SANTIAGO. 



53 



Juan Fernandez^ where criminals are sent into 

 exile from this country, for high crimes against 

 the state. 



There is a library of several thousand volumes 

 at Santiago, and some curious MSS. relating to 

 the Indians ; but the greater part of it consists 

 of books on scholastic divinity. 



The climate I think delicious. Though ex- 

 ceedingly hot in the middle of February, there 

 is even then a delightful buoyancy and clear- 

 ness in the air, and a pleasant breeze always 

 blowing. 



The height of Santiago is two thousand six 

 hundred feet above the sea, and from the compa- 

 rative coolness which is the consequence of this 

 elevation, it can produce almost every European 

 vegetable in perfection, as well as wine, if the 

 manner of making it was understood, which it 

 is not. The wine of Chile is, therefore, very 



