THE 



NATURAL HISTORY 



Oí" 



CHILI. 



CHAPTER 1. 



Situation, Climate, and Natural Phenomena. 



Chili, a country of South America, is situ- 

 ated upon the South Sea or Pacific Ocean, between 

 the 24th and 45th degrees of south latitude, and the 

 4304th and 308th degrees of longitude from the meri- 

 dian of Ferro. 



Its length is estimated at 1260 geographical miles, 

 but it varies in breadth as the great range of moun- 

 tains, called the Cordilleras or the Andes, approach 

 or recede from the sea ; or, to speak with more pre- 

 cision, as the sea approaches or retires from those 

 mountains. Between the 24th and 32d degrees of 

 latitude, the distance of the sea from the mountains 

 as about 210 miles ; from the 32d to the 37tli^ is 

 but 120 ; and in the broadest part of Chili, near the 

 Archipelago of Chiloe, it is little less than 300 



miles. In calculating from these various extents, 

 Vol. I. C 



