192 CHILI. 
within a circumference of three leagues. It contains several churches, 
of simple construction. The " Calle Largo," the longest street, is 
upwards of a league in length. The same authority gave its popula- 
tion at ten thousand inhabitants. The houses are all of one story, and 
are built of adobes, with thatched roofs. There is an abundance of 
fine building stone, but in this land of earthquakes, it is considered 
safest to use the lightest materials. Almost every house has a vineyard 
attached to it, the grapes of which were of good quality, and very abun- 
dant. At some places, although the vintage was half gathered, yet 
the crop still on the vines was such as would have been considered 
elsewhere an abundant yield. A portion of the grapes rot upon the 
vines, as the inhabitants have not the industry or inclination to manu- 
facture them, although by proper attention they would yield a good 
wine. As it is, they only manufacture some into a hard and acid wine, 
called Masta, or boil the juice down to the favourite drink of the lower 
classes, called Chicha, which somewhat resembles perry or cider in 
flavour. The small quantity that is not consumed, is distilled into 
•aguardiente, and disposed of at Valparaiso. Besides grapes, con- 
siderable quantities of wheat and Indian corn are cultivated. Apples, 
pears, and quinces, are also raised. The former are inferior to our 
own, the latter much superior, and in great plenty. 
Oranges were also abundant, but of indifferent flavour. 
Quillota is well supplied with water from the river Concon or 
Aconcagua. The water is led through all the streets and gardens of 
the place. It is used for all household purposes, as taken directly 
from the gutters, which are the recipients of dirt of every description 
from the town. For drinking, it is allowed to settle in large jars kept 
for the purpose. 
The intercourse with strangers at Quillota, has been much less 
than at Valparaiso or Santiago, and consequently they are less liberal, 
and more bigoted. This was particularly shown, about four years 
previous to our visit, by their burning in the public square, a large 
number of Bibles in the Spanish language, along with a heap of 
immoral and indecent pamphlets, in the presence of the civil, military, 
and ecclesiastical authorities. These Bibles had been distributed by 
our countryman, Mr. Wheelwright, who has done so much by his 
enterprise in introducing the communication by steam alono- the 
western coast of South America. 
In the morning early, the thermometer stood at 36°. The greatest 
cold is experienced just before sunrise and after sunset. 
