the South-Sea 9$ 



more grateful than the Prefident of Santiago, for the Ser- 

 vice he did the Spaniard^ he had been the firft at feeling 

 the Exa&nefs of the Work on Account of a little Difference 

 in trading. 



At the Foot of the Fortrefs, in a little Gut, or narrow ValparaiiV 

 Space, is the Borough or Town of Valparaiso, confifting 7 ^*- 

 of about a hundred poor Houfes, without any Order, and 

 of feveral Heights ; it alfo ftretches out along the Sea,, 

 where the Stores of Corn or Granaries are. As little as the 

 Place is, there are, befides the Pariffi, two Monafteries ; 

 the one of Franciscans, and the other of Augufiins. Of 

 150 Families there may be in the Place, there are fcarce 

 3 o of them Whites $ the reft are Blacks, Mulatto's, and 

 Meftizo's.. The Number of Men able to bear Arms there 

 is very inconfiderable ; but the Neighbouring Dwellings, 

 or Farms, upon the firft Signal from the Fortrefs, furnifli 

 fix Troops of Horfe, mounted at their own Expence ; moft 

 of whom have no other Arms but Swords, which theWhites 

 always wear at the vileft Employments. Upon Notice gi- 

 ven by the Sentinels kept along the Coaft, they are very 

 regular in drawing together, at leaft, fome Part of thofe 

 Troops, when a Ship appears which is not thought to be 

 Spanijh built.. We have often heard a Shot in the Night 

 by way of Alarm, upon the leaft Sufpicion, and without 

 any Ground. 



Some Days after our Arrival, the fecond Merchant of 

 our Ship obtain'd Leave of the Prefident to go to Santiago, 

 on the Bufinefs of Trade. 



During that Interval, the S. Charles, a French Ship , ship cafr 

 bought by the Spaniards Y was caft away on the moft Ea- 

 fterly Ifland of John Fernandez 80 Leagues Weft from 

 Valparaiso, as it was- coming to lade Bacallao, or Salt Cod, 

 of which fome French Men had a Fifliery there, under the 

 Dire&ion of one Apremont, formerly one of the King's 

 Guards. Sailing along the Coaft, the Ship ftruck on a 

 Shoal, fo near the Land, that all the Men were faved. Some 

 of them ventur'd to come in their Boat to Valparaiso, to, 



deiire 



