36 



of the true Glauber, yet as I have never had an op- 

 portunity of analyzing it critically, I cannot deter- 

 mine with positiveness. Mineral waters are in great 

 estimation with the Araucanians, who consider them 

 as peculiarly beneficial, and as under the particular 

 care and protection of MeiiUn^ one of their benevo- 

 lent deites, whom they call Gencovunco^ or, Lord of 

 the mineral waters. 



Sect. IV. Soil. — The soil of Chili is wonder- 

 fully fertile; its fertility is not, however, equal 

 throughout the country, but is increased in propor- 

 tion to its distance from the sea.* The maritime 

 are less productive than the middle districts, and 

 the latter are inferior in quality of soil to the vallies 

 of the Andes. In these last, the vegetation is more 

 luxuriant and vigorous, and the animals larger and 

 stronger than in the other parts of the country; 

 but as the people who inhabit these rich vallies are 

 Nomades, or herdsmen, and in reality cultivate no- 

 thing, it is difficult to determine with precision the 

 degree of their fertility. The various salts and other 

 principles of fecundity contained in these mountains, 

 and by means of the air and the rivers distributed 

 throughout the country, combining with the natural 

 heat of the soil, may be considered as the real 

 causes of that inexhaustible fertility which requires 

 not the aid of manure. The husbandmen have dis- 



* The plains, the mountains, the vallies, in short, all Chili, 

 without exception, is an object of wonder ; since, from its extreme 

 fertility, it would seem as if every particle of earth was converted 

 into seed.— ^//îcnccTi Gazetteer y article Chili. 



