CHILIAN COAL DISTllICT. 



343 



try before we reached some excavations at the sur- 

 face of the ground, from which the coal is work- 

 ed without any trouble. The seam is thick and 

 apparently extensive, and might, probably, with 

 due care and skill, be wrought to any extent. 



In the course of our walk to the coal-pits, we 

 fell in with an intelligent native, who offered him- 

 self as our guide, and interested us a good deal, 

 by his account of the past and present state of the 

 country. He had been cattle-keeper, he said, to 

 a farmer, and, at one time, had charge of two hun- 

 dred beasts ; but that his master had not one left, 

 and was now as poor as himself. His master'^s 

 fields had formerly produced many thousand fane- 

 gas (150 lb.) of wheat, which had served to main- 

 tain a considerable population. " But," added 

 he, " the fields are now grown up with long 

 grass ; all the inclosures, and all the houses gone; 

 the cattle entirely driven off ; and the inhabitants 

 dispersed, no one knows where. Who will rear 

 cattle, or sow grain, if not sure of the herd, or 

 the harvest ? and so,^'' added he, " it will conti- 

 nue till these sad wars and incursions are put a 

 stop to, and property be made secure ; for nobo- 



