171 



several months, it is not often obscured in the northern 

 provinces. * 



The gradual decrease of the atmospheric moisture from 

 the south of Chili to the north of Peru, is one of the most 

 singular features of the climate, and, as might be ex- 

 pected, its effects are shown in a manner not less remarkable 

 in the appearance of the vegetation. In the southern pro- 

 vinces of Chili, those of Baldivia and Conception, and the 

 Indian territory lying between them, where the country 

 is watered by copious rains, forests of lofty trees abound, 

 the earth is covered during a great part of the year with 

 herbaceous plants, and large crops of corn are obtained 

 without artificial iri'igation. From Conception, most of the 

 timber consumed in Chili and Peru is exported. The trees 

 usually felled for this purpose, and which are common in the 

 forests, are the Roble,\ [Fagus obliqua,) Lingui, {Laurus 

 Lingui,) Qiieule, [Gomertiga nitida,) Laurel, [Laurelia 

 aromatica,) Canelo, [Dry mis chilensis,) Reuli, (?) Avellano, 

 [Quadria heterophylla,) and Litri, (Rhus? caustica, Hook. 

 ^ Arn. in Bot. of Beech. Voy.) 



The Araucaria imbricata, with the exception of one or two 

 trees near the coast that have probably been planted, is only 

 found in the interior of the Indian country, south of the Bio- 

 bio. X Its wood is said to be very resinous and close-grained, 

 but brittle. Whether it be from this circumstance, or the 

 difficulty of transporting it from the interior, I am not 

 aware, but the timber of the Araucaria is never exported. 



Some of the trees above-named are peculiar to tlie south 

 of Chili, but the Roble and Laurel are found as far north 



* This refers only to the coast ; I shall afterwards have occasion to meution 

 that heavy rains fall at certain seasons in the interior. 



•)• Rohle is the Spanish name of the Oak, and is applied to this tree, though 

 belonging to a different genus, on account of the strength and durability of its 

 timber. 



\ The Indians of that neighbourhood subsist entirely on the seed of the 

 Araucaria, which they harvest and bury in pits for winter-use. The name of 

 the tribe is derived from that of the tree which affords their food, the Araucaria 

 being called Pehuca in the Indian language, and ches signifying people. 



