1834. | TENURE OF LAND. 277 
We reached at night a beautiful little cove, north of the 
island of Caucahue. The people here complained of want of 
land. This is partly owing to their own negligence in not clear- 
ing the woods, and partly to restrictions by the government, 
which makes it necessary before buying ever so small a piece, to 
pay two shillings to the surveyor, for measuring each quadra 
(150 yards square), together with whatever price he fixes for the 
value of the land. After his valuation, the land must be put up 
three times to auction, and if no one bids more, the purchaser 
can have it at that rate. All these exactions must be a serious 
check to clearing the ground, where the inhabitants are so ex- 
tremely poor. In most countries, forests are removed without 
much difficulty by the aid of fire ; but in Chiloe, from the damp 
nature of the climate, and the sort of trees, it is necessary first to 
cut them down. This is a heavy drawback to the prosperity of 
Chiloe. In the time of the Spaniards the Indians could not hold 
land; and a family, after having cleared a piece of ground, might 
be driven away, and the property seized by the government. 
The Chilian authorities are now performing an act of justice by 
making retribution to these poor Indians, giving to each man, 
according to his grade of life, a certain portion of land. The 
value of uncleared ground is very little. The government gave 
Mr. Douglas (the present surveyor, who informed me of these 
circumstances) eight and a half square miles of forest near San 
Carlos, in lieu of a debt; and this he sold for 350 dollars, or 
about 70J. sterling. 
The two succeeding days were fine, and at night we reached 
the island of Quinchao. ‘This neighbourhood is the most culti- 
vated part of the Archipelago; for a broad strip of Jand on the 
coast of the main island, as well as on many of the smaller ad- 
joining ones, is almost completely cleared. Some of the farm- 
houses seemed very comfortable. I was curious to ascertain 
how rich any of these people might be, but Mr. Douglas says 
that no one can be considered as possessing a regular income. 
One of the richest landowners might possibly accumulate, in a 
long industrious life, as much as 1000/. sterling ; but should this 
happen, it would all be stowed away in some secret corner, for it 
is the custom of almost every family to have a jar or treasure- 
chest buried in the ground 
