DESCRIPTIVE GEOGRAPHY. 3'J 



tottering along before the breeze, almost miraculously delivering it* timid mariners in safety at 

 their ports. Few of them, it in alleged, have learned to swim ; and when danger impends, 

 instead of endeavoring to extricate their boat, they throw themselves on their knees, beat 

 their breasts, and invoke their patron saint, to whom they make vows of candles or penance. 

 Yrt they sometimes make voyages as far as Concepcion. 



The pmiripal islands between Chiloe and the continent are San Pedro, Lilehuapu, Cay- 

 lin, Tanqui, Lemuy, Quehuy, Chelin, Quinchao, Chaulinec, Apiao, Chalin, Nayahiu, Talcan, 

 Caliuach, Meulin, Los Chauques, Caucahue, Tabon, Calbuco, and Puruqui; of which Quinchao, 

 Lemuy, and Tanqui are the largest, most populous, and productive. Nearly all named are 

 settled, and many of them have excellent harbors. Besides these there are numerous smaller 

 islands, in all eighty-two, which are resorted to by the natives for their marine products. To 

 the southward is the Guaytecas group, the northern cluster of the Chonos archipelago; from 

 which to Staten land, east of Cape Horn, the chain of islands is continuous. Some of the 

 Guaytecas group are nearly twenty miles long. They are frequently visited by sealing 

 and otter-hunting parties from Chiloe ; who have one of the best harbors on the coast at Port 

 Low, at the northern island. Water, wood, and fish, both testaceous and vertebrated, may 

 be had there in abundance. 



Westward of the Guaytecas, and somewhat nearer to the ysla grande, is Huafo called by 

 Narborough, (Sir John Narborough' 8 Journal,) in 1670, " No-man's-land." It is about twelve 

 miles long, eight miles broad, and was inhabited by Huy-huen-ches until the Spaniards trans- 

 ported its people, nominally to prevent their giving aid and information to the buccaneers, 

 though, in reality, the working of their mines had no little influence. 



Chiloe and its archipelago are the only islands of intrinsic value to the State.* The others 

 are all of much less extent than those of the archipelago; and, with one exception, are either 

 so nearly desolate, or so unsafe as places of refuge for ships, 'as to be worthless to organized 

 society. First in order of these is Mocha, under the 74th meridian, in latitude 38 23' a 

 lofty island, seven miles in length by three in breadth. Previous to the seventeenth century it 

 was inhabited by Araucanians, under whose care domestic animals multiplied with great 

 rapidity ; and its 800 people (or 3,000, as mentioned by Ovalle) being removed to the main 

 land in 1685 by Quiroga, the island was, at one time, almost overrun by them. Subsequently, 

 ships seeking whales and seals among the Pacific islands hunted down great numbers of 

 them, and now only a few stray horses and pigs are to be found. There is no doubt that its 

 soil and climate would permit sustenance to quite a large industrious population, though no 

 effort has been made to re-populate it. During the great earthquake of February, 1835, the 

 island was uplifted about two feet ; and the shock was so strong that the people accidentally 

 there taking seals could not stand on their feet. 



Santa Maria, a comparatively low island, of the same length as the last, with an arm-shaped. 

 sand-spit extending to the E.S.E. from near its centre, is in latitude 37 03', and distant from 

 the main land but a few leagues. It has a cliffy coast, and many dangerous, outlying rocks 

 and shoals, which require more than ordinary care on the part of the navigator who approaches 

 it. In the year 1712 Frezierf found the island low and nearly a plain, and about three quar- 

 ters of a league in length, from north to south. Southwest of it there was a little island, but it 

 no longer.exists separately, and a rock at some distance to the W.N.W.; one dangerous bank to 

 the N.E., and another, near half a league in extent, on the N.W. side. The anchorages were 

 to the north and south of a point on the eastern shore, though, as there was but little water, 

 few vessels resorted to them. Now, both hydrographical and topographical features are greatly 



The name Chil&e is derived from Chil-hue, which signifies a district or province of Chile, and was given to it by the tribe which 

 emigrated from the main land, prior to the arrival of the Spaniards, under the influence of a desire to preserve the memory of 

 their father-land. According to Molina, all the natives subjugated as well as free call their country Chile-mapu, the land of 

 Chile ; and its language, Chili-dugu the language of Chile. Why it has been transformed into Chiloe, instead of Chilue, no 

 one knows. 



t Relation du Voyage de la Mer du Sud aux cotes du Chily et du Perou': Paris, 1716. 



