748 SMITHSONIAN MISCELLANEOUS COLLECTIONS VOL. 102 



the Cordillera Nevada from E. to W. to the sea; with their water 

 they irrigate their crops, which yield with prolific abundance. 



Chapter XIV 



Continuing the Description of the Chilean Coast and Its Harbors. 



1980. From Copiapo to Huasco the coast runs S.^SE, ; Huasco 

 is at 29° S. Then the coast runs S. as far as Coquimbo, which is 

 in full 30° S. From Coquimbo to Valparaiso, the port of Santiago, 

 which is at 33° S., it is 70 leagues in the same southerly direction; 

 in that same region and parallel, 75 leagues W. out at sea are the 

 Juan Fernandez Islands, which are well supplied with goats, wood, 

 and water, excellent harbors, land fertile for crops, with fine tough 

 timber for ship building. In the days of the Marques de Cailete they 

 built some ships on these islands, and some of the stock brought 

 over as food for the workmen was left there, in particular some 

 goats, and they have so multiplied that the islands are full of these 

 animals. They serve to provision our Dutch enemies after they pass 

 the Straits ; they stop at these islands to careen and repair their 

 ships after the long voyage they have made ; they sow and harvest 

 crops and make great slaughter of the goats to jerk their meat, and 

 take in wood and water ; and since they are so far out to sea, they 

 are neither seen nor perceived. Then they start out as well equipped 

 as if they had not traveled at all, and on their way they usually 

 harry and raid the Peruvian coast ; I have described this and the way 

 to remedy it in a booklet I presented in the year 1625 at the meetings 

 held by His Majesty's command at my instance before the Grand 

 Prior of St. John and Conde de la Puebla, to the efifect that it was 

 not desirable that the naval force should leave which was being sent 

 through the Straits, and showing how to remedy and prevent the 

 evils which were apprehended. 



1981. Beyond the port of Valparaiso, 70 leagues to the S., is the 

 port of Talcahuano for La Concepcion, at 37° S. ; there are some of 

 less importance in between. Beyond Talcahuano is the island of 

 Santa Maria, which is occupied by peaceable Indians and lies in front 

 of the bay of the Provinces and State of Arauco, at 37°3o' S. Then 

 comes Lavapie Point, from which to the Rio de Lebu, running S. 

 along the coast, it is 6 leagues. At 38° and in the same region and 

 parallel, 5 leagues out to sea, is the island of Mocha, occupied by 

 peaceable Indians. From Lebu the coast runs SW. 8 leagues to 

 another point which is at 38^30' ; this is the region where the city 

 of Angol was built, known also as Los Confines. Four leagues from 



