Ch. VIII. SOUTH AMERICA. 069 



wife to the eaftward of the Cordillera, and about 

 thirty leagues N. of Mcndoza, and St. Luis de Loyaia, 

 about fifty leagues eallward of Mendoza. The latter 

 however is mean and fmall, not containing above 

 twenty-five houfes, and fifty or fixty families, Spanifii 

 and cafts ; tho' many more are fcattered up and down 

 the neighbouring country. In fuch a fmall place it 

 is fomething remarkable to fee a parifh church, a do- 

 minican convent, and a college of Jefuits. Here 

 the prefidents of Chili are received as governors of 

 it, in their way to Chili from Buenos Ayres, this 

 being the firft place in their government on that fide. 

 The town of St. Juan de la Frontera is, in every refped, 

 equal to Mendoza itfelf. 



XI. The jurifdidion of Conception is the lafl: ; 

 but having already given an account of it, I (hall 

 proceed to confider the commerce carried on by the 

 kingdom of Chili with Peru, Buenos Ayres, Para- 

 guay, and its own towns *, and fubjoin an account of 

 that carried on with the wild Indians bordering on 

 it, with the manner of maintaining a harmony v/ith 

 thefe favage people. In the mean time I fhall con- 

 clude this chapter with obferving, that the corregi- 

 dors of the whole jurifdidion are nominated by the 

 king, except thofe of Rancagua, Melepilla, and 

 Quillota, who are appointed by the prefidenc of 

 Chili. This is indeed the cafe of all the others, 

 when a corregidor happens to die, before a perfon 

 is nominated to fuccced him but the office of thefe 

 corregidors being only for five years, the prolonga- 

 tion mull be by his majefty's exprefs order. The 

 inhabitants are formed into companies of militia, 

 and every one knows the place of arms to which he 

 is to repair on any alarm. Thus to Valparaifo be- 

 longs the companies of militia of Santiago, Quil- 

 lota, Melipilla, Aconcagua, and Rancagua and 

 thefe in all amount to between two or three thou- 

 fand men, and are formed into troops and compa- 

 nies. 



