270 



the valleys of the Andes they are even found in a 

 wild state, and are hunted by the Chilians for 

 the sake of their skins ; among these are some 

 that have hair sufficiently long to be spun with 

 ease. The mules are an excellent breed ; they 

 are very strong, and are particularly distin- 

 guished for being very sure footed and active. 



The horned cattle, upon which the influence 

 of climate appears to be greater than on others, 

 have in Chili, owing to its favourable tempera- 

 ture, acquired a larger size, while their flesh has 

 become better, and more nutritive. The oxen of 

 the maritime are, however, of an inferior size to 

 those of the middle^provinces, nor can these last 

 be compared to those which are bred in the 

 valleys of the Andes. These cattle are kept the 

 whole year in the open field, and their food^ 

 which never fails them, consists entirely of the 

 difl'erent kinds of herbs and grasses which follow 

 each other in succession. The species, far from 

 exhibiting any degeneracy, has improved consi- 

 derably ; and though I have observed that the 

 cattle of the maritime provinces are small, it is 

 only in relation to the others, for I have seen 

 some of them which weio;hed near two thousand 

 pounds. 



There are some landholders in Chili, whose 

 farms arc sufficient to keep twelve thousand head 

 of cattle. At the end of each winter they usually 

 select a thousaod head, either cows or oxen, in 



