276 CAUSES OF WANT OF LAND. [chap. xiii. 



In the census of 1832, there were in Chiloe and its depend- 

 encies forty-two thousand souls : the greater number of 

 these appear to be of mixed blood. Eleven thousand retain 

 their Indian surnames, but it is probable that not nearly 

 all of these are of a pure breed. Their manner of life is 

 the same with that of the other poor inhabitants, and they 

 are all Christians ; but it is said that they yet retain some 

 strange superstitious ceremonies, and that they pretend to 

 hold communication with the devil in certain caves. 

 Formerly, every one convicted of this offence was sent to 

 the Inquisition at Lima. Many of the inhabitants who are 

 not included in the eleven thousand with Indian surnames, 

 cannot be distinguished by their appearance from Indians. 

 Gomez, the governor of Lemuy, is descended from noblemen 

 of Spain on both sides ; but by constant intermarriages 

 with the natives the present man is an Indian. On the 

 other hand, the governor of Quinchao boasts much of his 

 purely kept Spanish blood. 



We reached at night a beautiful little cove, north of the 

 island of Caucahue. The people here complained of want 

 of land. This is partly owing to their own negligence in 

 not clearing the woods, and partly to restrictions by the 

 government, which makes it necessary before buying ever 

 so small a piece, to pay two shillings to the surveyor for 

 measuring each quadra (150 yards square), together with 

 whatever price he fixes for the value of the land. After his 

 valuation, the land must be put up three times to auction, 

 and if no one bids more, the purchaser can have it at that 

 rate. All these exactions must be a serious check to 

 clearing the ground, where the inhabitants are so extremely 

 poor. In most countries, forests are removed without much 

 difficulty by the aid of fire ; but in Chiloe, from the damp 

 nature of the climate, and the sort of trees, it is necessary 

 first to cut them down. This is a heavy drawback to the 

 prosperity of Chiloe. In the time of the Spaniards the 

 Indians could not hold land ; and a family, after having 

 cleared a piece of ground, might be driven away, and the 

 property seized by the government. The Chilian authorities 

 are now performing an act of justice by making retribution 

 to these poor Indians, giving to each man, according to his 

 grade of life, a certain portion of land. The value of un- 

 cleared ground is very little. The Government gave Mr. 

 Douglas (the present surveyor, who informed me of these 

 circumstances) eight and a half square miles of forest near 



