38 DESCRIPTIVE GEOGRAPHY. 



"Hombres 6 Dioses rusticos, nacidos 

 En estas sacras bosques y montanas." 



Learning from them that the apparent lake was but a gulf, communicating with the sea 

 through a narrow though dangerous channel, himself and ten other adventurous spirits re- 

 solved to visit the land on the opposite side ; and there, on a wild spot, half a mile farther 

 from the shore than the wanderings of his companions, the bark of a tree served as a tablet for 

 the first inscription in Chiloe. At that time the Chonos tribe inhabiting it were extremely 

 numerous ; but shortly afterward, the Spaniards founded Castro, and a portion of their number 

 was soon destroyed by labors in the mines discovered on the island. A raging epidemic carried 

 off nearly one third of the remainder ; multitudes fled in terror from the pestilence and tyranny ; 

 and, at the present day, there are scarcely any remnants of the tribe on their ancient home- 

 stead. The majority of the actual population belong to the Huilli-che tribe, whose ancestors 

 were brought from the adjoining continent by the Spaniards; next them are Creoles of mixed 

 descent; and lastly are foreigners, who are neither born on the island nor of Chiloe parentage. 

 Their total numbers in 1832 were 22,540 souls ; and in 1844, 24,498 an increase of less 

 than one per cent, per annum during the twelve years. In 1848 there were 53*7 males and 538 

 females born, of whom 168 were illegitimate ; and 31*7 males and 327 females died, showing a 

 much greater ratio of increase. In the same year there were 240 marriages. 



All writers, from the time of Padre Ovalle, in the first third of the 17th century, to the 

 officers of the British surveying ships, in 1835, speak in high terms of the amiability and hos- 

 pitality of the Chilotes ; traits which their countrymen at Santiago, who have more recently 

 visited the island, take great pleasure in mentioning. They are not, however, an industrious 

 race, owing partially to the fact that nature has dealt so beneficently by them. Subsistence may 

 be obtained with very little labor ; and thus the lower orders are contented with their supplies 

 of shell-fish, and pigs and poultry the latter being attainable with almost as little trouble. As 

 late as the visit of the Beagle, ground was prepared for cultivation in a most primitive man- 

 ner. Even the old Roman plough in use by their countrymen on the continent had been 

 introduced to small extent, and most of the people continued to break up their fields by means 

 of two sticks of hard wood. These are made from six to eight feet long, much larger at one end 

 than the other, and tapering to points at the smaller extremities. One is held near the middle 

 with each hand_, and, being pointed obliquely to the ground, they are forced forward by pressure 

 of the abdomen and chest, until ten or twelve inches under the surface. A boy or other as- 

 sistant then places near the ground, and beneath them, a third stick, or piece of wood. The 

 latter serves as a fulcrum for the levers, whose longer ends being forced down, the soil is raised 

 up. Whilst the ploughman shifts his poles to a spot in advance, his companion breaks up the 

 clods ; and the rich, sandy loam, with this little preparation, affords quite excellent crops. 

 Capt. King says : "Rude as this process is, the operation is rapidly performed ; and I have seen 

 a field ploughed in this way, that would not do much discredit to an expert ploughman with 

 a European plough." The vicinity of Castro and Dalcahue, on the eastern side of the island, 

 and the archipelago in the Gulf of Ancud, have most land under cultivation. These afford 

 the greater proportion of the provisions needed by ships that call at San Carlos, as well as a 

 large contribution for its own consumption, and surplus for coasting-trade. Multitudes of 

 canoes, or piraguas, are employed in transporting the various commodities to the capital, whose 

 people become no little excited if a continued northerly wind greatly delays their customary sup- 

 plies. These piraguas some of them as much as forty feet in length are constructed of planks 

 literally sewed together with flexible vines, and caulked with Alerce bark and moss. They are 

 sharp at both ends, like whale-boats ; and, to preserve their forms and resist the pressure of 

 water, have ribs to which the planks are secured with tree-nails. No metal is used in any part 

 of their construction ; even the anchors, or grapnels, being pieces of strong wood, crossed, and 

 loaded with stone. For a sail, the ponchos of the eight or ten men who compose the crew 

 are temporarily sewed together and hoisted, by means of a lasso, on a rude mast the crazy bark 



