246 A VOYAGE TO Book VIIL 



fnakes are found in the fields and woods, their bite is 

 not dangerous. Neither are the country peafants under 

 any apprehenfions from ravenous beafts ; fo that na-^ 

 ture may be faid to pour her treafures on this country, 

 without blending them with the ufual inconveniences. 



The fruits which moftly abound in Chili, are of 

 the fame kind as thofe known in Europe ; its cher- 

 ries in particular are large, and of a fine tafte. The 

 flrawberries are of two kinds, one called frutillas, and 

 are larger than thofe of Qiiito, wanting little of being 

 equal to a hen's egg in magnitude. The other, which 

 in fize, colour and tafte, perfedly refemblc thofe of 

 Spain, grow wild, on the fide of the eminences with 

 which the plains are interfperfed. And here alfo grow 

 all kind of flowers, without any other culture, thaiv 

 ftiat of benign nature. 



Among the remarkable herbs, of which many 

 are medicinal, and others applied to divers ufes, is 

 the panque, of great fervice in tanning leather. 

 abounds every where, and grows to about four or five 

 feet from the ground. The principal ftem, which is 

 of a fofc fubftance, is betwixt four and five inches in 

 diameter, and about two feet and a half in height, fe- 

 parating there into feveral branches, bearing round, 

 ierrated, rough, and thick leaves, and fo large that 

 their diameter when full grown, is feldom lefs than a 

 foot and a half, and fometimes two feet. Before the 

 plant is fit to be cut, when the leaves begin to turn 

 red, the peafants make an incifion into the bark, and 

 fuck the juice which is very cooling and aftringent ; 

 but as foon as ever the leaf is obferved to turn white, 

 an indication of decay, they cut the plant down at 

 the root, take oiF the branches, and divide the ftalk 

 into fhort pieces, w^aich being dried in the fun, make 

 an excellent tan. 



Besides this rich variety of produdions, on the 

 furface of the earth, the country alfo abounds with 

 valuable mines and quarries j particularly of Lapis 



