J834.] TEN'URE OF LAND- 



277 



We reached at night a beautiful little cove, north of the 

 island of Caucahue. The people here complained of want of 

 land. This is partly owing to their own negligence in not clear- 

 ing the woods, and partly to restrictions by the government, 

 which makes it necessary before buying ever so small a piece, to 

 pay two shillings to the surveyor, for measuring eacli quadra 

 (150 yards square), together with whatever price he fixes for the 

 value of the land. After his valuation, the land must be put up 

 three times to auction, and if no one bids more, the purchaser 

 can have it at that rate. All these exactions must be a serious 

 check to clearing the ground, where the inhabitants are so ex- 

 tremely poor. In most countries, forests are removed without 

 much difficulty by the aid of fire ; but in Chiloe, from the damp 

 nature of the climate, and the sort of trees, it is necessary first to 

 cut them down. This is a heavy drawback to the prosperity of 

 Chiloe. In the time of the Spaniards the Indians could not hold 

 land ; and a family, after having cleared a piece of ground, might 

 be driven away, and the property seized by the government. 

 The Chilian authorities are now performing an act of justice by 

 making retribution to these poor Indians, giving to each man, 

 according to his grade of life, a certain portion of land. The 

 value of uncleared ground is very little. The government gave 

 Mr. Douglas (the present surveyor, who informed me of tliese 

 circumstances) eight and a half square miles of forest near San 

 Carlos, in lieu of a debt ; and this he sold for 350 dollars, or 

 about 70/. sterling. 



The two succeedinof days were fine, and at nis^ht we reached 

 the island of Quinchao. This neighbourhood is the most culti- 

 vated part of the Archipelago ; for a broad strip of land on the 

 coast of the main island, as well as on many of the smaller ad- 

 joining ones, is almost completely cleared. Some of tlie farm- 

 houses seemed very comfortable. I was curious to ascertain 

 how rich any of these people might be, but Mr. Douglas says 

 tliat no one can be considered as possessing a regular income. 

 One of the richest landowners might possibly accumulate, in a 

 long industrious life, as much as 1000/. sterling; but should this 

 happen, it would all be stowed away in some secret corner, for it 

 is the custom of almost every family to have ajar or treasure- 

 chest buried in the ground 



