192 



OVALLE*S HISTORICAL RELATION OF CHILE. 



Anabillo, chief head of the Pencones, remaining prifoner, after having behaved him- 

 felf with great bravery in the fight. 



The fituation of the city of the Conception is on a plain where the fea makes a moft 

 beautiful bay, in form of a half-moon ; and nature has provided a mole, by putting 

 there a large ifland, behind which fhips ride fafe from the north wind. By land, to- 

 wards the eaft, it is encompafled with fome high hills, the fides of which are all planted 

 with vines and other fruit-trees ; fo that, which way foever one looks, the profpeft ter- 

 minates in beautiful plantations of trees, or rather a green femicircle, which rejoices 

 the fight, and fortifies the city. From the north, there comes into it a fmall river, 

 which comes down from the mountains, which we have already defcribed in the chap- 

 ter of the rivers of Chile. On the fouth fide, another larger deeper river runs by it, 

 and is called Audalien. Neither of thefe rivers does the kindnefs to the city which 

 Mapocho does to St. Jago, that is, to come into the houfes ; but the want of this is 

 fupplied by excellent fountains of chryftalline and delicate water, which rife very near 

 the city, and are brought into it particularly very plentifully, and which were carried 

 to the public place by the General Don Diego Gonzales Montero, he being Corrigedor 

 of this city, and governing it with the fame prudence and generofity, that he fince 

 governed that of St. Jago, in the fame quality of Corrigedor and lieutenant-general. 



This city is in the latitude of thirty-three degrees and five and forty minutes to the 

 antartick pole ; and for this reafon, and becaufe of the high land it Hands upon, the 

 air is fo temperate, that the heats never are troublefome, nay, in the heat of fummer, 

 it is neceflary to have as many bed-clothes as in winter, which is not at all fevere, be- 

 caufe it never fnows there, tTiough it rains extremely. For the fecurity of the city, 

 there was ereded a good fort for our people to retire to when preffed by the Indians, 

 which often happened, and made them fland to their arms almofl continually ; for they, 

 impatient of any yoke, were inceffantly taken up with the thoughts and endeavours of 

 driving them out of the country, and, notwithftanding all the care that was taken, the 

 city was lofi at laft, for the enemy overpowered us : but yet in length of time it was 

 built again, as we fhall fee; though ftill remaining a frontier to the enemy, it has not 

 had fuch increafe as St. Jago. But it gains ground, and has many rich inhabitants, who 

 have entered upon a great vent of fait, flefh, and hides, which is one of the richeft 

 commodities of Chile ; and they have, befides, magazines of flour, with which they 

 furnifh the army : the wines, too, of thofe parts are generally better than thofe of 

 St. Jago, though, they are lower ceps or vines ; nay, the grapes ripen as they lie along 

 on the ground, as it is in many parts in Europe : they have not that abundance of 

 almonds, oil, oranges and lemons, pulfe, Agi Legumes, and dried fruit, as in other 

 parts of Chile, their fummer being ihorter, and the fun having lefs force. 



The Spanifh children born here are of a very fweet nature, and docile ; of good wits, 

 and take to learning very well. The men are loyal, faithful keepers of their word, 

 friendly, and fuch as for their friends will venture any thing to defend them in their 

 honour and fortunes, even with the hazard of their own, and their lives too : they are 

 very well difpofed to virtue, having 'good inclinations ; and thofe among them, who 

 have taken to arms, have extremely fignalized themfelves. They are bred in great 

 fimplicity, as being far from the corruption of the court, which generally improves the 

 malice, and raifes the libertinifm of young people. The bifhopric of this city is a poor 

 one, not being worth above two or three thoufand pieces of eight a year, becaufe, 

 though the land is rich of itfelf, and that in which there are mofl mines, yet the Decimes 

 or tenths are very fmall, becaufe of thofe continual wars which this city has maintained 

 from its beginning ; for we may fay, it has been nurfed with blood, and grown up in 



arms. 



