298 Vofjage of the No vara. 



tion each year from 1843, and comprise choice though mis- 

 cellaneous information upon almost every topic of scientific 

 interest. 



One of the leading and most highly informed professors in 

 this principal seat of education, Don Ignacio Domeyko, a 

 Pole by birth, but who has made Chile his second home, very 

 kindly acted as cicerone to our Expedition, and furnished us 

 with most valuable details as to the present state of public 

 instruction. 



The University of San Felipe was founded in 1738, but the 

 present system of instruction has only been in operation since 

 1842. The joint Council of the five professors of the faculties 

 of philosophy and the humanities, physical and mathemati- 

 cal science, medicine, judicial and political instruction and 

 theology, are intrusted with the supervision of the entire 

 national education, each faculty having also the privilege of 

 naming corresponding members, and in other respects occu- 

 pying the position of similar institutions in Em'ope. The 

 President of the Republic is the chief patron. The amount 

 expended by the State annually in public instruction, is up- 

 wards of £120,000, an enormous amount considering the 

 small population.* 



* The results of the great attention bestowed on public instruction have not been 

 inadequate, as is apparent from the latest statistics on the subject, according to which 

 the average proportion of the inhabitants, who can read and write, is 100 out of every 

 561 of the male population, and 100 in 1095 of the females, or an average of 100 in 

 every 823. In 1858, there were on the whole State 950 schools, attended by 39,05/ scho- 

 lars (viz. 27,288 male and I2,3G9 female). There is, however, a difference in these 



