they forra their celis o f a kind o f soft white w ax. ïa these they become changed into a smaïl yel- lowish moíh, with bïack stripes upon the wings, whieh I have named phalena ceraria. T h e wax is at first very wbite, bydegrees becomes yellow , and finally brown ; tliis change, and tbe b iiíer taste w hieh it then acquires, is supposed to be ow ing to the fogs, w hieh are very freqüent in the provinces where it is found. It is coHected in autumn b y the inhabitants, who boil it in water, and afterwards make it up into little cakes, in w hieh form it is bróuglit tom ar ket. In order to ínerease its w eight, many are accustomed to m ix it with the rosin obtained from another resinoua shrufc called pajaro pobo, and in this state great quantities o f it are sold to ship-masters, who use it for paying their vessels, the only purpose to whieh it has hitherto been applied. ï t is to he regretted that the situation o f the A bbé would pot permit him to pursue his experiments, in or- der to determine whefher this rosin m igh tn o t serve for càndies equally as w ell as bees w ax, w hieh it greatly resembles.

U pon íhe branches o f the w'fld rosemary is also found a whitish viscous substance, in g lo - bules o f the size o f a liazel-nut, containing a very límpid oil, w hieh unquestionably proceeds from that sbrub, and m ight be found useful for

ttiány purposes. Thesé glands serve at t t é samé time for the habitation o f a kind of Caterpillar w hich becomes transformad into a small fly w ith four brown wings, o f the genus o f cynips.

In C h ili there aré many species o f the bee, particularly in the Southern provinces, w liere those that produce honey make their hives in

hollow trees, or in holes in the earth ; alí the w a x used in the Archipelago o f C hiloé is the product o f these w ild bees¿

A s far as I have been able to ascertaín, none o f the common wásps are to be found in C h il i ; and as to musquitoes, gnats, and other species o f

stinging flies, so troubíesome to the inbabitants o f v/arm countries, they' are entirely unknown there. In the vicin iíy o f stagnant waters only

have I observed a gaat o f the species denomi- nated by Linnasus, culex ciliaris.

O f the w ater-fly, there are several species; tbey áre alvvays met with in the neigbbourliood o f dwellings, and differ in no respect from those o f Europe, excepting one o f a midálé size, found only in the proviace of Caiehagua. T his is re- markable for its pleasant musky sftiell, and is used by the inhabitanís to perfum e their clothes, from w hich circumsiance I liave naméd it típula tnoschifera.

A s to the ants, they appear to me to he o f the same kind with those o f Europe, and not to oífér any discriminative mark o f character.

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The Chigua (pulex penetrans) called by the Chilians nigua or pequi, is found only in the en- virons o f the city o f Coquim bo, and so rarely is itraet with even there, that I havebeen assured by a person who resided there many years, that a

single child was the only insíance he liad heard o f any one’s having been ineommoded by tliis insect. N ig u a is a generic term in Chillan, signifying all kinds o f vermin or animalculae which infest animals, particularly the feathcred tr ib e ; these

are precisely similar to those o f Europe. IJlloa appears, therefore, to have been ignorant o f the extensive signification o f this word in Chilian, as w hat he says in bis voyage, that the chiguas, or pricker, is found upon the whole coast o f C h iii, is contradicted by universal experience.

O f the spiders there is but one species that is remarkable ; this is the great spider w.iíh fangs, which I have called aranea scrofa. It is found

in the vicinity o f St. Jago, and lives under ground ; the body is as large as a hen s e g g , and covered with soft brown hair, and the claws very long and large ; in the middle o f its forehead are four large eyes, disposed in the form o f a square, and at the sides o f the head two others that are less, and the mouth is furnished with tw o pin- cers o f a shiningblack, about tw o lines in length, turned back towards the forehead. N otw ith- standing its formidable appearance, this spider is not dangerous, and serves as an amusement for

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children, who plu ck out its pincers without ap­prehensio», w hich are by the common people be- lieved to be a speci fie for the tooth-aebe.

Scorpions, called in tbe language o f the coun- try thchuanque (scorpio Chilensis) differ but little or nothing in size or appearance from those o f Europe. T h ey are usually met w ith in some o f the secondary mountains o f the Andes. T he common colour is a dark brown, but those found under stones upon the shores o f the river C o ­quimbo are yellow .* It is said that neither o f thera are venomous, and that those who are bitten by them experience no incon venien ce. I was once present when a young man was bit by one o f them, who merely complained o f a slight smarting o f the part, w hich contin ued inflamed for not more tban h a lf an hour. Such experi­ments, however, aTe too superficial to prove «atisfactory.

S e c t . I II . Reptiles.— I have already ohserved, th atth ere are but few reptiles in C h ili; and, in truth, all that are known are water turtles, tw o species o f frogs, the land and water toad, a few lizards o f the aquatic and terrestrial kinds, and one species o f serpent,* nor are either o f these venomous.

* The European scorpions are yellow when young, and con­tinué so while they remain under stones, but on exposure to the airbecome brown.—-ir. Trans.

T h e íurtles are o f two species; one is an inha­bitant o f the sea, denominated by Linníeus tes­tudo coriacea; the other, testudo lutaria, is found in fresh water, particularly in the lakes o f the Southern provinces,

T he frogs are the green frog (rana esculenta) and the temporary frog (rana temporaria).

T h e land toads are similar to those o f Italy,

and live altogether in moistand wet places. T h e water toads are o f two kinds, the arunco (rana arunco) and the thaul (rana lu tea). T h e arun­co is a little larger tlian the temporary frog, and nearly o f the same colour. T he body is tu- bereulated, and the feet w eb b ed ; the fore feet have four toes and the hinder five, all furnished with small nails almost imperceptible. Jt is called by the Araucanians genco, w hich signifies lord o f the water, as they believe that it watches over the preservation and contributes to the salu- brity o f the waters. T he thaul is less than the common or green fro g w hich it resembles ín its form. Its skin is yellow and covered w ith tubercles, and its feet are shaped Uke those o f the arunco, but not palmated.

T h e most retnarkable o f the terrestrial lizards is the pallum (lacerta palluín) o f whose skins the peasants make their purses. T his lizard lives usually under ground in the p la in s; its length, exclusive o f the tail, is a little more than eleven

inches, and it is three inches in circum ference;N %

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the tail is as long as the body, the liead triangu­lar, covered with small square scales, tlie nose very long, the ears round and like those o f ali lizards, placed at the hinder part o f the head. T h e upper part o f its body is covered w ith small rhomhoidal scales, green, yellow , black, and b lu e ; the skin o f the belly is smooth and o f a yellow ish g reen ; the feet have each fi ve toes, furnished with strong nails, and the tail is round and o f the same colour as the body.

O f the aquatic lizard but one species has been discovered, to which F euillé, who saw it, has

given the ñame o f the water salamander (sala­mandra aquatica n ig ra). It is fourteen inches and a h a lf in length, incliiding the t a i l ; the skin is w ithout scales, rough in a slight degree, and o f a black inclining to b lu e ; the head is elevated and rather long, the eyes large and yellow with a blue pupil, and the nostriis open with a fleshy border ; its nose is pointed, the moutli wide and furnished w ith tw o rows o f small crooked teeth ; the tongue is large, o f a bright red, and at-

tached at the base to the gullet> in w hich is a large crop that the animal can contract and ex- pand at pleasure; like other water lizards it is without ears, and from the top o f its head to tlie extrem ity o f iis tail, extends a kind o f indented crest. T h e fore feet are much shorter than the

hind, tliey have each five toes, which, instead o f nails, are furnished with round cartilages; the

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tai i is straight and roúnded a t the base, but to- wards the end becomes flattened and expanded like a spatula; it is abouttw o inclies in breadth, and tile edges are notched like a saw.

T h e only serpent o f C h ili is that known to na- luralists by the ñame o f coluber esculapii. It is striped vvith black, yellow, and white, sometíales mingled with brown. T h e largest that I have seen was not more tlian three feet in length ; it is perfectly harmless, and the peasants handle it

without the least apprehension.

Sect. I V . Fishes.— T he various kinds o f escu- lent fish, found on the coast o f C hili, are by the fishermen computed to be seventy-six, the most o f which differ from those o f the northern liemis- phere, and appear to be peculiar to that sea. T here are many, however, that are merely varieties o f species that are common to almost all seas. Such, among the amphibious or cartila- ginous fishes, are the ray, the torpedo, scate, dog-fish, saw-íish, fishing-frog, and o ld -w ife ; and among the spinous fishes, the electrica! eel, the conger, the sword-fish, the cod, the wliiting, the solé, the turbot, tbe dorado, the bonito, the íiinny, tbe mackarel, the roach, the barbel, the mullet, theshad, the pilchard, the anchovy, and several othcrs.

W hcíher the vasí numbers o f fisb on the coast

o f C hili, are ow in gto some peculiar local causes,

183

or to the smalï number o f fishermen, it is a fa c i, supported by the testimony o f the best informed navigators, that no country in the world furnishes a greater quantity o f those that are excellent.*

T h e bays, harbours, and, in a particular man- ner, the mouths o f the large rivers, swarm w ith them o f all sizes, and in some places they are caugh t w ithout any íroubie. T h e river Canten, w hich is three hundred toises broad at its mouth, and o f sufficient depth to admit a ship o f the line, is, at certam*seasons o f the year, so filled w ith fish, for seven leagues from its mouth, that

* In the road o f Valparaíso is caught an abundanee of ex­cellent fish of all kinds, as king fish, bream, soles, &c. besi.des an infinite number of those that are roigratory, às pilchards, and a species of cod that come upon the coast in the months of October, November, and Decembfer ;%lso shad, and a kind of anchovy, which at times are in such multitudes, that they are caught with baskets on the surface of the water.— Fraxier's Foyage, vol. i.

We had also fish in such pleníy, that one boat wóuld, with hooks and lines, catch, in a few hours, as mueh as would serve a large ship’s company twò days; Ihey were of various sorts, all excel·lent in fheir kind, and many of fhem weighed from twenty to thirty pounds— Hawkesworth's Foyage of Comino* dore Byron, chap. viii.

This pari of Masafuero is a very good place for refresli- ment, especially in the suromer season; the goats have been jnentioned already, and there is ali round the island such plenty of fish, ibat a boat raay, with ihree hooks and lines, catch ás mueh as will serve an hundred people; among others we caught excellent soal fish, cavallies* cod, halibut, and craw- fisli, &c.— Hawkesworth $ Foyage of Capt. C&rteret, chap. ii,

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183

the Indians flock thither in large companies, and take an astonishing quantitj by striking them from the sbores with their lances, forrned of a reed, which I have already described, called colin; and an equal abundance is to be found in the mouths of all the Southern rivers.

In the Àrchipelago o f Chil é, where the fish are stili more plentiful, the inhabitants place in the mouths o f the rivers, and even in certain places on the sea shore, palisades, leaving an opening towards the sea, which, when the tide begins to ebb, they carefully cióse. On the retiring o f the water, the físh enclosed in these wears are left upon the sand, and taken w ithoutdifficulty. There is almost always a greater quantity enclosed than is wanted b y the inhabitants, who come thither from all quarters to obtain a supply, so that they frequently open the gate, and permit the m o stp artto escape with the returning flood,

T h e cod is as abundant upon the coast o f Juan Fernandez as upon the banks o f N ew found- land, and caught with^equal facility, for no sooner is the line thrown in, than a fish is drawn up. These fish arrive in large shoals, in the months o f November and Docember, upon the coast o f Valparaíso. T h e inhabitants formerly paid no attention to this important fishery, but o f late haye pursued it with great success,

In some parts o f the coast, great numbers o f

fish are oecasionally formd upon thé shore,n 4

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These fish, when pursued by the whale, retire to the shallows, where, unabie to contend against the violence o f the waves, they are thrown upon the beach, and become the prey o f birds, or when found alive by the inhabitants, are taken and salted for use. O f the fish, the most esteemed are the robalo, the corvino, the lisa, and the king-fish.

T h e robalo (esox Chilensis) is nearly o f a cylindrical form, and from two to three feet long. It is clothed w ith angular scales, o f a golden colour upon the back, and silver on the belly, the fins are soft and without spines, the tail is truncated, and the back marked longitudi- nally with a b lue stripe, bordored w ith yellow . T h e flesh is yery white, almost transparent, ligh t, and o f a delicious ta st# Those taken upon the Araucanian coast are the most in repute, where they are sometimes caught o f eight pounds w eight. T h e Indians o f Chiloé smoke them, after having cleaned and soaked them for twenty- four hours in sea w atèj, and when sufficiently dried, pack them up in easks o f one hundred each, which are generally sold from two to three dollars. T h e robalo prepared in this manner is superior to any other kind o f dried fish.

T h e corvino (sparus Chilensis) is nearly o f the same size as the preceding ; it is sometimes, however, found o f five or six feet in length. T his fish has a smajl head, and a large oval body,

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covered w ith broad rhomboidal scales, o f a mother o f pearl colour, marked w ith w h ite ; the tail is forked, and the body encircled obliquely from the shoulders to the belly with a number o f brownish lines. T h e fins are armed with spiny rays, and the flesh is white, firm, and o f a good taste, particularly when fried. It wonld pro- bably be stili better i f it were prepared like that o f the tunny.

T h e Usa ( m ugil Chilensis) in its forni, scales, and taste, is much like the common m ullei, b u t is distinguished by the dorsal fin, w hich in the Usa is entire. There are two species o f this fish, the sea and the river, neither o f w hich exceed a foot in le n g th ,* the first is a very good fish, but the latter is so exquisite that it is preferred by many to the best o f trout.

T h e Icing-Jish ( cyprinus regius ) so called from the excellence o f its flavour, is nearly o f the size o f a h e rrin g ; it is o f a cylindrical forra, covered w ith golden scales upon the back, and with silver upon the sides. It has a short blunt

mouth without teeth, yellow eyes, with purple irides and blue pupils ; its fins are yellow and soft, and that o f the back extends from the liead to the tail, which is divided into. tw o parts. These fish are caught in such abundance, that a hundred o f thera may be bought for a real.

A lth ou gh the fresh waters do not afford as many different species o f fish as the sea, the

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number o f individuals is much greater. T h e rivers, streams, lates, and even the small brooks* produce a surprising quantity, especially those beyond the 84th degree o f latitude. T he kinds most in estimation are the lisa, w hich I have already noticed; the trout; the cauqui (cyprinus ^caucus); the malcke (cyprinus m alchus); the yuli (cyprinus ju lu s ) ; the cumarca, orpeladial (stromateus cum arca); and the bagre, or luvur ( silurus Chilensis). T h e bagre has a smooth skin' without scales, and is brown. upon the sides, and. whitish under the belly. In its form it resembles a tad-pole, the head being o f a sizedisproportionate to the length o f the body, which does notexceed eleven inches at the most. It has a blunt mouth, furnished like that o f the barbel, w ith barbs. It has a sharp spine on the back fin, like the tro­pical bagre, but its puncture is not venomous, as that is said to be. T h e flesh is yeïlowf and the most delicious o f'a n y esculent fish that is known, There is sàid to be another species or variety o f this fish, inhabiting the sea, that is black, and which I presume is the same that Commodore Anson's sailors called, from its colour, the chim- ney-sweep.

Eels are found only in the Araucanian pro- Tinces, where they are exceedingly plenty, and are taken by the Indians in .a kind o f basket, placed against the current. T h e river T allen ,

which wàters those provinces, produces a small

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fish called paye, which, as I have been assured b y those who have seen them, is so diaphanous, that i f several are placed upon each other, any object beneath thera may be distinctly seen. I f this property is not greatly exaggerated, this fisli m ight serve to discover the secret process o f di­gestión, and the motion o f the fluids.

Am ong the great varieties o f fisli with w hich the waters o f C hili abound, the three follow ing are more particularly deserving o f notice. These inhabit tlie sea, and are the g ilt chcetodon,

the cock-jish, and the tollo.T h e gilt chcetodon (chzetodon aureus) is flat, o f

an oval form, about a foot in length, and covered with very small scales. I t is o f a bright gold co- lour, and marked w ith fivé distinet bands, o f more than h a lf aninfch in width, some grey, and others black. T h e first is black, commences at the back o f the neck, and passes in a circular direc- tion through the e yes; the two in the centre are grey, and encircle tbe body, and the tw o last are black and grey, and syrround the root o f the tai), which is o f a silver colour. T his beautiful fisli has a small head, an elongated mouth, fur- nished with small teeth, and the back entirely covered from the head to the tail with a large spinous yellow fin. T h e tail is in the form o f ít fan, and is bordered with yellow, and the flesh ¿s excellent eating.

T he cockifish, ( chimaera callorynchus) placed

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by Linnseus among the amphibious swimmers, is about three feet long. Its body is round* larger towards thé niiddle tban the extremities, and covered with a whitish skin devoid o f scales. Its head is surmounted with a cartilaginous crest extending five or six lines beyond the upper lip , Yrom wlience it has obtained the name o f the cock-fish, or chalgua achagual in the Araucanian language. It has íive fins; the dorsal com- menees immediately behind the head, and ex- tends itse lf to the middle o f the back, it is very large, o f a triangular form, supported by a strong sharp spine, five inches in len g th ; this spine, -which is longer than the fin, is the only bony part o f the fish, all the rest being cartilaginous, even the back bone, which, like that o f the lam- prey, is furnished with neither marrow nor ner ves. T h e four other fins are placed near the gills and beneath the anus; these are double, w hich is very uncommon, and the tail is shaped like a ieaf, w ith the point turned towards the belly. This fish, when eaten, is served up more as an object o f curiosity than from a regard for its flavour, w hich is very indifferent.

T h e tollo (squalus Fernandinus) is a species o f dog-fish, a little larger than the cock-fish, and remarkable for two dorsal spines, like those o f the squalus acantinas. These spines are tri­

angular, bent at the point, as hard as ivory, and two inches and a h a lf long, and five lines broad.

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T h ey are said to be an eíïicacious reraedy for tlie tootli-ache, b y holding the point o f one o f them to the adecíed tooth.

Notwithstanding the whale belongs to the class o f lactiferous animals, I have thought proper to notice it in this place, as many authors, from its external conformati on, have ranked it among fishes. T h e species that freqüent the C h i­ban seas are the great whale ( balaena mysticetus) called by the Araucanians yene; the little whale (balaena boops) called icol, and the three knowxt species o f the dolphin. B oth these kinds o f w hale are very common in that sea, and at certain seasons they are seen in great numbers, particu- larly near the mouths o f rivers, whither they

come in quest o f fish.T h e late English navigators speak o f the great

quantity o f whales w liich they met with upon the eoast o f T erra del Fuego, and in the Slraits o f M agellan; and in the acco u n to f Captain Cook's last voyage, the little whale is particularly men- tioncd. I have good reason to believe that, be­si des the two kinds o f whales above mentioncd, all the species discovered in the northern may likewise be found in the Southern seas; hutas the Chilians have never paid attention to the w hale iishery, 1 am not able to assert it with positive- ness, nor to determine the difference, i f there be

any, between the northern and Southern whale ; this, however, is ccrtain, that the whales o f the

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south are not inferior in size to íhose o f the north. I have m yself seen a whale thath ad been driven ashore on the coast o f the Chones, that was ninety-six feet long, and on the same coast was also found the rib o f another twenty-two feet in length. I cannot but be surprised that M r. Buffon, in contradiction to the testimony o f the

most respectable navigators, has asserted that the Southern seas produce no whales,* and that the Iargest animal that is found in them is the manati; that learned naturalist, who too fre* quently suffers him self to be misled by his favou- rite system, should have recollected that the great phoca, improperly denominated the sea- lion, an animal which he has him self described, far exceeds in size the manati.

T here are occasionally seen upon the coast o f Araucania, certain animals called by the In­dians sea-cows. From the imperfect descriptiou which I have received o f them, I cannot deter­mine whether they are manatis, morses, or a spe­cies o f phocae. 1 am, however, more inclined to believe them to be manatis, as great numbers o f these animals were found by the first Spanish settlers o f Juan Fernandez on the shores o f that

* On the 3 0 íh we steered for Staten-land, and on the pas- sage fell in witli so great a number of whales, o f the Iargest size, that the crew were apprehensive lest they would sinh the ship. We also saw great numbers c f sca-wolves and pen- guins ,-~Joumal o f Capiain Cooh's second Voy age, p. 522.

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island; but the immense destruction w hicb fhey made o f them, as they were eagerly hunted for their flesh, has entirely driven them from those shores.

T h e Indians pretend that in certain lakes in C h ili is to be found an animal o f a monstrous gize, w hich they call guruvilu, or the fo x -ser­pent. T h ey believe that it devours men, and on that account never bathe in those lakes. B u t the descrifïtions which they give o f its size and form

scarcely erer agree: some represeriting it as hav- ing the body o f a serpent with the head o f a. fo x ; others, as being o f a circular form, and re- sem])ling an infiated ox-hide. I t is, however, probable that this animal has no other existence than in the imaginations o f these people.*

Sect. V . B irds .— A fter that o f insects, the most numerous class o f animals in C h ili is that o f birds. Those that inhabit the land alone amount to a hundred and thirty-fire species, and

* O f the various means of défence with which Nature has provided its creatures, I remember none more singular than that of the drum-fisli ou the coast of Peru: which, when alarmed, in flates itself till it becomes perfectly róund. The eyes project so far when it is in this state, as to pro ve that it is not done without great effort. But none of its enemies a then swalloW it becausé of its size, or bite it becapse its shape,— E , E .

Mercurio Peruano, No, 2 8 6 .

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the number o f those belonging to tbe sea,, is almost impossible to be estimated. T he genus o f gu lis alone is known to coniain twenty-six d if­ferent species, and many others are not less nu-

merous.T h a t vast cbaiu o f mountains, the Andes, may

be considered as the nursery o f birds o f ali kinds. T h ey assemble there in great numbers in the spring, in order to breed and rear their young in greater security; and on the falling o f the first snows in winter, they quit them in large fiocks,

and seek.the plains and the maritime mountains. T o their residence in the Andes, w hich are almost always covered w ith snow, I think may be attri­bute d that difference o f plumage frequently ob­servable in individuals o f many o f these species, o f which I haye seen some that were perfcctly

white.M any o f the birds o f C h ili are merely simple

varieties o f species that are found in Italy and many otlier parts o f Europe. O f tliis number are the geese, ducks, divers, pio vers, herons, kites, falcons, black-birds, pigeons, crows, part- ridges, and domèstic fow ls.* T h e sportsmen

* The ctínntry abounds with an iniinity o f birds, parlicularly wild pigeons, turtle-doves, and partridges, tbough the latter are inferior to those of Europe, and with grouse and ducks of ali kinds; aniong the latter is one called the roydl duck, which has a red comb upon its head. There ave likewi.se curlews, and a kind o f widgeon, (resembiing the sen-bird called malvis)

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enumerate sixteen species o f wild ducks, and six o f geese. Among the former, the royal dude (anas regia) is principally distinguishablè ; it is much larger than the common duck, the uppér p a rto f tlie body is o f a beautiful blue, and the lower part g r e y ; tlie bead is adorned with a large red comb, andtbeneck with a collar o f beautiful

white feathers.O f the geese, the most remarkable is the cos*■

coroba, (anas coscoroba). It is highly esteemed both for its size, and for the ease with which it is tamed, as it becomes strongly attaehed to thosè who feed it, and follows them around like a dog. T h e plumage is entirely white, the feet and bili' are red, and the eyes o f a fine black.

T h e swan o f C h ili (anas melancoripha) is

nearly o f the same size with that o f E u ro p e ; its forra is likewise similar, but its plumage is dif­ferent, that on the head ánd üpper part o f thè neck being black, and the residue o f a snowy white. T h e female has six young at a brood, w hich she is care fui never to quit¿ but takes them

which has a long, straight, narrow, scarlet bili; flat apon the upper side, and a stripe of the same colour over the eyes j the feet are like tkose of the ostrich, and the ftesh is very good eating. Pairots are in pléhty, and there aré some swans and flamingoes, whose feathers are highly prized by the Indians for ornamenting their hèads Upon públic occasions ; th'ese are of a beautiful white and carnation, colours that are in the greátesf estiination afuoug them.— Fraxiers Voyage, vol. i.

t o i . o

vvitíi lier upon her back whenever she leaves Iier

íiesi.O f herons tliere are fi ve very beautiful species-.

T h e .first is the large European heron (ardea m ajor). T he second, íhe red-headed heron, (ardea erytrocephala) is o f the sise o f the first; it is entirely white excepíing the head, which is

crovvned with a long red crest tliat hangs down up on its back. T h e third, the galatea heron ja rd e a gala ica) is o f a milk-whifcc colour, íhe »eck is two feet and a h a lf long, the legs are o f

the same length and red, and the bilí, w hich is yellow , is fotir inches long. T he fourth, the heron with a blue head (ardea cyanocephala). T h e head and back o f this species are blue, the w lngs bíack, edged with white, the belly is o f a yellowish green, the tail green, the bili bïack, and the legs are yellow. T h e fifíh is the thula (ardea th u la) a name derived from the Chilian ; it is entirely white, and its head is, adomed with a beautiful crest o f the same colour.

O f the two kinds-óf eaglés in Chili, one is the yellow eagle o f Europe, calied by the Indians guanea, and another species calied calquin, which appears to me to differ but little from the itz- quauhtli o f M éxico, andílie uruiaurana o f Brasil. T h is eagle, from the extremities o f its wings, measures about ten and a h a lf fe e t; its breast is white, spotted with brown, and the neck, back, and wiogs, are black, inclining ío b lu e ; tbe tail

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is marked transversely with black and brown síripes, and tlie head clccorated with a blue crest.

The turtle-doves are of two species ; the one is similar to that of Europe; the other (columba me’aneptera) has an ash-coloured body and black wings.

There are four species of the woodpecker ; the green, the Virginiam, the carpenter, and the pitiu. The carpenter (picus lignarius) is less than ta starling, and has a red crest, and the body is va- riegated with white and blue. The bill is so strong tliat it perfórales with it not only dry but green trees, and proves very injurious to the fruit trees, by making deep holes in them, wlierein it deposiís its eggs. The pitiu (picus pitius) is of the size of a pigeon. Its plumage is brown,, spotted with white,, and its flesh is held in much estimation. This bird lays four eggs, but it does not, like others of its species, nest in the holes of trees, but. in excavations which it makes in the high hanks of rivers, or on the sides of bilis.

Grey and red partridges, which, according to Feuillé, are larger than those of Europe, are very numerous throughout the countrj. They have an excellent flavour, particulariy during the months of April and May,' when they feed upon the flowers of the sassia perdicaria. In the marshes is found a species that is smaller, whosfr t ó h is müch less” delicate. Quails are wholly.1 . o %

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unkriown in Chili, although common in many o f the American settlements.

T h e domèstic fow l, which the Indians call achau, is o f the same breed as that o f Europe, but it is asserted on the faith o f an ancient tradi- tion, that it has always been known in the coun- t r y ; and what tends to confirm this opinion, is the proper name which it has in the Chilian lànr «guage, which isnot the case w ith other birds o f foreign extraction, such as the common pigeon, the tame duck, the goose, and the turkey. From whence it w ould seem that the domèstic fow l, the hog, and the dog, are animals destined to ac- company man in whatever country he may be placed. T his opinión is confirmed b y the late English navigators, who have met with them in almost all the islands o f the Pacific.

Am ong.the nnmerous birds that inhabit Chili, I shall notice those only that are the most re- markable, which ï shall divide into two general classes, the palmated or web-footed, and the cloven-footed. T h e first have their toes United by a membrane, and freqüent the water, where they feed upon fish, aquati c plants, or insects.

O f these, the principal is the penguin ( diome- $ea Chilensis). T his bird, on the part o f the feathered tribe, forras a link o f unión between the classes o f birds and fishes, as the flying-fish does on that o f the finny race. T fie feet are

palmated like those o f a‘ duck, but its plumage

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so fine that it appears more like hair than fea­thers, and instead o f wings it has two pendent fins, covered with very short feathers resembling scales, w hich are o f great useto it inswim ining, but much too small for the purpose o f flying. It is o f the size o f a coramon ducky hut its neck is much lon ger; the head is compressed at the sides, and very small in proportion to the size o f the b o d y ; the bilí is slender, and bent a little to-

wards the p o in t; the upper part o f the body, the wings and the tail, w hich is nothing more than an extensión o f the feathers o f the rump, are o f a changeable grey and blue, and the breast and belly are white T h e feet, w hich have but three toes, are situated near the anus, aud it walks in an erect posture, with its head elevated like that o f a man, keeping it constantly in mçtion in order to preserve iís equilibrium . This gives it at adistance thé appearance o f a child ju s t be- ginningto walk, whence the Chilians havedeno- minated it the child-bird.

A lthough the penguin is an excellent swimmer, it cannot keep the sea during a storm, and the bodies o f those w hich have perished at such times, are frequently found upon the beach. I have never known it eaten in Chili, though seve- ral navigators represent it as very good food. T h e skin is as thick as that o f a hog, and very easily separated from the flesh. T h e female

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noakes her nest in the sand, in wliich she Iav« s\x or seven white eggs, spotted with blac k.

T he quethu (diómedea Chilensis) is o f the same genas, size and form as the precediug, but is distinguished by its wings, which are wbolly

destitute o f feathers, and by having four toes on each foot. T he body is cove red with a .ve ry long thick ash-coloured plumage, a little curled, and so soft that the inhabitants o f Chiloé, where these birds are very common,' spin it, and make bed-coverings o f it, that are liigh ly prized in the

country.T h e thage (pelicanus íh agu s) called by the

Spaniards the alcatrace, is a species o f pelican o f a brown colour, remarkable for the size o f its sack. This bird is as large as a turkey-cock, the neck is aboufc a foot, and the legs tw enty- two inches long. Its head is ïarge and w ell pro- portioned, and the biíl, which is a little hent at the point, is a foot in length, and serrated at the edges, a character istic mark that distinguishes this pelican from that o f Europe, whose bill i§

entire and smooth. T h e low er mandible, at a little distance from the point, is divided into tw.o parts, that are very elàstic and extensible at

vthe base, -vvheie they open into the membraneous ;:&ack, T his is only an enlargement o f the skin w hich covers the lower ja w and the neck ; it is clothed with a very shorí grey down, and is ca >

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pable o f great expansión. W hen ibis sack is em pty it is scarcely perceptible,, but when filled with fish, particularly at the time when tbe bird has young, its sizeis really astonishing. Nature, ever attentive to adapt the mean to the end, has furnished this bird with a large pair o f wings, which are nearly nine feet in breadth from one extremity to theoth er; the quills are very iong, and are preferred for w riting to those o f the goose or the sw an; its taii is short and round, and the feet have fotir toes United by a strong membrane. It is a solitary and indolent bird, al- most constantly to be seen upon the rocks, where 3Í makes its nest, and it has usually five young at a brood. T he inhabitants, after dressing tliem, malte use o f these sacks for tobacco-pouclies ; they are also employed for lanterns, and from their tjransparency answer the purpose very well.

T h e cage (anas hybrida) is a species o f goose w hich freqüents the isiands in the Archipelago o f Chiloé. It is remarkable for the diíference o f colour between the male and the female; the former being entireiy white, with a yellow bilí and le g s ; whereas the female is black, except a narrow white stnpe with which the edges o f some o f the feathers are marked, and the b ilí and legs ate red. In consequence o f this'remarkable dissimilarity, I have given to this bird the ñame o f the hybrid, or m ulaíto. T he cage is o f the

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size o f a tame goose, but it has a shorter neck, and a longer tail and w in g s; the feet are shaped lilte those o f the European goose. T h e male and female appear to be strongly attached to each o tlier; they keep in páirs, and are never to be met with, *like otlier aqnatic birds, in large flocks. D uring the breeding season they retire to the sea shore, where the female usually lays eight w hite eggs in a hole which she makes in the sand.

The jlamingo (phaenicopterus Chilensis) is one o f the most beautiful birds o f Chili. . I t fre­qüents only the fresh waters, and is distin- guished by its size and the beautiful flame-cq- lour o f its back and wings, w hich produces a most ple^sing effect when contrasted w ith the pure white o f the rest o f its plumage. Its length from the tip o f the b ili to the end o f the claws, is five feet, b u tth e body itself does not exceed a foot in le n g th ; it has a small oblong head> deco- rated with a kind o f c r e s t t h e eyes are smaU but lively ; the b ili denticulatéd, a little ben$ to- wards the point, ab'out five inches long, and co- vered with a reddish p e llic ie ; the feet have four toes, three forward, and one behind ; the tail is sho£t and rounded, and the wings are o f a length pfciqjortioned to the size o f its body; the quilis are perfectly white, w hile those o f the flamingos o f the other parts o f Am erica and Africa* are black. It has been said, that wben young these

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birds are g r e y ; but as I bave m yself seen thera o f all ages, I can assert that they are always o f the *same eolour. I t is also said that whenever they feedj one o f the flock is placed as a sentinel, to g ive the alarm in case o f danger to the others. T his circumstance I have never w knessed; it is* however, true, that they are extremely w ild , and pan rarely be approached within gun-shot. Á s the legs o f this bird are too long to permit it conveniently to cover. its nest, it is compelled ío obviate this inconvenience b y the position o f the .the látter; this is psually constructed a tth e e d g e p f the water, in shape o f a truncated cone, a foot and a f h a l f high ; on the tóp o f this cone is a Jittle excavation lined with very soft down. T h e bird, w bile in the act o f ineubatión, places itself

* Dampier, who must have seen as many of these birds as Molina, and whose veracity and accuracy are ununpeachable, asserts on tbe contrary that the young ones are of a liglit grey, and as their wing-feathers spring out they grow darker, and never come to their right eolour, ñor aüy beautifül shape, under ten or eleven monilis oíd.— (Vol 1. p. /2.) The Goara- aes, or Uwaras, as Stade calis íhera, whose bright scarlet fea- thers are the favo urite ornament of the Brazilian tribes, are, in like manner, first of the eolour of ashes, and then brown, — E.

f Dampier says they build their nests in shallow ponds, where there is much mud, which they scrape together, making little hillocks, like small islands appearing out of the water.— Yol. l . p .7 i.

4

in a Standing posture, w ith tlie hinder part o f i t s body supported upon the nest,. as i f seated in a chair. T he Araucanians valué the llamingo highíy, and make use o f its feathers to ornament

their helmets and the ends o f their lances.T h e pillu (tantalus p illu ) is a species o f the

ibis. Its plum age is white, mottled with black> and its general resort is the rivers and the fresh water lakes. O f all the aquatic birds, the pilhc has the longest legs, w hich, comprehending the ihighs, are two feet eight inches in length. T h e size o f the body, w hich is nearly that o f a tame goose, is by no means proportionate to the length o f the legs; the neck is two feet three inches long, and the región o f the crop, w hich is sinall, is destitute o f feathers. T h e head is o f a middle

size, the bili large, convex, and sharp-pointed, about four ioches in length, and pntirely bare o f feathers; it has four toes on each foot, which are united at their base by a very small mem- brane ; the tail is short and entire like that o f almost all aquatic birds. T he Spaniards cali it the stork o f C h il i ; but it differs from the stork in various respecís. I have never seen it ligh t upon trees or at¡y. elevated object, and it almost always continuesin the marslies and on the banks o f rivers, where it feeds opon reptiles; itu su a lly

rnakes its nest among nishes, in which it lays two white eggs, a little inclining to blue.

Tiloso birds which have the toes separate and

jiot uriited by a membrane, are by naturalists de« nominated cloven-footed; these for the greater

part inbabit the plains and the woods, #and feed upon insects, fruits, or íiesh. *Of this class ï shall select those that are most remarkable for íhe beauty o f their plumage, the melody o f their song, or any other quality.

T h e pigda, known under the different ñames o f pica-flora, hum ming-bird, & c. is the trochilus o f Linnasns, who has described tweníy-two species o f it. ï t is generally very sm all; the neck is shori, the head well proportioned, the eyes are black and vivid, the bill is o f tlie size o f a pin, and nearly o f the same lengíh as the body, the tongue hifurcated, and the legs are short with four toes; the tail consists o f seven or nine fea- thers the length o f the body, and the wings are very long. T heir colours vary according to their species ; but they are in general very rich, and combine the splcndour o f gold and^precious stoues with the mòst beautiful shades o f every hue, which they rètain even after their death. T h ey are very commou througliout C h ili, and during the summer are seen like butterflies ho~ vering around the flowers, and appear as i f sus­

pended in the air. T h ey make a humming noise w ith their wings, but their note is noíhing more than a low warbling or chattering. T h e males

are distinguishable from the females by the bril-

liancy o f their heads, which shine like flre.

These birds build their nests upon trees, and form tbem o f small straws and down; they lay two white eggs, speckled with yellow , o f the size o f a chick pea, w hich the male and female cover alternately. On the approach o f wiiiter, this little bird suspends itself by its b ill to a tw ig , and in this position falis into a lethargic sleep, •which continues the whole season. T his is the time when they are chiefly taken, for when they are in full vigour it is almost impossible to catch

them.1 have observed three species o f this bird in

C h i l i ; the little, the blue-headed, and the

crested" humming-bird.T h e little hum ming-bird (trochilus minimus)

w eighs only tw o grains, and its prevailing co-

lour is a very brilliant green.T h e blue-headed humming-bird (trochilus

cyanocephalus) has a tail thrice as long as its body, which is o f the size o f a filb e rt; the b ill is straight, pointed, and whitish ; the head is blue with a golden lustre ; the back o f a shining green; the beïly o f a reddish y e lïo w ; and the wings blue, mottled with purple.

T h e crested humming-bird (trochilus galeri­tus) is the largest o f these three kinds, and is a little less tban the European wren. Its "bill is slightly curved, and its head adorned with a small crest striped with gold and purple; its neck and back are green, the large feathers o f

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the wings and tail brown, spotted with gold, and all the lower part o f the body o f a cbangeabie flame-colour.

T h e siu (frin g illa barbata) called by the Spa- niards gilghero, or the goldfínch, is nearly o f the size and form o f ' the canary-bird. I t has a straight, sharp-pointed, conical bilí., w hich is white at the base and black at the point. T h e male lias a black velvety head, and a yellow body slightly marked with green; its wings are variegated w ith green, yellow , -red, and black, and the tail is brow n ; when young its throat is yellow , but as it advances in years is entir.ely co- vered w ith a black hair, w h ich begins to be v i­sible when the bird is six raonths oíd, and con­tinues grow ing until it attains the age o f ten years, the usual period o f its life, at which time it reaches to the middle o f the breast, and its age may be very accurately ascertained by the length o f its beard. T h e female is entirely grey, with a few yellow spots upon the wings; it has no beard, ñor any song, but only a kind o f occa- sional whistle; the note o f the male is, however, very harmonious, and far surpasses that o f the canary-bird; when it begins to sing, it elevates its voice by little and little, continues its strain for a considerable time, and closes with some very sweet trills ; it sings all the year, and is readily taught to imitate with remarkable grace the notes o f other birds. In the maritime mona-

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íains the siu may be met with at any season, but it is found ia the plains o f the middle provine ©nly during the winier, as it quits them in the spring for the Andes, where it breeds. It makes its nest upon any kind o f tree with small straws and feathers ,* it has but two young at a brood, but I am inclined to believe tliat it breeds se­vera! times in a season. Tbis bird muliiplies astonishingiy, and may be seen every w h ere; and aithough the peasants, who eat as well as cncage them, take thousands every year, their numbers are not at ali diminished; it beeomes afíer a iittle time very familiar, and even attaebed to those vvhom it is accustomed to see; it feeds on se­vera! kinds o f seeds, but its favourite food is the grain o f the m acia sativa, and the. aromatic leaves o f the scandix Chilensis.

T h e diuca (frin gilla d iuca) is o f the same genus as the preceding, but a liltle larger, and o f a blue colour ; its note is very agreeable, particularly towards day-break; it keeps abont

houses like the sparrow, w hieb it resembles in many respeets, and I think it h igh ly probable tliat,it is the same bird with the blue sparrow o f Congó, mentioned by M erolla and C avazzi, .and

the N ew Zealand bird o f Capiain Cook, whicli sung so harmoniously at sunrise.

T h e thili, or C hili (turdus thilius) is species o f thrush w hich, as I haye already observed, ap- pears to llave g iven. its name to the country

3

where it is found ín great numbers. Liimaeus has described from Feüillé tbe female o f this bird under the name o f turdus plumbeus. T he female is indeed o f a grey colo tir, but the male ás entirely blaek except a yellow spot w hich it has under the w in g s; it has the shape o f a thrush* but the t&il is cuneated; it makes its nest upon trees near the river w iíh wet mud, in w hich it ïays four e<rgs ; its song is very sweet and loud, but it w i!l not bear confinement; it i$ never eaten, as its flesh has a rank and disagree^ able smell.

T h e thenta (turdus íhenea) ín my opihion ís m erely a variety o f the V irg in ian tlírush (turdus polyglottus) or o f the .turdus Orpheus, or cent- zontlatoíle o f M éxico, called the four hundred tongues, from the variety o f its notes; it is o f the size o f the common ihrush, bu t its win^s

. . • toand its tail, which is entire and rounded, are lo n g e r ; its eyes, b ilí, and feet are b ro w n ; the upper part o f its body is o f an ash-colour, spotted w iíh brown and w h ite ; the ,ends o f the Cjuiils and the tail-feathers are white, and the

breast and belly o f a ligh t grey; it builds its nest upon trees; this is a foot in length, o f & cylindrical form, lined within with w ool and feathers, and completely guarded upon the out-

side w ith thorns, except a small opening, by

whieh the female enters and deposiís her eggs.

which are four or five, and are w hite speckled

\vith brown.It is not in the power of language to convey

an idea o f the song o f the thenca, which has the sound o f a great number o f birds whose notes are in accord ; it also possesses the property o f im itating the note o f any other bird, and its strain is generally rauch louder and more har- monious than tb a to f the n igh tin gale; it is a gay and active bird, always in motion, and even while singing continues hopping from one bougb to another- F or this reason it w ill not bear con- finement, and i f shut up in a cage soon dies. I t is usually to be met with near country-houses, and feeds upon almost any thing, but appears to bave a decided preference for flies and tallow.

T h e cureu (turdus cureus) appears to be o f a species between the thrush and the black-bird ; to the latter o f which it has some resemblance,

and is o f the same size. T he bili is a little an­gular and bent towards the point, the nostrils are covered w ith a thin membrane, and the còrners o f the mouth furnished w ith hairs ; the feet and position o f the toes are like those o f the black- bird, and its tail is cuneiform and about fi ve inctes long : the whole plum age is o f a glossy black, o f this colour are also the eyes, b ill, feet, and even the flesh and bones.

This bird is h ighly prized for the melody and

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compass o f its note; it imiíates very well the song o f other birds, and wlien in a ca ge is easily taught to speàk; it feeds upon seeds, worms, and fïesh, and frequently pursues and kills small birds, tbe brains o f which it eats. N otw ith- standing this ravenous propensify it is easily tamed, and a few davs are sufficient to reconcile

ït'to ConfinCment.T h e cureu, like the starlirig, is a 'social hird,

and is daily to be seen in large flocks feeding in the meadows, which, when at evening they re­tire to tlieir roosts; make the air resound w ith their sprightly notes. T h ey build tlièir nests, with much skill, o f small fvrigs interwoven w iíh ruslies, and cemented v/ith clay, which they bring in tlíèir bilis and claws. W hen the nest is formed, the female smooths it upon the outside with her tail, which serves as a trowel, and lines it wiíhin with hair, upon w hich she làys three w hite éggs o f a blueish cast.

T h e loyca (sturnus loyça) is làrgér than the síarling; which it resemhles iri its b ilí, tongue, fect; tail, and manner c<f feeding. T he male is o f a dark grey; spotted with whitè, except the

íhroat, which is scàrlet; the femàlc is ó f a lighter grey, and the red on the thtòat is paler; it builds its nest, in a Cafeless manner, in any holé which ifc finds in the ground, and lays bu.t three grey éggs màrked wdth brown. This bird is also valued for its singing, and is feasily tamed. In its state

vol. i.

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p

210

o f fteedom, the male, accompanied by the fe- male, rises perpendicularly in the air, constantly singing, and descends in the same manner. T h e Indians entertain some superstitious opinions re- specting the singing o f this bird, and thcyem ploy

the feathers o f its breast to ornament their head-

dresses.T h e rara (phytotoma rara, gen. n o v .) is about

the size o f a quail, and appears to be the only species o f its genus, the passeres o f Linnaeus. Its bilí is thick, conical, straight-pomted, serrated

át the edges, and h a lf an inch long, the tongue short and blunt, the pupil o f the eye brown, the tail o f a middle length and rounded, and upon each foot it has four toes, three before, and one behind, rather shorter; its general colour is grey, dark upon the back, and lighter upon the b e lly ; the prime feathers o f the w ings and the side feathers o f the tail are tipped with black. Its note is harsh and broken, and sourids like the two sy 11 ables that form its ñame. It feeds upon grass, whichi it has a mischievous propensity o f pullíng up from the roots, and often, through mere wantonness, a much greater quantity than it eats. On this account the husbandmen are at contínual war with it, and the children are re- warded for destroying its eggs. It buiids its nest in dark and solitary places upon the highest trees, and, by this means, escapes, in a great meásure, the pursuits o f its enemies; but its

211mimbers have, however, become considerably di- minished, either from tliis cause, or from the species being ñaturally unprolific.

Therè are three different kinds o f the parrot in C hili, òne o f w hich is constantly to be fotmd in the coúiitry, but the others are birds o f pas- sage. T h e first 'species., called thecau ( psittacus cyanalysios) is a little larger than a commou pigeon, and is decorated with a superb bïue c o lla r ; the head, wings, and tail áre green spot-

ted w ith yellow * büt the bàck, throat, and belly are y e llo w ; the tail is o f a middle length and equal. These birds are very numerous, and very destructive to the co rn ; they íly in Jarge üocks, and whénever they lig h t upon a íield to feed, one o f their number is stationed upon a tree as a sentinel, w ho advertises his companions b y freqüent cries o f the approach o f danger. This renders them difficult to be approached, and the only means o f obtaining a number o f them at a shot is b y throw ing a hat in the air, which they fly at w ith inmedible eagerness. T h e y make their nests among the steepest declivities, in w hich they scoop deep and winding holes, and

lay two whitè eggs o f the size o f a pigeon’s. A lthough their nests appear to be inaccessible, the peasants take great numbers o f their young. In order to do this, they let themselves down by a rope to the mouth o f the holes, and draw the yoim g parrots out with a kind o f liook made for

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212

the pur pose. These are a cheap and excélleni food ; I h a v e se e n eigrit o f them sold for the smallest coin.of the country, about three sous. AVhen the first brood is taken away, they hatcli à second, sometimes a tliird, and even a fourth ; to this wonderfu! fecundity is ow ing the great num bersof these birds, w hich frequently destroy the crops. T h ey are easily tamed, and readily

taught to speak.• Those which are raigratory are the choroi 'and the jaguilm a. I cali them migratory, frora their inhabiting the Andes in summer, and not appear- in g in Chili until the winter. Both these species are o f the size o f a turtle-dove,, and belong to

the fam ily o f parroquets.T h e upper parí o f the body o f the choroi

(psittacus choraeus) is o f a beaytiful green, tlie bclly is o f an ash colour, and the tail well proportioned. T his bird is taught to speak much better than either o f the otliers.

The jaguilma (psittacus jagu ilm a) is entirely green, excepting the edges o f the wiugs, w hich are brown. T h e tail is very lo^ig aud pointed. T his species appeavs to be the rnost. prolific, In the plains situaíed between the 34 th and 45th degrees o f latitude, it is frequently seen in such

.numerous docks as almost t o , surpass belief. W hen they qu'it a field where they have becn fecding, in order to fall lipón another, they fre-

.quently Obscure the sun, and their .chattering,

which is very unpleasaht, is heard at a great distance. Fortunately,' this destructive race does riot arri ve till after the liarvest, and d ep arts befare tlie trees beg’in to put forth, otherwise they w ould lay waste the whole country. I t is i'p- credible wliat havoc they make while they stay> as they devour not only the tops o f the plants, but even the roots. An inconceivable quantity o f thèin is killed in the-fields^ but so far from di- minishing their numbers, on the contrary, they appear to be increased at every return. W hen- ever these birds aligh t upon a field, the hus- bandmen furnish themselves with long poles, and, mounted on sw ift horses, fall upon them unex- pecíedly, and as they are always in large docks, and keep very close together, they cannot íly off so quickly but that great numbers o f them are generally left dead on the ground. T h e ílesh is deiicious, and preferable to that o f any otlier

species o f the parrot.In almost all parts o f Am erica is found a

species o f water-hen, with armed wings, espe- cially at Brasil, where it is called the jticana. * T h a to f O h iii,ca lled tbe theghel (parra Chilèn? sis) is o f the size o f a pie, but i t s . legs are longer ; its head is black, ornamented with a small crest, the neck, back, and uppcrpart o f the wings are purple, the throat and upper part o f the breast black, and the belly is white. T he

quilis ò f the wings and the tail are short and q f

214?

a deep b ro w n ; on the forehead it has a red fleshy excrescence* divided into two lobes; the iris o f the eyes are yellow, and the pupil bro w n ; the b ilí is conical, a little bent towards the point, and about tw o inehes lo n g ; the nostrils are ob- long and very open, and the legs, which are bare o f feathers bélow the knees, have four long toes that are separate* but more proportionale to its size than those o f the B rasil species. T h e spur, w hich is placed on the jo in t o f the w ing, is six lines long and three broad, and is o f a yellowish colour and conical form.

A bird as well arraed ás this cannot wanfc for means o f defence in case o f necessity, and it o f course fights w ith ’ great courage and vigoux every thing that atterapts to molest it. I t is never seen in elevated places, and never perches upon trees, but Uves w holly in the piaras, and feeds upon insects and worms. It builds its nest in the grass, where it lays four fawn-co- loured eggs, spotted with black, a little larger than those o f a partridge. I t keeps in pairs, and the male and female are almost always toge-r ther, but it is very rarely to be seen in flocks. W hen they perceive any one searching for their nest, they ai first conceal theraselves: in the grass*

without discovering any apprehension; bu t as soon as they see the person approaching the spot where the nest is placed, they rush out with fury to defend it. I t is observed that this bird neveç

2 1 5

makes tiie least noise during the day, and that it cries at night only when it hears some one passing. F or this reason, the Araucanians, when at war, are accustomed to watch the ery o f this bird, w hich serves them as a sentinel to jnform them o f the approach o f an enemy. T h ey were fo r- ineríy accustomed in O hili to hunt these birds with the falcon, hut this mode has been long out

o f use, and they are at present shot w ith fow ling- pieces. It is good game, and in no respect in­

ferior to the woodcock.T he piuquen (otis Chilensis) is a species ó f

bustard larger than that ó f Europe. I t is almost entirely white, excepting its head and the upper part o f its wings, which are grey, and tíie first quills, which are black. Its ta il is shorts and composed o f eigbteen w hite feathers. I t has no excrescence either beneath the throat, or

upon the b ilí, which resembles that o f the com- mon bustard. Its feet are divided into three toes before, and a fourth, rather more elevated, bchind. It inhabits the plains, wkere it is almost always found in flocks; it feeds upon grass, and does not begin to breed until tw o years o íd ; it lays six white eggs larger than those o f the goose, is easiljtam ed , and many o f the çountry people Jiave domesticated it.

T h e cheuque, or American ostrich (struthio rea) is principally found in the environs o f the celpbrated lake o f N ahuelguapi, m the valleys o f

p 4

ihe Andes. In height it is nearïy equal to a man; iis neck is two feet eight inches long, and

iis legs o f the same length ; its head small and round, and covered with feathers: its ejes and eyelids are black, and furnislied with e jeb ro w s; its bil! is short and broad like that o f the duck, and the feet have three toes entirely separate before, and the vestige o f a fourth behind ; its, tail is composed o f several short feathers o f an equaj length, which grow out o f therum p. Its wings are eight feet in length from their extre- mities, but not calculated for flight, o w in gto th e great flexibility and weakness o f the feathers. T h e p lum ageof the back and wings is o f a dark grey, but that o f the other parts o f the body is white. Am ong tliese birds are found some that are entirely white, and others that are black, but I consider them merely as varieties.

T h e clieuque bas not, like the African ostricb, a horny substance upon its wings, nor callosities on the sternum, but it is quite as roracious, and swailows whatever is ofiered it, even iron. Its favourite food is flies, which it catches with much dexterity. It has no defence but its feet, which it employs against those who molest it. Its whistle, when it calis its young, resembles that o f a man. It lays from forty to sixty eggs in a careless manner upon the gro u n d ; they are well tasted, and so large that they w ill contain about tw o pounds o f liquor. T h e feathers are

m

employed for many purposes; the Indians make o f them plumes, parasols, &c. M . de Pauw , wlio frequently loses sight o f the title o f his work, represents the cheuque as a degenerate species o f th e African ostrich, because it has three toes instead o f tw o; biit.were these birds p f the same species, w hicli is far from being the case, *1 atn o f opinion that the term degenerate would be more applicable to tlie African ostrich, as being less perfect in its limbs, than to that o f Am erica.

T h e pequen (strix cunicularia) a species o f the owl, is remarkable for the large burrows w h ich it maíces in the ground to deposit its eggs. Eeuillé asserts that he him self had endeavoured to d ig to the* end o f one o f them, but was obliged to relinquish the attempt. This bird is o f the sh e o fa pígeon, but its beak is very strong and crooked, it has large nostrils, and large eyes w ith a yellow iris ; the upper part o f its body is grey, spotted with vyhite, the lower part o f a dirty w hite; the tail, which scarcely extends be- yond the quills o f the wings, is b f the same colqur ; its tliighs are covered with ieathers, and the feet with tubercles, upon which are soine short h a irs; the toes are strong, and armed with black crooked talons. It is not so averse to ligh t as others o f its species, and is frequently seen by day in company with the female, riear the mouíh o f its hole. Its principal food is insects and rep-

tiles, tlie remains o f w hich are often found ia small fragments before its hole. Its cry is lu- gubrious and broken, and imitative o f its ñame, T h e eggs are usually four, and are white spotted with yellow . T h e A bbé F euillé praises the flesh o f this bird, but I never could learn that it was eaten by the inhabitants.

T h e tharu (falco tliarus) is a species o f eagle vcry common in C hili, o f the size o f a capón, T h e male is whitish, marked w ith black spots, and lias'upon its head a kind o f crown formed o f black feathers, ionger at the sides than the middle. Its back is whitish like that o f the «common e a g le ; the feet are yellow , and covered with scales, and the toes armed with crooked talons ; the great feathers o f the wings and the tail are black. T he female is less than the male, is o f a grey colour, and has a black comb upon her head. T h is bird bnilds its nest upon the loftiest trees, with sticks placed in the manner o f a square grate, upon which it heaps a considera-^ ble quaníity o f wool, tow, and feathers. It lays five w hite eggs, speckled with brown, and feeds opon several kinds o f animals, and even upon carcasses, but is never seen openly to pursue its prey like others o f its species, but seizes it by

stratagem. T h e m alewalks erect w ith an air o f gravity ; his cry is liarsh and disagreeable, and whenever he utters it he throws his head back upon his rump.

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T h e jota (vu ltü r jo ta ) resembles much t’he

aura¿ 'a species o f vulture^ o f w hich there is perhaps but one variety. I t is distinguished, however, b y the beak., w hich is grey w ith a black point. A ll the plum age is black., except the quilis o f the wings, w hich are brown ; its head is destitute o f feathers, ánd covered with a wrinkled skin o f a reddish co lo u r; the legs are brown. It acquires its colour with age; for when it is young it is almost white, and does not begin to chaage until after it has quitted the nest. T h e íirst black spots appears upon the back, and is very small, b u t extends gradually over the w hole body. N otw ithstandm g the size o f this b lrd ^ vh ic ii is nearly that o f the turkey, and its strong and crooked talons, it attaeks no othera but feeds principally upon carcasses and reptiles. I t is extreraely indolent, and w ill frequently remain for a long tim e almost motionless, w ith its wings extended, sunning itse lf upon the rocks or the roofs o f the houses. W hen in pain, w hich is the only time that it is known to make any noise, it utters a sliarp cry like that o f a rat, and usually disgorges what it has eaten. T h e flesh o f this bird emits a fetid smell that is h igh ly oifensive. T h e manner in w hich it builds its nest is perfectly correspondent; to its natural in- dolence; it carelessly places between rocks» oc even upon the grouud, a few dry leaves or

á

feathers, upon w hich it lays two eggs o f a díríy white.

T h e bird universally known in P e ru tb y th e name o f condor .(vultur gryphus) is in Ghili cailed manque, and is unquestionably the lítrgcst ibat has the power o f supporiing itse lf in thc aïí„ Linmeus makes its wings, when extended,, six^cen feet from one extremity to the other, but the lavgest that Ih a ve seen was but fourteen feet and some inches. Its body is much larger than that o f the royal eagle, and is entirely covercd w h biack feathers, excepting the back, which is white, .T h e nec.k is encircled with a white fringe, composed o f projecting feathers about an inch in length. T h e head is covered with short and thin hairs, the irires o f the eyes are o f a reüdish brown, and the pupils biack. T h e beak is four inches long, very la t ge and crooked, biack •'?t its base, and white towards the point. T h e greater quills o f thc wings are usually two feet nine inches long, and one third o f an inch in diameter, T he thigh is ten inches and two thirds in length, bu t the leg does notexceed six inches ; the foot is furnished with four sírong toes, tbe hiadmost o f which is about two inches long, with but one joint, and a biack nail an inch in length ; thc middle toe has tbree joints, it is nearly six* inçhes long, and is terminated hy a

crooked whitish nail o f two inches; the other

28 0

tocs are a little shorter, and arearm edw ith str'ong and crooked talons. T lie tail is entire, bufr small ia proportion to the size o f tlie bird. T h e fernale is less tlian the male, and o f a brownish colour; she has no fringe about the neck, but a small tuft apon thdhindcr part o f it. She builds her nest up on the moSfc steep and. inaccessible cliffs, and lays tw o white eggs-larger than tliose o f the turkey.

T h e condors feed either upon carcasses, or upon animals w liich they k ill thcmselves> and

thus.sup ply the place o f wolves, w hich are unknown in Chili. . T h ey frequently attack hocks o f sheep or goats, and even calves when they are separated from the cows. In the latter case there are always several o f thern together, wbo fly upon the c a lf with their wings extended, d ig óut its eye% aind in a few moments tear it in pieces.

T h e husbandmen make use o f every stratagem to destroy so dangerous a bird. F o rth is purposc they sometimes envelope themselves in theskin o f an ox newly slayed, and place themselves on íheir backs upon the ground; the condor, de- cèived by the appearance, approaches the sup- posed dead animal to devour it., when the person within, whose liands are protected by strong gïoves, dexterously seizes thé legs o f the bird, and holds it until his companions, concealed hard by, run up to bis assistance, and dispatch it with clubs. Another mode is to form a small circular

enclosure with pal is ades, in w hich is placed Ilie carcass o f some animal. T h e condors, who pos- sess great acutenessof sight and smell, areim m e- diately attracted thereby, and as they are extremely voracious, they gorge themselves to such a degree w ith food, that not being able readily to rise, and obstructed by the nárrowness o f the encló- sure, they are easily killed by those w ho lie in w ait for them. T h e condor, however, possesses great strength o f w ing, and though íilled with Food, i f it can once raise itself, or is upon an eminence, it w ill fly w ith great swiftness, and soon disappears in tlie air. M . de Bomare ob­serves, that there is very littlé difference, except in its colour, between the condor and the laem- mergeyer o f Switzerland ; and I am o f opinión that it is only a variety o f the same species.

O f bats, an animal that holds a middle station between birds and quadrupeds, there are b u t tw o species in C h i l i : the liouse-bat, w hich is in no respect different from the European, and the mountain-bat, w hich is o f the same size and shape, and distinguishable only b y its being o f an orange colour. Neither o f these are vam- pyres, as are those o f the Southern torrid zone, bu t feed entirely upon jnsects.

Sect. V I . Quadrupeds.— I have already esti- rnated the number o f quadrupeds in C hili at thirty-six species, w ithout including those that liave been imported. I have eyen excepted the

hog and tlie dog, although I do not censider thera as proceeding from a European stock, as the proper ñames w hich they both liave in the Chilian language distinguished themfrom foreign animals. Eyen Acosta, who wrote shortly after the conquest, does not venture to gíve a decisive opinión respecting the origin o f the domèstic hog o f Perú. T h e hog o f C h ili, called by the Indians chanchu, is similar in its appearance to that o f E u ro p e ; it is fu ll as large, and generally white, in which respect it differs frora that o f Perú, w hich is always black.

A s to thé dog, w ithout pretending that a ll the kinds at present found in the country were there before the arrival o f the Spaniards, I have reason to believe that the Jittle barbet, called kiltho, and the common dog, thegua in Chilian, the breeds o f w hich are found in all parts o f Am erica, as far as Cape Horn, were known in C h ili before that period. These dogs, it is true, bark like those o f Europe, but this is not a con­clusi ve reason for supposing them to be derived from that race. T h e general opinión that the Am erican d og is dumb, has unquestionably arisen from the circumstance o f the first conquerors haven given similar ñames to those animals o f the new w orld, w hich bore some resemblance to those o f the oíd, T h is is confam ed by the learned A bbé Clavigero, who, in his'H isíory o f

M éxico , says that the first Spaniards who carne

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to tiiat cóüntry gave the narae o f dog to the techici,* a dumb animal, resembling the dog in its appearance, but o f a very different genus. T h is externa] resèmblance has given rise event- u a lly to the opinionthat the American dogs never bark, and many naturalists, who incautiously àdopt this errorj have been the means o f perpet- uating it to the present day. Another opiníon, equally destitute o f foundation, is, that the E u - ropean dogs that.w ere left on the island o f Juan Fernandez, at the time it \vas uninhabitgd, had Iost their voices, and were ünable to bark, whiclt I have been w ell assured b y the present inhabit- ants is an uttér falsehood,

T h e erroneous ñames giveii tó particular animals, many o f w hich are stili retained, have pro ved very injurious to the natural history o f Am erica. From this source have proceeded those visionary hypothesis o f the degeneracy o f its quadrupeds, the supposed little stags> bears, and boars o f that country, considered ás so m a n y

pigm y breeds, although tliey have no other con- nection with tlie • pretended primitive race tlian these ill-applied ñames. A very respectable modern author méntions as a proof o f this dé- generacy, the ant-eater„ called by some autliors the ant-bear, and considered as a degenerate spe-

*T he cri.b-?aterj or dog crab»tater¿ so called from lis feed- ir-g j iincip.illy upon crabs.

■ cíes o f the bear* B u t tliis quadruped difiera éssentiallj from the beáv in other respects than its size, and all well-informed naturalists are. agreed that this animal belongs neither to the genus nor the orcler o f bears ; it is o f course ridiculous to bring forward in support o f thig hvpothesis, two animals so distinet as to have nothing in common but a ñame so improperly gi.ven to one o f tliem. I could adduce a great number o f instances o f this kind, were I to g o through with the various quadrupeds o f Am erica that have been considered as species o f the oíd continent, altered by the physical influence o f the new,

South Am erica possésses but a very few spe- cíes o f animals that are similar to those o f the oíd world; and these have preserved their origi­nal appearance, or rather, as m ight be expeeted from the influence o f so míld a climate, have improved it. O f this number, in Chili, are the the fox, the haré, the otter, and the mouse* T h e foxes are o f three kinds : the guru, ot the common fox, the chilla, or the field fox, and the :payne-garu, or the blue fox. This last is very

common in the Archipelago o f Chiloé, where it is black. A ll these foxes are o f the same size as the Euro pean fox.

In its forra the liare o f C h ili resembles that o f Europe, but is superior to it in size, for it is sometimes found. o f tweníy pounds weight,

YO£. I. Q

225

a

226

fact confirmed by Commodore Byron, whose sailors killed severa! o f thcm upon tbe coast o f Patagònia. These bares are found in great numbers in the provinces o f Coquim bo, Pucha- cay, and Huilquilem u. T h e fiesh is perfectly white, and o f a much superior fíavour to that o f the European hare. T h e otter inhabits the fresh wàters o f the Southern provinces, and differs in no respect from that o f Europe. T h e rat has been imported in forcign * vessels, and o f the mouse there are various species; the domèstic mouse, the ground mouse, and several others, w hich I sliall raore particularly describe here- after.

In conftning the number o f quadrupeds in

Chili to thirty-six species, I Iiave reference only to those that are w ell know n; but I am *fully persuaded that there is a much greater number, especially in tbe interior o f the Andes, that are as yet undiscovered or very imperfecti y known.

* A ship from Antwerp, which went through the straits, is said to have carvied the first rats to America. They appeared in Chili, and multiplied there so as to be very ¿.mchievous, but in Ovalles time they w.ere stiii conñued to the coast. (L 1. C 21.) The íirst cat which was íaken to America was pre- senled by Montenegro to Almagro, wlio gave him in returu six hundred pieces. Whittmgton’s cat hardly turned out a betíer venture. This is a good traií in Almagro’s character— oue of íhe best-hearted men amoug all the conquerors.— E.E.

Herrera, Dec. 5 . L 7* C Q. *

227

This opinión is confirmed by the common tradi- tions o f the eountry ; and i have been informed o f eight new spccies that have been discovered at various tim es; but as the descripíions I have received o f them have been very imperfecta and the animals have been seen but by few, I have thought them not sufficienti y characterized to mèrit a place among those whose economy is w ell known.

Such, for instance, is the jñguehen, a winged quadrupeda or species o f large bat, which, i f its existence is real, forms a very important link between birds and quadrupeds. This animal is said to be o f the size and shape o f a tame rab- bit, and to be covered with fine hair o f a cinna- mon co lour; the nose sharp, the eyes round and shiniiïg, the ears almost invisible, the wings membranaceous, the paws short and like those o f the lizard, the tail round at the root, and ending like that o f a fish. It inhabits holes ia trees, which it leaves only at night, and does no injury to any thing but insects, which serve

it for food.O f this kind is likewise the hippopotamus o f

the vivers and the lakes o f Arauco, which is dif­ferent from that o f A frica, and in its form and stature resembles the horse, but the feet are palmated like those o f the seah T he existence o f this animal is universally credited through- out the eountry, and there are sorae persons who

q 2

preterid to have seen the skin, which, tbey sáy, is covered with a very soft and sleek liair, re- sembling in colour that o f the sea-wolf.

B u t leaving the exam inatioivof these animals to those who have an opportunity o f making farther discoveries respecting them, I shall pro- ceed to trcat o f those that are known, w hich I shall divide into those that have toes, or are di- gitated, and those that are hoofed, T h is d ivi­sión, although imperfect, appears to me to be better adapted than a more technical one, for the arrangement o f so small a number o f species, Those which have toes are either web-footed or cloven-footed. T h e former livé in the water, and feed upon fisli. Those who inhabit the sea are the follow ing :

T h e urigne ( phoca lupina). T h is species o f phoca, which the French and Spaniards cali the sea-wolf, differs but little from the comraon seal; this difference principally consistí in its size and colour. It is from thrce to six and even eight feet in len g th ; and its colour is brown, grey, and sometimes whitish, but all o f these are merely varieties o f the same species. T his

animal is large forward, butgraduálly diminishes, like a fish, towards the hinder feet, which are united within the same skin, and form the exire- mity o f its body. It is covered with two kinds o f hair, one stiff, and the other soft like that o f

an ox, T h e head is large and round, and re­

229

sembles that o f a dog with tbe ears cut off, and instead o f tbe latter it has two oblique boles w hich serve for the same purpose. T he eyes are large, globular, and furnished with long eye~ lashes; the nose is like that o f the calf, as is the to n gu e; the diuzzle is short and blunt, with long whiskers, the lips being o f equal size, but the upper a little channelled like that o f the lion. T h e teeth are thirty-four in number : ten

ineisors, four canine, and twenty grinders. T h e fore feet, or more properly fins, have two very perceptible joints, one correspondíng with the shoulder-blade, ,th e other with the elbow ; the metacarpal bones and the toes are cartilaginous, and enclosed in a membraneous sheath, w hich performs the office o f a fore paw. Each o f these feet has four toes, which distinguishes this frofti the oíher species o f the phoca. T h e ex- tremiíy o f the body, w hich is tapered almost to a point, is divided into two very short parts, re- presenting the hind feet, the joints o f w hich are very visible. These feet are furnished with five fingers o f an unequal length, like those on the liand o f a man, united from the first to the third jo in t by a rougli membrane, w hich completely envelopes each finger, and even extends beyond it. A t the jun cti on o f the hind feet is sitüated the tail, which is about three inches in length. In

both sexes the generative parts are placed at the lower part o f the belly. T liey usually copu^

q 3

late the latter part o f autumo, and the fe mal e brings forth her young iu the spring, o f which she has generally two, sometimes three at a birtli. She is distinguished from the male by a longer neck, and a more delicate and beauíiful form. T h e urigne abounds iu blood, which,, whenever it is wounded, flows from it in great quantitics; like many other aquatic animals, it has beneath the skin a covering o f soft f a t ; this is five inches in thickness, and easily reducible to oil. N ot- withstanding the inconvenient conformation o f their feet for that purpose, the}' readily climb up the rocks, on which tbey are fond o f sleeping, though they w alk very badly, or rather draw themselves, when on shore from one place to another. It would, however, be very imprudent to approach them carelessly, for although so heavy and clumsy in appearance, their necks have great flexibility, and they are capable o f inflict- ing severe wounds with their long teeth.

These phocae swim with great swiftness, and make use principally ó f their b.iinl feet, which they cxíend in a straight line, so as at a distance to re­semble the tail o f a fish. T hev cannot remain long under water, and frequently raise their lieads to breathe, or to watch the approach o f penguins and other aquatic birds, o f which they make their prey. T lïe cry o f the oíd urignes reset:»bles íhe roaring o f a bull cr the grunting o f a hog, while that o f ihe young is more like

the bleating o f a sheep. T h ey are common upon all the coast o f C hili, and in the islands ; where, every year, the inhabitants kill a vast number o f them with clubs,, a slight blow across the nose, which is their most tender part, being sufficient to dispatch tliem. T h e skin is em- ployed for various purposes, particularly for making a kind o f float, w hich is used in fishing and in passing rivers. T his consists o f iw o large ballnons, from eight to nine feet in length, formed o f these skins, carefully joined and sewed, and inflated . with a ir; upon these are placed several pieces o f y/ood laid transversely, which will con- tain one or more persons. Wlxen the skin is well dressed it resembles coarse-grained morocco leather, but is superior to it in point o f con- sistency and durability; shoes and boots are alsó made o f it thatare impenetrable to water. T h e oil which is obtained from the fat forms a con­siderable article o f commerce with the inhabit­ants o f Ghiloé. It is used in dressing leather, and, when clari fied, for burning, and is preferred to that o f the whale, as it keeps better, and re- tains its clearness for a longer time. T h e sailors make use o f it for frying tlieir fish, and the taste is not unpleasant when it is frcsh. In the sto- mach o f this animal are frequently found stones o f several pounds weight, which it probably swallows to triturate its food, and accelerate the

process o f digestión.q 4

T h e $ea~1iog (phoca porcina) resembles the urigne. in its shape, hair, and manner o f living, but differs from it in the conformation o f its xnouth, which is longer, and resembles thesnout o f a hog. Its ears are likewise more raised, and the fore feet diyided into five very distinet toes, covered with a membrane. T h is pboca,. which is from three to four feet in length, is but rarely met w ith on the coast o f Chili.

T h e lame, sea-elephant, or elephantine seal (phoca elephantica) is similar in form to the preceding, but distinguished from it by very striking cbaracteristics. It js o f a very great size, being frequently fifteen feet in circum* ference around the breast, and twenfy-two feet in length, Upon its nose is a comb, or glandular trunk, extending from the forehead beyond the upper lip, and serving as a species o f defensive armour against blows, which upon that part are alm ostalways fataL T h e tusks o f the lower ja w project at least four inches from it, and this sin* gularity, togetlier with the trunk, give it some faint resemblance to the elephant. T h e feet are divided into five toes, h alf covered with a cori-

aceous membrane indented upon the sides, each furnished with a strong crooked nail. T h e ears, at first sight, appear to be truncated, but, on nearer view, are found to be nearly h a lf an inch long, and in shape like those o f a dog, T h e

skin is thicker than that o f the urigne, and co*

233vered with short, thick, and sofí hair, the colour o f which is various, being a m ixture o f dun> yellow , grey,, and dirty white. T h e female is o f a less size, and not so fat as the male, and

has but a slight appearance o f a trunk upon the hose.

Lord Anson has improperly called this animal the sea-lion; and Linnasus, from bis authority, has denominated it phóca leonina, an appellation much more appropriate to another animal o f the same genus, but of a very different species,

T h e lames are found in the greatest numbers on the island o f Juan Fernandez, the Araucaniam coast, the Archipelago o f Chiloér, and the Straits o f ityíagellaa. T h ey herd together in large companies, and during the suraracr are almost continually in the sea, but on the commencement o f winter they go on shore, where they bring forth their young, T hey copulate, like the urignes, by raising themselves on their hind feet, and have the same number o f young with them, W hen on shore they freqüent miry places, where they wallow and frequently sleep, placing, as a sentinel, one o f their number upon a rising ground, who gives notice o f the approach' o f any danger by frigh tfu l howlings.

T h e sea-elephant is the largesí o f the phoca, and produces more oil than any o f the others; ii is so fat that, whenever it moves, the oil is seen

to undulate beneath the skin. T h e males appear

234to be very amorous, and frequeníly fígbt for the exclusive possession o f the females, until the death o f one o f them terminates the contest; from this cause the skins o f so many o f them are covered with scars. W henever the males fight, the females retire aparta awaiting the issue o f a combat w hich is to place them in possession o f

the victor.T h e sca-lion (phoca leonina) is o f a better

proportioned and more elegant form than any other species o f phoca, 'though like the rest its shape is conical. ï t is covered with a yellowish hair, w hich from the shoulders to the taií is short, but on the neck and near the head is as long as that o f a goat, and forrns a very percepti­ble mane, that distinguishes this from every otlier

kind o f phoca. T he Indians call it thopel-lame> that is, the lame witli a mane. Its head resem- blcs that o f the lion, it has a large flat nose, w ithout hair from the midd’e to tlie tip; the ears are alrnost round, and stand out about tw%-thirds o f an inch from the head; its eyes, the pupils o f which are greeni&h, are very bright and spark- ling, and the upper lip is furnished with long white whiskers, like those o f a tiger. T he mouth is very wide, and has thirty-four teeth set deep in the ja w , which are very large and solid,

and as white as ivory ; the middle teeth are about four inches in length, and an inch and a lia lf in diam eter; the incisors do not project

from tlie mouth, like those o f tlie lame, but tlieir disposition is similar to those o f the urigne. In the conformation o f tlie hinder feet it also re-> sembles that animal, exceptthat those o f thesea- lioii are palmated. T h e fore feet are cartilagi- nous, very short in proportion to its size, divided into five toes, terminated by nails, and united by a membrane, in the manner o f those o f the ele­phantine seal. T he tail is about nine inches long, and is round and black.

T h e female is mucli smaller tlian the male, and has no mane; it has tw o teats, and produces but one young at á birth, towards which it díscovefs great affection. T h e A b b é Pernetty, in the ac- count o f his voyage to the M alouine islands, mentions his haying seen sea-lions o f twenty-two feet in length, but the largest that I have seen in O liili did not exceed thirteen or fourteen feet. These animals are very fat, and no less san- guineous tlian the urigne. W hen wounded, they immfediately throw tliemselves into the sea, and leave a long track o f blood behind them, which serves as a guide for the lames and urignes, who in this state o f weakness attack and easily overeóme and devour them. T.his disposition, however, is not reciprocal, as the sea-lion never attempts to harm' any o f the other phocag, even when they are unable to protect themselves.

I have been informed by the ñshermen that they have occasionally seen in these seas vario us

3

oiher kinds o f phocas, whi'ch may be similar to those found in the N orth Sea, described by Steller, and very probably some that are entirely unknown to naturalists, for I am o f opinion thatr ibis genus is more abundant in species thanTs generally imagined.

T he chinchimen (mustela felina) called by the Spaniards the sea-eat, is about twenty inches in ïength from the m uzzle to the root o f the taii„ It has a strong resemblance to a cat in its head, ears and eyes, and in the shape and lehgth o f its tail. T h e nose is furnished with whiskers, and it has thirty-two teeth : tw elve incisors w hich are straight and sharp-pointed, four canine teeth, and sixteen grinders. Each foot has fi ve pal- mated toes, terminated by strong crooked nails. T lie skin, like that o f the otter, is covered with two kinds o f hair, o f a Iight grey colour, one very short and soft, the other longer and harsh. T his animal lives almost altogether in the sea, but is only seen in pairs, and never in companies. 3n pleasant weather it is fond o f basking in the sun, and is frequently taken in snares upon the rocks, whither at such times it is accustomed to resort. T h e chinchimen has a hoarse cry like the tiger, it is as ferocious as the wild-cat, and like that animal springs at any one that ap- proaches it.

Besides the otfer, o f w hich l 'l ia v e already spoken, the jfresh wàters o f C h ili are inhabited by the guillino and the coypu.

T he guillino (castor Huidobrius) which I have thus named in memory o f a deceased frienà o f great ,liíerary attainments, Don Ignacios Huidobrio, M arquis o f Casa Reale, is a species o f beaver, in high estimation for the fineness o f its fur. Its length, from ihe end o f the nose to the insertion o f the taiï, is about fliree feet, and its height two. T h e colour o f the hair is grey, dark upon the back, and whitish on the beily ; o f this, like the northern beaver, it has tw o kinds, the one short and fine and softer than that o f a rabbit, the other long and coarse and easily detached from the skin. T h e short fur readiiy takes any colour, and I liave seen cloth manu­facturad from it dyed black and blue, w hich had all the beauty o f v e lv e t; it is also used for making hats, that are no w ay inferior to the real beaver. T he head o f this animal is almost square, the ears are short and round, and the ejes small, the nose is blunt, and the mouth is fur- nished with tw o very sharp incisors in çacli javv, and with sixteen grinders; on each foot it has fi ve toes, those before are edged with a narrow membrane, and the hinder ones are paímaled ; its back is very broad, and the tail long, fiat, and covered with hair. T h e guillino produces no

substauce analogous to the casto r; it inhabits

238

the rivers and the deepest lakes, and can remain a long time under water without respiring. It feeds upon fish and crabs, and is usually sur- prised and killed by the hunters when it goes to ’void its excrements, which it regularly does every day, like a cat, in the same place. It is a voracious animal, and so fearless that it fre- quently robs the nets and baskets o f fish in the presence of the iishermen. T h e female has two or three young at a iitter, and the period o f ges- tation, i f I am not misinformed, is about five monihs.

T he coypu (mus coypu) is a species o f waier- rat, o f the size o f the otter, -wliich it resembles in its hair and external appearance. It has round ears, and a long nose covered with whis-

kers ; the fcet are short, the tail large and o f a moderate lengtli well covered w ith hair, and in each ja w are two very $harp incisors. T h e feet have each five toes, those o f the fore feet are un- connected by a membrane, but those o f the hind

are palmated. T liough the conformation o f this animal evinces that it is intended as an in­habitant o f the water, it nevertheless lives very w ell upon the land, and even in houses, where it is easily tamed, and soon becomes reconciled to a domèstic state. It eats any tbing that is given it, aud appears to be susceptible o f much at- tachment to the person who feeds it. Its cry is a sharp slmek, but it never utters it except when

239hurt. W ith a little patience and care, it m ight be rendered stül more useful than tbe otler for the purpose o f taking fish. T h e female has five or six young at a birth, by whom she is always accompanied.

O f the cloven-footed terrestrial quadrupcds o f

C h ili, some are gramenivorous, or such as feed upon vegetables, and others carnivorous; o f the latter are the chinghue, the cuja, the quiqiti, the porcupine, the culpeu, the guigna, the colo colo, and the pagi,

T h e chinghue (viverra chinga) is o f the size

o f a cat; its colour is black inclining to blue, except upon the back, wbich is marked w ith a broad stripe, composed o f round white spots, extending from the forehead to the tail. T h e head is long, the ears are broad and w ell covered with hair, the eyes large with black pupils, the nose is sharp, the upper lip extended beyond the lower, and the mouth, which is deeply cleft, coutains tw elve incisorial teeth, four sharp ca­nine, and sixteen grinders. T he hind feet are longer than the fore, and on each foot are five toes armed with nails, which serve the anirnal to

d ig deep burrows in the earth, where it secures its young. It always carries its head down, and the tail, which is covered with long hair, turned over upon its back like thesquirrel.

T he urine o f the chinghue is nnt, as is gene- rally supposed, fetid, butth e odour, so disgusting

m

to every other animal, proceeds from à greènisli oil contained in a vesicle placed, as in the pole- cat, near the anus. W hen the animal is aí~ tacked, it elevates its posteriors and scatters this loathsome líquid upon its assailant. N othing can equal the offensiveness o f its sm ell; it pene­trales every where, and may be perceived at a great distance. Garments thai are infected w ith it cannot be worn for a long tirne, and not until repeated washings; and the dogs, after having

been engaged with the chinghue, run to the water, roll themselves in the mud, how l as i f they were mad, and w ill eat nothing as long as the smell continues about them.

T h e chinghue, when attacked, never makes use o f its teeth or claws, but relies entirely upon this singular mode o f defence. It appears to be at« tached to the society o f men, and approaches tliem without the least apprehension, bold ly en­ters the country-houses to search for eggs, and passes fearlessly through the midst o f the dogs, who instead o f attacking llim generally fiy at bis approach. T h e husbandmen themselves are averse to shooting this animal on such occasions, lest, should they fail o f k illin g it outright, they should be annoyed by its nauseous stench. In order to free themselves from this unwelcome v i­sitor, they have recourse to' another method, w hich is attended with less risk. Some o f the company begin by .caressing it, until an oppor-

241

tunity ofiers for one o f them to seize it by the f.aii and hold it suspended. In this position the muscles becoming contracted, the animal is un- ab!e to eject the fluid, and is dispatehed with safety. The chinghue, however, never has re- course to this mode o f annoyance against those o f its own species, but employs in fighiing with them its teeth aud claws. It preys upon eggs and poultry, which it is very dexterous intaking. Its skin is closely covered with very soft long hair, and retains nothing o f that offensive smeli which m ight naturally be sitpposed. T h e In­dians, when they can obtain a sufficient number o f these skins, make o f them coverings for their beds, which they valué h igh ly for their beauty and the softness o f the hair.

T he cuja (mustela cu ja) is a small animal re- sembling a ferret in its size, form, and teeth, and also in the disposition o f its toes, and its manner o f living. T h e eyes are black, and the nose a little turned up at the end like a h o g ’s ; its hair is black, thick, and extremely soft, and the tail, which is o f the length o f its body, is closely co­vered with it. Its principal food is mice, which it is in constant pursuit of. T h e female breeds tw ice a year, and has four or fi ve young at a

birth.T h e quiqui (mustela quiqu i) i s a species o f .

weasel o f a brown colour, thirteen inches long

from the nose to the tail. T h e head is flat, the

VOL, I. R

242cars Sïiort and round, tlie cyes small aud sunkerï, the nose cuneiform, ílie nostriis comprcssed, with a white spot between Ihem, the mouth broad like that o f a toad, and the legs and ta il short. It has tw elve incisors, the same number o f grínders, and four canine teeth, and the tongue is very slender and smóoth. T h e paws rcsemhle those o f the lizard, and have five toes armed with very crooked nails. It is naturally ferociouse and so very irascible, that the in- habitants give the name o f quiqui to those per- sons who are easily irritated. I t lives under ground, and feeds upon mice and moles like the cuja ; the female brceds several times in a year, and always produces the same number at a birth.

T h e porcupine (histrix Chilensis) is found iii the northern Andes o f Chili. T he inhahitants k iíl íhem for the sake o f their skins. I have never seen this animal, but from the description v h ich ï have had o f it, it differs little ornothing from the histrix prensile, or coandu o f Brasil.

T h e culpeu (canis culpasus) is a w ild dog, or rather a species o f large fox, differing but little from the eommon fox, except in its size and its colour, wliich is a dark brown, and in liaving a long straight tail covered with short hair like that o f the commou dog. From the point o f the nose to the root o f the ta il it is two and a half feet in leugth, and its height is about twen-

243íy-íw o inches. T he sliape o f iís ears, the po- siíion o f its oyes, its ieeth, and the dis-positíon o f its toes,, are precisely like those o f the fo x ; like that animal it also burrows in the fields. Its cry is feeble, and resembles the barking o f a liífcle dog; and it preys upon small animals» W henever the culpeu perceives a man, it comes

straight towards him, and at the distance o f five or six paces stops and looks attentively at him. I f the person does not move, the animal remains for some minutes in this situation, and w ithout attempting to do him any in jury retires. T his singular curiosity o f tlie culpeu is so w eli known to the inhabitanís, that no one is afraid o f ií> and I have m yself several times met with it in the woods, when it has uniformly acted in the same manner. T h e name appears to be derived ffom the Chilian word culpem, which signlhes mad-

ness or folly, and is strikingly applicable to the conduct o f this animal, w hich constantly ex­poses it (o he shot hy the hunícrs, and is probably the rcason w hy it is less common in Citili than the fox, thpugh it is cqually prolífic» It is men- tioned by Commodore Byron, wbo saw it in the Falkland islands, and supposed it at .ürst some ferocious w ild beast, frovn tlie manner o f its ap- proaching llis men. A lthough the culpeu dóes not appear to be stronger than the fox, it is with

niuch difíicully that a d o g e a n cvercome it.T h e guigna (felis g u ig n *) and the colocolo

R 2

(felis colocolo) are two species o f wild-cats which inhabit the forests. T h e j resemble tbe domèstic eat, but have„ a larger head and tail. T he guigna is o f a fawn eolour, marked with round black spots ahout five lines in diameter, extending along the back to the end o f the tail.’ T h e colocolo has a white body, marked "with irregular black and yellow spots, and the tail is encircled with black rings. T hey prey upon mice and bfrds, and sometí mes are seen near couní ry-houses, wliither they are attracted by the poultry. Í have been informed by some o f the inhabitants that there are several other species o f the wild-cat, but I have seen only the two de- scribed above.

T h e pagi (felis pum a) called by the M exi­cans mitzli, and in Peru puma, the came by which it is best known to naturalists, has by the Spaniards been denominated the lion, which it resembles in its shape and its roaring, but is w holly destitute o f a mane. T h e hair on the upper part o f its body is o f a greyish ash-colour, marked with yellow spots, and is longer tl;an that o f the tiger, particularly on the buttocks, but tbaton the belly is o f a dusky white. Its length from thenoseto theroot c f the tail is about five feet, and its height from the bottorn o f the foot totlie shoulder twenty-six and a h alf inches. It has a round head shaped much like that o f a cat, the ears are short and pointed, the eyes large with

245

yellow irides and brown pupils. Its nosç isbroad and flat, the m uzzle short, the upper lip entire and furnislied witli whiskers, the mouth deep, and the tonguc large and rough. In each ja w it has four incisors, four sharp-pointed canine teeth, and sixteen grinders. Its breast is broad, the paws have each five toes armed with very sírong riailsland its tail is upwards o f two feet in length, and like that o f the tiger.

T he number o f toes on the hinder feet would alone be a sufficient characteristic to distinguish it from the real lion, which has but four. T h e pagi may, however, be considered as an inter­medíate species between the lion and the tiger. Its cry, although not so loud, differs not rnate- rially from the roaring o f the African lion, but in the season o f its lo ves becomes changed into a shrill whistle, or rather a frightful hiss like that o f a serpent. T h e female is rather less than the male, and is o f a paler co lo u r; like the African liortess, she has two dugs, and brings forth but tw oyoun g at a time. T he season o f copulation

is the end o f winter, and the period o f gestation three months.

Such is the lion o f C h il i ; it may, perhaps, in other parts o f America, offer some shades o f dis- crimination, as í have been inforrned that those o f Peru have a longer and morepointed m uzzle. T he pagi inhabits the thickest forests and the most inaccessible mountains, from whence it

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246

makes incursions inío íhe plains to attack domes- tic animals, particularly borses,, whose flesb it prefers to that o f any othcr. ïn its mode o f seizing its prey it resembles the c a t ; it ap~ proaches it by drawing itself upon its belly, glides softly through the shrubs and buslies, con- ceals itself intlie ditches, or, i f it shews itself, as- sumes a mild and fawning appearance, and, w atching the favourable opportunity o f seizing the animal whicli it has marked for its victim, at one leap/fastens itself upon its back, seizesit with its lcft paw and teeth in sud i a manner as to render it impossible for it to escape, while with thé rig’ht paw in a few minutes it tears it to pieces. ï t íhen sucks thc blood^ devours the Jflesh o f the breast, and carries the carcass inío the nearest wood, where it conccals it with Icaves and botighs oi trees, in erder to eat it at its ïeisure.

As it is a coramon practice for the husband- meii to fastcn two o f thcir borses together in the iields, whenever the pagi finds them in this situa- tioïi it kills one and drags it away, compelling the other to foilow by striking it from time to time with its paw, and in this manner al most al- wavs succeeds in getting possession o f both.*

* The w o ïfis said occasionaUy to adopt a similar mode o f

sc curing its prey. I have leen assured by an intelligené

foreigner) that it is not unfrequent iu Trance for that animal, '¿'hen ¿he preserice o f ¿he shepherd, or any other clrcuvistance,

247Its favourite liaunts are the streams to w liich animals usually lepair to drink, where it conceals itself upon a tree, and scareely cver fails o f seizing one o f them. T h e liorses, however, liave an instinciive dread o f these places, and even when pressed b j thirst approach them with great precaution, carefully examining «pon every side to discover i f there is danger. A i oiher finies one o f the boldest goes forward, and on fmding the place secure, gives notice to his companions by neighing in asprigh tly manner.

T h e cows defend themselves w ell againsí the ])ag i; as soon as he appears they range them­selves in a circle around their calves, with their horns turned towards their assailant, await his attack in íhat position, and not unfrequently de- stroy him.

T h e mares, when there are anum ber o f them, place themselves in the same manner, though in an in verted order, around their coits, and attempt to repel their enemy with their heeis, but one o f them almost always becomes a victim to this proof o f maternal love. A ll tho.se animals that have notyoung, on the approach o f the pagi at­tempt to save themselves by í lig h t ; the ass alone, from his want o f speed, is compolied to defend

prevenís itfrom làlling the sheep which it has singled outfor its victim, at its leisure> to seize it ly the wool of the ncch, and compelit lo go off with it ly strikïng it with its Amer,T ràns.

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him self with his heels, which frequently proves successfu l; but should the pagi, notwithstanding his effòrts, leap upon his back, he immediaiely throws himself on the ground, and endeavonrs to crush bim, or runs with all bis forcé against the truiiks o f trees, holding his head çlown so as not to dislócate his neck. B y these means he gene- rally succeeds in freeing him self from his as- sailant, andthereare but few asses destroyed by an enemy so frcquently fatal to much stro.ngcr animals.

Notwithstanding his ferociíy, the pagi never

ventures to attack a man, although he is conti- nually hunted and persecuted by the latter. K e is naturally a coward, and a woman or child wiU make him fly and abandón his prey. He is hunted with dogs trained for the purpose, and . when hard pressed by them, either' leaps upon a tree, seeks ¿n asylum upon a rock, or, placing him self against the trunk o f sooie large tree, de- fends him self in afu rio u s manner, kiiling many. o f his énemies, until the hunter, watching hi§ opportunity, slips a noose around his neck. As soon as the animal finds him self taken in this manner, he roars terribly, and sheds a torrent o f ,

tears. T h e skin serves for various u s e s g o o d leather for boots or shoes i m anufactured from

it, and the fat is considered as a specifie in the

sciatica.O f ihs cloven-footed quadrupeds that feed

249

Upon vegetables, the most remarkable in Chlli are the guanque, the chinchilla, the great wood- mouse, the covur, the cay, and the visaccia.

T h e guanque (m us cyanus) is a species o f ground-raouse, which it resembles in its form and size, bu t its ears are rounder and its hair blue. It is a very timid animal, and digs a burrow in form o f a gallery ten feet long, upon each side o f which it excavates seven cells o f a foot in depth opposite each oíher. These celia serve as a place o f deposit for its winter provi­sión, w hich consista o f certain grey bulbous roots o f the size o f a walmit. Borne preíend that these are a species o f trufíle, to which they bear some resemblance in taste, but I am rather in- clined to believe them the roots o f a plant. T h e manner in which this litíle animal arranges these roots is really admirable. T h ey are o f an an­

gular form, but in order to leave no vacant spaces, it places them w iíh such skill thaí the projecting anglas o f one root are ñtted to the bollows o f another.

In the rainy season, wiien the-guanque can no longer seek its food in the fields, it has recourse to its winter hoard, and begins with the roots de- posited in tlie farthest cells, _as being the oldest, and in this manner regularly procceds from one to the other. Its burrayr is alwnys very neat, and it is carcful to carry out o f it all the fragments o f the roots which it has caten. T h e female breeds

twíce a year, in the spring and in ílie autumii, and has six young at a litter. In the winter the male and female, w ith the young o f the last breed, inhabit the same burrow, those o f the first being oíd enough to provide for themselves. T h e provisions laid up in their magazines are more than sufficient for the subsistence o f this little family, as every spring a number o f the oid roots are found at the mouths o f their lióles, which have been brought out to make room for nevv. T he country people are very fond o f these roots, and eagerly searchfor theburrows, w hich ihey plunder and destroy without regard to the fate o f their innocent inhabitants.

T h e chinchilla (mus laniger) is another species o f ground-mouse or rat. Instead o f hair it is covercd with an extremely fine and sofí ash- coloured wool, o f a sufficient lengtli for spinning. T his animal is about six inches long ; it has very small ears, a short no se, tceth like those o f the commori moiise, and a tail o f a moderate lengtli, covered w ith silky hair. It lives in the fíelas, under ground, in large companies, and is prmci- pally found in the Southern provinccs ; its usual food isíhe bulbo os roots w ith which íhat part o f the country abounds. T he female brceds twice a year, and has five or six young at each birth. í t is an extremely geníle and miid animal, and may be handled without the least danger o f its biting, ñor will it attémpt to escape, but on the contrary

Bppears to be pleas^d with being caressed. I t is very ncat, has no oíFensive smell, and may be kepfc, with very liítle inconvenience, in a house, and tbetrifíiiig expense attending its keeping w ill be amply repaid by its beautifuí wool. T he an- cient Peru vians employed this wool in tbe manu­facture o f several kinds o f cloth, ío which they attaclied great valué.

T h e great wood-mouse (mus M aulinus) is an animal o f m orethan tw ice th e s ize o f a marmot, and was fírst discovered in 1764, in a wood, in the province o f M aúle, and so vigorous was the defcnce that it made, tliat tlie dogs who attacked it liad mucli difíiculty in overcoming it. Its hair is o f the same colour as that o f tbe marmot, but its ears are more pointed, the nose is longer, tbe wliiskers are disposed in four rows, it has four toes on each foot, and it has a longer tail, and closer covered with hair. T h e number and order o f tbe teeth are tbe same as th oseof the com mon

rnouse.The dcgu (sciurus degus) is a species o f dor-

mouse, a little larger than the house-rat. Its colour is a dirty whitc, exccpt a blackish line iipon the slioulders, which reaches to the first jo int o f the leg; the tail is terminated by a little t u f t o f hair o f the same colour as the body. T he head is short, the ears round, the nose sharp, and furnished witjh w hiskers; o f the u p p e r ja w íh e two incisors are CuneiForm, thos'e o f the lower

4

f ía t ; ílie fore fect have four toes, the hínder five. T he degu is a social animal, and is found in the vicinity o f St. Jago, in numerous compa- nies, near the hedges or bushes, where they d ig

burrows that have a communication with each other, and feed upon roots íxmd fruit, o f w hich they lay in an ampie store for the winter. It does not, like the dormouseand the badger, sleep during the winter, whicli is probably in a great measure owing to the mildness o f the climate. These animals were formerly eaten by the inha- bitants, but at present they make no use o f them

whatevcr.T he covur, known to naíuralists by the ñame

o f tctíou, and by the Spaniards called the arma­dillo, from the upper part o f its body beíng co- vcred with a kind o f bony armour, is very com- mon in Cujo, where it is called quiriquincho. It is o f various sizes, being from six to thirteen

inches long, a magnitude, however, much infe­rior to wliat it attains in the tropical regions. In its external appearanee, its fatness, and the bristles which cover the lower párt o f the body,

the covur resembles the guinea-pig. Itsliead is. long, but the nose issfcort; it has no teeth except grinders; the eyes are srnall, the ears náked, and the tail is long and scaly like that o f a rat. T h e number o f the toes vary accordiñg to the spccies. The bony armour which covers the body o f the animal is composed o f two parts, divided into

several bands let inío each oíber, so that the ani­mal can at its pleasure dilate or contrací them, T he females are very prolífic; they have four young at a birth, and breed evcry moníh. T he fiesh is delicate, and much preferable to that of the guinea-pig.

In the valleys o f íhe Andes are found four spe­cies o f this anim al:

T h e pichij.or four banded covur, which is about six inches in length.

T he hairy, or the eight banded, which is se ven inches long, and covered with hair as w ell

above asbelow .T he mutillos, or the eleven banded, which is

very little larger than the preceding, but its ears

are much longer.T h e holas, or the eighteen banded, which is

the largest, and is thirteen inches in length from the nose to the root o f the tail.

These four species belong to the quiriquinci o f Buffon, a name which has been given them from their possessing the property o f contracting and rolling themselves up like a ball. W hen they are hard pressed by the hunters, they frequently contract and roll themselves down a precipice, like the hedge-hog, and usually escape without injury, being protected by their coat o f mail. B u t they have not the same meaos o f escape when they are found in the plains; they are

2o4

ihen easily taken, and when they roll them- selves up are compelled to resume their natural form by means o f fire. T h e three first kinds run very fast in a straight line, being prevented by the conformation o f their armour from making turns. W h cn they get at a eertain distance from their pursuers, they endeavour to d ig a hole in the ground to conceal themselves, and hold so fast w ith their fore pavvs tliat it is almost impos­sible to forcé them aw ay ; upon these occasions the huníers have contrived a singular expedient

to make them quit their hold, by introducing the point o f a small stick into the anus.

T h e cuy (lepus minimus) is a species o f small rabbit, w liich has been b y some confounded with the guinca-pig, though it is not only distin- guished from that animal by its form, but by its generic character, i t is a little larger than the field-mouse, and its shape is nearly conical. T he ears are small, pointed and hairy, the nose is long, and theteeth are precisely likethose o f the liare and the rabbit; its fore paws have fourtoes, and the hinder ii ve, and the tail is so short that it can scarcelybe seen. T his animal lias been do- inesticated in Chili, and is o f various colours, white, brown, grey, and spotted. Its hair is very fine and silky, but too-sbort for spinning; the iiesh is very white, and delicately tasied. The

female breeds every month, and lias from six to

2á5

eiglit ycung. T he cuy,, thougli it rescmbl'e the rabbit, ay oid s its society, and never copulates with it. I í is very much afraid o f cats and rats, which appear to be its destroyers. In Perú tbeve is an animal which bears tbe same narne and is also domesticated, but as I llave never seen it, I cannot determine whether it is o f tbe same spe­cies or oíherwise. It may be proper, however, to observe, that cuy is a general ñame in Am erica for a number o f little animals like rabbits, which are mostly o f the-genus o f the cavy.

T he viscacha (lepus viscacia) is an animal re- sembling both tbe rabbit and tbe fox. It is ratíier larger, but has tbe head, ears, mouth, whi^kers, teefch, feet, and nearly the same manner o f feed- ing as tbe rabbit. In its colour and tail it re­sembles the fo x ; the hair on tbe body is very fme and soft, and is capable o f being advantageously

employed for many purposes. T b e ancient Pe- ruvians made beautiful c lo th so f it, and it is now used in C b ili for the manufacture o f hats. T h e tail, \vith which it defends itself against its ene- mies, is very long, turned up, and covered w ith long coarse hair. The viscacha breeds in the same manner as the rabbit. It lives under ground, in a burrow consistáis; o f two síories, which communicate by meaus o f a winding sta ir-w ay; the first story serves for a magazixsc for its pro­visions, the other for a place o f residence for it-

self and its young. In Ibis it remains during the

day, and only gees out at night, when ít brings to its hole whatever it meets with, even such ar­ticles o f wearing apparel as have been dropped by travcllers. Its fiesh is very white and tender,, and is preferred' to that o f the liare or the rabbit.

O f the horny-footed animals, or tbose that llave hoofs, whether single or «ivided, Chili fur- nishes but íive species that are indigenóus. The puda, the vicugna, the chilihueque, the guanaco, and the guem ul or huemul.

T h e puda (capra piula) is a species o f w ild goat, with brown hair, o f the size o f a six months k id ; the male is furnished with very very small homs, but the female is destitute. T h e Spaniards call it the roe-buck, but very im- properly, as it has no resemblance to that animal, but every characteristic o f the goat, except the beard, and in liaving its horns round, smooth, and diverging. On the approach o f winter, these animals, in very numerous flocks, corne down from the Andes, in order to feed in the plains o f the Southern provinces. Great numbers are tben killed by the inhabiíants for food, and caught for the purpose o f domesticating them, w hich is easily done, as this animal is exíremely mild, and is m udi deiighted in playing w ith children.

The vicugna, the chilUiucque} and the guanaco, may be considered as so many inferior species o f

3

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the camel, to which may be added the alpaca and the llama o f Peru. A ll these animals have a great resemblance to the camel, although they are smaller, and their forms are more elegant and better turned; like the camel they have a small head without horns, a very long neck, middle- sized ears, large and round eyes, a short m uzzle, the upper Up more or less cleft, the legs longer than the size o f the body appears to require, the feet divided, the tail short, and the hair long, and o f a sufficient fineness for spinning. T h eir genital parts are similar to those o f the camel, and the males, in like manner, void their urine backwards. In their internal conforraation they differ but little frora the camel, and, like all ru- minating animals, have four stom achs; the second o f w hich contains, between the two mem­branes that compose it, a great number o f ca- vities w hich appear to be intended solely for re-

servoirs o f water.These American camels resemble those o f the

old continent àlso in their dispositions and their mode o f liv in g ; like tlïem, they are extremely docile, and generally very mild. T h e alpacà and the llam a are employed, like the camel, to carry burdens, and possess the follow ing properties in common w ith thai anim al: they kneel in order to receive or discharge their lo ad s; their hoofs are so firm as not to require shoeing, and their skins so th ick as to render a pack saddle unnecessary,

vol . ï. s

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and tlieir step is slow, bu t sure evcn in the steepest mountains. T he chilihueque was forraerly em- ployed by the Chilians, as the paco is b y the Pe- ruYÍans; but the introduction o f the use o f mules, w hich liave now become very nutnerous, has entirely superseded that o f the chilihueque. A ll these animals pass a greatp art o f the night in rum inating; and whenever they wisli to sleep, fold their legs under their belly, and support themselves upon the breast.

T h o u g h these quadrupeds are analogous to the cameh they liaye likewise some peculiar cha- racteristics w hich distinguish them from that animal. Destihed b y -nature to live among ice and snow, their bodies are çovered w ith a thick fat- between the skin and the flesh, like almost a ll polar anim als; like them too they abound in blood, w hich is the more necessary to them, as they require a greater degree o f warm th than those animals w hich inhabit the p la in s: the fat preventing the evaporaíipn o f the lieat, and

therehy keeping up that temperature o f the blood w ithout which they w ould not be able to endure the severity o f the coid. T h e low er ja w , like

that o f the camel, is furnished w ith six incisors, iw o canine teeth, and several grinders; bu t the upper is w holly destitute o f incisors and canine teeth.; a character w hich appears to rae suffi- cieníly marked- to constitute a separate genus.

Besides tliis distinction, their ears are smaller

and more elegant than those o f the cam el; the nose is smooth^the neck straighter and better pro- portioned* the back more level* except the gu a­n aco ^ w bicb is a little arched* tbe ta il hand- somer, and suppliedwi|h agreater quantity o f hair, the legs are better shaped and fitted for running* and the hair on their bodies is longcr* softer* and more like wool. Placed by th e side o f one o f these animals* the camel w ould appear like t a monster» T heir natural cry reseinbles the neigh- ing o f a horse. T o defend themselves they em- ploy their saliva* which they throw upon those w ho raolest them. It is asserted* but it appears to be w ithout foundation, that this saliva is naturally caustic, and produces blisters upon the skin.

T h e y are in heát in the latter parí o f summer, during w hich time they become very íhin, and. shed their hair. Before copulation they make much noise, throw out their saliva* and appear ta he mad. T h e female has tw o dugs* w hich are always w ell filled w ith m ilk ; her period o f gesta* don is five or six months* and she produces but oné young át a birth. These three kinds o f animáis m utually avoid each other* ñor have they ever been known to copulate. T o what age they live I am unable precisely to determine* though I believe them sh'orter lived than the cam el; the

period generally assigried them by the Chilians is

thirty years.s %

2 6 0

I consider these animals as intèrmediate spe­cies which unite tlie goat, sheep, stag, and tlie ca m e l; and from the follow ing descriptions it w ill be seen that my opinion is not unfounded.

T h evicugna (cam ellus vicuña) is, according to M . BuíFon, only the pàco in its original state o f lib erty; b u tin this, as w èll as inm any otlier particulars w hich concern Am erica, that great naturalist has been misinformèd. T h e paco, or the alpaco, and the vicugna are tw o animals o f the same genus, but o f very different species. I t is certàin that they never copulate, although they live upon the same mountains, and the w ild paco, as well as the tame, is very common in Peru. T h e vicugna is nearly the size o f the tame g o a t; it resembles it particularly in the shape o f its back, rump, and tail, but differs from it in havin g a rnuch longer neck, w hich is frequently twenty inches in length, in its head w hich is round and without homs, in its ears w hich are small and

straight, in its m uzzle which is short and without a beard, and in its legs which are tw ice the height o f those o f the goat. It is covered with a very fine wool o f the colour o f dried roses, w hich w ill take any dye, and is used in the coun-

try in the manufacture o f a variety o f cloths. T his wool is known in Europe, and very h igh ly valued. T h e paco is most robust and o f or thicker make than the vicugn a; its m uzzle is

longer, and its w ool is also longer and not so

2 6 1

fine. T h e Pcruvians keep numerous flocks o f pacos, whose wool they employ in the manufac­ture o f several kinds o f cloth, w hich have the brilliancy o f silk. B u t the paco is not found in C h ili either in a domèstic or savage state.

T h e vicugnas appear to he more particularly attached to that parí o f the Andes which apper- tains to the provinces o f Copiapo and Coquim bo, where they are found in the greatest numbers, and inhabit the highest and more inaccessible ridges o f mountains perpetually covered with ice and snow. This coid climate seems to be best adapted to their nature, for a li those w hich the inhabitants have attempted to raise in the plains have beenattacked b y a species o f mange, which has soon destroyed th em ; and it is most probable owing to this cause that the methods w hich have been hitherto used to transport this animal to Europe have failed o f success. T h e vicugnas are always in flocks, and, lik e th e goats, are seen feeding on the tops o f rocks. As soon as they perceive a man they run offy taking their young with them, T he hunters, when they go in pursuit o f them, endeavour to surround the mountains upon which they are fbund, and b y

pressing them closer and closer, they at length collect the whole within a small compass, when they encircle the spot with a rope, to which they tie a great number o f pieces o f cloth. T h e vi­cugnas, who are very timid, dare not pass this

sS

262cord, and easily fall into the hands o f th e irp u r- suers, who usually k ill tbe wliole o f them. A s the wool o f these animals is the chief induce- ment for hunting them, instead o f killing, it would, perhaps, be more prudent merely to shear them, an operation which m ight be repeatedly performed. T heir numbers, however, notwith- standing these massacres, do not appear to be diminished, which induces me to believe that they have more young at a birth than is generally supposed. T h e inhabitants have never yet been able to domestícale this useful animal, but I do not doubt it w ill be effected, when the national industry, w hich is beginning to exert itself, at- tains a greater degree o f activity. T h evicu gn a is excellent game, and its flesh is preferred to v e a l; it is used as a speci fi c in cases o f the ophthalmy, by externa! application. T h e be- zoar w hich is found in its stomach is in high re­

pute w ith íhose persons who have confidence in stich things.

T h e chilihueque (cam ellus A raucanus) was originally cailed hueque, but the Araucanians, w itb whom this animal lived in a domèstic state, in order to distinguish it from the European sheep, w hich has becomevery common sincethearrrvalof the Spaniards, gave it the name o f chilihueque, or rehueque ; which signifies the sheep o f C hili. T h is name is w ell applied to i t ; for, excepting the length o f its neck and legs, it has considerable resemblance to the sheep. The head o f the chi-

263

íihueque is very much like that o f the sheep ; its cars are also oval and flàccid, the eyes large and black, the nose long and bunched, the lips thick and hanging, the tail o f a similar form , trot shorter, and the whole body covered with a very long and soft wool. T h e length o f the chilihue- que, from the upper lip to the root o f the tail, is about six fe e t ; and its lieight, measured from behind, is nearly four- feet. T h e individuals o f this species vary in co lo u r; thereN are some of them which are white, others brown, black, and grey.

T h e ancient Chilians made use o f these ani­mals as beasts o f burden, and were accustomed to lead them by a rope fastened to a hole made in the rim o f the ear, from whence has arisen the errors o f several geograpliical writers, who have asserted, that the sheep w hich had been carried to C h ili had so far increased in size, that they were loaded and employed as mules in the trans­portaron o f merchandize. Some writers pretend that, before the arrival o f the Spaniards, the Chilians employed the hueque in the cultivation o f their lands, and for drawing a kind o f cart w hich they called quetahue. T his agrees with the account o f Adm iral Spilsberg, who says that the inhabitants o f M ocha made use o f them when he landed there. T h e chilihueques are h igh ly valued b y the Araucanians ; who, though they are fond o f their flesh, never k ill them except

upon festivals, or on some soleraa sacrifice»

sé-

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Before the conquest they employed the wool o f this animal to make their clothes; but since sheep have multiplied so much, they make ose o f the wool o f the chilihiieque only for the most valu- able cloth.

W h at M . de Buffon and the eelebrated Lin- nasus have said respecting the paco and the vi- cugna being o f the same species, they have like- wise asserted o f the guanaco and t}ie llama. Both these naturalists have taken the llama for the domestïcated guanaco, but I have goodrea- sons for being o f a different opinión. Beside& the natural aversión which subsists between these tw o animals, and w hich prevenís them from ever m ingling, they also offer some very striking differences which can never be attributed to the changeof situation alone. T h e llam a has a straight back, all its legs nearly o f an equal length, and an excrescenee on the breast w hich is almost always moistened with a yellowish oily exudation. T h e guanaco, on the contrary, has a bunched or rather an arehM back ; the hind feet are so Ions* that when it is pursued it never attempts to ascend the mountains, like the llama, the paco, and the vicugna, but descends them, leaping, like the buck and the d e er; a course w ell suited to the peculiar conformation o f its legs.

T h e guanaco ( camellus huanacus ) exceeds the chilihueque in s iz e ; and I have seen some o f them that were the height o f ahorse. Its usual length, however, from the nose to the tail, i ï

2 6 5

àbout seven feet, and the height, measured before* four feet and tliree inches. T he body is covered w ith very long liair, o f a reddish colour upon the back, and wbitish under the b e lly ; its head is round, thenosepointed andblack, the ears straight like those o f a horse, the tail sliort, and turned back like that o f the stag. T h e ñame guanaco, by w hich it is ctfmmonly known, is P eru vian ; it isca lle d luan in Chili. T he guanaco appears to be less attached to a coid dim ate than the vi- cugna. In the beginning o f winter these ani­mals quit the mountains they inhabit during the summer, and appear in the valleys in large herds, usually o f a hundred or tw o hundred. T h e Chilians hunt thera witli dogs, b u t they commonly

take only the youngest, w hich are the least sw ift; the old ones run with astonishing rapidity, and it is difïicult to overtake them with a good horse. W hen tliey are pursued, they turn from time to time to look at the hüntsman, neighing as loud as they can, and then set off anew with increased ■ velocity. I t sometimes happens thatthe Indians, who are mounted upon very sw ift horses, take them alive, by means o f a noose or sling, which they throw from a distance between their Ie<rst OThismoose, w h ich the Indians caM laqui, is made o f a strip o f ieather, about fiveo r six feet long; to each eftd o f w hich is fastened a stone o f about two pounds weight. T h e huntsman, who

is on horseback, holds one o f these stones in his hand, and whirls the other around like a sling,

266

as sw ift as possible, in order to hurí it with more forcé, wlien he throws it at the animal he has singled out, whom he is almost certain o f

striking, frequently at more than three hundred paces distance. In order to take the animal alive, the sling must be thrown so dexterously, as only to tvvist itself around the féet. T he g u a ­naco is naturally gentle, and readily becomes ac- customed to a domèstic sta te ; it can be tamed to such a degree as to folio w its master where- ever he wishes. T h e meat, especially when the animal is young, is excellent, and as good as vea l; that o f the oíd ones is tougher, but is very good when salted ; it keeps well on long voyages, and is often put up for the use o f seamen. V e ry good hats are made from the liair, and it may be iised in the manufacture o f camlet.

T h e gnemul, or huemul (equus bisulcus) is an animal which I have classed with the horse, al- though it ought to form a separate genus, in çonsequence o f its hoofs being divided like those o f rum inating. animals. Its teeth, and the manner in w hich they are disposed, are precisely like those o f the horse; but its size, liair, and colour g ive it a greater ,resemblance to the ass, with" w hich it m ight readily be confounded, were

itn o t for the ears, w hich are short, straight, and pointed like those o f the horse. I t also wants th e b la ck stripe upon the back w hich is peculiar

to that species. T h e huemul is farther distin-

267

guished froni the ass b y a handsomer head, and a more elegant appearance; the neck and but- tocks are also better formed. A great difference likewise prevails in its internal conformation, and its voice is more like the neighing o f a horse, than the braying o f an ass. This animal is more unruly than the vicugna, and far exceeds it in sw iftness; it inhabits the most inaccessible parts o f the Andes, w hich is the reason o f its being so difficult to be taken. It is the same animal

w hich Captain W allis found at the Straits o f

M agellan, and, in my opinion, forms the link be- tween the ruminating and single-lioofed animals.

Horses, asses, cattle, sheep, goats, rnany kinds o f dogs, cats, and even mice, have been brought liitlier by the Spaniards. A ll these animals have multiplied exceedingly, and have increased in size, as m ight be expected from so favourable a climate. T h e horses o f C h ili possess all the good qualities o f their species: tliey have spirit,

vigour, and swiftness. Those w hich are bred in the plains resemble the Arabian horses; they are o f a middle size, bu t remarkably active. T h e mo^untain horses are stronger and closer set, and are very good for the harness; they have, in g e ­neral, an elegant appearance, a small and hand- some liead, the tail w ell fnrnished w itli hair, and a little raised, the chest broad, and w ell turned,

the thighs round and plump, the legs slender and

ncrvous, and the h oof so hard as not to require

2 6 8

to be shod, excçpt in cities. T h e great number o f horses, and their cheapness, is the reason w hy they are worse treated in Chili than almost any country in the world. A common horse w ill cost a felippo (about four shillings sterling) am are aboni fi ve Roman paolis, or about two shillings sterling. T h e y are fedentirelyupongrass, andaré kept in the Kield throughout the year. , It is very uncominon to see a peasant w alk h a lf a league ;

the moment he rises he goes and saddles one o f his horses, and uses him the whole day, w thout al- low ing him any time to rest or to feed. T o this

may be added' the long journeys o f a hundred leagues and nio re, w hich these people make with the *same horse, during the whole o f which the horse is only permxtted to rest at night.

Horses capable o f enduring such hàrdships, must be naturally o f a firm and strong constitu- t io n ; but it is perhaps, in a great measure, ow ing to their being early accustomed to severe fatigue, and the nature o f their food, as I have seen those w h ich ’were very oíd, and liad been in constant service. T h e horses, in consequénce o f their different gaits, are divided into three breeds,

the most common o f w hich are ttíetrotters. T h e horses o f this breed, as the most robust and vi-

* In Paraguay and Tucuman they are more humane. Led horses are always taken there for a journey.— E . E.

Dohrizhoffts.

2 6 9

gorous, are principally used by the country people. T h e second are the pacers, who are more easy gaited than the best Ándelusian horses. It is said that tliis step is peculiar to this breed, and

that it is observable even in the c o lts ; it is the best supported, and the quickest upon a long journey, for w hich reason this breed is intimae request than either o f the others. T h e parade horses constitute the third b reed ; these ne ver go out o f a foot pace, move w ith inuch grace, and are particularly in demand in Peru, where they are fcmployed on occasions o f parade and cere- m ony; the price o f them is from one hundred to

fi ve hundred crowns.

T h e Chilians are very careful to preserve the breed o f their, horses pure, and not suffer, any in­term ixture. D u rin g the winter almost ali the horses are kept at pasture in the valleys o f the Andes, from whence they return in the spring very fat and Yigorous. W hen the inhabitants train their colts, w hich is commonly dotie at three years o f age, they begin b y scoring the upper muscle o f the tail, to prevent the motion o f it, w hich operation they cali castige.

T h e ásses o f Chili are so strong and tali, that

it is difficult to recognize in them the original stock. I scarcely know to w hat circumstance to attribute this favourable alteration, unless it may

be the state o f liberty in w hich these animals

live, for they are made but very little use o f ; in

270the valleys o f the Andes they are even found in a w ild state, and are hunted by the Chilians for the salce o f their sk ins; among these are some that have hair sufficiently long to be spun with ease. T h e raules are an excellent b reed ; they are very strong, and are particularly distin- guished for being very sure footed and active*

T h e horned cattle, upon w hich the influence o f climate appears to be gréater than on others, have in C hili, ow ing to its favourable tempera­ture, acquired a larger size, w hile their flesli has become better, and more nutriti ve. T h e oxen o f the maritime are, however, o f an inferior size to tlxose o f the middle provinces, nor can these last be compared to those w hich are bred in the Yalleys o f the Andes. T hese cattle are kept the whole year in the open field, and their food, w hicli never fails them, consists entirely o f the different kinds o f herbs and grasses w hich follow each other in succession. T h e species, far from exhibiting any degeneracy, has improved consi- d era b ly ; and though I have observed that the cattle o f the maritime provinces are small, it is only in relation to the other &, for I have seen some o f them which weighed near two thousand

pounds.There are some landholders in Chili, whose

farras are sufficient to keep tw elve thousand head

o f cattle. A t the end o f each winter they usually

select a thousand head, either cows or oxen, in 2

order to fatten th em ; for this purpose, they drive them to the richest pastures, where they usually keep them till about Christmas, when they k ill tliem. T his slaughter, which is always a great festival for the peasants, is expected w ith the utmost impatience, and they conduct it as fol- lo w s :— T h e herdsmen drive twenty or thirty o f these fat cattle into an enclosure made with stakes, w hich is always erected u p o n a p la in ; the peasants, w ell mounted, surround the en­closure, and when they have taken their stations, one o f the cattle is let out. As soon as the beasé finds him self at liberty he takes fíight, and a ll the company pursue him, each endeavouring adroitly to hamstring him w ith a sharp iron,

shaped like a crescent, attached to the end o f a lance. W henever a beast falls, the butchers íra- m ediately dispatch him, by thrusting a kind o f long knife into the nape o f his neck. W hen alí the beasts are killed, they are dragged to one spot, where they are flayed, and the tallow separated from the beef. T his last they usually cu t up into long narrow strips, salt it a little, and dry it in the sun. Á very considerable com- xnerce is carried on in this beef, especially with

P e m and the mines. I t keeps very w e ll; and,* as it is not strongly salted, is preferred to the salt

provisions received from Holland and England. T h e tallow is mostly exported to Peru, very

little being used in the country; it is the same

with the hides, the greater part o f which are sold to strangers. T h e milk is o f the best and riches quality, and the inhabitants make excellent elieese from it, which is no w ay inferior to the best o f Lodi. O f the cheese, that o f Chanco, in the proyince o f M aúle, is the most celebrated. T h e catfcle are not employed in labour till three years oíd, and never more than two are tackled to a plough, even in breaking up new grounds. Instead o f a yoke being suspended to their necks, a rope, agreeably to the Spanish custom, is run through their borns; by w hich they draw the plough. T h e common price o f cattle through- out the country is from three to four filippi ( twelve or sixteen shillings sterling); but in the sea-ports the price is fixed, by an ancient regula- tion, at ten crowns, o f w hich the commandant o f the port receives four, and the owner six.

T h e sheep imported from Spain have lost no- thing in C h il i; they are o f the same size, and their wool is as beautiful as that o f the best Spanish sheep. E ach sheep yields annually from ten to fifteen pounds o f w o o l; the mutton, espe- cia lly that o f the wethers, is very fine. T hey

generally breed tw ice a year, as' is common in temperate climates, and frequently have tw o at a birth. T he sheep have no horns, but rams are,

frequently seen which have four and even six horns. T h e owners leave them the whole year in the open fields, without any shelter, and only

shuí theúi up ín a kind o f peíi to secuíe them from the w ild beasts. Those which are bred in the Andes are larger, and produce a longer and finer wool. T he Pehuenches, anation which in- habiís a part o f íhese mountains, have crossed the breed o f the sheep w ith the goat, and this mixed breed is much larger than the other sheep; their hair, which is more or iess curled, has the hrmness and softness o f wool, and is fre- quentíy two feet lo n g ; it resembles much the hair o f the Angora goat.

T h e goats have also m ultiplíed ástonishingíy; they live almost always in the mountains; their skins are employed for manu factu ring m orocco; o f this much is consumed'in the country, and great quantities are sent to Perú.

M an in C hili enjoys all the advantages whicli result from a mild unchangeabíe climate, and those persons who do not shorten their lives by

irregulárities, attain to a very *advanced age. N otw ithstanding what M . de Pauw hasásserted, I have m yself known several oíd men o f a hun- dred and four, a hundred and five, and one in- stance even o f a hundred and fifteen years o f r ^e.

* lt appears beyond a doubt, from the concurrent testimony of all writers who have lived ín South America, that the natives live to a hundred more frequently than Europeans to fourscore. The fruit hangs there upon the tree till it drops every where in the Oíd World the rude dimate sbakes it down.— E. JE.

YOL. í . T

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It i$ buta, few ycars since that Don Antonio B oza died there at the age o f onc hundred and six. M y granel father aud my great gran d father, both cre­d e s, iived, the firstto the age o f ninety-five, the other to ninety-six. These instances are not un-

common amorig the natives o f the country. T h e women are general ly prolífic, and there are few oountrics where they more frcquently give birth to twins. This fecundity, and the abolition o f some practices which werc injurióos to the pro- pagation o f the human species, w ill cxplaiu the rapid inercase o f population, which lias taken place within the last thirty ycars.

The inhabitants o f C hili are either aboriginal, or t!ie descendants o f Europeans or Africans. Thosc descended from Europeans are w ell shaped, particularly the women, some o f whom are vcry beautifuh T h e aborigines form but one nation, divided inio many tribes, ali o f whom speak thé same language, w hich they cali C h ili- duga, or the Chilian tongue- This language is soft, harmonious, expressive, and regular, and possesses a great number o f words, not only ex­pressive o f natural objects, but also o f moral and

metaphysical ideas. T h e colour o f the natives is a reddish or coppery brown, excepting the B o- roanes, who live in the midst o f the Araucanian provinces, in the thirty-ninth degree o f latitude ; these are white, and as w ell featured as the northern Europeans. N othing appears to me to be more ridiculous tlian the assertion o f several au-

thors, that all the Americans resemble each other, and that from seeing one you are abie to ju d g e of íbe wholc. Tliese genílemen scem to have been. led into'tbis error by a very sliglit resemblance, arising from their colour. It is only necessary to see different individuals to be convinced o f the contrary. Á Cíiiíian is as easily distinguisbable from a Peruvian as an ítalian. from a Germán. X have seen natives o f Cujo, o f Paraguay, and o f tlie Straits o f M agellan, and I can confidently aíb rm, that their countenances present a very striking differeuee. T he Cbilians, lik etb e T a r- tars, have but íittle beard, and the custom whieh tbey have o f plucking out the hair as fast as it grows, rnakes tbeni àppear as i f beardless; for tbis purpose they always carry wilh tbem asm all pair o f pincers, wliich fornis a part o f their toilette. There are some o f tbem, however, who have as thick a beard as the Spaniards. T h e hair whieh marks the age o f puberty they have in still greater qnantities than the beard. T he opinión that a. thin beard is the mark o f a feeble hody, is not veïified in the ease o f these péople. T h e Indians are generally vigorons, and are better able to endure fatigue tiran the creóles, for whieh reason they are always preferred in those employments that require strength.

Those who inhahit the plains are' o f the same iieight as the E uropeans; but the natives o f the

mountains are distinguished by a taller stature;t %

m

and I am well convinced that Ihese are the famous Patagonians, o f whom so mucli lias been said. Lord Anson is o f the same opinión, and (he descriptions given by Byron, W a ll is, Carteret, Bougainville, D u Clos, and D e la Giraudais, o f these pretended gianís, agree perfectly well with the appearance o f the mountaineers o f Chili. W liat confirms me in my opiuion is, that their language, from the specimens o f it which those navigators have given, is the Chilian. I have elsewhere showed that the Chilian language does not extend beyond the limits mentioned in the commencement o f this w ork; besidcs w hich, the Patagonian contains a grcat number o f Spanish words, which proves fu lly a communication be- tween the two nations. T he usual heisht o f these inhabitants o f the mountains is five feet seven inches ; the tallest that I have seen did not exceed six feet three inches;, but what makes them appear mucli larger is the enormous size o f

their limbs, which do not appear to be adapted to their height, except the hands and feet, which, in proporíion to the rest, are very small. T h e tout ensemble o f their countenances is not b a d ; they have usually a round face, a nose rather large, very sprightly eyes, remarkably white teeth, black and coarse nair, and some o f them wear whiskers. T h ey have generally a browner complexión than the other Chiiians, from their being constantly in the open air.

Thedress o f those who líve in tlie western vai­lets o f the Andes,, consists o f various kinds o f

woollen cloth ; but those who inhabittheeastern, or the true Patagonians, cover themselves with the skins o f guanacos and 'other w ild animals. Some o f them wear the poncho o f the Aráuca- nians, which is a kind o f -cloak, o f an oblong fb r m ^ ith a hole in the middle to put the head through, T h e Pehuelques, who occupy the Southern Andes, wear a leathern hat, decorated w ith .feath ers; they paint their bodies and faces o f vajious colours, particularly their eyelids, T h e women, who are all o f a lofty stature, dress much like the men, except that,. instead o f breeches, they wear a small apron.

A ll these people live under tents made o f skins, which they easily transport from one place to another, whither they remove for the conveni- ence o f pasturage. T hey are divided into several tribes, each o f which has Us particular chief, to whom .they g ire the name o f U lm an ; like the other Chilians, they are idolaters.' T heir lan- gu age is every where the same, except that the eastern tribes llave rátlier a guttural pronuncia- tion. These people are almost constantly during the day on horseback; their saddles 'are made like the pack-saddles o f our àsses, the bridle is a leather string, the bit, stirrups, and spurs, are o f wood, but notwithstanding the rudeness o f this equ.page, they are good horsemen, and al-

t 3

8 7 8

most always ride upon the full galiop, followed b y a great niimber o f dogs, who are traincd to hold the horse hy the bits when the ridcr alig*hts# T h e eastern Chiliaris have no horses ibat exceed the middle size, probkbly from iheir riding them when very young, and allo>ving them too little rest. A lihough they are not in want o f cattle >for food, they preferíam e to any thing else ;■ and they are ahnost always to be seen in chase o f the guanaco or the ostrich, in the vast plains that extend from the mouth. o f the P iata to the eastern

part o f the Straits o f M agellan. T h e weapon which they employ in hunling and in war, is the ictqui, o f which Ï have already spoken. It was with this that they killed forty Spaniards, in a ski miis h at Saint Luis della Punta, in 1767. These mountainecrs somctimes attack the ca- ravans which pass from Buenos Ayres to Chili, and frequenily the -country houses belonging to the capital.

Between the Southern boundaries o f Chili and the Straits o f M agellan, there are no nations except the Pojas and the Caucaus. T h e Pojas are o f a gigantic stature, but their language is entirely diderent from that o f the Chilians, and they never approach their territories. T h e Caucaus are o f a middle stature, and their lan gnage is also very diderent from the Chilians,' these last dress themselves in garmeuts made o f the skins o f sea-wolves,

279

T h e above sketch w ill serve to give some idea o f the inliabitants o f C lr ili; but in my sccond part, containing the civil history o f those people, I shali treat more fu lly o f their manners and custonas, as well as o f their military expe- ditions.

A M E T H O D I C A E t a b l e

OF THE

VAHIO US SPECIES OF N ATURAL PRODUCTIONS

D E S C R IE E D I N T IIIS W O R K ,

ÀR R A N G E D IN TH E MAN N ER OF HXNJEUS.

R E G N U M A N IM A L E .

M AM M ALIA.

I B RUTA.— Dasipus quadricinctus cingulis quatuor, pedibus pentadactylis.

Dasipus octocincius cingulis octo, palmis tetradactylis, plantis pentadactylis.

Dasipus undecimcinctus cingulis undecim, palmis tetradactylis, plantis pentadactylis.

Dasipus ocíodecimcinçfus cingulis duodeviginti, palmis tetra­dactylis, plantis pentadactylis.

F e r a e .—rPhoca Lupina capite subauriculato, palmis tetra­dactylis.

Phoca Porcina capite auriculato, rostro truncato prominente.Phoca Elephantina capite antice cristato.Phoca Leonina capite postice jubato.Canis Culpaus cauda recta elongata, apice concolore Izevi.Felis Puma cauda elongata, corpore cinereo subtus albicante.Felis Guigna cauda elongata, corpore maculis omnibus orbi­

culatis.

Felis Colocola cauda elongata, corpore albo maculis irreg. atris, stavisquc.

"V iverra Chinga atro caerulea, maculis quinque dorsualibus ro­tundis albis.

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Mustela Felina plantis palmatis pilosis, cauda tereti elongata.Mustela Cuja pedibus fissis, corpore atro labio superiore sub-

truncato.Mustela Quiqui pedibus fissis, corpore fusco, rostro cunei­

formi.

G l i r e s .— Lepus Viseada cauda elongata setosa.

Lepus Minimus cauda brevissima, auriculis pilosis conco­loribus.

(MiïtítjíHuidohrius cauda longa compresso-lanceolata, palmis lobatis, plantis palmatis.

Mus Cyanus, cauda mediocri subpilosa, palmis 4 -dactylis, plantis 5-dactylis, corpore cerúleo subtus albido.

Mus Laniger cauda mediocri, palmis 4-dactylis, plantis 5-clac- tylis, corpore cinereo lanato.

Mus Maulinus cauda mediocri pilosa, auriculis acuminatis, pedibus pentadactylis.

Mus Coypus cauda mediocri subcompressa pilosa, plantis pal­matis.

Sciurus Degus fusco stavescens, linea Iiuinerali nigra.

P e co r a .— Camelus Huanacus corpore piloso, dorso gibbo, cauda erecta.

Camelus Vicugna corpore lanato, rostro simo obtuso, cauda erecta.

Camelus Araucanas corpore lanato, rostro superne curvo, cauda pendula.

Capra Puda cornibus teretibus laevibus, divergentibus, gula imberbi.

B e l l u a e .— Equus Bisulcus pedibus bisulcis.

AVES.A c c i p i t r e s .— Vultur Jota niger remigibusfuscis, rostro cine­

raceo.

Vultur Gryphis maximus, caruncula verticali longitudine capi­tis, gula nuda.

Falco T/tarus ceva, pedibusque luteis, corpore albo-nigres- cente, vertice cristato.

Strix Cuniculario, capite laevi, corpore supra fusco, subtus albo, pedibus tuberculatis pilosis.

P i c a e .— Psittacus Jaguilma macrouius vividis, reinigibus apice fuscis, orbitis fulvis.

Psittacus Cyanalysios brachiurus luteo-virens, collaricaeruieq, uropygio rubro.

Psittacus Chorus braohyurus viridis, subtus cinereus orbitis in­carnatis.

Picus Lignarius pileo coccineo, corpore albo, caeruleoquc vit­tato.

Picus Pitius cauda brevi, corpore fusco maculis ovalibus albis guttato.

Trochilus Cyanocepkalus rectirostvis capite reinigibus, rectri­cibusque caeruleis, abdomine rubro.

Trochilus Galeritus curvirostris viridi-aureus, remigibus, ree- tricibusque fuscis, crista purpurea.

Trochilus M.inirmis rectirostris, rectricibus lateralibus margine exteriore albis, corpore viridi nitente, subtus albiro.

A n s e r e s .— Anas Mdancorypha ròstro semicylindrico rubro, capite nigro, corpore albo.

Anas Hybrida rostro semicylindrico, cera rubra, cauda acuti- uscuia.

Anas Regia caruncula compressa frontali corpore caeruleo sub­tus fusco, collari albo.

Diomedea Chilensis alis impenuibus, pedibus compedibus try- dactvlU, digitis omnibus connexis.

Diomedea Chilensis alis impennibus, pedibus compedibus te- tradactvlis palmatis, corpore lanuginoso cinereo.

Pelecanus Thagus catula rotunda, rostro serrato, gula sac­cata.

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284

G r a l l a e .— Phaenicopterus Chilensis ruber, remigibusalbis,Ardea Erytkrocepkala crista dependente rubra, corpore albo.Ardea Galatea occipite subcristato, corpore lacteolo, rostro

luteo pedibus coccineis.

Ardea Cyanocephala vertice cristato caeruleo, remigibus nigris albo marginalis.

Ardea Tkula occipite cristato concolore, corpore albo.Tantalus PiUus facie, rostro, pedibusque fuscis, corpore albo,

remigibus rectricibusque nigris.Parra Chilensis unguibus modicis, pedibus fuscis occipite sub-

cristalo.Otis Chilensis capite, juguloque laevi, corpore albo, vertice

rectri cibnsque cinereis, remigibus primor, nigris.

Struthio Rea, pedibus tridactylis, digito postico rotundata mutico.

P a s s e r e s .— Columba Melancoptera cauda cuneata, corpore caerulescente, remigibus nigris.

Sturnus Loyca fusco, alboque maculatus, pectore coccineo.Turdus Thilius ater, axillis luteis, cauda cuneata.

Turdus Tkenca fusco-cinereus, subtus pallido-cinereus rerni- gibus rectricibusque apice albis.

Turdus Curaeus ater nitens, rostro substriato cauda cuneata.Fringilla Barbata lutea, alis viridibus nigro rubroque maculatis

gula barbata.Fringilla Diuca caerulea, gula alba.Phitotoma (gen. nov.) rostrum conicum, rectum, serratum.

Nares ovatae.1 Phitotoma Rara.

Lingua brevis obtusa.

AMPHIBIA.R e p t i l i a .— Rana Arunco corpore verrucoso, pedibus pal­

matis.Rana Lutea corpore verrucoso luteo pedibus subpalmatis.Lacerta Pallurna cauda veiíieiüata longiuscula, squamis rhom­

boideis.

2 8 5

Lacerta Aquatica Nigra, (caudiverbera) cauda depresso-plana, pinnaiifida, pedibus palmatis.

N a n t e s .— Chimaera Callorinchus rostro subtus labro inflexo i se vi.

Squalus Fernandinus pinna ani nulla, dorsalibus spinosis, cor­pore tereti ocellato.

PISCES.A p o d e s .— Stromateus Cumarca dorso caeruleo, abdomine albo.

T h o r a c i c i .— Chaetodon Aureus cauda integra, spinis dorsa» libus 1 1, corpore aureo, fasciis 5 discoloribus distincto.

Sparus Cfiilensis cauda bifida, lineis utrinque trausversis fuscis.

A b d o m i n a l e s .— Silurus Luvur pinna dorsali postica adiposa, cirris 4 , cauda lanceolata.

Esox Cfiilensis maxillis aequalibus, linea laterali caerulea.Mugil Cfiilensis dorso monopterygio.Cyprinus Regius pinna ani radiis 11, dorsali longitudinali.

Cyprinus Caucus pinna ani radiis 13, corpore tuberoso argén, teolo.

Cyprinus Malchus pinna ani radiis S, corpore conico subcaer­uleo.

Cyprinus Iulus pinna ani radiis 10, caudee lobatas.

INSECTA.C o l e ó p t e r a .— Lucanus Piimus exscutellatus ater, corpore

depresso, thorace striato.Chrysomela Maulica ovata aurata, antennis caeruleis.

L e p i d o p t e r a .— Papiiio Leucothea D. alis integerrimis ro­tundatis albis concoloribus, antennis, aterrimis.

Papilio Psittacus N. alis dentatis virescentibus, luteo caeruleo- que maculatis, subtus flavis.

Phalaena Ceraria B. elinguis, alis deflexis flavescentibus, fas­ciis nigris.

H.YMENOPTERA.—-Cynips Rosmarini Chiiensis.

§ 8 6

Típula Moschifera alis incumbentibus cinereis, thorace; abdo­mineque flavis.

A p t e r a .— Aranea Scrofa abdomine semiorbicuiato fusco,, dentibus laniariis inferioribus exsertis.

Scorpio Chilensis pectinibus 16’ dentatis, manibus subangulatis.

Caneor Talicuna brachyurus thorace orbiculato laevi inte­gerrimi, chelis muricatis.

Cancer, Xaiva brachyurus, thorace laevi lateribus tridentato’, fronte truncata.

Cancer Apancora brachyurus, thorace laevi ovato atrinque' denticulato, cauda trigona.

Cancer Setosus brachyurus, thorace hirsuto obcordátó tuber- culato, rostro bitido inflexo.

Cancer Sanlolla brachyurus, thorace aculeato arcuato subeo- riaceo, manibus pelliculatis.

Cancer Coronatus brachyurus, thorace obovato, apophyci dor­sali crenata.

Cancer Cementarius inacrourus, thoraci laevi cylindrico, rostro obtuso, chelis aculeatis.

VERMES.

M o l l u s c a .—Pyura (gen. nov.) Corpus conicum nidulaus: Proboscides binae terminales perforatae. Oculi inter proboscides.

J. Pyura Chilensis.Sepia Unguiculata corpore eeaudato, brachiis unguiculatis.Sepia Tunicata corpore prorsus vaginantej cauda alata.Sepia Hexapodia corpore caudato segmentato.

Echinus Albus hemisphaerico globosus, ambulacris denis: areis longitudiualiter verrucosis.

Echinus Ñiger ovatus, ambulacris quinis: areis muricatis ver­rucosis.

T e s t a c e a — Lepas Psittacus testa postice adunca, sexvalvi, rugosa.

Pilólas Ckiloensis testa oblonga depressiuscula, striis longiíú- dinalibus distantibus.

Solen Macha testa ovaíi oblonga antice truncata, cardine al­tero bidentato.

Chama Thaca subrotunda longifudinalitcr striata, ano retuso.Mytilus Ater testa sulcata postice squamosa.Murex Locus testa ecaudata obovata antice nodosa, apertura

edentula suborbiculata.Helix Serpentina testa subcarinata imperforata conica, longi-

tudinaliter striata, apertura patulomarginata,

R E G N U M V E G E T A B I L E .

DIANDRIA.M o n o g y n i a .— Rosmarinus Chilensis foliis petiolatis.May tenus (gen, nov.) Cor. 1 petela campanulata. Cal. I-

phyllus. Caps. 1 sperma.1 Maytenus Boaria.

TRIANDRÏA.M o n o g y n i a .— ScirpusEllychniarius culmo tereti nudo, spicis

globosis quaternis.

D y g i n i a .—Arundo Rugi calyc. trifloris, foliis subulatis glabris.

Aruudo Quila calyc. trifloris, foliis ensiformibus serratis.Arundo Valdiviana calyc. trifloris, foliis subulatis pubes­

centibus.

287

TETR ANDRIA.M o n o g y n i a .—Rubia Chilensis foliis auuuis, caule subro»

tundo laevi.Cornus Chilensis arborea, 'cymis nudis, foliis cordatis den­

tatis.

PEN TAN D R 1A.M o n o g y n i a .—Nicotiana Minima foliis sessilibus ovatis, flo­

ribus obtusis.

Solanum Cari caule inermi herb. fui, pinnatis inieg. neet. eam- panulato subaequante petala.

D i g y n i a .— Hemiaria Payco foliis serratis.

Solsola Coquimbana fruticosa, caul. aphyilis, calyc. succulentis diaphanis.

Gentiana Cachanlahuen Cor. qumquefidis infundib. ramis op­positis patulis.

Heracleum Tuberosum fol. pinnatis, foliolis septeuis, flor, ra­diatis.

Seandix Chilensis semin. rostro longissimo, foliolis integris ovatolanceolatis.

T r i g y n i a .— Q uincliamalium (gen. nov.) Cal. S ftdus. Cor.5-íida. Caps. 3-Ioculaíis poivspenmi.

Quinchamalium Odíense.

P e n t a g y n i a .— Linum Aquilinum fol. alternis lanceolatisj pedunculis bifloris.

HEXANDRIA.M o n o g y n i a .— Pemnus (gen. nov.) Cal. 6-fidus. Cor. 6«

petala. Drupa 1-sperma.1 Peuiuus Rubra fol. alternis, petiolatis, ovalibus, integerrimis*

2 Peimius Alba fol. alternis, petiolatis, ovalibus, dentatis.3 Peumus Mammosa fol. alternis, sessilibus, cordatis, inte­

gerrimis.4 Peumus Boldus fol. oppositis, petiolatis, ovalibus, subtus

villosis.Puya (gen. nov.) Petala 6 inrequalia, tribus major, fornicatis.

Cap. 3-locularis.1 Puya Chilensis.

O CTANDIUA.M o n o g y n i a .— Sassia (gen. nov.) Cal. 4-pbyllus. Cor. 4«

petala. Caps. 2-locuiaris, 2-sperma.1 Sassia Tinctoria fol. ovatis, scapo multifloro.

2 Sassia Perdicaria fol. cordatis, scapo unifloro.

2 8 9

EN N EÁN D RIA.M o n o g y n i a .— Laurus Caustica fol. ovalibus rugosis, peren­

nantibus, flor, quadrifidis.Panke (gen. nov.) Cal. 4 -fidus. Cor. 4-fida. Caps. 1-sperlna.2 . Panke Tinctoria caule erecto racemifero.2 . Panke Acaulis racemo acauli.Plegorhiza (gen. nov.J Cal. ó. Cor. 1-petala. Caps. 1 -{ocu­

laris, 1-sperma.

1. PIegorhÍ2a"Gauicurïi.

DECANDRIA.M o n o g y n i a .— Hippomanica (geni nov.) Cal. 5-parlit us. Pe

tala Novata. Caps. 4-locularis.1. Hippomanica Insana.

D i g y n i a .—Thuraria (gen. nov.) Cor. 1-petala. Calyc. iubU- losus. Caps. 2-locularis, 2*sperma.

2. Tliuraria Cfiilensis.

P e n t a g y n i a .— Oxaiis Tuberosa pedunc. nmbeiliferis, caule ramoso, radice tuberosa.

Oxaiis Virgosa scapo multifloro, fol. tcrnatis ovatis.

ICOSAN DRIA.M oNO GYN) A.---Cactus Coquimhanus erectus, longus, 10-an-

gularis, angulis obtusis, spinis longissimis rectis.Myrtus Ugni flor, solitariis, ramis oppositis, foliis ovalibus

subsessililms.Myrtus Luma flor, solitariis, fol. suborbiculatis.Myrtus Maxima pcdunc. multifloris) fol. alternis subovalibus.

D i g y n i a .— Lucuma (gen. nov.) Cal. 4-fidusduplicatus. Cor. 6 Drupa l-seu 2-sperma.

1. Lucuma Bifera fol. alternis, pctiolatis, ovato oblongis.2 . Lucuma Turbinata fol. alternis, pelioiatis, ianceolalis.3. Lucuma Valparadiscca fol. oppositis, petiolatis, ovato-ob-

iongis.

vOL- j. v

290

4. Lucuma Keule fol. alternis, petiolatis, ovalibus, subserratis.5. Lucuma Spinosa fol. alternis sessilibus, ramis spinosis.

POLYANDRIA.DlGYNiA.--Temus (gen. nov.) Cal. 3-íkIus. Cor. 18-petala,

Bacca dicocca.1 . Temus Moschaía.

DIDYNAMIA.G y m n o s p e r m i a .—Ocymum Salinum fol. ovatis glabris,

caule geniculato.

A n g i o s p e u m i a ,—Gevuina (gen. nov.) Cal. ó. Cor. 4-petala» Caps. 1-locularis coriacea.

1 . Gevuiua Avellana.MONADELPHIA.

D e c a n d r i a .—Cnnodendron (gen. nov.) Monogynia. Caps. 3-gona sperma.

1 . Crinodendron Patagua.

DIADELPHIA.D e c a n d r i a .—Phaseolus Tallar caule volubili, Ieg. pendulis,

cylindricis, torulosis.Phaseolus Asellus caule volubili, fol. sagittatis, semin. globosis.Dolichos Funarius volubili caule perenni, legum, pendulis pen-

taspermis, fol. ovalibus utrinque glabris.Psoralea Lutea fol. ternatis fasciculatis, foliolis ovatis rugosis,

spic. pedunculatis.

POLYADELPHIA.Ic o s a n d r i a .—-Citrus Chilensis fol. sessilibus acuminatis.

SYNGENESIA.P o l y g . íE o u a l .—Eupatorium Chilense fol. oppositis ara

plexicauiibus, Ianceolatis, denticulatis, calycis quinque- floris.

Santolina Tinctoria pedunc. uniflor. fol, linearibus integerri­mis, caulibus striatis.

Polyg. Su p e r e .—Gnaphalium Viravira herb, fol. decur« rentibus, spatulatis, utrinque tomentosis.

Madia^ew. nov.) Recept. nudum, pappus nullus: cat. 8-phiU lus: seni, planoconvexa.

3. Madia Sativa fol. lineari lanceolafis, petiolatis.2 . Madia Mellosa fol. amplexicaulibus Ianceolatis.

P o l y g . F rustr..— Helianthus Thurifer caule fructicoso, fol. line ari-lanceolatis.

MONOECIA.T r i a n d r i a .— Zea Curagua foliis denticulatis.

P o l y a n d r i a .—Colliguaja (gen. nov.) Mase. Cal. 4-fidus, cor. ó. Stam. S.

Fem. Cal. 4-fidus. Cor. 6. Styli 3-Caps. angularis, 3-sperma.

1 . Colliguaja Odorifera.Quillaja (gen.nov.) Mase. Cal. 4~phyllus. Cor. ó. Stam. 1 2 .

Fem. Cal. 4-phylius. Cor. ó. Styli 4-Caps. 4-locularis.Sem. solitaria.

1 . Quillaja Saponaria.

A d e l p h i A.—Pinus Cupressoides fol. imbricatis acutis.Pinus Araucana fol. turbinatis imbricatis hinc mucronatis,

ramis quaternis cruciatis.

Sy n g e n e s i a ,—Cucurbita Si ceraria fol. angulato sublobatis tomentosis, pomis lignosis globosis.

Cucurbita Mammeata fol. multipartitis, pomis spheroideis mammosis.

DIOECIA.D i a n d r i a .—Salix Chilensis fol. integerrimis glabris, laucec-

iatis, acuminatis.

D e c a n d r i a .— Schinus Huygan fol. pinnatis: foliolis serratis petiolatis, impari brevissimo.

POLYGAMÍA.M o n o e c i a .— M imosa Balsámica inermis fol. bipinnatis, par*

iialibus 6-jugis subdenticulatis, flor, octandris. v %

291

Mimosa Caverna, spinis stipularibus patentibus, fol. bipínnatis, spicis globosis verticillatis sessilibus.

T r ï o e c i a .—Geraíonia Chilensis fol. ovalibus carinatis, ramis spinosis..

PALMA!.Cocos Ckilensis inermis, frond. pinnatis, foliol. complicatis en-

siforniibus, spadicibus quaternis.

REGNUM LAPIDEUM.

PETR/E.C a l c a r i a .—Gypsum Vulcanicum particulis indeterminatis

caerulescens.

A r g i l l a c e a .—Mica Variegata membranacea fissilis, fiexilis, pellucida, variegata.

A g g r e g a t a .—-Saxum Chíllense impalpabile, luteum, roa* culis spatosis rubris caeruleisque,

MINERAS.SulrhurA.—Bitumen Andintm tenax ex atro caerulescens.

M e t a l l a .—Cuprum Campanile miueralisatum stannosum cinereum.

Cuprum Láxense zinco naturaliter mixturo.

FOSSILIA.TfcRRA.-^-Arena Cyanea ferri micans caerulea.Arena Talcensis ferruginea in aqua durescens.Argilla Bucarina fusca, luteo-punctata, odorifera.Argilia Maulica nivea, lubrica, atomis nitidis.Argilla Suldolu atra, aquosa, tenacissima.Argilla Rovia aterrima, tinctona.Calx Vulcania solubilis, pulvereo-gi anulata.

A SUPPLEMENT

TO THE

TA B LE OF T H E VEG ETABLE KIN GD O M ,

COKTAINING SEVERAL SPECIES NOT INCLUDED THEREIN, ANU DESCRIBSD OR MENTIOÏí EE) I X T l l l S WORK*.

Fage 107—Chenopodium folio sinuato, saturate virenti, vulgo Quinua.

Page 108—Oxalis roseo flore erectior, vulgo Culle.Page 109—Fraguaría (Chilensis) fructu maximo, foliis carnosis

hirsutis.Page 113—Bermudiaua bulbosa, flore reflexo cceruleo. Alstroemeria (Ligta) caule ascendente. Heraerocallis floribus

striatis.Page 124 —Tilhymalus fol. trinerviis et cordatis, vulgo Pichoa. Polygala coerulea angustis et densioribus foliis. Clinclin. Gramen bromoides catharticum. Guilno.Virga aurea leucoi folio incauo. Diuca-lahuen.Lichnidea verbenee tenui folio, folio. Sandia-laliuen.Geranium columbinum, corecore.Page 125—Jacoboea leucanthemi vulgaris folio, Gnilgue Page 127—Bochi liliaceo, amplissimoque, flore carmesino.

Copiu.Page 128—Urceolaria foliis carnosis scandens.

* It huving bcen found difficult, frotn the imperfect descriptioris of severa! of these species, to arrange them under their proper classes and orders, this coüqcation has becn adopted in prcference to any other.— Trans.

V 3

294

Coriaria (ruscifolin) fol. cordato-ovatis sessilibus. Deu.Lonicera (corymbosa) corymbis terminalibus, fol. ovatis, acutis.

Uthiu.Poinciana spinosa, vulgo Tara.Pseudo-acacia foliis mucronatis, flore luteo, Mayu.Page 133—Psovalc-a glandulosa, fol. omnibus ternatis, foliolis

ovato-lanceolatis, spic. pcdunculatis, vulgo Cullen.Page 135—Cestrum nocturnum floribus pedunculatis, vulgo

Palqui.Arbuscula 8-pedalis. Caules plurimi, fistulosi, erecti, teretes,

aculeati, superne dirhotomi. Folia alterna, petiolata, ob­longa, integra, venosa, carnosa, 4-poliicarea. Flores corymbosi pcdunculati. Calyx 5-fidus. Corolla brevior. Corolla monopetala, infundibuliformis, limbo plano 5-par- tito, flav'-ioens. Bucca ovalis violacea.

Page 13?—Datura arborea, perica rp; glabris inermibus nu­tantibus, caule arboreo. Floripondio.

Page 139—Boighe cinamomifera olivse fructu.

S U P P L E M E N T A R Y N O T E S ,

ILLU STRATI VE OF

THE HISTOKY OF CHILI,Extraclcd from an anonymow icorlc, cntilkd, A Compendium o f ilie

Geographical, Natural, and Civil Jlistory o f Chili, prinlcd in liologna, 1776.

T he Spaniards liavc (lividecí that part of Chili belonging to them, between the Audes and the sta, into fourteeu provinces, to which may be added the Archipelago of Chiloé, the islands of Juan Fernandez, and the province of Cujo. Each of these, excepting Valdivia and the islands of Juan Fernandez, is the residence of a prefect called the Corregidor, who pre­sides over the civil and military officers of his department, and on whom the Cabildo, or magistrate, is dependant, These provinces, commencing 011 the side of Peru, are :

lst. COPIAPO.

Tuis province is bounded 011 the north by the deserts of Peru, on the east by the Andes, on the south by Coquimbo, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean. It is in length trom north to south about one hundred leagues, and in breadth from east to west forty-four. It is waterecl by the rivers Salado, Copiapo, from wlicnc.c it derives its name, Castagno, Totoral, Quebradaponda, Guaseo, and Choiiai. It abounds with gold, lapis lazuli, suiphur, and fossile salt, which is found in ahnost ali the mountams ibat terminate it to the east. Its capital, of the s«pne name, is siluated upon the river Copiapo, in 26. dcg.'50, min. S. lalitude, aud 305. 5 , W. longitude.

296

ït contams a parish, a convent o f Mercedarii, apd a ç.ollçge wbich formerly belonged to tlie Jcsuits. On the viver Guaseo are situated the towns of Santa-Rosa and Guascoalto, botli irs 2.9 <leg. o f latitude, the first at four leagues distance from the sea, and the sccond in the neighbourhood of the Andes. This province has two ports, one at the mouth of the river Copiapo, and íiieother at that of the Guaseo, which are known by the names o f tliose r i vers.

Sld. COQUIM BO.

Coquimbo, bounded on the north by Copiapo, on tfaq cast by the Andes, on the south-east by Aconcagua, on the south-wcst by Quillota, and on the west by the sea, is forty- iive leagues in Iength, and forty in brcadth. Its rivers are the Coquimbo, Tongoi, Limari, and Chuapa. It is ricli in gold, coppcr, iron, wine, olives, and othef fruits, botií Ihose of Eu- ropean orígin, and as such as are natural to the country. Its capital is Coquimbo, othervvi.se called la Serenat which vva» fòunded in the year 1544, by Pedro de Valdivia. This ciiy is the vesidence of several noble and ancicnt famílies; it is pleasantly situated upon the river Coquimbo, iu 29. deg. 4,9. min. of.latitude, and 304. 22. of longitucle. The fickls around it are in a constant state of verdure, though it seldom rain;, therc, and the temperature of the air is very miid. It has been several times taken and plundercd by the English. Besidcs the parochial church, it contains several convents of monks of different orders, and a collcge formerly belonging to the Jesnits. There are two ports in this province* that of Coquimbo, ncar the moutli of the mer of that name, at two leagues distance from the city, where some vessels from Peru load annually; and that of Tongoi, towards the confines of. Quillota.

297

3d. QUILLOTA.

T his pro vince is bounded by that of Coquimbo on the north, on the east by Aconcagua, on the south by Melipilla,. and ou the west by the sea. It is twenty-five leagues in Jength, and sixteen in breadth. Its riversare the Longotoma, Ligua, Aconcagua, and Limache. Tliis district is one of the most populous and the richest in gold of any in Chiii. Its herap and honey are much esteemed. The capital, Quillota, or St. Martin, is situated in a pleasant valley on the borders of the river Aconcagua, in 32. 56. of latitude, and 30-1. 20 . of longitude. It has a parish, witli the churches of St. Do- minick, St. Fi ancis, St. Augustine, and a college formerly of the Jesuits. This proviuce contains also the cities of Plazza, Plazilla, Ingenio, Casablanca, and Petrorca. This Iast is very populous, in cousequence of the great number of miners wjio resort thither lo work in the gold mines in its vicinity. It is situated on the river Longotoma, in 31. 30. south latitude, and 305. longitude. Quillota contains a number of ports, the most considerable of which are Papudo, Quinliro l’Erradura, Concon, and Valparaíso. The four first are not frequented; Valparaíso, or Valparadiso, the most commercial port of Cliili, front whence all the trade to Spain and Peru is carried on, is in 32. 2 . of latitude, mtd 304. 1 1 . of longitude. The harbour is very capacious, and so deep that ships of the largest size can lic close to the shore. Its convenience for traííic, and the salubrity of its atmosphere, have rendered it a place of considerable population, A governor from Spain resides there, who has the command in the civil and military deparíments, and is amenable only to the president of Chiii. Besides the college, which formerly belonged to the Jesuits* Valparaíso contains ¿i parish church and severa! convents of ínonks. Upon the shore which forms the harbour is a well peopled town, three miles distant from Valparaíso, called £ Almendral*

298

4th. ACONCAGUA.

A c o n c a g u a is enclosed between tlie provinces of Co­quimbo, Quillota, Santiago, and the Andes. It is of the same size as Quilioía, anJ is watered by the same rivev . It produces great quantities of grain and fruits, and much cop- per is procured from its mountains. The famous siiver mines of Uspallata arc situatcd in that part of the Andes correspond- xng to it. Its capital is Aconcagua, or St. Philip, upon the river of the same ñame, in 32. 48. of latitude, and 305. 50. of longitudc. Besides a parochial churcli, it contains several convents of various religious ordcrs, and u liouse which be- louged to the Jcsuits. Near tlie Andes is a village called Curimon, wliere the strict Franciscans lrave a numerous con­vent.

5 th. M E LIn'LLA .

M e l i p i l l a is bounded on the north by Quillota, on the east by Santiago, on the soutb by the river Maypo, which di­vides it from Rancagua, and on the west by the sea Thís province is of small extent upon the sca, but is about twenty- five leagues from easl to west. Its rivers arc the Mapocho and Poangue, and it abouuds witjj wine aud grain. Melipilla, or St. Joscpk de Logronno, situatcd not far from the Maypo, in 32. 32. of latitude, and 301. 5. of longitude, is the capital. Although the situation of lilis place ís beautiful, and the land near it very fertile, yet, from its vicinïty to St. Jago, wliere the greater part of the proprietors reside, it is but thinly peopled. Notwithstanding, besides a parish church, the Augustinos and the Mercedarii have establisliments there, and the Jcsuits had also a collegc. Near the river Mapocho is the town.of St, Francis del Monte, so called from an ancicnt convent of Franciscans, around which a number of poor famiíies Iiaving collected, formed the population of this place, la its vicinity

299

are several country houses belonging to some o f the principa] inhabitants o f St. Jago. Not far from the mouth of the river Maypo is the port o f St. Antonio; tliis wasmuch fie- quented atan early períod o f thcSpanish settlement, but siuce the trade has been transferred to Valparaíso, few or no ves- scls continue to load thcre.

6th. ST. JAGO , or ST. JACO PO .

T he province o f St. Jago is bounded by that of Aconca­gua to the north, the Andes to the east, the river Mavpo to the south, and Melipilla to the west. It is fifteen leagues in extent from east to west, and twelve from north to souíh, aucl is watered by the rivers Mapocho, Colina, and Zampa, and by several other beaufiful streams. It also contains the lake Pudagr.el, whích is about three leagues in length. It is the mosl fertile o f any part o f Cliili, producing great quantities o f corn, wine, and fruits, particularly peaches, which in size and favour surpass any othcrs o f the country. The mountains of Carcn abound with mines o f gold, and that parbof the Andes which is attaclied to it with siíver. But the chief importance of this province is derived from it being the seat of the capital of the ldngdom, founded in 1541, by Pedro de Val­divia. Tliis beautitul city, called St. Jago, stands on an ex­tensive and delightful plain on the Southern shore o f the river Mapocho, which separates it from the suburbs o f Chimba,

Cannadilla, and Renca. It is supplied vvith water by a great number <5f aqueducts, which are carried to all the Iiouses. On eacli side of the river, mounds o f stone have been btiilt as a security against inundations, and over it is a beautiful bridge

that connects the city with the suburbs. I! is siiuand in 33 deg. 31 min. south latitude, and in 305, 40. longitudo, nt the distance o f tliirty leagues from the sea, and seven from the Andes, whose lofty snow-clad heights forra a beautiful con­trast with the verdure o f its scenery. The streets, like those

8 0 0

o f all the other cities and villagcs in Chili, are straiglit and intersected al right angles, and arc thirty-sïx geometrical feet in breadth. The givat square is four hnndred and fifty íeet on each side. In ílic midst is a handsomc fountain o f bronze. The nortli çide is occupied by the palaces of the presidents of th.e audiencc and of the city, beneath which are the pubiie prisons. On tlie opposite side is the palaee o f the Count de Sierra-bella. On the western are the cathedral and the palaceof the archbishop, and on the east- eni liiree honses belonging to noblemen. The most remark- able cditices are the cathedral, the church of St. Dominick, sml that of the gieat çollege fonnerly belongiog to the

ícsuits. Tlie private houses are handsoine and pleasant, but, ou nccount o f earthquakes, are usually of but one story.

Besides the suburbs on the other side o f the riyer, fhereis one to the south, called St. Isidore ; it is yery large, and separated froni the city by a Street four times as broad as the others, calícd Carinada. In the eastern part of the city is a hili, cwiicd St. Lucia, which formeriy served as a fortress against tlie indians. The inhabitants atnount lo forfy-six thousand, and thcir mvmbers increase rapidly, in consequence o f the great conunerce o f the place, which is very extensive in pro- tion to its populalion, as the houses are in general very com- modious. The parochial chinches are but four, the cathedral, Sï. Anna, St. Isidore, and llenca. There are, howevcr, several convents o f monks, two Dominican, four Francíscan, two Au­gust in,twooí the Mercedarii, and one belonging to the Brothers o f Charity with au hospital, besides seven uunneries, a house

o f correction for women, a foundling hospital, several private endowmcnts, a college of nobiiity, which was upder the direo tïou o f the Jesuils, and a Tridentine seminary. The Jesuits had likewise here a house of devotion, and three colleges^ with públic schools, wherein were taught tlie various branches ot learning. St Jago also contains a royal university, a mint

íor coining gold and silver, and barrades for the soldiers, who

3 0 1

are employed to maintain tlie pólice, and as guards to the president, and ís the seat o f the grand tribunals o f the king-

dom. The principal couvt is composed o f twelve Regidoers, or perpetual senators, and o f all the other ofticers who forra the magistracy of the other cities o f the country. It has a numerous nobilily, consisting o f severa! dignities of Castile, grandees, knights o f the military orders of Spain, and hono- rary officers o f his Catholic Majesty. Being the centre of all the commerce of Chili, it abounds vvith every convenience o f life, and as allkinds of meat, fish, and other articles o f food are obtained from the neighbouring pro vinces in great quan- tities; provisions are very cheap.

7th. RAN CAG U A.

R a n c a g u a is enclosed betwecn the rivers Maypo and Cachapoal, and extends from the Andes to the sea. lis breadth between tliese rivers is very unequai, being from seventeen to only eight leagues. It is watered by the rivers Codegua, Chocalan, and severa! others that are o f less ím- portance; it contains also the lakes Acaleu and Búcaleniu, Tile first, wbich is near the centre of the pro vince, is about six miles iu circumference, and the other, iti tire neighbour-

hood o f the sea, is from six toseven leagues in length. From another Iake, not far from the latter, large quantities o f salt are obtained. The lands o f Rancagua are very fertile, and produce much grain. Santa Croce di Trianna, or Rancagua, the capital, is in 34. deg. o f latitude, and 305. 32. longitude.

It has a parish cburch, a convent o f Franciscans, and another o f Mercedarii. Algue, a town recently founded, at eight leagues from the capital towards the sea-coast, has a very rich mine o f gold.

302

81b. CALCH AGUA.

T u is province is situated between the rivers Cachapoal and Teno, and between the Andes and the sea. Tts breadth fïom north to south, near the Audes, is twenty-five leagues, and near the sea, about íourteen. íts rivers are the Rio- clariUo, Tinguiririca, and Chimbarongo. In it are also the grcat laíics Taguatagua, aud Cagüil, the first o f which is full

o f beautiful islands, and the otlier abouuds witli large clamps, tlmt are Ijigldy estcemed. Tiris province is very fertile in grain, wine, and fruits, and produces much gold. It forms a part of the district occupied by the Promaucians, a name signifyiug people o f delight, derived from the beauty o f the country which they inhabit. The capital is St. Ferdinando, which was built in the year 1 /4 2 , not far from the pleasant river Tinguiririca, in 3 4 . 1 8 . deg. o f latitude, and 3 0 5 . 3 0 . o f longitude. Besides the parish church, it has a convent of Franciscans, and a college witli a handsome church, which be- longed to the Jesuits. The towns of Rio-clarillo, Malloa, aud Roma, are also situated in the same province.

gth. MAULE.

M a u l é is bounded on the north by Calchagua, on the east

by the Andes, on the souíh-cast by Chillan, the south-west by Itata, and on the west by the sea. This province is forty-four leagues long, and forty broad, and is watered by the rivers Lantue, Riodaro, Pangue, Lircai, Huenchullami, Maúle, from which it derives its name, Putagan, Achiguema, Longavi, Loncomilla, Purapel, and others o f inferior consideraron. This province, as well as the preceding, abounds in grain, wine, fruits, gold, salt, cattle, and sea and river fisli. The clieese made here is the best in Chili, and is no way inferior to

that of Placentia or Holland. Its inhabitant», who are mostly the dcsccndants of the valiant Promaucians, are courageous^ robust, and warlike. The capital Talca, or St. Augustin, was

2

303

built m the year 1 7 4 2 . ït is situated amoug hills on the rlver

Rioclavo, iu latitucie 3 4 . 4 7 - and 3 0 4 . 4 5 . of longitude. Tts populatio» is very considerable, owing, not ohly to the rich mines of gold that are found inits mountains, butto the plen- tifulness o f provisions, whicli arc cheaper than in any other part o f Chili. Tliis latter circumstance has induced several noble families from St. Jago and Conceptiori, whose finances had become diminished, to retire thither; an emigration which ]ras been denominated, in derision, the bankrupt colony. ït contaíns a parish, with convents o f Monks of the Franciscan, Dominican, Augustin, and Mercedarii ordcrs, and a college that belonged to the Jesuits, In this province are also tiie

towns of C urico, Cauquenes, St. Sa veno di Bella Isla, St. An­tonio dclla Florida, Lora, and tliree or four other Indian vil- lages. Curico, or St. Joseph of Bueno Vista, was built in the year 1 7 4 2 , and is situated in a plcasant plain at tire foot o f a beautiful hili, in 3 4 . 1 4 . degrees of Iatitude, and 30 5 degrees o f longitude. It contaíns a parish church, a convent of Mer­cedarii, and another of stríct Franciscans, which is very large. Cauquenes wasbuilt the sanie year, and lies in 3 5 . 4 0 . degrees o f Iatitude, and in 3 0 4 , 3 0 . of lorigitude, belween the two small rivers Tutuben and Cauquenes. Besides the parish church, it has a convent o f Franciscans. St. Saverio di Bella Isla, and St. Antonio della Florida, were founded in the year

1 7^5 ; the first is in 3 5 . 4 . degrees of Iatitude, and 3 0 4 . 5 9 . o f longitude, and the second in 3 5 . 2 0 . of iatitude, and 3 0 4 . 4 1 . o f longitude. Laro, sitúate near the disemboguement o f the

river Mataquito, is a numerous settlement o f Promaucian In­dians, and is governed by a Cacique or Ulmén.

lOth, IT A T A .

T he province o f Itata lies upon the sea-coast, between

Maúle and Puchacay, and is bounded on the east by Chillan. From east to west it is twenty leagues iu length, and from

north to south eleven, and is intersected by the river Itata,

304

from whence it derives its name. The best wine ò f any íii Chiii is obtained from this province, which, from its being procluced from lands belonging to the inhabitants o f Cou- ception, has received the name o f Conception. Much gold is alsO found in the mountains, and in the sands o f the rivers. Its capital, Jesús of Coulemu, is situated near the mouth o f the river Itata, in 3 6 . 2. degrees of latitude, and 3 0 5 . 4 1 . o f longitude, and wasfouuded in the ycar 1 7 4 3 .

llth . CHILLAN.

C h i l l a n is bounded on the nórth by Maúlè, on the east by the Andes, on the south by Huilquilemu, and on the west by the pròvince o f Itata. It is o f the saíne èxtent as the preceding, and is watered by the rivers Nuble, Cato, Chillan, Diguillin, and Dannicalquin. This whole district is a plain, and very favourable to the raising o f sheep, which are highly esteemed for their wool throügliout the kingdom. Corn and fruits are also produced there in great quantities. The capital is called Si. Bartholomezu o f Chillan. It was founded in the year 15 8 0 , and is situated on the river Chillan, in 3 6 degrees o f latitude, and 3 0 5 . 2 . o f longitude. It has been destroyed several times by the Araucanians; and in the year 1751 wai overthrown by an earthquake. In consequence of this acci­dent, the inhabitants transferred it the succeeding year to a more commodious site, and one less exposed to the inun- datious o f the river. This city is well peopled, notwith- standing which it contains but one parisli church, with con­vents of the Franciscan, Dominican, and Mercedarii orders, and a college which belonged to the Jesuits.

12th. PUCHACAY.

P u c h a c a y is bounded on the north by the province o f Itata, on the east by Huilquilemu, on the soutli by the river Bio-bio, and on the west by the sea, From north to south t i

3 0 5

is twelve leagues in extent, and twenty from east to west. It is irrigated by the river Andalien and several other small streams. It produces gold dust in abuudance, and also great quantities of stràwberries both wiid and cultivated, which-are the iargest in Chili. Oualqui, or St. John ¿he Baptist, founded in the year 1 7 5 4 , upon the northern shore of the river Bio-bio, in 3 6 . 4 4 . degrees of latitude, and 3 0 4 . 4 8 . of Jongitude, is properly the capital, and the residence of the Prefect or Corregidor. This pro vince comprehends the Prefecturate of Conception, which extends a little beyond the city of that name.

Conception, called in the language of the country Ponco, was founded, by Pedro di Valdivia, in a delí, or valley, formed on the sea-coast by some beauviful hills, in latitude 5 6 . 4 2 . and longtlude 3 0 3 . 2 3 . This city is the second in the kingdom. At its commencenient it ílourished great.ly, from the vast quantities of gold that were dug in its vicinity; but áfter the unfortunate batlle o f Marriqueno, in the year 1 5 5 4 , it was abandoned by Villagran the governor, and the inhabit- anís, on the approach o f Lautaro, the Avaucanïan general, and by him taken and burned. It was, howevcr, rebuilt in the month o f November o f the followiug year after a period of six months; but Lautaro, returning, again rendered himself master o f it, slew in the assnult the greater part o f the garri- son, and razed it to its foundations. Don Garcia de Mendoza, after hls victòries over Caupolican, restored it anew, and for- tified it strongly. Having sticcessfully resisted tlie attempt of the Araucanians to take it, who besieged it for fifty days, it continued to flourish in great splendour until the year 1603, when, with the other Southern citics o f the Spaniards, it was takeu and burned by the Toqui Paiilamachu. Itsoon, how­ever, begau to rise again from its ashes, and resume its former lustre, in conscquence of the great commerce which was car- íiecl on there; and becoming more strong and populous than ever, the Araucanians ceased to molest it. But in the year

v o l , i. x

506

1730, a calainity of a new kincl assailed it. It was- almostf totally deslroyed by a» ea’rlhquake, altonded by an iminda-- tion of the sea> which overílowed tbc greater purt, and swept away evéry thing timt it met in its course. Notwiíhstanding. these repeated misfortunes, the inhabitants obstinately re­solved lo persevere, and built il anew in a liandsome manner, but díd not enjóy it long; for, in Ihe month of May of the year 1751, ibis devoted ciíy was again destroyed by au earth- quakc and an influx of the sea, which entirely covered it.- Thcy fortumitely cscapcd, aud íook refuge on the neigbbour- imr bilis, but eontinued for thirtcen years in an unscttled sfate, not beitïg able to agree among thcmselves in rebuildingthe citv. At Icngtb thcy resolved lo abandon its former site, and founded a new cíty, at íbc distauce of a league froni llic sea, in a beau- tifui plañí, called Mocha, upon íbe uortbem shore of the Bio- bio. The Prcíect, or Corregidor, is, at the same time, by the royal decree, commander of the army, tliis being the principal- place for the rcndezvous of the militia of the country. It has for many years beeu the residence of the camp-master-general, and of late that of the sergeant-major. The royal tveasurv in this place, from whence Üie soldiers of tire frontiers, aswell as tliose belonging to tiie cifcy, are paid, is coufided to the care of a treasurer, a cashier, and an inspector. The Audienza, or royal council, was first established in Conception, in the year 156/, but was aftcrwards abolisbed, and re'-cstablished sorne years after in the capital of St. Jago. The president is, how- ever, obligcd to reside in this citv for six monilis, and has a palace in it built at tbc expense of the government. After the destructio» of the city of Imperial, in the year lí)03, it was erccted into a bishopric. Besides containing convents of all the religious orders established in Ciiili, it has one of the sisters of the Trinity, a college which belongcd to the Jesuits, with public schools, in which were taught the Sciences of Iin- manity, philosopby, and theology, a coilege of nobiíiíy, which was likewise uncler the direction of the Jesuits, and aTrídeu-

ime seniinary. The inhabitants; iu ccusequence of so many ¿nisfortimes, scarcely auiount at present to thuteen thouvand. The teinperatüie of the aírís at alí seasous very mild; thesoil fertile, and thé sea-coast abounds wiín every speciés of fish of the most delicious kinds, both scaled and testaceous. The liarbour, or hay, is spadous, exteúdingfuli three 1 cagues and a Italf from nortli to south, and ás man y from east to west. The Quid quina, a bcauííful and fertile, island, síluated at lis tnoiífh, fonns two en trances tb.it, the eastern of vvhich, cailed Bocea Grandé, is two miles wi'de, and Che western, cailed Bocea Chica, ís but à little' more than á mile, The harbour áflords good and safe anchorage for vessels of any hurden, éspecially iu a port cailed Talcaguano, where ships'at present tie, as' the new cíty ís not far distant.-

Ï3th. HUILQUILEMU.

T he pro vince of Huilquilemu, commonly cailed Éstanzía del Rei, the roval possession, is sithafed between Chillan, the Andes, the river Bio-bio and Pucachay, and is in length and breadth the saíne as the preceding, Its rivers are the Iíata, Claro, Laxa, and Duqueco. This distriet is rich in gold dnst, and produces an excellent muscadel wine, The ¡nhabítants •are valiant and warlike, havíng been accustomed to íight wítb their formidable neighboürs the Araucanians. The capital ís cailed Estanzía' del- Rei, or St. Lewis di Genzagá, and was built notmany years since, near tfie Bio-bio, iu 3d deg. 45 mi­nutes of latitude, and 304. 48. of longilude. Besides the. parish chuvch there is an ancient college of the Jesuits, T.6 protect this proviuce from the incursions of the Araucanians. the Spaniards lia ve erected, upoii the shore of the Bio-bio, tvithin- their territory, the forts of Jumbel, Túcapen, St. Bar­bara, and Puren. Their barrier, however, is situated on the Southern bank of that riyer, and eonsists of the forts of Aran­eo, Colcuva, St. Pedro, Sí. Joanna, Nascinieoto, *tnd A ngela

sosl 4 il», VALDIVIA.

T his ptovince is entirely separated from all the others pos- áesscd by the Spaniards in Chili, being situated in the midst of the country occupied by the Araticanians, which comprehends a tract of aboiit sevénty ieagues in length. It lies upon the sea-eoast, on both sides of the great river Valdivia, and onthe South is bounded by the Guinchi, o? Cunchi, wbo are in pos* session of its Southern part. It is about twelve Ieagues -long, and six broad,' and abounds with valuable timber, and with gold dust, esteemed the purest of any in Chili. Its capital is the famous city, fortress, and port of Valdivia, situated on the Southern shore of the river of that ñame, at three ieagues dis- tance from the sea, ín 3,9. oS.degrees of latitude, and 305. 2. of Jongiíude, This city was founded in the year 1551, by the conqueror Pedro de Valdivia, who gave it bis ñame, and ob- tained immense sums of gold from its vícinity. Its wealth allured many inhabitants thither, and it became, even at its commencement, oue of the most populous cities in the king- dom. It was twice besieged ineftectualiy by the Toqui Cau- polican, but it was not so fortunate in resistiug the talents and activity of the celebrated Paiilamachu. In the year 1599 it was surprised at nighí by that general witlr four thousand men, who killed the greater part of the garrison, eonsisting of eight hundred soldiers, and, having burned the city, carried oíf a million in gold, and a valuable booty, eonsisting of the efi'ects of the inhabitants, togeíher witli a great number of prisoners. The Spaniards, convinced of the importance of this situation, rebuilt it anew, and fortihed it so strongiy, that it resisted all the attempts of the Araucanians. It was, however, taken in the year l640bythe Duích, Vrho, notwithsíanding they were defccrmined to kcep it, were compelled to abandon it, being frustvaled in their attempts to form an alliancewith the Arau- eaniansand the Cunchi, who everr re fu sed to suppiythem with provisions, of which thcy were iif great want, The Spaniards,

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3 0 9

who had fitted out a considerable fleet to retake it, finding i* on their arrival abandoned, repaired and fortified it in a better manner than before, addihg four strong castles or forts upon both sides o f the river towards the sea, to defend it from foreign invasión, and another on the north, to protect it from the incursions o f the Araucanians. These precautions have hitherto succeeded in securing it against external enemies, but it has suftered severely from fire, wliich has twice almost en- tirely destroyed it. Tlie harbour is situated in a beautiful bay, formed by the river, and is the safest, the strongest from its natural positio.n, and thè most capacious o f any o f the ports in the South Sea. The island o f Manzera, situated just in the mouth o f the river, forms two passages, bordered by steep mountains, and strongly fortified. As this is a post o f the most importance o f any in the Pacific, a governor is always sent frcnfSpain, who possesses rcputation as amilitary oificer, and is under the immediate direction o f the president o f the

kiogdom. He has under his commaud a considerable number o f troops, who are officered by the five castellans, or com» manders o f the castles, a sergeant-major, a proveditor, an in­spector, and several captains, For the pay o f the soldiers thirty-six thousand crowns are annually sent hither from the royal Ireasury o f Peru, and the provisions requisite for their subsistence from the other ports o f Chiii. The Jesuits had formerly a college here; there are besides some conveuts of Franciscans, and o f the Brothers of Charity, with a royal hos"

pital, and the parish cliurch.

T H E ARCH IPELAG O OF CH ILO E

Is à great gulph or bay at the Southern extremity o f Chiii, scooped out, as it were, in a circular form by the Soutli Sea to the skirts o f the Andes. This gulph extends from latitude

4 1 . 20. to 44. 4 0 . and from longitude 3 0 3 . to 3 0 4 . 5 0 . The jslancjs that it contains amount to forty-sçvea, o f wliich thirty-

X 3

tu‘o llave beeti pcopled by the Spaniards ov ïndiané, afid ifíi.c rcmaining are uninhabited. Amcng the formcr there is ono that is very largo, some that are of a modérale size, being í'rom twelve lo fiñeen leagues in lenglh, but the others are smali. The large island, whieh is calied Chiioé, lias, in later times, communicated its narre to the Archipelago, which was formerly known by that o f Anead. Tiiis island, vvliose western eoast runs í'rom north to south, the saíne course as that o f the continent, i$ situated in the very moutli of ihe gulph, leaving only two passages, one o f which, between iís norlhem extre- inity and the shore of the contineuí, is little more than three miles in breadlh; but the oíher, between its Southern point and the fnot o f the Andes, is more than twelve leagues. This island is situated between the forty-firsí and a half, luid the forty-fourlh degrees o f latitiule, and is about sixtv leagues in Iength, and twenty in iís grea test breadth. The laúd, iike that o f ali the other islands, is mountainous, and covered with al- most impenetrable thickets. The rains are excessive, and only in the autumn do the inhabitants enjoy fifteen or twenty duys of t'air weatherin succession. During any other season, were cight days to pass without rain, it would be esíeemed a sinr guiar phenomenon. The atmosphere, o f course, is very humid, and -strearas and rivers are to be found in every part. The air, notwithstanding, is very salubrious, and the tempera-: lure so mild, that it is never luiown to be either hot or yerv coid. Owing to the great degree of moislure, grain and fruits produce but very indifterently in these islands; the corn, how: ever, that is raised there is sutheient for the supply of the in- habitants. Barlcy, beans, and flax, produce very wcll. O f kitchen herbs, the cabbage and garlic are the only oríes-that' grow there. The grape never attains to maturity, and ílié same is the case with all other fruits, except the apple and some wildings. Beef, tliough npt so pleuty as in Chili, is by no rneaníj scarce. Horses, tliough not in such numbers as on ihe contiuent, are yet cominera, and there is scarcely aspersor,

S i l

>vho is not the owner o f one or two. Asses clie in a short time after they are transported thiíher, whcnce there is not a mulé to be found througliout the w lióle o f the Archipelago. The animals that are mct with in tlie greatest abundance are sheep and hogs, in Avhich the inhabitants carry on a considerable trade. The wild animals, natural to the country, are deers, otters, and a species o f black fox. Domèstic fowls, as well as wild, are produced there ingreat numbers. In addition to these, the benevolent Author of Naturc has, as an iudcmnity tur those things of which they are dest.il ate, provided all these islands with vast quantities of excellent tish o f all hinds. Am- bergris, o f a superior quality, is also found there, and much honey, which is niade by the wild bees. Wood is likewise very plen:iful, and o f a kind fitled for every sort of manu­

facture and ship-buikling.This Archipelago was first discovered in the year I5 5 S, by

Don Garcia de Mendoza, governor of Cbili, but no attempt was then made to eonqner it. Butin 1 5 6 .3, Don Martino Ruiz Gamboa was sent there, who, with only sixty íuen, subjected its inhabitants, to the number of seventy thousand, without experiencing the least resistance, and found d, in tbe principal island, the city olf * Castro and the port o f Chaca, These Indians, called Chilotes, remained submissive to Spain, uhtil the present century, when they tlirew off the yoke, but were soon brought under subjection, through the conduct of general Don Pedro Molina, w ho was sent from Conception to reduce them to obediencc. Although descended froni the Chilians, whom they résemble in appeavance, custom, and lan- guage, these people are extremely timid, and very docile. Tliey are remarkable for their ingenuity, and readily acquire

a knowledge of any thing to which they apply themselves. There are among them very expert carpentcrs, cabinet-makers,

* He calléd it so i a honour of Lope Gñrcia de Castro, then Viccroy of Perú, and gave bis own ñame, Gamboa, to the river which passes by it,—E, 'E.

X 4

and turners. Tn the manufacturing of flax and wool, they display inuch skill, and multe beautifnl bed-coverings from these materials, mixed with feathers, and also some clotlis» which they embroider with various colours. They have a jstroug attachment to a sea life, and become excellent s'ai!ors. Their barks, called piragües, consist of three or four large planks sewed together, and caulked with a kind of oakinn or moss, collected from a shrub. These are very numerous throughout the Archipelago, and are managed with sails and oars, and voyages are often made in them as far as Concep- tion. The Chilotcs educate their sons well, and accustom them to labour at an early age. When taught, they make a rapid progress in lcarning. Some years since, a school was established for them in a yillage called Chonchi, i>»to which one hundrcd and fifty wcre admitted, and all of them, in the space of a single year, were taught reading and writing, the first rules of arithmetic, the doctrines of Christianity, and the Spauish language. They were easily converted to Christianity, and they live in such strict regard to its duties, that the purity of the primitive churçh appears to be revived in them. Some tribes of savages have likewise settled in these islands, who have been persuaded by the missioaaries to Icave the Magel­lan ic distriets, in order to establish themselves in the Archi- peiago.

TJie government is vested in a govçnior, who is dependant lipón the president of Chili, and resides at Chacao, a Cabildo, pr magistrale, with his Prelect, or Corregidor, in the city of Castro, who have conjnnctively cognizauce of the prívate suits. of the Indians, and a commandant in the islaud of Calbuco, situated in the northcrnmost part of the gulph. The Archi- pelago is divided into three parishes, dependant upon the dio- cese of Conception, the bishops of which, except one and a bishop in pariibus, never go there, because of the dauger of the voyage. It contuins seventy-five towns, mostly inhabited by Indians, who are under the government of their Ulmenes*

31 3

Sn .each of which the Jesuits had a missionary churcli. The two principal places are Castro and Chacuo.

Castro, the capital of the whole Archipelago, is sifcuated in the eastern part o f the great island, upon an arm or gulph o f the sea, in *4 2 . 5 8 . degreesof S. latitude, and 3 0 3 . 1 5 . o f Ion- giíude. The houses, like those in all the other islands, ave built o f wood. The inhabitants, who are not fnumerous, nsually liye upon their own possessions. Besidcs the parislx church and the collegé, formerly belonging to the Jesuits, there is a convent of Franciscans, and another o f Mercedarii, in which two or three moriks reside. The port o f Chacaò lies neavly ín the middle o f the northern coasl o f the same island, upon the principal channel, which rucs between that shore and the continent, in 4 2 degrecs o f latitude, and 3 0 7 . 3 7 - o f Ion-

gitude. Tliis port has good anchprage, and is well defended' from the wipds, but the entrance is very difficult, owing in some measure to the çurrenís and eddies that prevail in the channel, but principally to a rock tliat rises in the narrowest part o f it, and is not visible except at ebb. The whole com* merce o f the Archipelago is çarried on from this port, in four or üve ships that come here apnually from Peru, or from the ports on the continent o f Chili. This traffic is entirely con- ducted by bartering the productions o f the country for those articles that are brought, money being very scarce in these islands. Upon the arrival o f the ships, the Cabildo, or ma- gistrate of Castro, has the privilege o f sending two deputies to tax the goods brought in thcm, and make an estimate of their prices, which is to regulate the sale. This trade, by the royal grant, is pot subjected to the duties that arepaid in the other ports.

* 42.-4Q. S. longitude 302, according to Agüeros.— 1?. E.•f The constant residents ave not more tban one hundred and flfty. An

carthquakc ruined thecitysoonafter its foundation, and there were fcw laducçmerits to rchuild it.— li, E,

/igneros.

THE. ISLANDS o r JUAN FERNANDEZ.

T h esb islands are abont. one hundred and thirty leaguei distant from tbe coasl of Chïli. They are sitnated in about 3 2 . 4 2 . d.egrees o f íatitude, and 2ç?. 3 2 . o f longitudo. The Island of Fuera is abont three miles in Icugth; the laud is very liigli, or rather a steepinountaiu, rising abruptly from Ihesea, baving no harbours, or staíions, where sbips may remain secufe, in consequencc of ihe great depth of water that sur* Tounds it, This island is full of beauliful trecs and streams

’ o f gopd water, aecording to the Information of the fishcrmcn, wlró arc in tbe habit of landing tlierc. The island of Terra, is eleven or twelve miles long by three bvoad. The land is prin­

cipal ly mountainous, broken, and inlcrsccted by ravines, caused by the freqüent torrents and streams which descend from the monntains,''It abounds with excellent wood, among

wbicb are the sandal, the yejlow wood, and the chonta, a spe­cies o f the païm, which produces a fruit that is far from un- pleasant; the wood of the trunk, which is hollow like a reed, becomes of a beautiful' black, and is nearly as hard as iron. Lord Anson represeiits this island as a terr||trial paradise, but in reality its soil is iufested with worms that destroy every thing. The coast abounds with iobsters, cod, and other fish,

and witli aqualic animals, in which its trade, which is very considerable, consisls. This island was first discovered by Juan Fernandez, from whom it received its naine, and who formed a settlemcnt there, and bronght over from the conti­nent somegoals that multiplied to an astonishingdegree. Affer his clcatli it was (h serted, in which State it contiimed for some tim e; but the Spaniards perceiving o f what importance to them the possession of tiiese islands had become, in 175 0

made a permanent- establishment in that of Terra, and settlçd the port called Juan Fernandez, on the soutb-west coast The president of Chili appoints its goveruor, wlio isusualiy òne of the commanders upon tlie Araucunian froutier. Besides the

Oï *o l o

£};.>»• t of Juan Fernandez, Hiere is anoíher, lyíng towards the south, callee] the English harbour, íroni the circurnstançe of Lord Anson’s squadron having anchored there; but it is-in­secare, beitig too mudi exposed to the. winds.

eujo.A l t h o u ç h Cujo is no.t strictly within the límits of Chilí,

yet as it is çlopemlant apon the presideney of that kingdom, ifc .will not be improper to take a brief notice of it in this account» It is bounded on the norlh by Tucuman, on the east by the Pampas, or deserts of Buenos Ayres, on the south by Patar gonia, and on the west by the Andes, which separate it from Cliili. Its Ienglh from east to west is one hundred and eleven leagues, and its breadth, from north to south, aboüt one hun­dred ami ten, beíng comprehended between the 2ptli and 35l'h degrees of latitudé. In its temperature, as well as in the greater part. of its productions, this province differs niate- rially from Cíjili. The winter, although it is tliere the dry season, is very cold; in the sumnier the heat is excessive as well during thejgjight as tíie day, and storuis of thunder and bail are very freqüent. In the western part of the province these stonns conunoaly rise and disperse in the space of half an hour, and the heat of the sun, bimting wiíh increased radiance from the clouds, in a few minutes dries up the mois- ture. In consequence of this suelden exsiccatio», the latui, if nòt watered by artificial means,, becomes arid, and will bear neiíher grass nor trees, but when irrigated by canals, it pro­duces alinost every vegetable in astonishing abundance. The fruits and grams of Europe thrive there extrcmely well, and come to inaturity a montli earíier than in Chili, and the wincs are rich and of an excellent body.

This province is intersected by íliree rivers from the Andes, that of St. Juan, and those of Mendoza and Tunojan. The two first receive·'their ñames from the cities thatthey lave, and after a equí-se of from tweuty-five to thirty leagues become

3 1 6

stationary, and forra the celebrated lakes of Guanasacbe, which extend raore than fifty leagues from north to soutb > and, at length, through a channel that receives the river Tu- nujau, José themselves in the Pampas. These lakes abound with excellent trout and king-fisb, and all the salt that is used in Cujo is obtained from them. The eastera part of this pro- vince, called ïa Punta, presents an appe3rance entirely dif­ferent from the rest, and is watered by the rivers Contara and Quinto, and by several other streams. The plains are covered with beautiful trees, and the herbage grovvs to such a heigbt, as in mapy places to conccai the borses; but thunder storms are more violent than in any other part of Cujo, and continue for bours accompanied with immoderate rain.

Of the trees of Cujo, one of tbe most remarkable is that called Palma, from its resembliug, in its branches and fruit, the païm of Cliilí; it diíFcrs, howçver, in its heigbt, whícb never exceeds eighteen feet, and in the manner of putíing forth its branches, which are so near the ground as to prevent the trunk from being seen. Its leaves are hard, and terminate in a point as sharp as that of a sword. The fruit, though si­milar in appearance to tbe cocoa-nuí, contains no kernel or substance that is ediblc, but merely a few round hard seeds. The most singular part of this tree is tbe stem, or trunk, which is very large. The outer bark is blacldsb, and is easily de- tached; this is succeeded by five or six interior layers, of so perfect a texture that they appear as if wrought in a loom. The first is of a yellowish coloiir, and of the çonsistency of sail cloth ; the others regularly decrease in thickness, and be- come gradually whiter to the innermost, which is as fine and white as cambric, but of a looser texture. The thread of these cloths is strong aud flexible, but not so soft to the touch as that of flax, Cujo also contains gréat quantities of the Opuntia, a species; of Cactus that furnishes the cochineal. The natives havea practice of stri.nging these insects upon a thread Trith a needle, which communicaíes to them a blackish tint,

31 7

This piant produces a woolly fruit, of the size of a peacb, of a glutiuous substance, containing a great quantity of seeds. It is sweet and well flavoured, and ¡s easily presérved by cutting it ¡uto slices, and drying thera in the sun. Tlie tree that pro* duces the Greek or Turkey bean, is comraon throughout the province; it is of fóur kinds, two of which are good eaíing; of the others, one is used as provender for horses, and the other in making ink. Among the plants of Cujo is one that is verj singular; it is called the jtower o f the air, from its having no root, ñor ever being fixed to the earíh. Its native situation is au arid rock, or a dry tree, around which it entwines itself. This plant consists of a single shoot, resembling the stock of the gülyflower, but its leaves are larger and thicker, and so liard that they seem to the touch like wood. Each shoot, or stalk, produces two or three wbite transparent fiowers, in size and sliape resembling the lily ; they are full as odoriferous as tiiat flower, and may be preserved fresh for more than two znonths on their stalks, and for several days when plucked off. Bul the most wonderful property of this plant is, that it may be transported without any difficulty for upward of three hun- dred miles, and will produce flowers annually if only sus­pended upon a nail.

Tliis province abounds with birds, among which are two parrots that are different from tliose of Chili. The first is a little Iess than the turtle dove, and has a green back and whitish belly; the other, called periquito, is rather larger. Its plumage is a dark green, except the head, which is black, and a mixture of red upon the baçk. The partridges are of two kinds. The first, called marlinetta, is of the sizeof a domèstic fowl, has a beautiful tuft upon its head, aud is adorned with handsome pluméü of various colours; its fiesh is very delicate, and its eggs are green. The com'mon partri.dge is in great abundance, and so íame that a man with a reed, to which a snare is fastened, will take twenty or thirty of íhem in a few bours. Tile abbanil, or masón, so cailed from the manner o£

318

érnïstructing its habitation, is a snuíF-coloured bird, of the sbié' òf a tlimsli; befo re it begms to bw'iid, it ïuixesclay very caro-" fuliy willi feaíhcrs and piece.s of stnt'w; íhen di'vidiírg ií i'ntó’ ïittle balls, earrics íheni in its dasvs and biil to its mate, who' first fimus the bottom upon the trunk of a tree, into a circle of éight ov nine inclies in diameter, making it perféctly smootli r upon this it raises a wall about a hand’s breadth in height, leavinga small aperture to go in a l; it next proceeds tò lay à «econd ílobr, which coutains the iiest, and also an ópening cointnúnicatiug with the lowcr room; when this is completed, it continues the sufroumling wall to tiie same height as the íirst, and covers the whole wilh a handsomc arch. This edi­ficó becomes, when dry, so tirin as to resist tbe most violent vvinds and rain. In the northem parts of this province is i species of pheasant calted chunna, which is as large as a hénj and of an ash colour; the fiesh is as delicate as thai of thé European pheasant. This bird is easily domcslicated, and performs in houses the office ofa cal, freoing t'hem í rom mice‘, •which it eats very réadily; but itís kept by few, óu accouutòf its disagreeable noté, anda mischicvous propensity of canying away in its beak and concealing whatevcr it íinds. Of turílé doves, besides the commou species, there is one that is not larger than a sparrow. Ostrichcs arc commou, and bees ave found every where, particularly in the eastern plains, and ‘pro­duce excellent honey. Grasshoppers appcar there oceasionaliy, in such nunibers that they cover many miles of country, and destroy every groen thing that they meet with; these aré usually three inches in lenglh, but they are sometimos to be seen as Iarge as a pílchard, and from seveu to eiglit haches long.

There are many animals in Cujo that are not to be found in Chili, as tigers, boars, stags, the land tortoise, tlie viper, Iguana, and several others. The tigers ave ferocious, like th’ose of Africa, and as large as au ass, but with shorler Iegsj thé skin is mottled with whitc, ycllow, and black. The inha*

3 1 9

Ifit'aiits Ïïill them with lances of fi ve or sis feef in íengtli1 ímned wilh a sharp iron. The method thev adopt is for Iwu persohs to Be in readiness, while a third, who has tlie speaiy provokes the tiger, who rushes upon him with inconceivable fury> and impales hímself új)on the vveapon, vvhich the hunter íceeps constaníly dirécted towards him, wheu the two others come up and díspatch him. The iguana is an animal of the ïizard.kínd, about three feet in length ; the colour is blackisb, thé eyes round, and the flesh white and tender. It feeds upon grass and wiid fruits. The couuíry people, who eat it, think ïts flesh far preferableto that. of a chicken.

In the northern parís of this provihce are minos ofçold and copper, but they arè not worked, owing to the iudolence of the inhabitants. There are also rich mines of lead, vitriol, sulphur, salt, coal, gypsimi, and talc. Thé mountains. in the aeighbourhood of Jttan arc wholly composed of strata of white marblc, from five to six feet in length, and from six to seveu incites thick, vvhich are fegularly cut and polished by tbc liand of Nature. The inhabitants make from if a beautifnl lime, aud employ it in buiiding bridges over their canals. Belween the cities of Mendoza and La Punta, upon a low range of hills, is a'large stone pillar, one hundred and fifty feet higli, and twelve feet in diameter. Jtiscalled the giant, and containg certain marks or inscriptions, rcsembling Chínese characters. Near the Diamond river is also anolher stone, conlaiuing some marks, which appear to be ciphers or characters, and the im- pression of a man’s feet, with tlie figures of several animals. The Spaniards cali it the stone of St. Tilomas, from an ae­quat which they preterid the first settlers received from the Indians, that a white mau, with a loug beard, fonnerly preached to their ancestors a new religión from that stone, and, as a proof of its sanctity, left upon it the impression of bis feet, and the figures of the animals that carne to-hcar him. This man they suppose to have been St. Tilomas, from a traditioii of bis baving preached in America.

5

3 2 0

The aboriginal inhabitants of Cujo, of whorn there are at present but a fevv remaiuing, are called Guarpes, they aré tliin, brown, and of a lofty stature, and speak a different lan- guage from the Chilians, The Peruvians were tbe first who conquered these people, after having possessed themselves of the northern provinces of Chili. On the road over the Andes, from Cujo to Chili, are stiü to be seen some sinalí stone edi- üees, erected for the accommodation of the officérs and mes-? sengers of that empire. The first Spaniards who entered thís province were commanded by Francis Aguirre, who was sent from Chili by Valdivia, and who quitted it on learning the dealh of that general. In the year 1500, Don Garcia di Mendoza sent thither Pedro Castillo, who subdued the Guarpes, andfounded the cities of St. Juan and Mendoza.

Mendoza, thé capital, is situated on a plain at the foot of the Andes, in 33 degrees 19 minutes south latitudc, and in 308. 31. west longitude. The number of its inhabitants is estimated at six thousand. Besides the parish church, it contains a col- lege which beionged to tbe Jesuits, convents of the orders of Sf. Francis, St. Dominick, St. Augustine, and the Mercedarii. This city carri es on a considerable commerce in wine and fruits with Buenos Ayres; and its popnlation is continually in- creased from its vicinity to the íamous silver mine ofUspallata, which the inhabitants work to great profit.

St. Juan, which isforty-five leagues from Mendoza, is also situated near the Andes, in 31.4. degrees of latitudc, and 308. 31. of longitude. It lías the same number of inhabitants, churches, and convents as Mendoza, and trades with Buenos Ayres, in brandy, fruits, and Vicugna skins. The pome~ granates of its vicinity are greally esfeemed in Chili, for their size and sweeíness. This city is governed by a Cabildo, and a Lieutenant of the Prefect, or Corregidor of Mendoza.

lu the year 1596» the small city of La Punía, or St. Lodo- vico of Loyolo, was founded in the eastern part of Cujo; it received its ñame from Don Martin Loyolo, at that time go-

3 2 1

vernor of Chili, and issituatedin 33. 4?. degrees of latitude, and in 311. 32. of longitude, at t.he distance of about 62 leagues from Mendoza. Notwithstanding it is the thoroughfare of ali the commerce between Chili, Cujo, and Buenos Ayrcs, it is a miserable place, and the inhabitants scarcely amount to two liundred. It has a parisli church, onc that belonged to the Jesuits, and a convent of Dominicans. The civil and military government of this city, as well as ofits jurisdiction, whicli is very extensive and populous, is administered by a Lieutenant or Vicar of the Corregidor of Mendoza. Besides these cities, Cujo contains thetownsof Jaehal, Vallofertil, Mogna, Coro- corto, Leonsito, Calingarta, and Pismanta, but these do not inerit particular altention.

The Patagoniaus, who border upon Chili, and of whose gigantic stature so much hasbeen written iu Europa, frora the most accurate Information, differ not.mateiially iu this respeet from other raen. The Pojas, who form one of their tribes, live under the government of several petty princes, indepen­dent of each other. These people ackuowledge the existence of a Supreme Being, and believe in the immortality of the soul. A singular kiud of polygamy prevails araong the ni, the women being permitted by their laws to have several hus- bands. As to the Cesari, the supposed neighbours of the Chi- lians, of whom such wonderful stories are told, they are merely an iraaginary people, who have no existence but in the fancy of tliose who tajke a pleasure in the inarvellous»

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