Chap. L Captain Bet age, 24 ^ 
Arica. To find thefe Lavadores, or Walking- places, they 
dig in the Corners of a little Brook, where, by certain To- 
kens,. they judge the Grains of Gold to lie. To affift in 
carrying away the Mud, they let a frefh Stream unto it, 
and keep turning it up, that the Current may fend it along. 
When they are come to the Golden Sand, they turn off the 
Stream another Way, and dig with Mattocks; and this 
Earth they carry upon Mules to certain Bafons, joined to- 
gether by fma 11 Chanels ; into thefe they let a fmart Stream 
of Water; to loofen the Earth, and carry all the grofs Part 
away. The Indians (landing in the Bafons; and throwing 
out all the Stones, the Gold at Bottom is ftill mixed with 
a black Sand, and hardly to be feen, till it be farther cleared 
and feparated, which is eafily done. But thefe Wafhing- 
p'laces differ ; for, in fome, there are Gold Grains as big as 
Bird-fhot ; and in one, belonging to the Priefts near Val- 
paraifo , fome were found, from two or three Ounces to a 
Pound and an half Weight. This W T ay of getting Gold is 
■much better than from the Mines ; here is no need of Iron 
Crows, Mills, or Quickfilver ; fo that both the Trouble and 
Expence are much lefs. The Creolians are not fo curious 
in waffling their Gold, as the People in Europe ; but great 
Plenty makes them carelefs in that and many other Ar- 
ticles. 
15. It would be need lefs to attempt in this Place a De- 
fcription of the large Kingdom of Chili , becaufe it has been 
already done by many Authors : All that is defigned here, is to 
give fuch a Reprefentation of it, as may enable the Reader 
to comprehend the Nature of its Trade, the Manner in 
which it is connected with the general Commerce of Peru , 
by which the Wealth drawn from it is tranimitted to Eu- 
rope. It is in Length, from North to South, about 1200 
Miles, the Breadth of it very uncertain ; the Air is very 
temperate and wholfome, unlefs rendered otherwife by 
peftilential Exhalations, that are moil common after Earth- 
quakes, to which this Country is very fubjeft. The Win- 
ter Rains, during the Months of May, June , July, and 
Augufi, are exceffively heavy ; but then, for eight Months 
together, they have, generally fpeaking, fine Weather. The 
Soil is prodigioufly fertile, where it admits of Cultivation • 
fuch Fruit-trees as are carried thither from Europe, come to 
the greatefl Perfection ; fo that the Fruit is coming for- 
ward all the Year ; and it is common to lee Apple-trees in 
that Situation, which we fo much admire in Orange-trees ; 
that is to fay, with Bloffoms, Apples juft formed, green 
Apples, and ripe Fruit all at the fame time. The Valleys, 
where-ever they have any Moifture, wear a perpetual Ver- 
dure ; and the Hills are covered with odoriferous Herbs, very 
ufefui in Phyfic. J here are Trees of all forts, and fit for 
every kind of Ufe ; infomuch that, independent of its 
Gold Mines, Chili might be well accounted one of the 
richeft and fineft Countries in the Univerfe. And, indeed, 
there are fome Places in it, which are as beautiful as any 
thing the warmeft Imagination can paint : For mftance, the 
Town or Coquimho , in Lat. 30° South, a fliort Mile from 
the Sea, Handing on a green rifing Ground, about ten 
Yards high, which Nature has regular Jy formed like a Ter- 
race, North and South, in a direct Line, of more than half 
a Mile, turning at each Side to the Eaftwarci. The firft 
Street makes a delightful Walk, having the Profpeft of 
the Country round it, and the Bay before it ; all this is 
fweetly placed in a Valley ever green, and watered with a 
River ; which, taking its Rile from among the IVIountains,' 
flows through the Vales and Meadows, in a winding Stream’ 
£0 the Sea. 
But notwithftanding all thefe Advantages, this vaft Coun- 
try is very thinly inhabited ; infomuch that, through its 
whole Extent, there are fcarce five Towns that deferve 
that Appellation, and but one City, which is that of St: 
lago ; throughout all the reft there are only Farms, which 
they call EJiancias , 10 remote from one another, that the 
whole Country, as I have been informed from good Hands, 
cannot laife 20,000 Whites fit to bear Arms, and particu- 
larly St. lago 2000; the reft are all Meftizos, Mulattos, 
and Indians, whole Number may be three times as great, 
without including the friendly Indians beyond the River 
Biobio , who are reckoned to amount to 15,000, whofe Fi- 
delity, however, is not much to be depended on. The 
Trade of this Country is chiefly carried on by Sea, and is. 
Numb. if. 
at prefent, rather in a declining than fiourifhing Condition; 
The Port of Baldivia was. formerly very famous, on ac- 
count of the very rich Mines of Gold that were in its 
Neighbourhood, which are now, in a great meafhre, dif- 
u fed ; fo that it is only kept -as a Gafifon, and ferves 
in this refpeft to Peru, as the Fortreffcs oh the Barbary 
Goaft do to Spain , viz. to receive Malefactors, who are 
font thither to ferve againft the Indians . All the Trade of 
that Town confifts in fending terror twelve Ships a Year 
to Peru , laden with Hides, tanned Leather, fait Meat, 
Com, and other Provmons, which are to be had here in 
great Plenty. 
The Port of Conception is more confiderable, by fea fori 
of their Commerce with the Indians, which are not fubjeCl 
to the Crown of Spain. Thefe Indians are of a Copper 
Colour, have large Limbs, broad Faces, and coarfe lank 
Hair, I he Nation of the Puelches differ fomewhat from 
the reft, becaufe amongft them there are fome pretty white, 
and who have a little Colour in their Cheeks, which is fup- 
pofed to be owing to their having foine European Blood in 
their Veins, ever fince the Natives of this Country re- 
volted from the Spaniards , and cut off m oft of their Ga- 
bions. They preferved the Women, and efpecially the 
Nuns, with whom they cohabited, and had many Children, 
who have a fort of natural Affedlion for their Mothers 
Country ; and, though they are too proud to fubmit to the 
Spaniards, yet they are not willing to hurt them. Thefe 
People inhabit that Ridge of the Mountains which the Spa- 
niards call La Cordilera ; and, as the Manner of Trading 
with them is very Angular, it may not be amifs to give an 
Account of it. 
When the Spanijh Pedlar, or walking Merchant, makes 
a Tour into this Country, he goes diredlly to the Cacique, 
or Chief, and prefents himfelf' before him without fpeakmg 
a Word : The Cacique breaks Silence firft ; and fays to 
the Merchant, Are you come? Then he anfwering, I am 
Come. What have you brought file ? replies the Cacique. 
I bring you, rejoins the Spaniard , Wine (A heceffary Ar- 
ticle !) and fuch a thing. Whereupon the Cacique fails not to 
fay, You are welcome. He appoints him a Lodging near 
his own Cottage, where his Wives and Children, bidding 
him welcome, each of them alfo demand a Prefent, which 
he gives, though never fo final! : At the fame time the 
Cacique, with the Horn-trumpet which he has by him, gives 
notice to his fcattered Subjects of the Arrival'' of a Mer- 
chant,- with whom they may trade : They come and fee 
the Commodities, which are Knives and Axes, Combs, 
Needles, Thread, Looking- glaffes, Ribbands, (pc. The 
beft of all would be Wine, were it not dangerous to fup- 
ply them therewith, to make them drunk ; for then they 
are not fafe among them, becaufe they are apt to kill one 
another. When they have agreed upon the Barter, they 
carry the Things home without paying ; fo that the Mer- 
chant delivers all without knowing to whom, or feeing any 
of his Debtors : In fliort, when he defigns to go away, the 
Cacique orders Payment by founding the Horn again ; then 
every Mari honeftly brings the Cattle he owes ; and, be- 
caufe thefe confift of / Mules, Goats, and efpecially 
Oxen and Coves, he commands a fufficient Number of Men 
to conduft them to. the Spanijh Frontiers. By what has 
been faid may be obferved, that as much Civility and Ho- 
nefty is to be found among thefe People, whom we call 
Savages, as among the moil polite and well-governed 
Nations. 
That great Number of Bullocks and Cows, which are 
confirmed in Chili, where abundance are flaughtered every 
Year, comes from the Plains of Paraguay , which are co- 
vered with them. The Puelches bring them through the 
Plain of Papa-papa, inhabited by the P teheingues , or uncon- 
quered Indians, being the beft Pafs to crofs the Mountains, 
becaufe divided into two Hills, of lefs difficult Accefs than' 
the others, which are almoft impaflable for Mules. There 
is another, eighty Leagues from La Conception , at the 
burning Mountain, called Silk Velluda , which now-and-' 
then calls out Fire, and fometimes with fo great a Nolle, 
that it is heard in the City ; that Way the Journey is very* 
much fhortened, and they go in fix Weeks to Buenos Ayres. 
By thefe Communications, they generally make good all 
the Herds of Beeves and Goats* vkhich they Daughter in- 
3 S Chili 
