Chap. V. <J[ M E%^I C A. 



and all forts of Poultrey, which the Garrifon of La Conception make good ufc of. 



5. Los Confines, a Fronteer Town, built by the aforefaid Saldivia, for defence of 

 the rich Mines of Gold at Angol, a Place near adjoyning. 



6. La Imperiale, another ftrong Garrifon of this Place on the Banks of the River 

 Qauten, near to which that great Battel was fought, where Baldivia, with divers 

 other Soldiers, were taken Prifoners, who were no otherwife overcome, but by be- 

 ing over-wearied with killing of their Enemies, and by that means not able to 

 make their Retreat. 



7. ViUarica % another Colony of the Spaniards in thcfe Parts, fixtecn Leagues di- 

 flant from Imperiale, and twenty five from the Sea. 



8. 'Baldivia, fo nam'd from the Commander Pedro Baldivia, who built it in the 

 Valley of Gtiadallanquen, two or three Leagues diftant from the Sea, where it hath a 

 good and capacious Port ; but nearer to it the bed Mines of Peru, fo rich, that 'tis 

 faid they yielded BaldiYta every day fo long as he could enjoy them, twenty five 

 thoufand Crowns. 



9. Oforno, a Town lying in the Bay of Cbilue in a barren Soil,but otherwife nei- 

 ther lefs rich, nor lefs populous than Baldivia it felf. 



Thefe three laft mentioned Towns, yii%. Baldivia, Imperiale, and Oforno, were in 

 the Years 1506, 1699, and 1604, furpriz'd by the Araucanes, and other Salvages 

 confederate with them, fack'd and burnt • and though the Spaniards be faid to have 

 recover'd and Garrifon'd fome of them with frefli Soldiers, yet how long they were 

 able to hold them,or whether they be Matters of them at this day, we cannot fay. 



10. Caftro, the mod Southerly Town of the whole Province, built on a certain 

 Ifland within the Bay of Cbilue. 



u. Mendo^a ; and iz. St. Juan de la Frontera, both which lie towards Paraguay 

 and ^jo de la Plata, but on the other fide of the Andes, forty Tongues diftant from 

 any of thofe we have fpoken of, and perhaps more, not above a hundred from 

 Buenos Ayres, and the MUntkk Ocean. 



Sect. III. 



+73 







Magellanica. 



Situation and 



MJgeUanica, the other part of this Province, is bounded Northward, with r 

 Chile abovefaid, and fome parts of the Countrey fie la Plata ; on thcSouth, °J l ^ t!U ' 

 with the narrow Sea call'd Magellans Straights 5 having Mare del Zur on the 

 Weft, and on the Eaft the Jtlantick Ocean. It contains in length from the Borders 

 of Chile to the Mouth of the Straights, a hundred Leagues, and in breadth from the 

 North to the South Sea, fomewhat more, v/^. towards Chile and the North- Weft 

 parts of it, for towards the South and South- Weft it ftraitens ftill more and more, 

 infomuch that they who refemble the Southern part of America to the form of a Py* 

 ramid revers'd, make this part of the Countrey to be the Spire or top thereof. • It 

 beareth the Name from Ferdinand Magellan, 2l Portuguese, who firft difcover'd that 

 narrow Sea, fo famoufly known by the Name of Magellans Straights. It is a large 

 Countrey, and fuppos'd not to be altogether barren of Metals } but as yet no 

 great Difcovery hath been made of it, partly by reafonofthe exceiftve Cold to 

 which 'tis thought to be fubjed, and partly perhaps by reafon of the difficulty of 

 the Enterprize, it being fo far remote, and very hardly paflable in many places, by 

 reafon of the huge Mountains the Andes, which bar it as it were againft all Adven- 

 turers 5 but chiefly by reafon of the ftoutnefs and untameablenefs of the Araucanes 



and 



