Ch. V. SOUTH AMERICA. 247 



lazuli and loadftone, copper equal to the beft of 

 Europe; befides feveral of gold; but no adv.mtage is 

 derived from any; the inhabitants, contented with the 

 plentiful enjoyment of ail the neccflaries of life, extend 

 their wifhes no farther, leaving to the curioficy and 

 avarice of others, the laborious fearch after what the 

 earth contains in its bowels. 



This kingdom of Chili feems alfo to have been 

 the firil country of thofe famous horfes and mules, 

 mentioned in the firft volume. Indeed all thefe 

 creatures found in America, owe their origin to fome 

 imported from Spain. At prefent, however, thofe of 

 Chili furpafs not only thole of the other parts of 

 America, but even thofe of Spain, from whence they 

 are derived. The horfes firil brought over might 

 pojTibly have been of the running kind, Spain ftill 

 abounding in that fort. But it muft be owned, that 

 greater care has been taken here of preventing the 

 breed from being mixed with others of a lefs generous 

 fpecies ; and by this means they gready exceed thofe of 

 Spain; for without any other incendve than their own 

 inclination, before they will fuíFer any other to get 

 before them, they will exert their utmoft ilrength j 

 and at the fame time their modon is lb eafy, that the 

 rider is not the leaft fatigued. In beauty and grace- 

 fulnefs they are not inferior to the famous Andelufian 

 horfes, and at the fame time full of fpirit. Accord- 

 ingly they are every where lb highly valued, that a 

 more acceptable prefent cannot be made to a perion of 

 the greateil diftinition, than one of thefe beafts. Many 

 purchafe them for parade, and befidcs their being com- 

 mon all over the kingdom, they have been fenc even to 

 Qiiiro. The great demand for them, and confequently 

 their high pnce, has induced the inhabitants of levcral 

 countries to attempt the breeding of them j but none 

 are equal to thofe of Chili, 



The commerce at Conception nnight be confider- 



ably incrcafed, were the country, which is far from 



R 4 , being 



