3(j 



CHAP. I. 



Waters, Earths, Stones^, Salts, Bitumens, and 

 Me tats. 



Chili is a plane very perceptibly inclined to- 

 wards the sea, and may be considered as a pro- 

 longation of the western base of the Andes. 

 From its situation it naturally receives the waters 

 produced by the melting of that immense body 

 of snow that annually falls upon those mountain, 

 while the provinces to the east are frequently in 

 want of water. The number of rivers, streams, 

 and springs, which irrigate the country, is incon- 

 ceivable. They are to be found in every part, 

 even on the tops of some of the maritime moun- 

 tains. 



Sect. I. Rivers. It is difficult to determine 

 the number of rivers and streams that have their 

 sources in the Andes ; the principal, however, 

 amount to one hundred and twenty-three, fifty- 

 two of which communicate directly with the sea, 

 and convey thither the waters of all the others. 

 Although, from the inconsiderable breadth of 

 the country, the course of these rivers is short. 



