265 



The Spaniards, since losing their settlements in 

 Araiicania,have prudently confined their views to es- 

 tablishing themselves firmly in that part of Chili, 

 which lies between the southern confines of Peru and 

 the river Bio-bio, and extends from the 24th to the 

 36th and a half degree of south latitude ; this, as has 

 been already mentioned, they have divided into thir- 

 teen provinces.* They also possess the fortress of 

 Valdivia, in the country of the Cunchese, the Archi- 

 pelago of Chiloe, and the island of Juan Fernandez. 

 These provinces, as has been already mentioned, are 

 governed by an officer, who has usually the rank of 

 lieutenant-general, and combines the title of presi- 

 dent, governor and captain-general of the kingdom 

 of Chili. He resides in the city of St. Jago, and is 

 solely dependant upon the king, except in case 

 of war, when, in certain points, he receives his di- 

 rections from the viceroy of Peru. 



In quality of captain-general he commands the 

 army, and has under him not only the three principal 

 officers of the kingdom, the quarter- master, the ser- 

 geant-major and the commissary, but also the four 

 governors of Chiloe, Valdivia, Valparaiso and Juan 

 Fernandez. As president and governor he has the 

 supreme administration of justice, and presides ove* 



* During the government of Jauregui, the province of Maule 

 was divided into two, tlie river of that name, serving as the boun- 

 dary for each : the part situated to the north of it retaining its 

 former name, and that lying to the southward asauming that of 

 Cauquenes its capital. Of late years a farther reduction gf th t 

 province has taken place, by the sepai-ation from it on the north 

 of three curacies, in order to form with son-^e of the lands of Cal- 

 chagua the new provii^cc of Curico. 



Vol. II. LI 



