9© OVALLE S HISTORICAL RELATION OF CHILE. 



BOOK II. 



Treating op the second and third part of the kingdom of chile. 



CHAP. I. — Of the IJlands of the Kingdom of Chile. 



TJTAVING, for the better defcription of the kingdom of Chile, divided it into three 

 parts, we have treated of the firft and principal one, which is that which is properly 

 called Chile, in which many things are faid which are common to all the three parts ; 

 therefore, in thefe two which remain, we fhall take notice of that only which fhall be 

 peculiar to them, to avoid repetition. . 



We come now to the fecond part, which are the iflands which are fpread all along 

 the coaft of the South-Sea, as far as the ftraights of Magellan ; I fay, they are many 

 in number, and fome of them very large ones ; as that of Sanda Maria, La Mocha^ 

 Juan Fernandes, and, above all that of Chiloe, in which is founded the city of Caftro. 

 Some make thefe iflands fifty, fome feventy leagues in length, and about fix or feven 

 leagues in breadth. In the fame fea, or archipelago, there are many more, fome of 

 ten leagues, and others lefs ; and in all, reckoning thofe that are within the ftraights 

 of Magellan, there are above two hundred difcovered. 



Juft over-againft Coquimbo there are three, which are called Del Soboral, De Muxil- 

 lones, and De los Paxaros, in thirty degrees latitude ; two more in thirty -three and 

 forty degrees : there are eight fmall ones juft over-againft Val Paraifo, which are called 

 the iflands of Juan Fernandes ; who dying, left them to the Jefuits. Then follows the 

 ifland Quiriquina, which is in the bay of the Conception. Juft over-againft Arauco is 

 the ifland of Sanda Maria, in the thirty-feventh degree ; and in thirty-eight that of La 

 Mocha. Hard by Valdivia, about forty-three degrees, comes the archipelago of Chiloe, 

 which is compofed of forty iflands ; and hard by it is the province of Calbuco, in which 

 there are twelve more. Thofe of Los Chonos are as many, in forty-five degrees ; and 

 in fifty degrees are the eighty iflands difcovered by Pedro Sarmiento, as ftiall be related 

 hereafter. 



The iflands of Chiloe are reputed barren ; but their foil is not really fo, only the 

 exceflive rains choak the feed, and do not let the corn thrive ; fo that they are without 

 wheat, wine, or oil, or any other plants which need much fun. The nature of the 

 climate of this archipelago is fuch, that it rains almoft all the year, fo that only maize, 

 or other fuch grains, can ripen, that do not want fo much fun. The nourifliment or 

 diet of the natives, isj moftly of a root called Papas, well known over all the Weft 

 Indies, of a good nourifliment ; and they grow there bigger than in any other place. 

 They have befides fome maize, fome fifti, and particularly fliell-fifli, which is excel- 

 lent in thofe feas. They have few flieep, but very good poultry, as well as hogs, and 

 fome beef; with which, and what befides is brought to them from StJago, and the 

 Conception, the Spaniards, both of the garrifon and city of Caftro, make a good fliift. 

 This city is the capital of the chief ifland ; in which, and in the reft, there is a great 

 quantity of honey and wax made. And Herrera and other hiftorians fay, there are 

 mines of gold upon the fliore ; and they remark it as an extraordinary thing, and 

 hardly heard of in any other place. 



The 



