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 now ridden 
fifty-four miles, aud 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 
