273 



with the hides, the greater part of which are sold 

 to strangers. The milk is of the best and riches 

 quality^ and the inhabitants make excellent 

 cheese from it, which is no way inferior to the 

 best of Lodi, Of the cheese, that of Chanco, in 

 the province of Maiile, is the most celebrated. 

 The cattle are not employed in labour till three 

 years old, and never more than two are tackled 

 to a plough, even in breaking up new grounds. 

 Instead of a yoke being suspended to their necks, 

 a rope, agreeably to the Spanish custom, is run 

 through their horns, by which they draw the 

 plough. The common price of cattle through- 

 out the country is from three to four filippi 

 (twelve or sixteen shillings sterling); but in the 

 sea-ports the price is fixed, by an ancient regula- 

 tion, at ten crowns, of which the commandant of 

 the port recHves four, and the owner six. 



The sheep imported from Spain have lost no- 

 thing in Chili; they are of the same size, and 

 their wool is as beautiful as that of the best 

 Spanish sheep. Each sheep yields annually from 

 ten to fifteen pounds of wool ; the mutton, espe- 

 cially that of the wethers, is very fine. They 

 generally breed twice a year, as is common in 

 temperate climates, and frequently have two at a 

 birth. Thie sheep have no horns, but rams are 

 frequently seen which have four and even six 

 horns. The owners leave them the whole year 

 in the open fields^ without any shelter, and only 



