ovalle's historical relation of chile. 75 



to avoid them, they being fo many, that they were almoft always in the fhip's way, 

 and endangered the lofs of them, being fo big that they looked like rocks : they are 

 all along the coafl of Copiapo and Guafco, and are of no fmall profit, by the amber- 

 gris they caft on fhore. The journals of thofe who have palTed the ftraights do 

 mention much of this amber floating on the fea, and therefore no doubt but a great 

 deal of it is on ftiore ; but it is loft, for the Indians having no value for it, know it not j 

 and it is but within thefe twelve years that the Araucana's minded it ; by feehig fome 

 Spanifh foldiers look for it, they did fo too, and found a great deal, and very good, 

 on the coaft. Of the grey fort, which is the beft, they found great pieces of an afh 

 colour, with a nobler and more delicate fmell ; the ordinary forts are yellow and black, 

 and it has a quicker, though not fo fweet a fmell as the grey. I have heard the people 

 of thofe parts fay commonly, that the difference is very accidental, and that it depends 

 only upon being more or lefs prepared by the fun-beams ; and experience feems to con- 

 firm this thought ; for I have obferved that black does in time grow white, by being 

 expofed to the fun in a box ; but if it be laid open, fo as both fun and rain come upon 

 it, the experiment will be more manifeft ; and as for the harfhnefs of the fmell, it may 

 be remedied by infufions in rofe-water, expofmg it firft to the dews for nine days, and 

 then to the fire, by which means it grows perfeft. 



Though it is known that amber is a thing which the whales caft from them, 

 there is diverfity of opinion about the manner, becaufe fome think that this noble 

 produdl is formed at the bottom of the fea, or upon fome rocks ; and that the whales 

 eat it for food, and not being able to endure it in their ftomachs, becaufe it is naturally 

 extremely hot, they get to the fhore to caft it up ; others fay, that it is the whales' ex- 

 crements. It is not my bufinefs to decide this difpute. The other great advantage 

 which the whales are of to the country, is the oil they afford after they are dead ; and 

 it is a great deal that one whale will yield ; it ferves for various ufes of Hfe. We do 

 not know that thefe fifhes die of a violent death, becaufe their vaft bulk defends them 

 both from men, and all other animals, that may be their enemies ; but yet being fub- 

 jed: to pay the common debt of nature, when they find themfelves near death, they 

 draw near the land, and are often caft on fhore by the fea, which will not bear any 

 corruption in its waters ; and it is ftrange to fee how they are thrown up in great num- 

 bers on thofe coafts. The oil is made by the heat of the fun, and when the weather 

 has confumed the flefh, the ribs and other bones remain white ; and the Indians make 

 ufe of them for feats ; much more conveniency and curiofity might be afforded by 

 them to other workmen. 



There is another fort of fifh which are found moft on the coaft of Coquimbo, which 

 are not fo big as whales, but yet are very large, and a good fifh to eat, which are the 

 tunny-iifh, and the Albacoras, which the Indians kill with great dexterity ; they go 

 into the fea a good way upon floats of feal-fkins, well fewed together, and blown up 

 like a bladder ; they carry with them a kind of trident with fharp tongues ; this is 

 faftened to a long, flender, but ftrong rope ; the Indian guides his float near the fifh 

 he choofes, and then darts it with his trident ; the tunny, as foon as wounded, goes 

 out to fea like lightning ; the Indian gives him rope enough, and follows him the way 

 that he runs, till the fifh has fpent itfelf by lofs of blood ; and then the Indian draws 

 his rope, and the fifh with it, either dead or dying, and lays it on his float, and he 

 returns to port with his prey rejoicing. There are many other forts of fifhes ; one of 

 the moft extraordinary is the flying-fifh, which fly with wings, and follow a fhip like 

 birds- The lion-fifli is alfo admirable : they are found in great quantities about the 

 ftraights of Magellan, near a port called Port Defire : they are very good fo eat, but 



L 2 very 



