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CHILODI A, l new genu of plants of the class Di- 

 dynanva, and ord< r Gvn.no>.permia. Sr- BOTANY, p. 

 ami Brown'* Prodr. l'la*t. Nor Hnll. ic. p 



CHILOE, or ANCUSD, the Archtptiage of, it situa- 

 ted in large bay at the southern extremity of Chili. The 

 original tctllert, having emigrated from Chili, at it ma- 

 nifeit fr.xn their manner* and language, gave it the name 

 of Chil-hvc, (hence Chiloe), i.e. a district of Chili. 

 It ii bounded on the north and east by the c ntit rut, 

 en the west by the Pacific Ocean, and on the south by 

 the Archipelago of Guaytecas. As a province of Chili, 

 it comprehends a small portion of the continent, ex- 

 tending to the district of Osorno on the north, and to 

 the Cordilleras on the east. Its discovery, in 1558, by 

 Don Garcia de Mendoza ; the unresisted subjugation of 

 its inhabitants in 1566, then amounting to 70,000, by a 

 troop of sixty Spaniards under Ruiz Gambua ; and 

 their feeble endeavour, at the commencement of the last 

 century, to recover their independence ; these transac- 

 tionsare briefly noticed in the history of Chili, and we shall 

 not here repeat them. The number of islands in the Ar- 

 chipelago, comprehending the Chones which are depen- 

 dent upon it, docs not exceed 82, of which 32are inhabited. 

 The island of Chiloe, or Isla Grand, is by much the lar- 

 gest in the Archipelago. It lies at the mouth of the bay, 

 and extends in a direction north and south from the 

 41st and a half to the 44th degree of latitude, forming 

 two straits or passages with the continent : the passage 

 at the northern extremity is about a league in breadth ; 

 the other is upwards of twelve leagues. In this, as in 

 the other islands, the land is considerably elevated, and 

 rises into mountains, overspread with impenetrable thick- 

 ets : It contains forty-one settlement*. The other islands 

 are of very insignificant dimensions, except a few that 

 measure in length from twelve to fifteen leagues. Six 

 settlements have been established on the l.-le of Quin- 

 chau ; Laicha and Lemui contain each of them four j 

 Calbuco has three, and the rest only one each. These 

 settlements cannot properly be denominated towns, as 

 in most of them the houses lie dispersed, and at a con- 

 siderable distance from each other. 



The only towns in the Archipelago, are the city of 

 Castro, Chacao, San Carlos, and Calbuco. Castro, found- 

 ed in 1566, by Ruiz Gamboa, is the capital of the 

 province, and stands on an arm of the sea, in south la- 

 titude 42 58', west longitude 303 15'. Chacao, ac- 

 knowledging the same founder, was, previous to the erec- 

 tion of San Carlos, the principal sea port, and the re- 

 sidence of the governor : it is situated in 42 of south 

 latitude, and 307 37' west longitude. The harbour 

 affords good anchorage, though somewhat exposed to 

 the north and north-east winds ; but the entrance, from 

 the rapidity of the currents, and certain hidden rocks 

 in the middle chatfnel, is rendered extremely hazardous. 

 San Carlo* is now the principal port, and the scat of 

 government ; and though founded so late as the year 

 1768, is superior to all the other towns, both in prospe- 

 rity and extent. In 1791, it contained 200 houses, oc- 

 cupied by more than 1100 inhabitants. It lies in south 

 latitude 41 57'. Though the harbour itself is good, 

 frequent wrecks are occasioned at its entrance, by the 

 sudden and overwhelming hurricanes which afflict these 

 islands. Calbuco belongs to the island of that name, 

 which is the station of a commandant, and lies at the 

 north end of the bay. 



The climate of the Archipelago is temperate, and 

 seldom incommoded by the extremes of heat or cold. It 

 is sufficiently marked, however, by its excessive humi- 

 lity : the rain falls io torrents, and continues often, with- 

 2 



out any intermission, to deluge the island* for the space f 

 of a month. Except in the autumnal season, eij^ht ^"V"^ 

 day* of fair weather is a very rare and unexpected oc- 

 currence. During that season, however, the Chilote* 

 commonly enjoy a respite of several weeks. These rain* 

 arc seldom accompanied by thunder or lightning, but 

 they are attended with frequent hurricanes, which some- 

 times prove extremely injurious. Owing to the rocky and 

 mountainous character of these islands, cultivation is al- 

 most wholly confined to the plain grounds near the coast ; 

 the interior contains a few cultivated vallics. The degree 

 of tillage given to this small portion, if we may judge from 

 the extreme rudeness of the agricultural implements, must 

 be very imperfect. Two crooked stakes, sharpened at 

 the point, are made to serve the purpose of a plough, 

 and both are worked by a single labourer. He seizes a 

 stake in each hand, and applying the heads to his breast, 

 forces their points into the ground, and turns up the 

 eoil by extreme exertion : the labour is considerably 

 augmented by the vast number of myrtle roots which 

 every where abound throughout the cultivated lands. 

 The seed, previous to this scratching, has been scat- 

 tered over the ground, which has also received a suffi- 

 cient quantity of manure from the flocks of sheep which, 

 for that purpose, are always made to pasture upon it, for 

 three months before cultivation. 



The excessive moisture of the climate, though no way Ctiltivatioc 

 injurious to its salubrity, is extremely unfavourable to the aild ve g<- 

 interests of agriculture. On account of the weather, it table *- 

 is always necessary, in order to save the crop, to cut it 

 down before it is perfectly ripe, often when it is yet 

 green, and to dry it in sheds and barns. Wheat, not- 

 withstanding these disadvantages, gives a tolerable crop, 

 yielding, at an average, twelve for one. Maize and barley 

 succeed well ; several kinds of pulse are cultivted with suc- 

 ceas ; but the principal crop is potatoes, which are large, 

 and of the very best quality. Bread is considered as a lux- 

 ury, especially wheat bread, and is confined almost exclu- 

 sively to the houses of the more wealthy inhabitants. A 

 excellent substitute is afforded by the luche, a marine plant, 

 wlncli being sufficiently dried, is afurwards, by some un- 

 explained method of preparation, converted into loaves. 

 From their barley, reduced to meal, the Chilotcs obtain 

 a pleasant sort of ale, called c/iica, which will intoxicate 

 if taken in considerable quantity. Of fruits, the number 

 is very small, and none of them reach maturity except 

 apples and strawberries, which grow wild, and in great 

 abundance. The woods supply the alerce, or red cedar, a 

 large and beautiful tree, of which a single stem will af- 

 ford from six to eight hundred boards, each twenty feet 

 long. Its wood is of a very singular quality, and, from 

 its peculiar evenness of grain, can be divided as exactly, 

 with the assistance of a few wedges, and formed into 

 boards as smooth and level as if the finest saw had been 

 used in the operation. The bark is employed as oakum, 

 and serves the purpose well for those parts of a ship that 

 remain under water, but it will not stand exposure to the 

 urn or atmosphere. We may notice also the hazle, the 

 cypress, the luma, a spec es of myrtle, and the ciruclillo, 

 all of them used as articles of commerce. 



Of domestic animals, the most numerous are sheep and Animals, 

 hogs. The wool of the sheep gives employment to the 

 female Indians, who manufacture it into poncho*. The 

 hams of Chiloe are reckoned the fini-at in South Amcnca. 

 All attempts to introduce the ass have proved neffei 

 those transported having constantly perished a short 

 time after their introduction. The horse and the ox 

 have succeeded better, an 1 tlii-ir number is now consider- 

 able. The principal wild animals are otters, deem, an4 



