Feb. 1835. valdivia — fortresses — rivers. 



397 



ocean, not being higher than that near the Chonos Archipelago, 

 and very little warmer than that of Magalhaens Strait : this 

 fact will also be recurred to ao-ain. 



Feb. 8th. We anchored in the deceiving port of Valdivia. 

 I say deceiving, because it offers to the eye ample space and 

 the utmost security, while, in fact, the safe anchorage is very li- 

 mited ; so much mud and sand being brought down by the river 

 that extensive banks are formed, and increase yearly. We were 

 struck by the apparent strength of the fortresses, built origi- 

 nally by the Dutch in 1643, but improved and increased by the 

 Spaniards. Now, however, their strength is but apparent ; for 

 a closer inspection shows that they are almost in ruins and 

 the guns out of order; indeed so nearly disabled, that they 

 could hardly fire a salute without danger. Around the port 

 are high hills, completely covered with wood ; and they attract 

 clouds so much, that almost as great a quantity of rain falls 

 there as on the western shores of Childe. Several rivers empty 

 themselves at this one mouth, which is the only opening among 

 hills that form a barrier between the ocean and an extensive 

 tract of champaign country,^ reaching to the Cordillera of the 

 Andes.* The principal of these rivers are the Calla-calla-f and 

 the Cruces; their tributaries are very numerous, few countries 

 being better watered by running streams than that about Val- 

 divia. 



Every facility and kindness in his power was offered to us by 

 Don Isaac Thompson, the Yntendente : — and by his secretary, 

 Don Francisco Solano Perez, I was presented with a rare edition 

 of Febres's ' Arte de la Lengua Chilena,' which has been of 

 much use in explaining the meaning of aboriginal words and 

 names. Don Francisco wished me to take another curious work, 

 but I declined ; and have often regretted since that I did not 

 ask him to let me copy a map in it which contained the tracks of 

 Spanish missionaries from Castro in Chiloe to the lake of San 

 Rafael, isthmus of Ofqui, and archipelago of islands in latitude 



* Called "Los Llanos," or the plains, 

 t On which is the town of Valdivia. 



