PORTER’S JOURNAL. 
105 
at as low prices, as in the market on shore. Nothing could ex¬ 
ceed the excellence and abundance of the apples, pears, peaches, 
nectarines, melons, onions, potatoes, and vegetables of every des¬ 
cription. The potatoes are superior in size and quality to those 
of any other country, and are indigenous. Tons of the foregoing 
articles were sold to our people, which were laid by as a sea 
stock, as well as hogs and poultry in great numbers, and of the 
best qualities; the fowls are of the largest size, and of that kind 
called the China fowl, which were sold at the moderate price of 
2J dollars per dozen; indeed I soon perceived, that, unless I 
placed some restrictions, my ship would be much encumbered 
with the stock on board her; 1 therefore, before my departure, 
gave directions that all the hogs belonging to the crew should be 
killed, except one for each mess ; and this arrangement left up¬ 
wards of 100 hogs on board, counting those belonging to the offi¬ 
cers. No part of the world could have afforded us a more am¬ 
ple supply of every thing we wanted of the provision kind. The 
flour and bread were of a very superior quality, and could be pro¬ 
cured in any quantities without difficulty. We could not, how¬ 
ever, without considerable delay, procure salt provisions, except 
jerked beef: this was to be had in large quantities, and put up in 
a superior manner for exportation, in a net-work formed of strips 
of hide, containing one hundred weight. All the dry provisions 
were put up in hides; the flour was better secured in them, and 
more closely packed, than it could possibly be in barrels; and, 
although much heavier, we found them more manageable. The 
use they make of hides is astonishing; the most of the furniture 
for their mules and horses, and their houses, and, on some parts 
of the coast, even their boats, or (as they are called) balsas, are 
made of this article. It is used for every purpose to which it is 
possible to apply it, either whole, cut in pieces, or in long strips. 
When used for balsas, two hides each, cut something in the form 
of a canoe, with the seam upwards, are blown up by means of a 
reed, and stopped together; a piece of board is then laid across 
to sit on, and on this frail machine they venture a considerable 
distance to sea. The laque , for the use of which the Chilians are 
so famous, is formed of a very long strip of hide, with a running 
vol. L Q 
