316 



style, and is 384 French feet in front. The plan 

 was drawn by two English architects^ who su- 

 perintended the work ; but when it was half 

 finished they refused to go on, unless their wages 

 were irtcreased. In consequence of this the 

 building was suspended^ when two of the In- 

 dians, who had worked under the Englishmen, 

 and had secrectly found means of instructing 

 themselves in every branch of the art, offered to 

 complete it, which ihey did with as much skill 

 and perfection as their masters themselves could 

 have displa^'ed. In the capital the following 

 edifices are also worthy of remark : the barracks 

 for the dragoons, tl^e mint, which has been lately- 

 built by a Roman architect, and the hospital for 

 orphans, founded by Don Juan Nic-Aguirre, 

 Marquis of Monte- pio, and endowed by his 

 present majesty, who patronizes with much libe- 

 rality all establishments of public utility, 



Spanish Chili, in consequence of the freedom 

 granted to its maritime trade by the present go- 

 vernment, is peopling with a rapidity propor- 

 tioned to the salubrity of its climate and the 

 fertility of its soil. Its population in general is 

 composed of Europeans, Creoles, Indians, Ne- 

 groes,, and Mustees, The Europeans, except a 

 few French, English, and Italians, are Spaniards, 

 who for the most part arc from the southern pro- 

 vinces of Spain./ The Creoles, who form the 

 grciiter number, are the descendants of Euro- 



