62 POLITICAL DIVISIONS AND 



numerous different chains occupy about two thirds of its territory, so ample is the supply of 

 water, and so rapid the fall of the Oachapual, Tinguiririca, and Lontue, that considerably more 

 than one third is under cultivation. 



It is divided into three departments San Fernando, Caupolican, and Curico of which the 

 first and last have capitals of the same name ; that of the second is called Rengo. These 

 departments are subdivided into 32 sub-delegations, which comprise 128 districts. San Fer- 

 nando city, with a population of 12,000 souls, is very badly located between the Tinguiririca 

 river and Antinero creek, and below the level of their waters during winter floods. Its houses 

 are, generally, at some distance from each other, each having a garden enclosed with rude mud 

 walls, which gives an'unpleasant aspect to the city. Some of the streets have been paved, but 

 the buildings have been spread over so much ground that the funds of the municipal exchequer 

 have not generally warranted such luxury. Rengo, though legally a city, in 1848 was only a 

 village, with 48 taxed houses. It is near the south bank of one of the three Rio Claros in 

 this province, and though not so much exposed as San Fernando, is also liable to winter inun- 

 dations. It has only one very tortuous street, along which in 1852 there were more than three 

 times the number of houses stated above. The exteriors of some of these were handsomely 

 finished, though, like San Fernando, the town was spread over much ground. Usually its long 

 street is filled with carts or herds of animals, either passing through or halting for a time 

 whilst their proprietors have a little traffic at the straggling shops. Curico is by far the 

 neatest, and, apparently, it is the most thriving town in the province. It is compactly built 

 on the fork between the Lontue and Teno, and is supplied with water from a small tributary 

 stream to the former. The streets are paved from the plaza to the eastern boundaries, and it 

 has a very pretty alameda, as well as most attractive suburban promenades. All three of these 

 cities are mentioned more at length in the chapter detailing "A visit to the southward." In 

 the department of Caupolican, the other towns containing more than 3,000 inhabitants are 

 Huacargiie, Zuniga, Pencagiie, Chanquagiie, Requinua; Olivar, Coinco, Tunca, Pichidegiia, 

 and Rastrojos, have each more than 2,000; and there are ten others having a greater number 

 than 1,000. In the department of San Fernando, Manantiales, Estrella, and Navidad have 

 each more than 2,000 people; and there are fourteen other towns exceeding 1,000. In the de- 

 partment of Curico, Las Palmas has 4,815 ; Lolol 3,008 ; Bichuquen 3,271 ; Auquinco, Ranguili, 

 Medano, San Pedro Alcantara, and Los Negros, above 2,000 each ; and there are twenty-eight 

 others exceeding 1,000 souls for every settlement. Its ports are Topocalma, San Antonio de 

 Bichuquen, Llico, and Tuman, which are occasionally visited by small coasters, though none of 

 them are safe, nor are the last two recognised by government as habilitated anchorages. The 

 first two belong to the Valparaiso collection district. Llico is at the mouth of the Mataquito. 

 Tuman is sheltered from the southerly winds, and communicates with the interior of the pro- 

 vince by a good carriage-road, an advantage not possessed by Llico. It has been made known 

 to the government that the entrance to Lake Bichuquen could be rendered navigable by vessels 

 for an expense of $6,000, and a secure harbor be thus obtained; but no steps have been taken to 

 carry the recommendations of the Intendente into effect. This, and the repairs of nearly all the 

 roads, are objects of incalculable consequence to the interests of the ' ' haciendados. ' ' Otherwise, 

 they must continue to transport their surplus commodities by carts or mules to Santiago or Val- 

 paraiso distances of 40 and 50 leagues respectively from San Fernando. Should their estates 

 lie elsewhere than on the great highway, the bodies of water deposited by rains in winter, and 

 overflows from the irrigating canals, are so great, that most of the lateral roads are rendered 

 intransitable, and produce is kept from market. Indeed, there is a part of the principal 

 thoroughfare in no better condition. 



Agriculture and the raising of cattle are the only industrial resources of the people. Though 

 having the same base as that of its neighbor on the north, the soil of Colchagua generally has 

 been rendered more fertile by the greater amount of detritus left by more abundant artificial 

 irrigation. Rain also is more frequent and copious, and disintegration of the cordillera slopes 



