1829. 



M A N U F A C T U 11 E si EXPORTS — IMPORTS. 



279 



purpose. Of the latter indigo is much used, and it is tiie general 

 colour for the ground-work of the ponchos. 



Frezadas, bordillas, sabanillas, mantillas de lana, blankets 

 or rather counterpanes of different textures, are also among the 

 manufactures : none of the above are exported, being made 

 merely for their own use. 



Cables, hawsers, and rope, they make of a plant, called Quili- 

 neja, which is supposed to be the root of a species of Callixene. 



No wine or spirit is made in the province, but Chicha (a 

 very good cyder) is manufactured from apples. The only other 

 fruit produced is the ' Frutilla,' a kind of strawberry. 



The exports must very nearly amount to the value of foreign 

 imports, which consist principally of sugar, wine, brandy, salt, 

 wearing apparel, and household furniture. The import duty on 

 European and North American produce is twenty-seven per 

 cent. ; from which, however, some articles, such as arms and 

 munitions of war, instrmr.ents of music, and other things of less 

 importance, are exempt. Spirits of all kinds, foreign wines, 

 tobacco, tea, and cards, are monopolized by the government, 

 and sold at an immense profit. The unauthorized sale of these 

 goods is declared illegal, and is punishable by a heavy fine, and 

 sequestration of goods. 



The exports, during the year 1828, consisted of wood in 

 beams, planks, and boards ; hams, wheat, a small quantity of 

 dried fish, fire-wood, and brooms,* to the amount of 52,320 

 dollars, of which 35,683 dollars were for wood, and 10,887 for 

 wheat. These articles were exported in sixteen vessels under 

 national, and eight under foreign flags. The exports are said 

 to be increasing very much. In the year 1791, Agiieros des- 

 cribes the exports of alerse planks (tablones) to Lima, to be 

 between fifty and sixty thousand in number ; and some years 

 previous to have been in a much greater quantity. The number 

 of alerse boards exported, during the last year, was 328,928, 

 but of planks only 2,623. 



The island, and neighbouring part of the main land, produce 



* Potatoes are not mentioned in the report, yet they must have been 

 exported iu considerable quantities. 



