VALPARAISO. 139 



of his own ship and his own actions, without rule or subordination. 

 But the government wisely foresaw that danger ; and the English 

 naval code was adopted, and rigid subordination established ; the 

 supreme command confided to able, firm, and honourable hands ; and 

 I fondly trust, that the benefit of this sage measure will be perma- 

 nently felt. 



By letters from Lima received this day, it appears that Lord Coch- 

 rane had not gone on shore in Peru * ; that he lies in Callao bay, 

 with his guns shotted ; and that we may soon expect him here. 



I had an opportunity to-day of observing how carelessly even sen- 

 sible men make their observations in foreign countries, and on 

 daily matters concerning them. A physician, at dinner, mentioned 

 the medicinal qualities of the culen (Cytisus Arboreus f), and that 

 it would be worth while to bring it into Chile, or at least to the 

 neighbourhood of Valparaiso, to cultivate, for the purpose of ex- 

 portation. I was almost afraid to say, as I am a new-comer, that 

 the country people had shown me a plant they called culen ; but, 

 on venturing to tell the gentleman so, he said it could not be because 

 he never heard of it here. I went home, walked to the Quebrada, 

 found the rocks on both sides covered with the best culen, and the 

 inferior sort which grows much higher, not uncommon. Yet he is 

 a clever man, and has resided some years in the country. This 

 same culen is very agreeable as tea, and is said to possess antiscor- 

 butic and antifebrile qualities, the smell of the dried leaves is pleasant, 

 and a sweetish gum exudes from the flower-stalks. This gum is used 

 by shoemakers instead of wax ; and the fresh leaves formed into a 

 sajve with hogs'-lard, are applied with good effect to recent wounds. 



The mistakes about the culen put me in mind of Mrs. Barbauld's 

 admirable tale, in the " Evenings-at Home," of " Eyes and no Eyes." 

 How much we are obliged to that excellent woman, who, with genius 



* See page 108. of the Introduction to this part of the Journal, for the reasons of this, 

 f Frezier gives an excellent plate and description of it. See likewise the Appendix. 



T 2 



