Ch.IX. south AMERICA. 271 



folc leather tanned. Of the goat ikins rs made Cor- 

 dovan Icatljtr; forre tallow ¡s aifo p- wcurrd from 

 thofe creatures. Wines are made here jt fevt'ral 

 forfi, £!id though not fo excellent as tliofe 01 Conccp- 

 tion> they are very palatable and of a good body; 

 brandy is alfo diftillcd fioin them. Thefe arc, the 

 principal articles of t'lc active commerce of this 

 kingdom vvith Pciu, which it fupplies with wheat, 

 tallow, and cordsge; and by the moil carefui cííi- 

 mate, the quantity of wheat fent annually from Santiago 

 to Callao, amounts to 140,000 Fanegas, each weighing 

 one hundred and fifty-fi.'C pounds j about eight thou- 

 fand quintals of cord.-ige ; and between iixteen and 

 twenty thoufand quintals of tallow : befides fole leather, 

 nuts, filberts, figs, pears, and apples ; GralFa, Charqui, 

 and neat tongues: the three lail being no inconfiderabJe 

 articles. 



The more northern parts of the kingdom, as Co- 

 quimbo, produce olives, the oil of which is preferable 

 to that of m.any parís of Peru ; but being a natural 

 commodity of that kingdom, and confequendy not an 

 article of exportation, ■ is coniumed at home. The 

 country about Santiago, likevvife, produces good olives; 

 but in no great quantity, the genius of the inhabitants 

 having not hitherto led them to make large plantations 

 of thole trees. » 



Besides the commerce carried on with Peru in pro- 

 vifions, there is that of metals, this kingdom abounding 

 in mines of all kinds, but principally of gold and copper, 

 which we ihall briefly confidcr. 



The mofl famous gold mine known in Chili, is called 

 Petorca, and lies in a country E. of Santiago. This 

 gold was formerly highly elieemed, and found in great 

 plenty ; but now, on account of a whidih tinge, the 

 value of it is ccnfiderably diminifhed. This mine for 

 the length of time it has been worked, is equal to the 

 moft celebrated in Peru. 



In the country of Yapel, which is fituatcd in the 



fame 



