19 



very agreeable temperature. Notwithstanding the 

 moderate heat of Chili, all the fruits of warm coun- 

 tries, and even those of the tropics arrive to great 

 perfection there, ^ which renders it probable, that 



* Contiguous to Peru is situated the province of Chili, which 

 extends in a long, narrow strip upon the coast of the South 

 Sea. The air is remarkably clear and serene, and for three quar- 

 ters of the year this country enjoys an almost constant tempera- 

 ture, as it rains very little during that period. The want of raiii 

 is amply compensated by the copious dews and the many streams 

 which, descending from the Andes, fertilize the plains, and render 

 them productive of every kind of grain, as well as wane, oil, and 

 all those fruits W'hich its inhabitants, who are much reduced 

 in their numbers, and not remarkable for their industry, think 

 proper to cultivate. Were the government to show itLelf a little 

 m.)re favourable to the encouragement of. its industry and the in- 

 crease of its population, no country in the world could rival it ; 

 since, at the same time, it enjoys a clear sky and a degree of heat 

 which, though temperate, perfectly ni atures those tropical fruits 

 that do not grow spontaneously except in the torrid zone. The 

 plains of this country furnish in abundance whatever is necessary 

 or conducibie to the comfort of life, v/hile the mountains contam 

 the richest treasures, in mines of gold, silver, copper, lead, iron 

 and quicksilver. These that are principally wrought are the 

 gold mines, and there is scarcely in the whole country a stream 

 whose sands do not contain this precious m.etal in greater or less 

 abundance. But the indolence of the inhabitants prevents many of 

 the mines from being wrought, and, what is a still greater evil, 

 the soil from being cultivated in the manner it deserves. Notwith- 

 standing so few are employed in cultivation, and those by no means 

 very industrious, a sufficient quantity of wheat for the subsistence 

 of 60,000 persons, is annually sent from Chili to Callao, and the 

 other ports of Peru, for there are not in the world lands more pro- 

 ductive of every kind of grain. Besides the great quantities of 

 wine and hemp that are exported every year, the last of wdiich 

 is cultivated in no other part of the South Sea, those of hides, tal- 

 low, jerked beef, gold and other metals, which constitute the 

 most valuable cargoes, and are shipped from all the ports, are 

 much more considerable. The chief occupation of the inhabitants 

 is the breeding of cattle, which are so plenty, that an ox may be 



