Advantages held out to Emigrants hy Chile. 281 



rica, and in climate, in fertility, and in liberal institutions, 

 transcends all others in affording tlie European emigrant the 

 best prospects of a prosperous future. 



Chile possesses a constitution which many a European 

 state might envy, the civil freedom, which forms the basis 

 of all laws, and just now is so eagerly debated and investi- 

 gated in some parts of Europe, having been in practical opera- 

 tion here for upwards of a quarter of a century, during which 

 it has materially contributed to develope the resources of the 

 country and the prosperity of its inhabitants. Owing to the 

 disturbed state of the American Confederation, hitherto the 

 El Dorado of European emigration, countries such as Chile, 

 of an extent similar to that of England and Greece together, 

 and with a population barely exceeding one million of men, 

 possess the very highest attraction. True, at the period of 

 our visit the long-enjoyed political tranquillity was for a 

 while disturbed by a revolutionary convulsion, but it has 

 cost neither time nor trouble to suppress it, u23on which the 

 leaders, more ambitious than patriotic, took to flight, and 

 public order and safety were reinstated upon the broad basis 

 of a constitution, which was wisely drawn up so as to admit 

 of keeping pace with the times. 



We beheld Chile under anything but its normal favourable 

 aspect ; many of the leading families of the country had 

 been plunged by political troubles into grief and mourning ; 

 trade was falling off; the ordinary buoyant disposition of 

 the Chileno had given place to painful anxiety ; yet all we 



