176 OVALLE*S HISTORICAL RELATION OF CHILE. 



always been in arms, or fending many horfes and provifion to the camp ; a calamity, 

 which, far from letting it grow to what it is, ought to have kept it down from the 

 beginning : nor is it of a fmall confideration, for the growth of other cities in the 

 Indies, to refledl, that they being in the way, and, as it were, upon the paffage of 

 other places, many new comers have fettled there, who perhaps at firft were bound 

 for other countries, or at leaft; were indifferent where they ftayed, and took up with 

 them. It is otherwife with the city of St. Jago, becaufe the kingdom of Chile being 

 fo remote, and the lafl of all the Spanifh dominions, it is the non plus ultra of the 

 world : fo that nobody goes thither by chance, but on purpofe, and upon fome defign 

 or particular intereft ; for which reafon the number of ftrangers is little. 



But the city is fo good and convenient to pafs away life with eafe, that notwithftand- 

 ing thefe difadvantages, it is fo encreafed, that it aftonilhes all who fee it, few cities 

 of the Indies outdoing it in finery, particularly as to the women (it were to be wilhed 

 it were not to that excefsj ; for all things coming from Europe are there prodigioully 

 dear ; and this caufes many families to run behind hand. Who fhould fee the place 

 of St. Jago, and that of Madrid, could fee no difference as to this point ; nay, as to the 

 women, the finery exceeds that of Madrid ; for the Spanifh women, fcorning to go to 

 fervice, are all ladies, and love to appear as fuch, as much as they can, and the emu- 

 lation between them about fine clothes, jewels, and other ornaments for themfelves 

 and their fervants, is fuch, that let their hufhands be never fo rich they want all they 

 have, particularly if they are of the nobility, to fatisfy the pride of the women. 



As to the militia of the city, the firfl part of it is the company of inhabitants, Enco- 

 menderos, and reformed captains, who have no other commander but the governor 

 himfelf, or his deputy; after that, there are two or three troops of horfe, and three 

 or four companies of foot, all Spaniards. Thefe often mufter on holidays, and are 

 exercifed in the ufe of their arms ; and fometimes there are general mullers before the 

 Oydores and royal officers, where their arms are examined ; who alfo note them down, 

 to know what flrength they can raife upon occafion, punifhing fuch as do not keep 

 their arms and horfes fit for fervice. By this diligence they are very ready at their 

 arms, and the exercifmg of them proves an entertainment for them and the whole city : 

 for very often, in the public procefTions, one or two of thefe companies ufe to come 

 out, and make a falvo for them ; and in the holy week there always attend a troop 

 of horfe, and a company of foot, who guard the flreet, where the proceffions of the 

 whippers go to keep the peace, becaufe of the Indians, who ufe to take that time 

 to make fome rifings, the Spaniards being wholly taken up with their devotions. 



The days in which this militia makes the beft fhow, are, when the bifhops come to 

 be received, becaufe they make a lane from the entrance of the city to the great place 

 of it, where they form their battalion ; and the concourfe of the people ufes to be fo 

 grgat, that though the place is very large, there is fcarce room for them. 



And fince we are upon that fubje£t, we cannot omit to obferve that which is wor- 

 thy of admiration, and that is, to fee how it is increafed in the number of Spaniards 

 within thefe forty years. It is probable, the fame has happened to the other cities of 

 the Indies ; but this has had a continual drain, by fupplying foldiers for the war with 

 the Indians, where many perifh, and few return. I remember that I have heard fay, 

 that one of our fathers, newly come from Europe, and coming to our college, where 

 he faw but few people in the flreet, cried out. 



Apparent rari nantes in gurgite vafto. 



By 



