Tarice3^ Itithout that steady firmness that cha- 

 racterizes the valour of a free [ieople. The 

 Spaniards, however^ notwithstanding the ill- 

 combined opposition of the natives, traversed 

 the provinces of Copiapo, Coquimbo, Qtiil- 

 lota, and Melipilla, and arrived much ha- 

 rassed, but with little loss, at thdt of Mapocho, 

 now called St. Jago. Thil province, which is 

 more than six hundred tailes distant from thfe 

 confines of Peru, is ohe of the most fertile and 

 pleasant in the kingdom. Its haine signifies 

 "^ the land of many people," and from the ac- 

 ^counts of the first writers upon Chili, its popula- 

 tion cbrresponded therewith, beiiig extremely 

 numerous. It lies upon the confines of the 

 principal mountain of the Andes, and is 140 

 miles in circumference. It is watered by the 

 livers Maypo, Colina, Lampa, and Mapocho, 

 which last divides it into two nearly equal parts, 

 and after pursuing a subterraneous course fox 

 the space of five miles, again shows itself with 

 increased copiousness, and discharges its waters 

 into the Maypo. The mountains of Careh, 

 which terminate it on the north, abound with 

 veins of gold, and in that part of the Andes, 

 which bounds it at the east, are found several 

 rich mines of silver. 



Valdivia, who had endeavoured to penetrate 

 as far as possible into the country, in order 4;o 

 render it difficult for Lis soldiers to return to 



