islands that are inhabited by some Spaniards and Indians. The largest of these islands, which has given its name to the Archipelago, is Chiloé; it is about 150 miles in length; the capital of it is Castro.

All these islands are near the coast, except those of Juan Fernandez, the first of which is 330, and the second 420 miles distant.*

Chili properly called, or that part which is situated between the Andes and the sea, is at least 120 miles in breadth: It is commonly divided into two equal parts, that is, the maritime country, and the midland

In the same sea, but very remote, are situated the little islands of St. Ambrosio, St. Felix, and that of Pasqua, much celebrated for the great number of statues which the natives have erected in various parts of it, either as ornaments, or, what is more probable, as tutelary divinities. The two first, which are desert, are distant 200 leagues from the coast of Chili, and are situated in 26 deg. 27 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 268th deg, of longitude, is 600 leagues distant from that coast. This island is but a little more than five leagues in extent, and its inhabitants, who do not exceed 800, are whiter than most of the Indians, and permit their beards to grow. The statues that are met with throughout the island are very numerous, and of various sizes; some of them being 27 feet in height, and others not exceeding that of a man To the sight and touch they appear like stone; but as they are all of a single piece, and there are no quarries on the island capable of furnishing stones of that size, it is probable that they are formed of some kind of plaister or cement that, when dry, assumes the consistency and colour of stone. The Dutch admiral, Roggewein, who was the first that visited this island, in the year 1722, says, that these statues were wrought with much skill. Don Philip Gonsalez, commander of the ship of war Rosalia, who was there in the year 1770, and Captain Cook, in March, 1774, both agree with Roggewein as respects the number and size of these

statues.

country; the maritime country is intersected by three chains of mountains, running parallel to the Andes, between which are numerous vallies watered by delightful rivers. The midland country is almost flat; a few isolated hills only are to be seen, that diversify and render the appearance of it more pleasing.

The Andes, which are considered as the loftiest mountains in the world, cross the whole continent of America, in a direction from south to north, for I consider the mountains in North America, as only a continuation of the Cordilleras. The part that appertains to Chili may be 120 miles in breadth; it consists of a great number of mountains, all of theni of a prodigious height, which appear to be chained to each other; and where nature displays all the beauties and all the horrors of the most picturesque situations. Although it abounds with frightful precipices, many agreeable vallies and fertile pastures are to be found there; and the rivers that derive their sources from the mountains,* often exhibit the

The highest mountains of the Cordilleras of Chili are the Manflos, in 28 deg. 45 min. the Tupungato, in 33. 24. the Descabezado in 35 deg. the Blanquillo in 35. 4. the Longavi in 35. 30. the Chillan in 36. and the Corcobado in 43. I had no opportunity, while in the country, to measure the height of those mountains, which naturalists assert are more than 20,000 feet above the level of the sea. Buffon asserts, that the highest mountains of the earth are to be found under the equator; but having seen and particularly noticed both those of Peru and of Chili, I doubt much the correctness of this axiom, and am more inclined to adopt the opinion of M. Bertrand, who, in his Memoirs upon the Structure of the Earth, says, "it is not true that the highest moun

most pleasing as well as the most terrifying features. That portion of the Cordilleras which is situated between the 24th and 33d degrees of latitude, is wholly desert; but the remainder, as far as the 45th degree, is inhabited by some colonies of Chilians, who are called Chiquillanes, Pehuenches, Puelches, and Huilliches, but are more generally known by the name of Patagonians.

SECT. IV. Political Divisions.-The political divisions of Chili consist of the part occupied by the Spaniards, and that which is inhabited by the Indians. The Spanish part is situated between the 24th and 37th degrees of south latitude, and is divided into thirteen provinces, to wit: Copiapo, Coquimbo, Quillota, Aconcagua, Melipilla, and St. Jago, (which contains the capital city of the country of the same name) Rancagua, Calchagua, Maule, Ytata Chillan, Puchacay and Huilquilemu.* The

tains are found under the equator, since the Andes increase in height in proportion as they recede from it." The Cordilleras is lower at Copiapo, notwithstanding it is nearer the tropic, than in the other parts of Chili.

I have thought proper in this place to give a short account of the situation and extent of all these provinces, with their capitals, ports and principal rivers. I should also have given a statement of their population, but was not able to obtain an estimate which satisfied me.

Copiapo-extending from the Andes to the sea, is 100 leagues in length, and 70 in breadth. Its capital-Copiapo, situate in 26 deg. 50 min. south latitude. Ports-Copiapo and Guasco. Rivers-the Salado, Copiapo, Totoral, Quebrada, Guasco and Chollay.

Coquimbo-extending from the Andes to the sea; in length 45 leagues; in breadth 70. Its capital-Coquimbo, in 29 deg. 54

division of these provinces is very irregular, and imperfectly designated: there are some of them which extend from the sea to the Andes; others occupy but the half of that space, and are situated

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 32 deg. 56 min. Ports-Papúdo, Herradura, Quintéro and Valparaiso, in 33 deg. 2 min. Rivers-Longotoma, Ligua, Chile and Limache.

Aconcagua-in the vicinity of the Andes; 25 leagues in length, and of equal width. Its capital-Aconcagua, in 32 deg. 48 min. Rivers-Longotoma, Ligua and Chile.

Melipilla-on the sea-coast; 11 leagues in length, in breadth 23. Its capital-Melipilla, in 33 deg. 32 min. Port-St. Antonio. Rivers-Maypo, Mapoche and Poangue.

Santiago-near the Andes; 11 leagues in length, in breadth 20. Its capital-Santiago, in 33 deg. 31 min. Rivers-Colina, Lampa, Mapoche and Maypo.

Rancagua-from the Andes to the sea; in length 13 leagues, in breadth 40. Its capital-Rancagua, in 34 deg. Rivers-Maypo, Codegùa, Chocalan and Cachapoal.

Colchagua-from the Andes to the sea; 15 leagues in length, and 43 in breadth. Its capital-St. Fernando, in 34 deg. 18 min. Ports-Topocalma and Navidad. Rivers-Rio-Clarillo, Tingiririca, Chimbarongo, Nilahue and Teno.

Maúle-from the Andes to the sea; 44 leagues long and 48 broad. Its capital-Talca, in 34 deg. 33 min. Port-Astillero. Rivers-Mataquito, Rioclaro, Lircay, Maúle, Putagan, Achihuenu, Liguay, Longavi, Loncomilla and Purapél.

Itata on the sea-coast; 11 leagues in length and 23 in breadth. Its capital-Coulemu, in 36 deg. 2 min. Rivers-Lonquen and Itata.

Chillan-near the Andes; in length 12 leagues, in breadth 25. Its capital-Chillan, in 36 deg. Rivers-Catillo, Cato, Nuble and Chillam.

Puchacay-on the sea-coast; 12 leagues long and 25 broad. Its capital---Gualqui, in 36 deg. 42 min. Rivers---Lirquen, Andalién and Bio-bio.

near the mountains or upon the coast. Their extent is also very various, some of them being six or seven times larger than others. These provinces were formerly inhabited by the Copiapins, Coquim. branes, Quillotanes, Mapochinins, Promaucques, Cures, Cauques, and Penquons. At present there exist but few remains of any of these nations.

The Indian country is situated between the river Bio-bio and the Archipelago of Chiloé, or the 36th and 41st degrees of latitude. It is inhabited by three different nations: the Araucanians, the Cunches and the Huilichies. The Araucanians do not, as M. de Pauw pretends, inhabit the barren rocks of Chili, but, on the contrary, the finest plains in the whole country, situated between the rivers Bio-bio and Valdivia. Araucania lies upon the sea coast, and is calculated to be 186 miles in length; it is generally considered as the most pleasant and fertile part of Chili; its breadth, from the sea to the foot of the Andes, was formerly estimated at 300 miles, but the Puelches, a nation inhabiting the western part of the mountains, having joined the Araucanians in the last century, it cannot at present be less than 420 miles in breadth, and the whole of their territory is calculated to contain 78,120 square miles.

Huilquilemu----near the Andes; 12 leagues long and 25 broad. Its capital---Huilquilemu, in 36 deg. 42 min. Rivers--Itata, Claro and Laza.

The Spaniards likewise possess the port and town of Valdivia with its territory, situated upon the south shore of the river of the same name, in 39 deg. 55 min. south latitude.