2f,6 A VOYAGE TO BodkVIIL 



The city <^^ Santi^g- , originally called Santiago de 

 la Nueftia Eilremaduraj v/as founded by captain Pf^- 

 dro de '.^alJiviaj vvho began the foundation on the 

 a4th of February 1541, in the valley of Mapocho, 

 near chat of Chiij, which gives its name to the whole 

 kingdom. It has not been fubiect to the revolutions 

 of other places, but ftili itands on its original fpot, 

 which is nearly in 33° 4c' fouth latitude, and about 

 twenty leagues from the harbour of Valparaifo, the 

 neareil port to it in the South Seas. It fituadon is one 

 of the moft convenient and delightful that can be ima- 

 gined, {landing in a delightful plain of twenty-four 

 lepgues in extent, watered by a river Rowing in mean- 

 ders through the middle of it, and called by the fame 

 name of Mapocho. This rivtr runs fo near the city, 

 that by means of conduits, the water is conveyed from 

 it through the fcreets, and alfo fupplies the gardens, 

 •which few houfcs here are without, and hence the de- 

 lightful fituation of the place, and the plcafure x)f the 

 inhabitants are gready h^ ¡ghtened. 



The city is a thoufand t( ifes in length from E. to 

 W. and fix hundred in brea;ith from K. to S. On the 

 fide oppofite the river, which wafiies the N. part of it, 

 is a large fuburb, called Chimba ; and on the E. fide, 

 aln. oil contiguous to tlie houfcs, is a mountam of, a 

 middling hciaht, called Santa Lucia. 1 he fireets are 

 all of a handiome breadth, paved and flraight; iome 

 run txadtly in an E. and W. direction, and are crolfed 

 by others, lying exadly N. and S. Near the middle 

 oí the city is the grand piazza, which, like that of Li- 

 ma, is iquare, wiih a very beautiful fountain in the cen- 

 ter. On the N. fide are the paluce of the royal audi- 

 ence, where the prefidents have cheir apartment.'-, the 

 town-houfe, and the public prif(;n. 1 he W. fide is 

 taken up Uy the cathedral and the büliop's palace. The 

 S. fuie confilts of Ihops, each decorated with ari arch j 

 and die i .. is a row of private houfes. The other parts 

 of tlic city arc divided into infulated fquares of houies, 



regular. 



