301 



arc employed to maintain tlic police, ?,nd as guards to the 

 president, and is tiie seat ot" tlie grand tribunals of the king- 

 dom. Tile principal court is composed of twelve Res,idoerSf 

 or perpetual senators, and of all the other officers who form 

 the magistracy of the other cities of tlie country. It has a 

 numerous nobihty, consisting of .'everal di<^nities of Custile, 

 i^raudees, kniglits of the military orders of Spain, and hono- 

 rary officers of his Catholic Majesty. Being the centre of all 

 the commerce of Chili, it abounds with every convenience of 

 life, and as ail kinds of meat, fish, and other articles of food 

 are obtained from the neii^hbouring provinces iu great quan- 

 tities ; provisions are very cheap. 



7th. RANCAGUA. 



Rancagua is enclosed between the rivers Maypo hv.A 

 Cachapoal, and extends from the Andes to the sea. Its 

 breadth between these rivers is very unequal, being from 

 jeventeen to only cigLl leagues. It is watered by the rivers 

 Codegua, Ciiocalan, and several otliers that ; re of less ini- 

 pnrtance; it contains also the lakes Anrieu and Bucuieniu. 

 Tiie first, which \i near the centre of the province, is about 

 six miles in circumference, and the c'lier, in tl>e neir^libour- 

 hood of the sea, i from six to seven leagues iu length. From 

 another lake, not far from tiic latter, large quaiuities of salt 

 are obtained. The lands of Rancagua are very fertile, and 

 produce much grain. Santa Crore di Trium.a, or Rancagua, 

 the capital, is in o-i. (leg. of iaiitude, and 305. 'i'Z. li.iigilutle. 

 It has a parish church, a convent of Franciscans, and another 

 of Mercedarii, Algue, a town recently luunch'd, at eight 

 leagues from the capital towards the sea-cousl, has a very ri h 

 mice of gold. 



