294 CHARLES DARWIN 



Gomez, the governor of Lemuy, is descended from noblemen 

 of Spain on both sides ; but by constant intermarriages with 

 the natives the present man is an Indian. On the other hand, 

 the governor of Quinchao boasts much of his purely kept 

 Spanish blood. 



We reached at night a beautiful little cove, north of the 

 island of Caucahue. The people here complained of want of 

 land. This is partly owing to their own negligence in not 

 clearing the woods, and partly to restrictions by the govern- 

 ment, which makes it necessary, before buying ever so small 

 a piece, to pay two shillings to the surveyor for measuring 

 each quadra (150 yards square), together with whatever 

 price he fixes for the value of the land. After his valuation, 

 the land must be put up three times to auction, and if no one 

 bids more, the purchaser can have it at that rate. All these 

 exactions must be a serious check to clearing the ground, 

 where the inhabitants are so extremely poor. In most coun- 

 tries, forests are removed without much difficulty by the aid 

 of fire; but in Chiloe, from the damp nature of the climate, 

 and the sort of trees, it is necessary first to cut them down. 

 This is a heavy drawback to the prosperity of Chiloe. In the 

 time of the Spaniards the Indians could not hold land; and a 

 family, after having cleared a piece of ground, might be 

 driven away, and the property seized by the government. 

 The Chilian authorities are now performing an act of justice 

 by making retribution to these poor Indians, giving to each 

 man, according to his grade of life, a certain portion of land. 

 The value of uncleared ground is very little. The govern- 

 ment gave Mr. Douglas (the present surveyor, who informed 

 me of these circumstances) eight and a half square miles of 

 forest near S. Carlos, in lieu of a debt; and this he sold for 

 350 dollars, or about 7o/. sterling. 



The two succeeding days were fine, and at night we reached 

 the island of Quinchao. This neighbourhood is the most cul- 

 tivated part of the Archipelago; for a broad strip of land on 

 the coast of the main island, as well as on many of the smallei 

 adjoining ones, is almost completely cleared. Some of the 

 farmhouses seemed very comfortable. I was curious to 

 ascertain how rich any of these people might be, but Mr. 

 Douglas says that no one can be considered as possessing a 



