258 JOURNAL. 



mills, for irrigation, and for drinking. About a league from San 

 Francisco we passed the Indian village of Talagante, distinguished 

 by its three beautiful palm trees, the first I had seen for a long time. 

 It was one of the early settlements formed by the Franciscans, but 

 was transferred to the management of the Jesuits, on whose fall the 

 spiritual affairs of the Cacique and his people reverted to the Fran- 

 ciscans, and the temporal matters to the captain of the district. The 

 most remarkable building on entering San Francisco is the house, 

 formerly that of the Jesuits, now belonging to the Carreras, whose 

 chief property lay in this district. We did not stop, though I was 

 inclined to do so, in this pretty little town, as the day was far spent, 

 and we had still several leagues to ride. The populous suburbs of 

 San Francisco reached a long way, and the country improved in rich- 

 ness as we advanced. At Payco, about two leagues from Melipilla, 

 there are some of the finest dairies in the country ; and there I 

 observed some remarkably fine forest trees by a little stream that, 

 flowing across the road, enters an almost impervious thicket of molle, 

 the sweet scent of which filled the evening air. We had nowTidden 

 fifty-four miles, and our horses as well as ourselves began to be a 

 little eager to get to the end of our journey : the evening began to 

 close, and a thick drizzling rain made our entrance to Melipilla as 

 disagreeable as might be; and to mend the matter, the person on 

 whom I had depended for lodging was absent. Cold, and hungry, 

 and tired, we then had to seek a shelter. That was soon found ; but 

 the house was large, and cold, and empty. However the neighbours 

 seemed willing to lend what accommodation they had ; and, by the time 

 Doiia Rosario and I had made a seat of our travelling cloaks, we had 

 a panful of coals, and hopes of a supper. Meantime, however, Don 

 Jose Antonio had enquired out a more comfortable house, where we 

 found fire ready, and were charmed by the appearance of an estrada, 

 covered by a comfortable alfombra ; on which we gladly sat, at the 

 invitation of a pleasant-looking woman, and took matee while supper 

 was preparing. The mistress apologised for the supper on the score 



