44)2 STRATAGEM SCENERY — CATTLE. 



lune 



overpowered if tliey remained, opened the gate in the dead of 

 the night and escaped. Thus began this famed insurrection, 

 which caused the destruction of seven towns, and drove every 

 Spaniard from Araucania. 



Leaving the low land near the sea, we ascended sloping 

 hills, and found ourselves in a beautiful country. Though I 

 did not see it distinctly until my return, I will endeavour to 

 describe it in this place: — the outer range of hills, near the 

 sea, is a succession of downs, free from wood, except here and 

 there in the valleys, and every where covered with short sweet 

 grass : — there is no sandy or barren rocky land. Numbers of 

 fine cattle were seen grazing in the neighbourhood, but very 

 few sheep. In-shore of the downs is a very luxuriant country : 

 gradually rising hills, every where accessible ; extensive val- 

 leys, woods of fine timber trees, very little encumbered with 

 underwood ; spaces of clear grass-land, like fields ; beautiful 

 lakes, and numerous streams of excellent water, together with 

 a rich soil clothed with sweet grass, disposed me to think this 

 the finest country I had ever seen. 



Generally speaking, the soil is clayey ; but there is every 

 where a layer of vegetable mould upon the surface; which 

 indicates that the country was covered with wood until the 

 Indians partially cleared it by burning. While they were so 

 numerous as they are said to have been in the sixteenth century, 

 large tracts of ground must have been cultivated by them, or 

 cleared for their sheep. In riding across this now unemployed 

 land, regretting at every mile that it should be so neglected, fine 

 bullocks often crossed our path ; or wild-looking, but well- 

 conditioned troops of horses. These animals must be very 

 nearly wild : for restrained by no fences, looked after by no- 

 body, they are free to roam and feed where they please. Once 

 only in a year they are driven together, if they can be found, 

 to be counted, marked, or killed. Here and there a stray cot- 

 tage, or rather hut, was seen, with a high thatched roof, like 

 those of Chiloe. But for these cottages, and a field or two near 

 them, this excellent country would have appeared to be quite 

 deserted by the human race, though possessing every desirable 



