Ch. X. SOUTH AMERICA. 285 



carried on both by land and fea. The mafters of (bips, 

 who generally refide at Lima or Callao, enter into 

 partnerfhip v/ith the landed gentlemen of Chili, that 

 the cargo of every fhip generally belongs in part to 

 the mafler-, though fome fhips are freighted, and if 

 the loading be wheat, greatly augments its value ; for 

 the fanega cofts here only ten or twelve rials, or two 

 dollars, and the freight is from twelve rials to two pi- 

 afters. Another circumftance which raifes the price of 

 wheat at Callao, where it is fold for twenty-four or 

 thirty rials is, that the fanega is there only five arobas 

 and five pounds, whereas at Chili the fanega is fix a- 

 robas and fix pounds. 



This commerce being carried on only in fummer, 

 that feafon may be termed the fair of Valparaifo ; but 

 on the approach of winter the place becomes as re- 

 markably defolate, the crowd of traders repairing to 

 Santiago, thofe only continuing at Valparaifo, who 

 cannot afibrd to remove. 



Valparaiso is abundantly fupplied with provifions 

 from Santiago, and other places irx its neighbourhood ; 

 but fhips do not vidua! here fo cheap as at Conception. 

 The fruits cannot be viewed without admiration, both 

 with regard to their beauty and fize, particularly a fort 

 of apples called Quillota, being brought from that 

 place they prodigioufly exceed the largcft in Spain, 

 and befides their exquifite flavour, are fo lufcious that 

 they melt in the mouth. 



Among the feveral kinds of game, there is here fuch 

 a plenty of partridges in their feafon, which begins at 

 March and lafts feveral fucceeding months, that the 

 Santiago muliteers knock them down with fticks with- 

 out going out of the road, and bring great numbers of 

 them to Valparaifo. But few of thefe or any other 

 birds are feen near the town. It is the fame with re- 

 gard to fifh "^j very little being to be caught either in 



* They take their fifh by Ihooting a barbed arrow into them, 

 which has a long light fliaft, that fuiFexs the filh not to fink after 

 it is wounded. A. 



the 



