460 SOUTH AMERICA— THE ANDES EEGIONS. 



a familiar name in England and the Colonies during tlie Ticliborne trials, and 

 there can be no doubt that the " Claimant " spent some time in this place. 



Farther on, the great highway and railroad traversing the central plain between 

 the Andes and the coast range passes several important places, such as 8an 

 Bernardo at the foot of the twin-peaked mountain of like name ; Rancagua, near 

 the right bank of the Cachapoal, a main branch of the Rio Rapel, and in the 

 neighbourhood Cauquenes, whose thermal waters are the most frequented in Chili. 



CURICO CONCEPCION. 



Ren go and San Fernando, both in the Rapel basin, are followed by Curico, 

 which was founded near the Bio Mataquito in the middle of the eighteenth 

 century, and which, since the opening of the central railway, has become one of 

 the chief trading centres of Chili. Here terminates the Argentine railway ascend- 

 ing to the plateau through the Rio Planchon pass. Curico is now endeavouring 

 to establish direct communication with some port on the Pacific by a line crossing 

 the coast range down to the Rio Llico valley. In this valley lies the navigable 

 Lake Vichuquen, 115 feet deep and 3,750 acres in extent, consequently spacious 

 enough to accommodate large fleets. But a canal about two miles long would have 

 to be constructed between this basin and the roadstead of LUco, which would itself 

 have to be sheltered by piers and breakwaters. 



Curico is outstripped in trade and jDopulation by Taka, which occupies a 

 favourable position in the fertile valley of the Rio Maule. Talca enjoys direct 

 communication with the port of Constitacion, formerly Nnevo Bilbao, on the left 

 (south) side of the Maule estuary, which, despite the bad approaches, has deve- 

 loped a considerable foreign trade. It has been proposed to construct an artificial 

 harbour in the so-called Caleta creek south of the Maule, which a moderate outlay 

 might make one of the best havens in Chili. Farther south the little port of 

 Curanipe serves as the outlet for another Cauquenes, capital of a department. 



Along the central railway follow the busy towns of Linares, Parral, San Carlos 

 and Chilian, this last a great agricultural centre and a much-frequented cattle 

 market. It communicates through the neighbouring station of Bulncs with the 

 port of Tome on Talcahuano Bay. 



The historical city of Concepcion dates from the year 1541, when Yaldivia, 

 immediately after the foundation of Santiago, established a military station on the 

 right bank of the Biobio near the spot where now stands the capital of South 

 Chili. But Valdivia, unable to hold his ground against the Indians, was captured 

 after a sanguinary battle and tortured to death. The few settlers had to take 

 refuge in Santiago, and although the town was rebuilt some years afterwards under 

 the shelter of a fort, it continued to suffer much from the attacks of the Arau- 

 canians. Its development was also retarded by earthquakes, irruptions of the sea 

 and fluvial inundations, so that it had to be removed in 1752 to its present site 

 seven miles from the mouth of the river. But it is still destitute of a maritime 

 harbour, and large vessels have to ride at anchor outside the bar. 



