19J 



<: H I L I. 



v - st rat ion beme the object of universal regard. Since with the other Spanish coloniei in America, it hat with- History.' 

 > ~~~ ~~~" ' that period no i of interest or imp -nance has drawn its allegiance from the present government at ^^"Y""'' 



been received from Chili, except the general fact, that Cadiz, wiule it acknowledges Ferdioud VII. 



P.U.T II. STATISTICAL ACCOUNT OF CHILI. 



Sutistics. 



Origin of 

 the name. 



Aspect and 

 natural di- 



Chili Pro- 

 per. 



The Andes. 



I.Unds. 



Political 



divisions. 



is bounded on the north by Peru, on the south 

 by the land of Magellan, on the west by the Pacific 

 Ocean, and on the cast by Tucoman Ciijo and Patagoira. 

 The natural limits of Chili on the land side are the An- 

 des or Cordillera and the desert of Atacama. It is to 

 be remarked, however, that not only the western valltes 

 of the Andes, but also the eastern, which have been oc- 

 cupied from time immemorial by Chilian colonies, make 

 an integral part of the country. In length it has been 

 computed at 1260 geographical miles. Its greatest 

 breadth, which is near the Archipelago of Chiloe, is about 

 300 miles. Between the 24th and 32J degrees of lati- 

 tude, in a direct line from the coast to the mountains, it 

 measures about 210, and its narrowest part from the IWd 

 to the 37th, not more than 120 miles. It contains a 

 surface of 378,000 square miles. 



Among the various whimsical derivations of the name 

 of Chili, that suggested by the inhabitants is, perhaps, 

 the least absurd. They derive it from the note or cry 

 of one of their birds, which in its utterance somewhat 

 resembles the word Chili ; and " it is not improbable," 

 says Molina, " that the first tribes who settled there, 

 considered this note as a good omen, and named the 

 country accordingly." 



Chili presents a plain, gradually rising in elevation as 

 it recedes from the coast and approaches the Cordillera. 

 From this sloping conformation it is fertilized and beau- 

 tified by innumerable rivers, which having their source in 

 the mountains, cross the country from east to west, and 

 discharge themselves into the Pacific Ocean. The natural 

 divisions of Chili are three in number ; Chili Proper, the 

 country of the Chilian Andes, and the Islands. Chili 

 Proper, comprehended between the Andes and the sea, 

 and measuring in breadth at least 120 miles, has been 

 divided into two equal portions, viz. the Maritime and 

 Midland. Three chains of mountains, parallel to the 

 Andes, intersect the Maritime country. The Midland 

 portion is almost an uniform plain, interspersed only with 

 a few solitary hills. That portion of the Andes which 

 belongs to Chili, is about ISO miles in breadth. It con- 

 tains a vast number of contiguous and very lofty moun- 

 tains, and in its various scenery exhibits often the most 

 striking features of the grand, the picturesque, and the 

 beautiful. The Islands that belong to Chili are the Co- 

 quembar.es, Mugillon, Totoral, and Pajaro, which re- 

 main desert ; Carama, which is a mere rock and scarcely 

 worth notice ; the two islands of Juan Fernandez, Isola 

 di Terra (the shore islands), and Masafuera (the more 

 distant), both of which are beautiful and inviting, but 

 the firat only (Isola di Terra), which is the largest, is 

 inhabited by a few Spaniards ; Quirequina and Talca, or 

 Santa Maria near Conception ; Mocha, on the coast of 

 Arancania, which is more than 60 miles in circumference, 

 handsome, and fertile, but deserted by the Spaniards ; 

 the Archipeligo of Chiloe, which, with that of the 

 Choncs dependent upon .it, comprehends eighty-two 

 island.", at present occupied by Spaniards and Indians. 

 Chiloe, the largest of these, is in length about 150 

 miles, and gives its name to the Archipelago. All the 

 above island 9 , except those of Juan Fernandez, are situa- 

 ted near the coast. 



Chili may be divided politically into two parts ; th* 



conquered portion, in possession Af the Spaniards, and Statistic!. 

 the Indian part, which still maintains its independence. < *^"Y"^*' 

 Spanish Chili extends from the 24th to the :!7th degree 

 or south latitude, and is divided into thirteen provinces, 

 which we here subjoin, beginning from the north, with 

 a short statement of their extent, productions, and ca- 

 pitals. Copiapo, stretching from the Andes to the sea, 

 is in length 100 leagues by 70 in breadth. Its northern 

 part is chiefly inhabited by hunters of the vicugna. This 

 province contains mines of lead and silver, and abounds Spanish 

 in gold, lapis lazuli, and fossile salt. Copiapo, the ca- Chili, witU 

 pital, is situated on a river of the same name, in 27 10* *. ''"'"['.I" 

 south latitude, andin west longitude 71 5' 15". Copiapo, p"^"^"^ 

 extending also from the Andes to the sea, is 70 leagues 

 from north to south, and 45 from east to west. The 

 soil is fertile, producing abundance of grapes, olives, and 

 other fruit, both native and European. It is rich in gold, 

 copper, and iron. Its capital, Coquimbo, or La Serena, 

 stands in eouth latitude 29 51' 40"; west longitude 71* 

 19' 15". QtiiHolu, lying on the sea-coast, is 25 leagues in 

 length, and 21 in breadth. This province is one of the most 

 populous in Chili, and is particularly abundant in gold. 

 Tlie capital, named Quillota, or San Martin, is in south 

 latitude 32 42', and west longitude 71. Aconcagua, 

 is an inland province, comprehending part of the Andes; 

 75 leagues in length, and the same in breadth. It it 

 fertile in grain and fruit ; produces excellent copper, 

 and contains the rich silver mines of Uspalata. The ca- 

 pital, Aconcagua, or San Filipe, is situated in lat. 32 

 IS', andlong 69 55'. Mclipilla, on the sea-coast, measure* 

 1 1 leagues from north to south, and 23 from east to west. 

 It is a beautiful and fertile province, abounding in wine 

 and grain. Mehpilla, or San Joseph de Lagrano, the 

 capital, is finely situated on the river Maypo, in lat. 33" 

 36', long. 70 42'. Santiago, near the Andes, is a small 

 province, measuring only 1 1 leagues from north to south, 

 and 20 from cast to west ; it is, however, extremely 

 fertile, and abounds in grain, wine, and excellent f-.-uits, 

 especially peaches. Capital, St Jago, in lat. 33 16', 

 long. 69 48'. liaitMtpia, extending from the Andes 

 to the sea, is 40 leagues from east to west, and 1 3 from 

 north to south. It is fruitful in grain, and has a rich 

 mine of gold in the vicinity of Alque. The capital, 

 Santa Croce de Trianna, or Rancagua, lies in lat. 34 

 18', long. 70 1C'. Calc/iagna, reaching from the Andc* 

 to the sea, is from east to west 43 leagues, from north 

 to south 15. This is a rich province, abounding in grain, 

 wine, fruits, and gold. San Fernando, the capital, is in 

 lat. :)t 36', long. 70 34'. Mnult, extending from the 

 Andes to the sea, is 44 miles from north to south, and 

 from cast to west 48. It abounds in grain, wine, fruits, 

 cattle, fish, salt, and gold. Several noble families, whose 

 finances had been much reduced, having retired to this 

 province, it has, from that circumstance, received the 

 appellation of the Bankrupt Colony. It contains many- 

 villages of native Chilese, and one in particular, Laro, 

 inhabited by Promaucians, and governed by a native 

 chief or Ulmen. Capital Talca, or St Augiuttn, in south 

 lat. 35 18', west long. 70 48'. Itnla, on the coast, 

 II leagues from north to south, and 23 from east to 

 west. It affords the best wine i:i Chili, known; by the 

 name of Conception wine, from its being produced on 



