OVAU^^' S HISTORICAL RELATION OF CHILE. 6y 



The e£Fe£ls that this water caufes in the ftomach are admirable : it helps to digeft 

 the meat with more eafinefs ; it deftroy scrudities, diflblves phlegms and grofs humours, 

 and evidently prolongs life, efpecially to old men. This was moft particularly made clear 

 in the perfon of the famous Captain Sebaftian Garcia Caretto Chumazero, the founder 

 of that novitiate, who lived there many years, and came to be ninety years old in good 

 health, and fo vigorous, that he did to the laft go on horfeback through the woods and 

 mountains, as if he had been a young man. I heard him fay many times, that this 

 fountain was his life ; for as foon as he found himfelf any ways out of order, he fent 

 immediately for the water of it, and drinking it frefli from the fpring, he ufed to go 

 to bed upon it ; where falling afleep, he would after fome time awake well difpofed : 

 this I have often been witnefs of. The old Indians thereabouts experienced the fame, 

 and did attribute their good ftate of health to this fpring, without ufmg any other 

 phyfick or remedies. 



CHAP. XIII. — Of the Lakes of Chile, and the Salt that is gathered from them. 



AFTER having treated of the fountains and rivers, it feems natural to treat of the 

 lakes and (landing waters formed out of them, and by fome inundations of the fea in 

 winter, when it fills them, and leaves them provided for all the fummer. Thofe made 

 by rivers come firft in rank ; and I wilh my memory would ferve to place them here, 

 with their feveral qualities. Omitting then to repeat what we have faid of thofe of 

 Aculco and Pudaguel, which being near St. Jago, make the greateft diverfion of its 

 inhabitants, we will begin with the lake of Tagataguas, about fourteen leagues from 

 that city, and which once was more in efteem ; for the trouts catched there are of a 

 large fize, and the game for wild fowl fo much more diverting, that there is no com- 

 parifon between thefe waters and others. I do not defcribe here particularly the variety 

 of wild fowl, becaufe I intend to do it when I treat of the variety of birds of this coun- 

 try. The lakes of Villa Rica are of great renown, though I confefs I know little of 

 their properties. 



The lake of Puren has been famous, having been an impregnable fortrefs for the 

 warlike Indians our enemies, by reafon of the difpofition and qualities of its fituation ; 

 for from thence they have for many years maintained a war with whole armies of 

 Spaniards, without being fubdued : their advantage lay in this j that upon any rout 

 given them by us, they had here a moft certain and fafe retreat, which, when once 

 they had recovered, they were out of all danger ; for none could hurt them either by 

 fword or fire. 



The fea lakes are alfo many, and of great profit to their owners ; for the fifheries in 

 them are much more certain than in the fea : for which reafon they furnifti the beft 

 part of the lenten fare, though the fea affords a great deal too. Among the reft the 

 lake of Rapel brings a great revenue : it runs in length above two leagues within the 

 land. In the winter time the fea is joined to it ; for by its ftorms it forces an entrance, 

 but it leaves it full of all forts of fifti ; which, with thofe that are bred there, furnifh it 

 for the whole year, and enable it to fupply all the neighbouring country ; and that not 

 only with fifli, but with fait too in abundance ; for, about January,* the communication 

 ceafing between it and the fea, when the fun is at its hotteft in that climate, the water 

 is congealed fo, that it has a cruft of a foot or more thick of a moft excellent white 

 fait. This, indeed, does not happen every year ; for it requires an extreme heat to do 

 it, the lake being deep, and the climate there more inclining to cold : but they provide 



K 2 themfelves 



