\ 1 J*.. •> ^ SCWT 'W ;V v' r '~ *: ) • \ A N Historical Relation KINGDOM O F B Y ALONSO D E OVALL E OF THE Company of J E S U S, A Native of St. fago of Chile, and 'Procurator at Rome for that Place. Printed at Rome by Francifco Cavallo , 1 6-J.9. with Licenfe of his Superiors. IranHated out of Spanijb into Euglijh. L 0 N 'D 0 N: Printed for A. and f. Churchill at the Placf^Swan in Patcr-Eojler-Rw. 1703. ' Y 3 &i[ \J SftR$ l - THE CONTENTS OF THE Third Volume. N Hiforical Relation of the Kingdom of Chile, n. by Alonfo de Ovalle, of the Society of fefus } a Native of Sant Iago in Chile, and “Procurator at Rome for that Place : Pranjlated from the Spanifh. Page i. Sir William MonfonV Naval Pratts: Treating of all the Attions of the English by Sea , under Queen Elizabeth and King James the Firft ; The Office of the High Admiral and his Inferior Officers ; T)if coveries and 'Enterprises of the Spaniards and Por- tnguefes ; Projetts and Stratagems ; and of Fijh and Fi(hcry : From the Original AAanufcripts. P. i 5 A true and exatt 'Tefcription of the mod Celebrated Eaft-India Coafl of Malabar and Coromandel, and of the If and of Ceylon, with all the adjacent Countries : Py Philip Raldams. Tranfated from the High Dutch. P. 561. Vol.III. ERRATA, in the Hijlory e/CHILE. P Aage i. Column i. Line 5. for, Chile begins at the 25th Degree beyond the Tropick of Ca¬ pricorn, read, Chile begins at the 25th Degree of South Latitude. P.2.C.1./.52. for, PaiG- h onate, r. partial. P.5, c. i.l.ult. for, a Caft, r. a Race. P.5, e.2. /.17. for, Complexion, v.Conftiturion. Ib.l. 19. for, Heart-burning, r. the Falling-Sicknefs. P.8.c.i .1.2. for, lcent/ r. colour’d. P 9 c.2.1.2. for, Peps, r. Pefos, and obferve, that a Pefo is about the value of 8 s. Ibid, injive, for , not proper for Peru, r. which do not grow in Peru. P.10, c.2. l.io. and in very many other Places, for, Legumes, r. Pulfe. P.34.c.i./.41. for, Artichoke Card, r. Cardoone, or Thiftle. P.35.c.i. /.20. for, Chalk, r. Lime. P.3 5. C.1./.44. for, Gangrejos, r. Crabs, and for Ca- maroues, r. Praunes. Ibid. c.2.1.j. for, Langoftas, r. Lobfters. Ibid. £23. for, tho’paid for them, y. tho’ they were hir’d. P.37.C.2./.43. for, Garzas, r. Herons. P.39.0.1. 1 . 4.2. for, a Panache, r. a Plume. Ibid. c.2. 1 . 37. for, Regalillo’s for the Hands, r. Muffs. P-43- C.1./.25. for, Cofques, r. Cur-Dogs. P.39, c.i. 1.29. for, Airones. r. Heron’s Feathers. Ibid. c.2. I.27 . for , Paxaro Carpin- tero, r Wood-Pecker. P.53. c.\. I.23. for, they run, r. they pals’d by it and run. Ibid. 1 . 59. for, that under the Tropick, r. that when the Sun came to the Tropick. P.54, c.i. /.4r. for, Pe- zebu, r. Zebu. P.55. c. 1, l.io. for, and now where there are any, r. and no where any. P.62, c. 1. /.3 8- for, All this Continent is call’d the Efcombradas, are Plains without hindrance, rTAlI that lies within thefe Bounds are open Plains reaching fo far that P.73, c.i. 1 .^ 6 . for, Panache, r. a Plume. P.79.C.2. 1 . 51. for, where there was no Day with them, tho’ the Sun was in the Tro¬ pick of Cancer, and by confequence made our Summer, r. where there is a continual Night, without any appearance of Day, when the Sun coming to the Tropick of Cancer, makes our Summer, and on the contrary, when he draws near the Tropick of Capricorn there is continual Day, without any Shadow of Night. P.80, c.i. 1 . 6 . for, tho’ it was our June ox "July, r. it being then June, or July, which is the Depth of their Winter, and a perpetual Night, without feeing the Sun one Hour in a Day. P.81, c.2. /.53. dele, though. P.96, c.i. 1 . 50. for, a Regalo, r. a Pre* Pent. P.iox. c.i. I.12. for, Ce.dro, r. Cetron. P.104, c.2. l.n. for, Cienaga, r.Uog. P.106.C.1, /. penult, for, to the Pinna’s, &c. as far as went up, r. to the Port of Pinna’s (the laft difcover’d by Balboa, and after him by Pafqual de Andagoya) and went up. P.107.C.2. /.51. for, as far a, r. as far as a, P.117, c.i. 1 . 2 . for , Aronze, r. Brafs. Ibid. l.$, for, Company of Morenos, r. the Brotherhood of the Tawny-Moors. P.134, c.2. 1 . 6 . fill the Cafma with thefe Words-, a Pot full P.138. Chap. 12, c.i. I.9. for, founded the, r. founded among the THE Authors Preface. Eing come from tlye Kingdom of Chile into Europe, I obferzId, that time was fo little known cf tlye Parts I g came from, that in many Places the very Name cf Chile ^ haa not been heard cj. This made me thinks my ft If obligd to fatisjie , in jome meafwe, the Defire of many Cwicu-s Perjons , who f refs'd me 10 Communicate to the World a thing Jo worthy of its Knowledge. But 1 fund my fe If in great Difficulty how to comply with their preffhg In fiances, being defiitute of all the Materials requ-ftte fo* fuch a Work, and at fuch a difiance from t!)e Place that .oulet fumijb them, that I defpair'd cf giving a juft Satisfaction: Hon ever, in Obedience to thofe whefe Com¬ mands I cannot but Rtfpebt, 1 nfolv d to write this Account $ more to comply with my Duty, and give feme Information of thofe remote Regions, than to pretend to a Perfect and Exact Hiftory 5 which tins Relation, in all its parts (I confefs) comes very fbert of. Tlye Reader then being thus prepar'd, will, I hc^e, have a regard to tlye little help I could have in this Work, at fuch a di- fiance as Rome and Chile are from one onetIyer 5 and by his Pru¬ dence and Goodnefs excufe any thing that may feem lefs finijVd in this Workj particularly ftnee tlyere is hopes of a General Hi - I: n3t Jiory of Chile, which cannot be long before it is fin’[Ed. pe:: d in In the mean time the Firft and Second Books cf this Relation theUcili will fhew the Natural State of the Kingdom of Chile, both as to its Climate and Product $ Tlye Third will deferibe the Qualities of its Firft Inhabitants ; The Fourth and Fifth will deferibe the firft Entrance of the Spaniards into it, and the Conquefi of it by them ; Tlye Sixth will contain the various Events of the War , caus'd by tlye noble Reft fiance made by tlye A ran cano’s ; The Se¬ venth will jhew the firft Means 5/ Peace attempted by Fatlyer Lewis de Valdivia of the Company of Jefus, in order to facilitate the Preaching of the Holy Gofpel, and the Glorious Death of bis Holy Companions $ The laft Book, which is alfo the largeft of all, will contain the firft Means cf Planting the Chriftian Faith, and its Propagation among the Indians, which was particularly com¬ par'd, and is ft ill carried on by tlye Mi (lions and Mini fiery cf our Company ; all which Endeavours cf theirs 1 explain and di - fiinguijh The Author’s Preface. fiinguifh under Six Heads, fhewing the neceffity of the Spiritual help that thofe new Chriftians lie under, both as to Preaching and Informing them in Matters of the Chriftian Faith. I mu(i give here Five Advertifements 3 The firjl, That in what I have feen my felf I have not departed from the truth in any thing I have Writ: As to what 1 relate by hearfay, or by Autho¬ rity from other Writers, I report it with the fame candour as I heard and read it, without adding or diminishing any thing of the truth $ and though all thofe I Cite in this Work are worthy to be believ'd\ yet the leaf to be fufpeCled of Partiality are fuch Forreign Writers who Extol and Commend this Kingdom of Chile with fuch repeated Encomiums . My Second Advertife- ment is, That confidering the Kingdom of Chile was the laft part of South-America that was discover'd, and the nearefi to the Antartick Pole, I could not Treat of its Difcovery with good grounds, without touching a little upon the Neighbouring Kingdoms of Peru and Mexico, which were as a Pajjage to it 5 and if I have enlargd now and then on the Praifes and Description of thofe Parts , it was, becaufe I thought it might not be difagreeable to the Reader 3 in which, if I am miftaken, be has only to skip feme Chapters of the Fourth BookMid go dire Cl ly to thofe which Treat of the firfl Entrance of Bon Diego de Almagro into Chile. Thirdly, I muft take notice, that though 1 do fometimes, in fgeaking 0) the Land of Chile, report fome Particularities which feem Trifles, and not fo proper for Hiftory 3 ] do not re¬ late them as fingular arid proper to that Country alone, but ra¬ ther to fhew the Uniformity both of Nature and Cuftoms, as to Life and Religion, in all thofe Parts 3 and fome things are men¬ tion'd to encourage thofe new Countreys to drive on the Advance¬ ment of Religion, Politenefs, Learning, and good Morals . Fourthly, I muft take notice, that fince I do not here make a Gene) al Hijiory of Chile, 1 have not had occafion to mention all the Illuftrious Men and Noble Commanders and Soldiers who have fiourijh'd in thofe Parts from the beginning of the Conqueft: I only therefore take notice of fuch as 1 find nam'd in the Authors whom 1 cite 3 and they too not making it their Bufimefs to Write a diftind Hiftory of Chile, but only to relate fome particular Event, and fo mention only fome part of the Go¬ vernment of fome Gwernours, or their Wars, cannot be exaCt in the Account 0) all thofe who have in different Times and Occa fions aided in thofe Wars 3 and by this Salvo I cover the Honour of all our Gallant Commanders and Soldiers of Chile whofe Attions I omit , though they are worthy to be graven in Marble or The Author’s Preface, or Bronze, only for this Reafom And though l own , that I am not Ignorant of many who have flourifh'd in my time and before it , yet 1 have not fo diflincl an Information as would be necejfary to give them their due Com??ie?idations y and fet their Actions in that Light which their Valour deferves 3 therefore the General Hiftory of Chile will perform that part. Perhaps even before that * this Work of mine may excite fome Body to employ their Talent in making a particular Book of their Elogiums and Prdifes; which cannot jail of being well receiv'd in the Worlds frace fo, many Noble and llluftrious Families of Europe will be concern d in it. Laftly , I advertife. That though the principal Motive of my Writing this Relation was to Publijh the Spiritual Mini ft cry of our Company in the Converfion of Souls in this Kingdom of Chile 3 yet I could not but Treat fir ft of the Land and Inhabi¬ tants , as being the Objed and Subject of their Endeavours 5 and I have been forc'd to be more diffufe in it , than I would have been about a place- already kyiown to the World by any Hi-j jlory or Relations made of it. For this Reafon I have Employed Six Books in the Vefcription of the La?id\ and the Valorous fierce Difpofition of its Inhabitants , that the Force and Efficacy of the Divine Grace might fhine out the more in the beginnings of the Converfions of that untradable Nation , mention'd in my Two lafl Books , which are almofl as comprehenfeve as my Six firfi 5 which were divided into fo many , only to anfwer the diverfity of Matter which they contain. Thus 1 have inform d my Reader of this Work > in which he will find variety of Entertainment * Some Things will anfwer the Curiofity of thofe who delight in knowing Natural Caufes 3 Others will be mov'd and incited to Valiant ASHcns, by the Examples of thofe perform'd here. Thofe likewife who love Hiflorical Rela¬ tions , will be pleas d , fince here is an Epitome of the Difcovery of the befi part of the India’s, according to the Order of Times , and Perfons concern d in the Conquefts and Difcoveries of fo many Kingdoms. And , laftly , the Pious Difpofetion of Devout Minds , will be elevated to Praife God for the Signal Favours which the Queen of Heaven has beftowed on the Kingdom of Chile in particular 3 and adore the Lord of all things , for ha¬ ving in little more than One Century made his Name known , and his Worfhip introduc'd among fo many Heathen Nations , even to bring the Vntatnd and Powerful Araucano’s upon their Knees to him , ajter fo many years ftubborn refifttng the entrance of the Gofpel . I cannot defire my Reader to exprefs any Acknowledg¬ ments The Author’s Preface. merits for this Work, of mine , becauje I do not juaf? it deferves fo great a Reward 5 but 1 hope he may with Indulgence excufe its Faults , and make me fome allowance for the little helps I have had in Writing, I have e?ideavour d to pleaje all , but particu¬ larly to fhew how the Kingdom of Chrijl may he advarid in that new World , if the Apoftohcal Zeal of the Evangelical Workmen will employ it felf in this great Harvefl of fo extended a GentF lifm and new Chriftiunity. T * H E firft Six Books being the only ones that contain the Hiftorical and Natural Accounts, they alone are Translated 5 and Some Chapters, even out of them, omitted, for their tedious Superfluous Narratives. THE THE Translators Preface. W Hen the Tranflation of the Hiflory of Chile was fir ft undertaken, it was more out of Confideration of making that part of the Worlds Jo remote from ours, better kyiown as to the Geographical part, the Natural Hiftory, and the fiirft Settlements of the Spaniards, than to enter into a dift in ft Narrative of the Events of that In- vafion, which contain little Infraction, being between a People of great Arts and Abilities on one fide, and another of great Na¬ tural Courage , and no culture of the Mind or Body, on the other . The Cafe was fo extravagantly unequal between them, when the odds of Guns , Armor, Horfes and Difciphne, are weighed again ft Nakednefs, Anarchy, Panicky Terrors and Simplicity, that it feems a kfiid of Prodigy that the love of Liberty and a Stock of Natural unpoliftid Bravery, fhould hold a Conte ft with Amid Avarice\ fpirited by Superftitious Zeal , for almoft a whole Century . 7 /;e Natural Hiftory of Chile is /o admirably perform’d , that it may be a Model for moft Relations of that kind 5 /or there are Ex all Defcriptions of all the Beafts, Z?/Yth Degree beyond the rin , beginning at 26 Degrees North of Tropick of Capricorn , towards the Antar - the Equinoctial Line. The Inhabitants tick-Pole, and is extended in length Five are properly Antipodes to thofe of Chile ; hundred Leagues ,as far as the Straights of and thofe who Inhabit the Countreys that Magellan , and its oppofite Land call’d reach from 57 Degrees to 44 of the tnoft La Herr a del Fuego , which reaches to the Wefterly parts of New Guinea , would be yjth Degree. The Breadth of Chile is alfb Diametrically Antipodes to the Inha* various, for it may be Lid to extend its- bitants of Cafiille , but ’tis yet uncertain felf ifo Leagues Eaft and Weft, becaufe whether that part of the World is Land though that which is properly call’d Chile or Water, but this is certain, that it falls is not in many places above 20 pr 50 out in the Divifion of Cafiille , and is op- Leagues Broad, which is generally its ex- pofite to if, and is Weft from Chile 1700 tent from the Sea to the famous Cordillera Leagues. Nevada, or Chain of Mountains cover’d This Kingdom is Comprehended in the climate. with Snow (of which we fiiall fpeak in its Third, Fourth, and Fifth Climate: in proper place ); yet in the Divifton of the that part of it which is in the Third Cli* Bounds of the feveral Governments of mate, the longeit day is 13 Hours; and America, the King added to Chile thofe in the Fifth Climate, the day at longeft vaft Plains of Cup , which runs in length . is about 14 Hours, and fomething more, as far as Chile does, ant} 4Jv above twice quite contrary to Europe , as being oppo- broad, B fite Of the Nature and Properties of the Book I. p* fite to it, but not Diametrically, for the C jalle. longeft day in Chile is St. Lucias , and the 1646. ftorteft St. Barnabf s; the Sun is always U-'ynj there towards the North, and the Sha¬ dows to the South. This is the Situation of the Kingdom of Chile, which borders upon the North with the Province of Aracama , and the rich Mines of Silver of Potofi , where the Kingdom of Peru begins} and on the South it has the great Sea to die Pole, and the Iflands difcover’d in it. Abraham Ortdius was of Opinion, that there was on this South fide of the Kingdom of Chile, a Land which was contiguous with New Guinea , and this Opinion lafted till we were undeceiv’d by thole who having pafs’d by the Streight of St. Vincent , other- wile call’d the Streight of Le Maire, went round that South Land call’d the Tierra del Fuego, and return’d to the North Sea by the Streights of Magellan ; proving evidently the laid Land to be an Ifland entirely feparated from any other Land; as I lhall ihew further in its proper place. Chile has on the Eaft Tucuman , and Buenos Ayres, and to the North Eaft Pa¬ raguay and Brafil ; to the Weft it has the South-Sea, which, according to the Opi¬ nion of Antonio de Herrera , is all that is comprehended between Chile and China, and begins at the Golden Cherfonefus , or nion of all thofe who have come from Europe to it, is, that its Soil and its Cli¬ mate exceed all others they have leen j though perhaps in that they only make a Return for the Kind Welcome they all meet with in thofe Parts. As for my part, all I can fay, is, that though it be like Europe in every thing, except in the Oppofition of the Seafons, which are tranfpos’d, it being Spring and Summer in the one, when it is Autumn and Win¬ ter in the other; yet it has lome Proper¬ ties which do really lingularize it, and delerve the Praifes riven it by Travellers; for, firft, neither the Heat nor the Cold are 16 exceftive as in Europe , particularly as far as the 4$th Degree of Latitude, for from thence to the Pole the rigorous and exceftive Cold begins. The Situation accidental of the Land Tempera- of Chile, muft be the caufe of this Tern- ture °f the perature of the Air ; for being cover’d on Air ' the Eaft by the high Mountains of the Cordillera, which are all fo prodigioufly elevated ; it receives the frelh and cool¬ ing Breezes from the Sea ,* and the Tides which penetrate as far as the foot of the Mountains, joining with the coolnefs of the Snow, with which they are cover’d, refreih the Air fo, that about Foura Clock in the Afternoon the Heat is no ways troublefome. Nay, if one is in the Shade, Divifion. the Ifland of Sumatra, and that Sea is in one may fay, that in no hour of the day breadth, Eaft and Weft, Two thoufand the Sun is infupportable, efpecially from and feven hundred Leagues. 56 Degrees or thereabouts, neither day According to what has been faid, we nor night the Heat can be complained of • may divide _this Kingdom into Three which is the caule, that at the Town of Parts*, The Firft and Principal is that which is comprehended between theCor- dillera Nevada , and the South-Sea , which is properly call’d Chile. The Second the Conception , which is in that Situation, the Covering for Beds is the fame Winter and Summer, neither of thofe Seafons be- . . ing any ways troublefome. contains the Iflands which are/ow'd up Another good Quality of this Country chile and_ down upon its Coaft as far as the is, to be free from Lightning ; for though fiJifa. Streights of Magellan. _ The Third con- fometimes Thunder is heard, ’lis at a great ’“’Si diftance up in the Mountain. Neither does there fall any Hail in the Spring or Summer ; or are thole Storms of Thunder - . . ~ c r * nd Lightning feen here, which in other extends to the Confines of Parts make the Bells be rung out, and the Clouds to be Exorcized ; neither are there fo many Cloudy Days in Winter as in other Parts; but moft commonly after the Rain has lafted Two or Three Days the Heavens clear up, and look as if the Sky had been walh’d, without the leaft Clowd, in a very fliort time after the tains the Province of Cuyo, which is on the other fide of the Snowy Mountains call’d the Cordillera Nevada, and run in length all along as far as the Streights, and in breadth Tucuman. To begin then with that part which is moft properly call'd Chile • 1 confefs I had rather the Defcription of it had fallen to the Lot of fome Stranger who had feen it i for then the danger of pafling for too Paftionate for ones own Country (to which arc expos'd all thofe who Write Rain ffor as" fooVas ever the Northwincf of it) would have been more eafily a- which brings the Clowdy Weather ccaf-s’ voided, and ftch a one might.with lefs the South facceeds, and in a few Hours Apprehenhon Enlarge upon the Excellent drives away the R’ a i n , or if t ^ “ te Properties which Cod has been pleas'd Night-time, the Dew ’falls, and the Sun The common Opi- rifes brighter than ever. to Endow it with. This Chap. I. 3 And all Poifonotu Creatures. No Bugs mill live there. The Cli¬ mate and Soil of Chile very like thofe o/Europe. Kingdom of C H I L E. This Country is yet to be valued upon another Propriety of it, which is, that it is free from Poifonous Creatures, fuch as Vipers and Snakes, Scorpions or Toads s fb that one may venture to fit under a Tree, or lie down and rowl on the Ground, without fear of being bit by them. Nei¬ ther are there Tygers, Panthers, or any other Mifchievous Animals; except fbme Lyons of a fmall Kind, which fometimes do harm to the Flocks of Sheep or Goats, but never to Men, whom they fly from ; and this is not only in the Cultivated Land, where Men are frequent, but in the Woods and Solitude, and in the thickeft Groves, of which there are fbme id clofe with Trees, that one can hardly break through them a foot. I heard a Fryar of ours, who was an Excellent Builder, fay, that having gone for Three Months together in Woods, where there was no fign of any ones having pafs’d be¬ fore, to find out Trees proper for the Timber of the Church of St. Jago , he had never met with the leaft Poilonous Creature, that could either caufe a Nau- feous Idea, or a Dangerous Effect. There is another molt Wonderful Sin¬ gularity of this fame Country, which is, that not only it does not breed, but will not fuffer any Pusmzes or Bugs to live in it: which is the more to be admir’d, that on the other fide the Mountains they fwarm; I never law one in it alive, for fometimes there are fbme in the Goods and Furniture of People who come from the Province ot Cuyo , but as foon as they feel the Air of Chile they dye. The Expe¬ rience that was made of this, by one that was either Curious or Malicious enough, was Wonderful, for coming from Cuyo to Chile , he brought fome of thofe Creatures with him, well put up in a Box, and fuch Food provided for them as to keep them alive ; but no fboner were they come to the Valley of Aconcagua , which is the firft Valley coming down from the Moun¬ tains, but they all died, not fo much as one remaining alive. I do not fay any thing here of the Mines of Gold, nor of thofe Excellent Waters, which running from them, are Cordial and Healthy ; nor of the abun¬ dance of Provifions for Life, nor of the Phyfical Plants, nor of many other rare Qualities in which this Country exceeds others ; as well to avoid Confufion, as be* caufe thofe things will be better fhew’d when we come to Treat of each of them in particular in their proper place. In all other things the Land of Chile is fo like Europe, both in Climate .and Soil, that there is very fmall or no difference ; and it is very remarkable, that in fiich Oyal/e. variety of Dilcoveries made in America, l6\6i none is fo conformable in every thing with the European Conftitution, as this Trad: of Chile ; for in moft of the Places between the Tropicks, as Brafil, Carta¬ gena , Panama, Pcrtobello , and thofe Coafts in that Situation, the Heats are violent and continual all the year; and in fome other Places, fuch as Potcf } and the Mountains of Peru , the Cold is as exceflive; in fbme they have a Winter without Rain, and have their Rain in Summer when their Heat is higheft; others there are, where they have neicher Wine, Oyl, nor Wheat of their own Produd; and though in fbme they may have thefe Produdions, yet ^he other Fruits of Europe do not taka with them ; but Chile has, juft as Europe t its Four Seafons, of Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter » it does not Rain in Summer but in Winter; and all the Produd of Europe agrees with their Soil. One thing is much to be admir’d, and Several that is, that the Land ol Cuyo 3 that of ^ ands in Tucuman , and Buenos Ayres , being all in the fame Latitude with Chile 3 are never- thelefs fb different in Climate from it and chile, yet from Europe ; for though in thole Parts ft much dif - freezes exceedingly, fo as to freeze Water f eri ”£ in within Doors, and chat their Cattle, if climate left abroad, dye with Cold, yet there does not fall a drop of Rain all the Win- Europe, ter, and the Sun Shines out fb bright and clear that not a Cloud is to be feen; but in the Spring they have fuch abundance of Rain, that it would drown the whole Country, if the Showers lafted as long as in Europe or in Chile •, for when the Rain lafts but an hour and a half, the Streets are full of Streams in the Towns, and the Carts are up to their Axeltrees, though they are very high in thofe Parts, and ail the Country is as it were a Sea ; there fall likewife at that time Thunder-Stones and Hail as big as a Hens Egg, nay as Geefe Eggs,, and fometimes as big as Olhiches; as I my felf have feen. All thefe Storms and Varieties of Wea¬ ther form themfelves in the high Moun¬ tains that are a kind of Wail to the King¬ dom of Chile , and they never come fb far down as to Invade its Territories, but flop at them like a Barricado • for in Chile the Weather is always fteddy and conftant, without fudden Changes, all the Spring, Summer, and Autumn ^ in Winter in¬ deed there are degrees of Heat and Cold, as there is a difference in the length and fhortnefs of the days, according to the degrees of the Latitude and Courfeof the ® 3 Sun, 4 Book I. Of the Nature and NAxi Snn, which caufes the fame Variation as Ovalle. in Europe , though in oppofite Months. 1646. From hence it follows, as Authors do obferve, and Experience teaches, that A event there muft be > an . d is ’ a g reat Re ^ mblance Refem- between the Animals and other Produ¬ ce be- Aions of Chile and thofe of Europe : As a rween the proof of this, I have leen feveral Gentlemen Ammals t [ iat came t0 chile from other Parts of ™ d fL e ? r America, either as Commanders, or for Productions , ’ ... • , of Chile, other Employments which are in the and thofe King’s Dilpofal, incredibly overjoy’d at o/Europe. j Properties of the this Conformity with Europe ; for they think themfelves as it were in their Native Country, the Air, the Provifions of both fo like in their Qualities; the Meats are more nourilhing than in hotter Climates; and when thofe who have been either born or bred in thofe hot Countries come to Chiles they are forced to abftain, and keep a watch upon their Appetites, till their Stomachs are ufed by little and little to the ftrength of the Food of that Coun¬ try, and can digett it. CHAP. II. Of the four Seafons of the Year , and particularly of the Winter and Spring : With a Description of fome Flowers and Medicinal Plants. 7 he fair fj 1 H E four Seafons of the Year, which Serjons. are } n Europe the Spring , the Sum¬ mer, the Autumn , and. the Winter , are with the fame Duration of Time enjoyed in chile, though not exa&ly under the fame Names at the fame time; for the Spring begins about the middle of the European Align ft, and lafts to the middle of No - t’ember \ then begins the Summer , which holds to the middle of February ; which is followed by the Autumn , which lafts to the Winter, middle of May •, and then the. Winter en¬ ters, and makes all the Trees bare of their Leaves, and the Earth cover’d with white Frofts; (which neverthelels dilfolve about two hours after Sun-rife, except in fome cloudy days that the Icicles laft from one day co another) the Winter ends again a- bout the middle of Auguft : ’Tis very fel- dom that the Snow falls in the Valleys or low Grounds, though lo great a quantity is upon the Mountains,that it fills up fome- times all the hollow places to the heighth of feveral Pikes, and there remains as it were in Wells and Refervatories to pro- vide,as it does in due time,fo many Springs and Rivers with Water, lb fertilizing the Valleys and Plains, that they produce in¬ finite Crops of all forts in the Autumn , and Enrich the Kingdom. But notwith- ttanding that it feldom Snows in the Val¬ leys and Plains, yet it is fo cold in them, that xew Parts of Europe are colder; which proceeds not only from the degree of Elevation this Land is in, but alfb from its neighbourhood to thofe vaft Mountains called the Cordillera , who lend out luch fharp and piercing Winds, that fometimes they are inliipportable : Therefore the Sea-coaft is much more temperate and warm; but in return much more expofed to vehement Tempefts of Winds, than the Inland Parts, where thefe. Storms are in Ibme meafure fpent before they reach them, and fo cannot whip them and tor¬ ment them as they do the Sea-coafts. For fome Proteftion againft thefe fharp , . cold Winds, God Almighty has placed fe- hujbesin veral great Clutters of Thorn-bufhes, which abundance, thrive fo well, that it is the ordinary a f’ordmg Fewel of all the Countries about the Town F ent J> °f of St. Jago , and the Valleys near it: It is Fewe ' a Plant not unlike an Oak, though more durable; the heart of the Wood is red, and incorruptible: Of it they make Coals for the Furnace, and other Shop-ufes. In other Parts the true Oak ferves for the lame purpofe, as in the Territory of the City of Conception , where there are very large Woods of them, which are lo thick, that though they have already lerved for the Ufes of the Natives fo many Years, yet when they are enter’d they can hardly be pafs’d in the middle; and this within half a league of the City ; for further up in the Country there are Forrefts, where no Man ever let his foot. Though thele Oaks, as alfo the Fruit- Ever Trees, lofe their Leaves in Winter, yet Greens. there are Wild-Trees which do nor, tho all covered with Ice and Snow, and the Cold is fo far from injuring them, that when the Sun melts the Froft, they look brighter and more beautiful: As loon as the firtt: Rains come, the Fields begin to be cloathed in green, and the Earth is covered in twenty or thirty days with Grals; amongft which Nature produces a Ibrt of yellow Flower in fuch abundance, that the Plains and Valleys look like Car¬ pets of green and yellow. Thefe firtt Rains feem to prepare the Sprin , Earth for its ornamental Drels of Flowers F with the Spring, which begins about the middle Chap. II. 5 Defcription of fome Flowers, Plants,See. Mat. 13. that 1 was mov’d to tell them, and felves, who have recouife to them in I told in a fhort time Two and forty forts, their greateft Extremities, when the Di- fo admirable was their variety; and yet feafe preffes mod : They find wonderful I do not reckon among thefe the cultiva* Effe< 5 ts from the Application of thefe Sim- ted ones in Gardens, nor thofe that were pies, which they ufe in a lefler Dole with f brought from Europe ; fuch as Carnations, the Spaniards than with the Indians , who Rofes, Stock Gillyflowers, Orange, Lillies, are of a more robud Nature and (Longer Poppies, Lupins, &c. I only fpeak of Complexion. thofe that grow wild, which are lb odori I faw one of our Order much troubled Tm Rg ferous and fweet feented, that ’tis out of with the Heart-burning and Swooning-fits, markable them that they didil a Water called Aqua fo as he was forced to have always Tome Cures per - d'Angeles, or, Angels Water: Thefmellof body in his Company, or elfe he might formed by thefe Flowers is perceived fweeteff at the have fallen down Stairs, or otherwife kil- th f. rifing and letting of the Sun; which led himfeif: He had ufed all the Remedies chis ' mingled with the feent emitted by the that the Learning of Phyficians and the Herbs, which are very aromatick, pro- Charity of Religious Men could.fugged, duce a mod admirable Perfume, and for but without any Effc&at all; nay he was that reafbn they put the Sprouts and Tops worfe and worfe every day. Our Fa- of them among the Flowers, which make thers learned at lad, that about twelve the Angel Water. leagues off from that Place there lived an It is fcarce poffible to exprefs the force Indian Machi ; they lent for him, and be- with which the Earth puts forth thefe ing come, and having heard the Relation Plants, which is fo great, that in many of his Didemper, he gave him as much places ’tis hard to didinguifh the cultivated of a certain Herb in Wine as the bignefs from the uncultivated Lands: One would of a Nail, and it had fo great an EfFed, think at fird that all had been plowed and that it took away the Didemper as if he fbwed alike ; and with the continuance of had taken it away with his hand, the Per- thc Rains, the Grafs runs up fo drong, fon being never troubled with it more all and grows fo intricate, that a Florfe can the time I knew him. hardly break through it, it coming in I have feen many other Cures perform- mod places to the Saddle-girts. ed by thefe Machis , particularly in cafes of Mudard feed, Turneps, Mint, Fennel, Poyfon ; for in that fort of Didemper Trefoil, and other Plants which I fee are they are very eminent. I (hall mention fowed and cultivated in Europe , for the but one Indance of a Gentleman who had jud Edeem that is made of them, do all been pining away for feveral years, and grow wild in Chile, without ferving to the often at death’s door: Once being in ex- ufe of life at all, otherwife than by the tream danger, he heard of a famous Ma- Cattle’s feeding on them, which they may chi who lived a great way off, but was a do for feveral leagues together. The Mu- She Doctor, (for there are Women a- dard Plant thrives fo mightily, that it is mongft them eminent in the Art): He as. big as one’s Arm, and fo high and procured by Prefents to have her fent for, thick, that it looks like a Tree. I have and having promifed her a confiderable travelled many leagues through Mudard Reward, befides what he gave her in Groves, which were taller than Horfe and hand, which he was well able to perform, Man; and the Birds build their Neds in being very Rich and Powerful, fne began them, as the Gofpel mentions in thefe to apply her Remedies, which were words, It a ut valuer es cceli veniant & habi- Herbs ; and one day when fhe faw his tent in ramis e)us ; fo that the Birds of the Body prepared to part with the Poyfon, Air come and lodge in the Branches there- fhe caufed a great Silver Voider to be fee oL in the middle of the Room, and there. There are rriany Plants of great vertue in the prefence of many People, the in Phyfick, and known only to the In- Gentleman having fird been very fick in dim called Machis, who are a cad of his Stomach, he cad up the Poyfon which had 6 Of the Nature and had been given him many years before, Ovalle. wrap’d up in Hair, which came up with 1646. it, and he was perfeftly well after this, as he himfelf related to me. Though, as I have faid, the Indians are fo clofe in keeping fecret the Herbs they ufo $ yet many of them perfuaded by Reafon, and induc’d by Friendship, do Communicate fometbing i and Time and Experience has difoovei’d fo many more, that if 1 fhould mention them all, 1 foould be forc’d to make a Book on purpofe of them; therefore I fhall only mentionThree i that 1 have more prelent in my Memory, the Effects of which are prodigious. Defcription The firft ftiall be the famous Plant call’d of feme Quinchamali , which rifes not a Foot above Medicinal t j ie Ground, and its Branches fpread like Herbs ' a Nofegay, and end in little Flowers at the Points, which both in colour and Ihape are not unlike the Saffron call’d Romi. They pull up the Herb, and boil it entire with its Roor,Leaves and Flowers, in fair Water, which is given to the Pa¬ tient to drink hot; amongft other Effefts it produces, one is to diilolve all Coagu¬ lated Blood in the Body, and that very quickly ; fo that an Indian feeling himfelf Wounded, takes it immediately to hinder the Blood that could not come out at the Wound from congealing inwardly, and fo prevents all Impoftumation and the Corruption of the reft. 1 here happened in our College of St. Jago an Accident which gave Proof of this admirable Herb ^ which was. That an Indian belonging to us being gone to the Great Place to fee the Bull-feaft, a Bull, to his great misfortune, catch’d him up, and tofs’d him in the Air, and left him almoft dead on the Ground ; he was bi ought to our Houfe, and the Phyfician being call’d, faid, he was a Dead Man, and nothing could five him, but however he told the Father that has Care of the Sick, that it would coft but little to give him the Quinchamali , and wrap him up warm, and left him alone fome hours i it was done accordingly, and after fome time the Father reforting to the place where they had laid him, to foe if he were dead, he was found not only alive, but out of danger, and the Sheet all full of Blood, which the Herb had caus’d him to void through the Pores of his Body, fo as he remain’d perfectly well in a little time. The Second Herb is that which we Spaniards call "Albaaquitia, and the Indians Properties of the Book L Culen , becaufe its Leaves are. like the Leaves of Sweet Bafil: It grows inBufhes, fo high that they foem to be Trees; the Leaves are very fragrant, and fweet like Lloney ; being bruis’d, it is applyed to the Wound outwardly, and fome drops of its Juice are to be poured alfo into the Wound, after which mo ft admirable Ef¬ fects of its Efficacy are foem I was told by Captain Sebaftian Garaa Canero , the Founder of our Novkiat- Houfe of Bucalcmo , that as he was T. ra¬ velling with a Deg in his Company, which he lov’d extremely, fome Wild Monkeys that live in the Mountains fell upon him, and lb Worried him among them by biting him fome on one fide and fomev on the other, that they left him lull of Wounds, and particularly with one large one in his Throat; his Mafter came up at laft, and found him without fign of Life ; he was much troubled for the lofs of his Dog, and lighted to foe what he could do for him. This Albaaquilla is an Herb that grows every where in the Fields, and the Gentleman at a venture gathering three or four Handfulls of it, bruized them between two Stones, and poured the Juice into the Dogs Wounds, and into the great one of his Throat he thruft a Handfull of it, and lb left him without hopes of Life : but it fell out wonderfully, that after a few Leagues Travelling on, turning back to look at fomething, he faw his Dog fol¬ lowing at a diftance, who was fo well cur’d that he liv’d many years after. The Third Herb that I can remember is like a Knot of fine Flair, and which is not commonly met with : This is an ad¬ mirable Herb in Fevers and Plurifies; it is boil’d in Water, and drunk ; it purifies and cleanfes the Blood, expelling that which is bad, and fo the Sick Body re¬ mains perfe&ly cur’d, as I my felf have had the Experience of it. There are foveral other Plants, fome of which cure the Pains of the Liver, others diffolve the Stone in the Bladder, and break it to pieces; fome are excellent for the Sciatica and other Infirmities ; all which if I were to relate in particular, I ihould make a new Diofcorides or Herbal, which is not my intention. We will therefore leave the Flowers and Herbs 1 of the Spring, the Harmony of the Singing of Birds, which fo rejoices the Mornings, and the ferene and quiet days of this Sea- fon, to draw near the Summer, which will.afford us Matter of Difoourfe. CHAP. Chap. III. Kingdom o of C H I L E. CHAP. III. Of the Summer and Autumn, and their Produff. Oval/e „ 1646. s “ wwr * THE begins in the middle of All the Crops of Oats, Wheat, Maiz, Grim. X November, and lafts to the middle of and all other Garden Produd, begin to February, fo that the greateft Heats are at be cut in December , and fo on to March > Chriftmas, and we are forc’d tc have re- and they feldom produce lefsthen Twenty courfe to our Faith to confider the Child or Thirty for One ; nay, fome a Hun- God trembling with cold in the Manger; dred for One, and the Maiz 400 for' for when we rile to Sing Matins , parti- One ,* and ’cis very feldom that there is cularly in Cuyo , and Tucmnan , where the any Icarcity of Grain, but it is very cheap Heats are excellive, we are ready to melt mod commonly. with Heat. In Chile the Heats are not fo As for the Fruit of the Gardens, it is excellive, becaufe the Country is more never or rarely Ibid, but any body may temperate, but hill the Weather is not fo without hindrance ftep into a Garden or cold as it was in Bethlem. About this Orchard, and eat what they will •, only time the fruits begin to ripen, which are the Strawberries, which they call Frutilia in great variety; and there are but few are fold ; for though I have feen them* of thole of Europe that are wanting ; for grow wild for miles together, yet being as loon as any of them are brought, either cultivated they are lold very dear: They in Stone, Seed or Plant, they take 3 and 'cis are very different from thofe 1 have feen wonderful to fee how they thrive. I re- here in Rome, as well in the Tail as in the member about Thirty years ago there were no Cherries, there coming by chance a little Tree from Smell } and as for their Size, they grow to be as big as Pears, moft commonly Red, but in the Territory of the Con¬ ception there are of them White afid Spain , horn which all the Curious began to multiply them in their Gardens, (it being both a rariry and Yellow, a valuable Fruit) in a (mail time they were About this time alfo the Herbs that fo encrealed, that they were banilh’d from fatten the Cattle grow ripe, and then the Gardens to the Fields, becaule they they begin to kill them with great Profit, produc’d fo many young Planes from it being the chiefeft Riches of the Coun- their Roots, that they took up all the try, by reafon of the Tallow and Hides Ground about them. which are fent for Peru. They kill Thou- Dejcriptton Of the Fruits of Peru , Mexico, and all lands of Cows, Sheep, Goats, and the e} >UUj ' ^e Continent of America , not one will Flefh being fo cheap that it is not worth grow in Chile, and the reafon is the op- faving, they throw it away into the Sea pofition of the Climate of Chile ; nay, or Rivers that it may not infed the Air; though they bring either Plant, Seed, or only they Salt the Tongues and Loins of Setting, they never thrive ; for thofe the Cows, which they fend for Peru as Counrreys are within the Tropicks, and Prefents to their Friends i and they who Chile is out of them ; for which Reafon are able, and underftand it, fend likewile alfo the Fruits of ‘Europe take fo well in fome Dried Salt Flefh for the King’s Chile* fiich. as Pears, Abricots, Figs, Forces, or keep it to. feed their own Peaches, Quinces, &c. which bear Infi- Slaves or Servants- nitely, and it there is not Care taken to Autumn begins about the middle of Fe- Autumn leffen their number when little, it is im- bruary, fo Lent proves the moft delicious poflible for the Boughs to bear the weight time of the year; for befides Lobfters, of the Fruit, fo that they are tain to prop Oylters, Crabs, and other forts of Shell- them . up with Forks when they grow Filh and Sea-Fith of all kinds, they fifh in. near ripe. . the Ponds and Rivers for Trouts, Fagres, The Fruit that exceeds all the reft for Pejereges, and other very choice River-Fifh bearing, is the Apple ot all Kinds, of of feveral kinds; and at the fame time which there are prodigious Orchards, there is a great Plenty of Legumes, and and of thefe, though they leffen the Garden-produd; as Gourds, all forts of number, yet the others encreafe fo much Fruit, particularly Quinces, which are as in weight, that the Trees are brought big as one’s head, and another kind called down to the Ground; fo that there are Lucumas , of which they make fo many many Windfalls, filling all the Ground Diflies, that the mortification of falling is about them, and the very Rivers on hardly perceived- which they ffand, and flopping the Courfe of the Water, fo 8 Of the Nature and 'Properties of the Book!. In the end of Autumn they begin to Ovallc. gather the Olives and the Grapes, and 1646. this la (is the Months of May and June. The Wines are mod noble and generous, Time of ga- an d fam’d by the Authors who write of thering this Country : There is fuch Plenty of olives and t h enij that the Plenty is a grievance, there S'#"- being no vent for fuch Quantities: It kills Generous the I n ^ ans o becaufe when they drink, ’tis Wines. without meafure, till they fall down ; and it being very ftrong, it burns up their in¬ ward Parts: The beft'kind is the MufcateL I have feen fome that look like Water, but their Operation is very different in the Stomach, which they warm like Brandy. White There are White ines alfo very much Wmes. valued ; as thole of the Grapes, called ZJba Terrontety and Albilla : The red and deep feent are made of the ordinary red Grape, and the Grape called Mollar. The Bunches of Grapes are fo large, that they caufe Admiration ; particularly I remem¬ ber one, which, becaufe of its monftrous bignefs, was by its Owner (a Gentleman) offered to our Lady’s Shrine: It was fo big as to till a Basket, and to feed the whole Convent of Friers for that Meal, and they are pretty numerous: The Bran¬ ches of the Vines are by conlequence very big, and the Trunk or Body of them is in fome places as thick as a Man’s Body, and no man can encompafs with extended Arms the heads of them when they are in full bloom. CHAP. IV. Of the Natural Riches of the Kingdom of Chile 5 which are its Mines of Gold , and other Metals 5 as alfo of the Indujlrious Management of its other Pro duel. r *"§~ , HE Riches of Chile are of two forts: of Riches. * Firft, Thofe which Nature has be- ffowed on it without the help of humane Induffry; and, lecondly, Thofe which have been produced and invented by the Inhabitants to improve and enjoy its Fer¬ tility. To the firft kind belong its Mines of Gold, Silver, Copper, Tin, Quick- Silver, and Lead, with which Heaven has enriched it. Of the Copper of Chile are made all the Great Guns for Peru and the neighbouring Kingdoms, in the Garrifbns of which there are always Stores, parti¬ cularly on the Coafts: All the Bells of the Churches and Utenfiis for Families are of this Metal; fo that fince the working of thefe Mines, no Copper has come from Spain ; for the Indies are fufficiently fiip- plyed by them with all they can want. Little There is little Lead work’d, becaufe Lead. and there is little ufe of it; Qiick-Silver left, lefs Quick- becaufe the Mines are but newly difeo- Stlver. vered; and as they were going to work them, the Obftacle to thofe of Guancabi- lica in Peru was removed, and fo there was no need of working thofe of Chile: Thofe of Silver likewife lie unwrought, becaufe the Golden Mines are of left Charge, and fo every body has turned their Induftry towards them: They are fo many, and fo rich, that from the Confines of Peru to the extreameft Parts of this Kingdom, as far as the Streights of Magel¬ lan, there is no part of the Country but they difeover them, which made Father Gregory of Leon in his Map of Chile fay. That this Country ought rather to have been called a Plate of Gold, than to go about to reckon up its Golden Mines, which are innumerable. All the Authors who have writ of this Country, do mightily Enlarge upon its Riches, and the lame is done by all thofe who have Navigated the Streights of Ma¬ gellan • Antonio de Herrera , in his General Hiftory of the Indies, fays. That in all the Weft-Indies, no Gold is fo fine as that of Valdivia in Chile, except the famous Mine of Carabaya ; and that when thofe Mines were firft work’d, (which was before thofe Indians who are now at Peace with us, were at War) an Indian among them did ufe to get from them every day 20 or 30 Pefto's of Gold, which comes to near 500 Realsof Plate, and was a Wonderful Gain. And the already cited John, and Theo- Great dote cle Brye fay. That when the Nodales plenty of paffed the Streights of St. Vincent , other- Gol d. wife called Streights of Le Moire, there came fome Indians from the Country cal¬ led La < Iierra del fuego , who exchanged with the Spaniards a piece of Gold of a foot and a half long, and as broad, for Ciffers, Knives, Needles, and other Things of little valuer for they do not value it as we do. Other Authors fay, That moft of the Gold that was laid up in the Ineas Treafure, was brought to him from Chile though having never fubjeefted the Araucanos , he could not have that quantity which this rich Coun¬ try would elfe have afforded. But Chap. IV 9 Kingdom e/ C H I L E But what need I weary my felf in Ci- nations of People abroad, when thofe who live in the Country of Chile , and fee it every day, are the belt Tefiimony of the great Riches that the Spaniards have drawn from thefe Mines; which was fo great, that I have heard the old Men fay, that in their Feafts and Entertainments they us’d to put Gold Dull in their Salt- fellers inlfead of Sait; and that when they fwept the Houle, the Servants would often find grains of Gold in the Sweep¬ ings, which they would wafh out, for the Indians being the I^rlbns that brought it to their Lords, they would often let lome fall. more i have faid before, that it was much jilenfy than more ea fi e to get Gold then Silver out of lvtr ' die Mines, becaufe this laft colls much Pains, firft to dig it from the hard Rock, then to beat it in the Mills to powder, which- Mills are chargeable; as is alfo the Quick- filver neceftary to be us’d to make the Silver unite, and all the rell of the Operations requifite to refine it; but the advantage of getting Gold has no other Trouble in it, then to carry the Earth in which, it is found to the Water, and there walk it in Mills on purpofe, with a Stream which carries off the Earth, and the Gold as being heavieft goes to the bottom. ’Tis true, that fometimes they follow the Gold Vein through Rocks and hard Places, where it grows thinner and thin¬ ner, till at laft the Profit that ariles is very Lmall; yet they perfift co follow it in hopes it will grow larger, and end at laft in that which they call Bolfa , which is, when coming to a fofter and eafier part of the Rock, the Vein enlarges fo, that one of thefe Hits is enough to Enrich a Family for all their Lives. There is now lefs Gold found then formerly, by reafon of the War the Spaniards have had with the Nation of Araucanos , but ftill fome is found, particularly in Cccjuimbo , where, in the Winter when it Rains much, is the great Harveft of Gold; for by the Rain the Mountains are walh’d away, and the Gold is eafier to come at. There is likewife fome Gold in the Territory of the Conception ^ in which I was told by a Captain who enter’d into our Society, that there was not above half a League from the Town a Pond or Standing Water which is not deeper then half the heighth of a Man, and that when the Indians have nothing to fpend, they fend their Wives to this Pond, and they going in feel out with their Toes the Grains of Gold, and as foon as they have found them they ftoop and take them up ^ they do this till they have got to the value of Two or Three Peps of Gold, and then Ovalle. they feek no longer, but go Home, and do 1646. not return for any more as long as that lafts, for they are not a Covetous People, but are content to Enjoy without laying up. I brought with me to Italy one of thefe Grains thus found, of a pretty rea- Ibnable bignefs, and fending it at Sevill to be touch’d, without either putting it in the Fire, or ufing other Proofs, it was allowed to be of Twenty three Carats, which is a very remarkable thing Now that the Peace is made, and the Warlike Indians quiet, the Spaniards may return to fearch for the Gold of Valdivia and other Mines thereabouts, which will extreamly encreafe the Riches of the Country. As for the Product made by the In- Breeding tf duftry of the Inhabitants, it confifts par- c F td / the dcularfy in the Breed of their Cattle of all Kinds, as I have obferv’d above; fend- chile, ing the Tallow, Hides,and Dryed Flelh, for Lima , where having firft retain’d the necelfary Proportion for themfelves, which is about Twenty thoufand Quintals of Tallow every year for that City, and Hides accordingly, they diftribuce the reft all over Peru ; the Hides particularly are carried up to Potcji , and all that In¬ land Trabt of Mines, where moft of their Cloathing comes from Chile ; they are alio carried to Fanama , Carthagena , and the reft of that Continent; lome of this Trade extends it left likewife to Tucuman and Buenos Aires , and from thence to Brafil. The Second Product is the Cordage Cordage, and Tackling, with which all the Ships of ^fckluig the South Seas are furnilh’d from Chile as alfo the Match for Fire-Arms, with f or Fire ,' which all the Kings Garrilons along the Arms. Coalt are provided from thofe parts *, for the Hemp which makes the firlt Material of all thefe Provifions, grows no where in the JVejt-Indi&s but in Chile : There is alfo Packthred Exported, and other fmaller Cordage. The Third Produ< 5 fc is Mules, which Mules. are lent to Potofi through the Defarc ol Aracama . The 4th Product is the Coco-Nuts, Coco-Nuts. which are the Fruit of the Palm-Trees, and do not indeed proceed from Induftry, but grow wild in the Mountains without any Cultivation, fo thick, that I have feen feveral leagues of this Tree. Almonds Almonds, likewife, and the Product of Gardens, which are not proper for Peru , are carried thither with great Profit, fo as to be able to fet up a young Beginner, When I C came 10 Of the Nature and Troperties of the Book I; came to Lima , I obferved that the Anni- Ovalki feed which had been bought at Chile for 1646. two Pieces of Eight, was fold there for U'VNJ twenty, and the Cummin*feed bought at twenty, was fold for fourfcore; which makes Merchants very willing to Trade to thofe Parts, as hoping to grow Rich in a fmall time; and this encreafes the Riches of Chile, by drawing every day thither Men with good Stocks. The Gains made this way are fo confiderable, that a Man who has about Forty thoufand Crowns to employ in Land, Flocks and Slaves to take care of them, may every year have a Revenue of Ten or Twelve thoufand Crowns, which is a Gain of Twenty five yerCent . very Lawful, and without any Trouble to one’s Confcicnce, or Subje- dion to the Dangers of the Seas; for thofe who will run the Hazards of that Great fat- Element, gain much more; forthe # Mer* courage- chants, by many Commodities, get a ’Merchants ^ un< ^ re ^j anc * two hundred, nay three ' hundred per Cent, in a Navigation of a- bout three weeks, which is the time ufually Employed from Chile to Lima, without any fear of Pirates, all thofe Seas being entirely the King of Spain's , and fo free from thofe Robbers; befides, ’tis very feidom that any Storms are felt in that Voyage, or at leaft not any that endanger the lofs of the Ships: The greateft Dan¬ ger proceeds from the Covetoufnefs of the Owners and Merchants, who truft- ing to the Peaceablenefs of thofe Seas, and that they fail all the way from Chile to Li¬ ma before the Wind, they load up to the Mid-maft: ’Tis not Exageration, becaufe I have feen them go out of the Port with Provisions for the Voyage and other Necef faries as high as the Ropes that hold the Mafts; and though the King’s Officers are prefent to hinder the Ships from being over¬ loaded, yet generally they are fo deep in the Water, that they are but juft above it; and with all thefe, there are many Goods left behind in the Magazines of the Port; for the Land is fo Productive of every thing, that the only Misfortune of it is to want a Vent for its Product, which is enough to fupply another Lima or another Potop, if there were one. ’Tis upon this Foundation that ’tis af¬ firmed generally, That no Country in all America has a more folid Eftabliihment than Chile ; for in Proportion to the En* create of Inhabitants in Peru, Chile mult encreate too in Riches, fince it is able to fupply any great Confumption, and yet have enough of its own in all the kinds of Corn, Wine, Fleffi, Oil, Salt, Fruits, Legumes, Wooll, FJax, Hides, Tallow, Chamois, Leather, Ropes, Wood and Timber, Medicinal Remedies, Pitch, Fiffi of all kinds. Metals of all forts, and Am¬ ber: There wants Silk, and ’tis to be wifhed that it may never get thither, but for Ornament to the Altars; for it is al¬ ready the Beggering of the Country, by reafon of the great Expence in Rich Clothes; particularly by the Women,who are not outdone in this,even by the braveft Ladies of Madrid , or other Parts ; but yet the Land is fo proper for Silk Worms, that if any one carries the Seed of them there, I am perfwaded it will take with great abundance, the Mulberry-Trees be¬ ing there already as full grown and in as great beauty as in Spain. The Wax likewife comes from Europe, though there are Bees who make both Honey and Wax. Pepper and other Lap.India Spices come from abroad, tho there is a kind of Spice which lupplies the want of them very well; and the Authors above cited fay. That in the Streights of Magellan there is good Cin¬ namon, and that on thofe Coafts there grow Trees of a moft fragant Smell in their Bark, and which have a Tafte like fepper, but of a more quick Savour; as it mall be made out when we treat of that Streight. i" 1 the r , w ,i lole Kingdom the Herbage and the hilhing are in common; as alio the Hunting, and the Woods as for Fewel Huntin S, and Timber, and the fame is praCtifed as ™>°ds for to the Salt Mines. There is no Impo- S”, lition on Trade through all the Kingdom, a « every one being free to tranfport what Goods he pleafes either within or without the Random. CHAP. V. Of the Famous Cordillera of Chile. sax sstaassssr* -nr™ i»,„. PWIU i„ 4. World; Ti . ™d.l«nt.K» s do« above Chap. V. Kingdom of C H I L E. 1 1 above a choufand Cafbillan Leagues, ac- : ' , cording to Antonio de Herrera ill his Third Tome, Decade the yth ; to which adding the length of the Kingdom of Chile to the Streights of Magellan, it will make in all little iels then r 5-00 Leagues : The remote!! part of Chile is not above 20 or 30 Leagues from the Sea. Thefe Moun¬ tains are Forty Leagues broad, with many Precipices, and Intermediate Val¬ leys, which are habitable till one comes to the Tropicks, but not beyond them, be¬ came of the perpetual Snows with which they are aiways'cover’d. dntonio de Herrera already cited, puts Two Chains of Mountains, one much lower, cover’d with Woods and handfom Groves, becaufe the Air is more tempe¬ rate near it; the other much higher, which by reafbn of the Intenfe Cold, has not fo much as a Bulb on it, the Moun¬ tains being fo bare that there is neither Plant nor Grafs on them; but he lays, that on both thefe forts of Mountains Defeription tnere are feveral Animals, which becaule tffaerai of the Singularity of their Kinds, 1 fiiall Animals, here deferibe loirie of them. Hogs. One of the moft remarkable is a Spe¬ cies of Hogs that have their Navel in their Back upon the Back bone, they go in Herds, and each Herd has its Leader, who is known from them all, becaule when they march none dares go before him, all the ref! follow in great order; No Hunter dares fall on thele Herds till be has kill’d this Captain or Leader; for as long as they fee him, they will keep together, and fhew lo much Courage in their own Defence, that they appear In¬ vincible i but as foon as they fee him kill’d, they are broke, and run for it, giving up the day till they choole another Captain. Their way of Eating is alio admirable \ they divide themfelves into Two Bodies, one half of them goes to certain Trees which are in a Country call’d LosQuixos , in the Province of Quito, and are like the Cinnamon Trees, thele they lhake to bring down the Flowers which the other half feeds on, and when they have eat enough, they go and relieve the other half of the Flock, and make the Flowers fall for them, and Co return the fervice to their Companions that they have receiv’d from them. Monkeys. There are many forts of Monkeys, who differ mightily in their Shapes, Colour, and Bignefs, and other Properties; fome are Merry, Ibme Melancholy and Sad, thele Whiffle, the others Chatter, fome are Nimble, others Lazy, fome Cowards, others Stout and Courageous, but yet when one threatens them they get away as faff as they can. Their Food is Fruit Ovalle . and Birds Eggs, and any Game they can 1646* catch in the Mountains; they are very much afraid of Water, and if they hap¬ pen to Wet or Ditty themfelves, they grow dejebted and fad. There are alfo great variety of Parrots. The Wild Goats are numerous; they Cmttt, are call’d Vicunnds , and have lo fine Hair, that it feems as fofc as Silk to the touch: This is us’d to make the fine Hats fo much valued in Europe. There are likewife a fort of Sheep of that Country they call Quanacos , which are like Camels, but a good deal lefs, of whole Wooll they make Waftcoats, which are Woven in Peru , and are more valued than if they were of Silk, for their Softnefs and the ftnenefs of their Colours. The fame Author fays moreover, that Two fa - through this Chain of Mountains there m0!li went’Two Highways, in which the Inga's****' (hewed their great Power; one of them goes by the Mountain all Pav’d for Nine hundred Leagues, from Pofio to Chile it was Five and twenty Foot broad; and at every Four Leagues were NoNe Build- • ings, and to this day there are the Places call’d 1‘ambds, which anfwer our Inns, where every thing neceffary is to be found by Travellers; and that which was moft admirable, at each half League there were Couriers, and Poffswho were defigned for the Conveniency of PaiTen- gers, that they might fend their Letters and Advices where they were requifite. The other Way, which was alfo of Twenty five Foot broad, went by the Plain at the foot of the Mountains, with the fame Proportion and Beauty of Inns, and Palaces at every Four Leagues, which were enclofed with high Walls; as alfo Streams and Rivolets running through this Way, brought thither by Art for the Re- frefhment and Recreation of Travel¬ lers. This is what Antonio de Herrera , and other Authors who Treat of the Indies , do tell us about this famous Cordillera ; now I fhall relate what I my felf have feen, and do know about it. And Firff, I muff fuppofe, that though thefe Two Highways run feparate and diftinbf through all Peru and Quito , yet they muff grow nearer each other as they rife higher in the Mountain ; for when they come to Chile , they are no longer Two, but One; this is clearly found by Experience in thofe who crofs the Cor. dillera to go from Chile to Cuyo , as I have done leveral times that I have pafs’d this C % Mourn- Of the Nature and Propertiesof the Book! . plying to them likewife our Handkerchiefs to condenleour Breath, and break the extream Mountain, and never could fee this divi- Ovalle* fion, but always continual and perpetual 1646. Mountains, which ferve for Walls and Fortifications on each fide to one which rifes in the middle infinitely higher than the reft, and is that which molt properly is called the Cordillera. I am alfo perfwa- ded, that the two Ways above mentioned came but to the Boundaries of Chile , and ended in thofe of Peru. 1 have indeed in paffing the Cordillera met with great old Walls of Stone on the top of it, which they call the Hga’s •, which they lay were Encampments, (though not his, for he never came to Chile') but of his Generals and Armies fent to Conquer the Country} and ’tis not impollible but the laid two Ways might be continued on to thefe Buildings; but it was not practicable that it could be with that Perfection as in that part of the Mountain contained within the Tropicks, where, becaufe the Hills are more tradable, fuch Ways might be made as they deferibe, but not in the Mountains of Chile, which are one upon another fo thick, that ’tis with great dif¬ ficulty that a fingle Mule can go in the Paths of it ; and the Cordillera grows : rougher and rougher the more it draws nearer the Pole, fo that it appears to be above the Compafs of humane Power to open a Way through it, fo curious and finely contrived as it is reprefented. It was not neceffary that the Inga fhould ufe lo much Art and Induftry to make Ad¬ mirable that which is already fo much lb, as this Mountain is in its whole Courfe through the Kingdom of Chile , as it lhall be Ihewed when we dilcourfe in particular of its feveral Parts and Properties. For, firft, Suppofing what we have faid of its . running 1500 leagues in length and 40 in diameter, its Wonderful Heighth makes it aftonilhing. The Afcent is lo prodigious, that we employ three or four days in ar¬ riving to the top of it, and as many more in the Delcent; that is, Ipeaking properly, and only of the Mountain, for otherwife it may be affirmed, that one begins to mount even from the Sea-fide, becaufe all the way, which is about forty leagues, is nothing but an extended Shel¬ ving Coaft i for which realbn the Rivers run with fuch force, that their Streams are like Mill-Streams, particularly near their heads. Sudden . Whe “ «° me 5 ° al «*d the higheft change of P oint oi the Mountain, we feel an Air lb jiir. piercing and fubtle, that 'tis with much dif¬ ficulty we can breath; which obliges us to fetch our Breath quick and ftrong, and to open our Mouths wider than ordinary j ap- Coldnefs of the Air, and fo make it more proportionable to the Temperament, which the Fleart requires, not to be fuffccated: This I have experienced every time that i have palfed this mighty Mountain. Don Antonio de Herrera fays, That thole who pafs it in Peru luffer great Reachings and Vomitings, becaufe no one thing pro¬ duces lo great an Alteration at once, as a ludden change of Air-, and that of the Mountain being fo Unproportion’d to common Refpiration, produces in thole who pafs over it thofe admirable and pain¬ ful Etfedts. He lays moreover. That thole who have endeavoured to dive into the Caufes of them, do find, that as that Mountain is one of the higheft in the World, the Air of it is lo excream lubtile and fine, that it difcompofes the Tem¬ perament of the Animal, as has been faid. * Tis true, that in that part of the Cordil¬ lera in Peru, which they cal! Pariacaca , there may be a Concurrence of other Caufes and Dilpofition of the Climate, to which may be attributed fome of thefe Efte&s ■, for if they were to be attributed only to the heighth of the Mountain, we that pals it in Chile ought to find thofe In- conveniencies as much, or more, becaufe the Mountain is higheft without compa- rifon; and yet I never endured thole Reachings or Vomitings, nor have feen any ot thofe Motions in others, but only the difficulty of Breathing, which I have mentioned. Others experience other Effe&s, which Exhalatu I have often heard them relate » for the ons and Exhalations and other Meteors (which other **" from the Earth feem fo high in the Air , um ' that fometimes we take them for Stars) are there under the feet of the Mules, fright¬ ing them, and buzzing about their Ears: We go through the Mountains treading as it were upon Clouds; fometimes we lee the Earth without any oppofition to our fight, and when we look up, we can¬ not fee the Heavens for Clouds, but when we are afeended to the higheft of the Mountain, we can no longer fee the Earth for the Clouds below; but the Hea¬ vens are clear and bright, and the Sun bright, and Ihining out without any im¬ pediment to hinder us from feeing its light and beauty. The Iris, or Rainbow, which upon the Rainbow, Earth we fee crofting the Heavens, we fee it from this heighth extended under our Feet; whereas thofe on the lower Parts fee it over their Heads j nor is it a lefs Wonder, that while we travel over thofe Hills, Chap. VI. Smw. VuUtno's Kingdom of CHILE. 15 Hills, which are dry and free from wet, we may fee, as I have done often, the Clowds difcharge themfelves, and over¬ flow the Earth with great force; and at the fame time that I was contemplating at a diftance, Tempefls and Storms falling in the Valleys and deep Places, as I lifted up my Eyes to Heaven, I could not but admire the Serenity over my Head, there being not fo much as a Cloud to be feen to trouble or difcompofe that Beautiful ProfpeCE The fecond thing which makes this Mountain admirable, is, the prodigious Snow which falls upon it in Winter, which is (o great, that though thefe Mountains are fo high and broad, there is no part of them uncovered with Snow, being in many places feveral Pikes deep : I am not informed how it is in the higheft part of all, which is moll properly call’d the Cor¬ dillera , becaufe this being fo very high, that ’tis thought to lurpals the middle Re¬ gion of the Air, its Point alone may per¬ haps be uncovered $ at leafl when I paifed it, which has been lometimes in the be- ginning of Winter, I have not feen a Ovalle. crum of Snow ; when a little below, both at the coming up and going down, it was fo thick, as our Mules funk in without being able to go forward. But that which I have obferved, is,That The Cor- afcer a glut of F.ain which has lafted two dilIer a or three days, and the Mountain appears ™ h ' te F°™ clear, (for all the time it Rains ’tis co- ° a ^° er ~ vered with ClowdsJ it feems white from a glut of top to bottom, and is a moll Beautiful Raw. Sightj for the Air is fo ferene in thole Parcs, that when a Storm is over, the Heavens are fo bright, even in the midft of Winter, that there is not a Cloud to be feen in them for many days; then the Sun fhining upon that prodigious quan¬ tity of Snow, and thofe Coafls and white Shelving* all covered with extended Woods, produces a Profped, which, even we that are born there, and lee it every year, cannot forbear admiring, and draws from us Praifes to the Great Creator for the wonderful Beauty of his Works. CHAP. VI. Of the Vulcano’s, and the Mines of Gold and Silver of the Cordillera. T Here are in this Cordillera, or Chain of Mountains, lixteen Volcanos, which in feveral times have broke out, and caufed Effects no lefs Admirable than Terrible and Aftonilhing to all the Country : A- mongft the rert, that which happened in the year 1640. is worthy to be remem- bred It broke out in the Enemy’s Coun¬ try, in the Territory of th eCactque Aliante , burning with fo much force, that the Mountain cleaving in two, fern forth Pieces of Rock all on fire, with fo hor¬ rible a Noife, that it was heard many leagues oft juft like the going off of Can¬ non : In all that Territory the Women mifearried for fear; as fhall be related more particularly in its proper place, in the Account I fhall give of the Subjection of all that Country to our Catholick King, being mov’d thereunto by this and other Prodigies. The firft of thefe Vulcaaos is called the Volcano of Copiapo, and is in about 2 6 De- rees Altitude of the Pole, about the Con- nes of Chile and Peru ; in Thirty De¬ grees is that of Coquimho , in Thirty one and a half that of la Ligua , in Thirty five that of Peteroa, in Thirty fix and a half that of Chilau , in Thirty (even and a quarter that of Antoco ; This is followed by that of Notuco in Thirty eight and a half; that of Villarica is in Thirty nine and Three quarters; near this is another, whofe Name I know not, in Forty and a quarter; and in Forty one is that of Oforno ; and near that, in lefs than a quar¬ ter of a Degree, that of Guanahuca ; and in a little more than Forty two Degrees that of Quehucahi •, and laft of ali are two more-, one without a Name, in Forty four, and that of St. Clement , which is in Forty five and a half Thefe are the known Volcano's of Chile ; We have no knowledge of others, which may be as far as the Tierra del Fuego } be¬ caufe till this time our Difeoveries have not gone fo far •, but there is no doubt but there are fome, as they are to be found before one comes to Chile , in the Kingdoms of Peru and Quito, Diego Or - donnes de Salvos , in the Third Book and Eighteenth Chapter of his Voyage through the whole World, mentions among the reft one that is near the fall of the River in the Valley of Cola, and fays, it is on a Mountain in the Form of a Sugar-Loaf, like that of La Plata in Potofi , and that in Winter it throws out fo much Smoak and Allies, that it burns up all the Grals with¬ in two leagues round about it. Book I. ? jj. Of tlx Nature and ‘Properties of the He tikeWifo mentions another in the \Nrdle. Entrance of the Province of lot (fuixos, ; 04. 6. near the Town of Mrfpa ; arid /peaks of another which broke on? n^ar Q»i:\ in a Mountain -cifed the Vint a, and he affirms, That the A (her. file two leagues and a half from the Mountain, and he has feen them lie on the Hoii/e above four Foot deep in the neared Places to the Mountain. Laftly, He tells of that of Nrimlpa, which buried the Vineyards, and had al- moft overwhelmed the City : To this 4 ‘T there are feen the Effects of that Defla¬ tion, which ruined many Families by deftroying their Houfes and Poffeffions^ At the fame time he obferves, That the Earthquakes which before were frequent, ceafed from that time, and this perhaps may be the reafon why the Earthquakes in Chile have always been confiderably lefs than thofe of Peru, becaufe Chile lias more breathing Holes for the Vapours to ex¬ hale by. There is no room for doubting of the immenfo Riches which the/e Mountains enclofe in their Bowels; for ’tis a certain Argument and Proof of it to fee only die Mineral Riches of Chile , which are as it were indices of what may be contained in thole Rocks, as the Rivers which fertilize the Country are a Proof of the unex haufted Fountains contained in the Rocks and Precipices. i think there may be two Caufes af- figned, why the/e Riches do not manifeft them/elves, nor appear more ; The firft - con- f hat General State Rea/bn, and inviola- ■Ung of ble Maxim among the Indians , to conceal fure and not di/cover them to any other Na- m aU tion: This they obferve id pundually, ■!fns is t * iat 5t is amon g them a Capital Crime, 'laxim punilhable with Death, to break Silence state in this Matter, which they make Sacred fS the and Indifpenfable ; and if any one among ■ awns, them, either out of Intereft, Negligence, or any other Motive of Conveniency, dif- covers any thing of this kind, his Death is Infallible, and no Power on Earth can fave him. I remember on this Subjed, that fome 'Tela- 9 entlemen havin g> b y Prefents, Infinua- 0 f a tions, and Flatteries, come to the know- ■ rr.ey ledge of fome Treafure by the means of r taken an Indian , and prevailed with him at laft ' snrch to guide them to fome very rich Mines in 'Tines a remote Mountain * he begg’d earneftly of them to be lecret, or otherwifo he was a dead Man, let them take never fo much care of him: They promifed him accord¬ ingly, and fo they fet out, and he brought them through horrid Rocks and Precipi¬ ces, where if look’d as if never Man had fet his Foot, nor fcarce any living Animal. Every day they met with certain Marks which the Indian had told them of be¬ fore-hand : Firft, after fo many days they di/covered a Red Mountain, and then at certain diftance from that a Black one on the Lett Fland; then a Valley which be¬ gan from a Monftrous high Mountain or Rock ; then at fo many Leagues a Moun¬ tain of Chalk : All which Signs the Guide went fhowing them, verifying thereby the Relation he had given them before-hand, and comforting them up to endure the Hard/hip, by the Hopes of fulfilling at la IF their Expedition, and feeing their Labour Rewarded. Their Provifions failed them, and they were forced to come back to provide more to purfue their Enterprife : The Indian was always in fear of being difeovered, knowing that he run in that no Ie/s a Ha¬ zard chan that of his Life. They returned then to a Town, and to focure their In. dian from his fright of being difeovered, they locked him up in a Room very /afe; but the night before they were to let out again, without ever being able to difeover how it was done, ( for there was no Signs by the Door of any body's going in that way ;) as they went to call the Indian in the morning, they found him Strangled ; by which means,being deprived of their In¬ tent,and having loft the Hopes of fatisfying their Defire, they returned to their own Homes, though with a Refolution to try again, being encouraged by fo much as they had already difeovered. The other Reafon to be afligned for not feeking after thefo Mines, is the great Plenty of every thing neceflary for Life; fo that Hunger, which is the Prompter of Covetous Dcfires, being wanting, there are few that care to run a Hazard, aad lofe their Conveniencies at home, to go through impra&icable Delarts upon fearch after hidden Treafure; particularly find¬ ing already fo much in the Valleys bot¬ toms, Rivers, and Fountains; nay even thefo Mines in the Low Countries are not wrought, becaufo the Profit of other Pro¬ ducts is eafier. ? Ti$ probable that People will encreafo, for every day there is a hew Addition; and there then being more Confumers, the Produd of the Land will be dearer, and Provifions not being fo cheap as now, Men will be more In¬ genious and Induftrious to foek for Suite- nance under Ground, by the Mines and Treafiires hid there by Providence. . Thefo few years laft palt have given be¬ ginning to a Difcovery of fome Golden Mines, and Silver ones, on each fide of ** the Chap. VII, 15 Kingdom of C H I L E. the Cordillera: For as I patted over it once, I remember that the Sight difcovers a black Mountain at a diftance, whofe top fhines as if it were covered with Silver; and it is a common Tradition that it con¬ tains it, and great Treafures befides, in its Bowels; but they are at prefent deleft, for the Reafons alledged, and becaule one half of the year the Mountain is covered with Snow,and lo not only uninhabitable, but impenetrable. Dtfcovery They write me word, That on the fide if fevcral of the Province of Cuyo, they have begun nch to dilcover other very rich Mines, which ' lnes ' being below the rougheft part of the Mountain, may be wrought all the year round, and with great Conveniency of the Miners, and other neceffary Work¬ men, becade Carts may come to the ve¬ ry Situation of the Mine, which is of Con- fideration for the Price of the Metal: They (peak of it with great Expectation, by reafon of the good Proofs they have already had in the Attaying of it in fmall quantities. Befides the Mines of Gold, and Silver, and Braft, and Lead, which are work’d rOCo in Coquimbo, and thole of Quick-Silver Ovalle . which have been dilcovered within thefe 1646. few years in Lamache , which is a Valley in Chile. I do not know of any others of any other fort in this Cordillera: I am verily perfwaded there are lome of Chri¬ ftal ; for, confidering the Nature of the Place, I cannot think there is one any where more proper. Being in the Valley of Rancagua , 1 heard one of our Nation tell an Indian , that upwards in the Mountain he had found a great deal of Chriftal: He hearing this, out of Curiofity went up to fee what it was, and I heard him tell, That after having gone over feveral Rocks, he law on the top of a Precipice a great Opening, and that drawing near to it, he faw a profound Cave, and in the bottom of it a great Plank or Table of Chriftal, which appeared to him of the fineft fort; but wanting help and Inftru- ments to get it out, he returned with only this Information, and fome little pieces of a Chriftal Stone which he found on the top. CHAP. VII. Of the Fount dins , Rivers , and Brooks , of the Cordillera. T HAT which contributes not a little to the Admiration we have for this taiw * 0tmm great Chain of Mountains, is, the vaft sp”ivgs y number of Fountains, Springs, Brooks, Brooks, and and Rivers, which we meet with ever Rivers, and anon when we go over it ; they are lo numerous, that Ms a thing rather to be leen than related, though the Travellers reap but little benefit by the Curious Ob- lervation of them; for by them the Ways are the moll broken and troublelome that Ms poffible to imagine: They laft about eight days Journey. One muft fuppofe too, that the Summer is pretty well en¬ ter’d, for in Winter they are abfolutely impattable, and in the Spring not without evident danger of ones Life; becaufe one Travels all the way on a Path fo narrow, that there is but juft room for a Mule’s Feet: On one fide are prodigious Preci¬ pices, which have at the bottom a furious and profound River, and on the other hand huge Rocks, and fome part of them ftanding out fo, that if the Mule's Load¬ ing, fas it often happens, and I have leen it) touches part of them, it throw's down the Mule head-long, and fends her rowl- ing down till fhe comes to thq River at the bottom, which carries her away to the Sea without flopping, except it hap¬ pen upon lome turning of the River to get it on Shoar; where, though the La¬ ding may be faved, yet not the Mule's Life, becaufe it is impoftible almoft to get her up again. In many places one is forced to light, Manypla - and even a Man on foot is not very fafe; fcarcely becaufe fome of the Coafts are fo ftreight t a JT able - and flippery, that it frights one to walk on them : The Afcents and Delcents of the Hills are fo fteep, that when from be¬ low one looks at thole who are above, they look like Figures, and for my part I thought it a Temerity, if not an Impoft fibiiity, to venture to get up to them. The Brooks and Rivers which croft the _ Ways every ftep are lo violent,that there is no Head fo ftrong, but ic turns to look on their Current ; which is fo fwifr, that if it comes up to the Mule’s Saddle, there is no pafling without evident danger of ones Life; for thele Streams coming from on high, have the Strength of a Mill- Stream, carrying along with them -loofe Stones, which overturn a loaded Mule as it were a Chicken; fo that Ms necettary lometimes to flay two or three days till the Sun does not fhine *, for then thefe Brooks 1 6 Of the Nature and 'Properties of the Book I. 1 The great Variety of Waters , very di¬ verting. rvA^-, Brooks are lower, becaufe there is left OvtiUe . Snow melted; and for this reafbn tis al- 1646, ways bell to pals early in the morning, they having had all the night to run lower. It was neceflary for an Allay of the Dangers, and Irkfomnefs of thefe Ways, that God Ihould temper the Rigour of the Sufferings, by the Variety and Diver- fion which fo many Waters give in their Rife and Courfe: fome are to be feen breaking out from almoll an imperceptible Heighth, and meeting with no interme¬ diate Object, the whole Mai's of Water, which is ufually very great, diffolves it felf by the way into fo many Drops, which make a lovely Profpetft, like fo much Pearl falling, and being mingled by the force of the Air, which drives them a- crols one upon the other, it feems a Chain hanging from its firlt Ifiiie to die Earth ; where, taking another Shape, it becomes a running Brook, and unites with the Cur¬ rent of the chief River which runs in the middle. I faw others, which, before they got to the Earth,divided into two Branches,form- ing like a thick Shower in the midft of the way, or Atomes in the Sun-beams; but ’tis impoffible to paint all the Variety of Obje&s produced by thefe feveral Mo¬ tions and Compositions of Streams and Fountains: I cannot leave them without mentioning one called the Eyes of Water s which is very remarkable; ’tis in the laft Mefa but one, at the foot of the Mountain. I called it Mefa, becaufe Providence has, for the Relief of Travellers, difpofed at fome Leagues diftance little Valleys and agreeable Plains, which eafe the Travel¬ lers in this moft tedious and long Afeenr. This Valley is environed with a Wall of moft prodigious high Rocks; it may be a Mile or thereabouts in its Diameter, and is all the year round full of Greens, Odoriferous Plants and Flowers, which make it a Pifture of Paradife: In the midft of it fprings up this Fountain, or Fountains, becaufe the Springs of Water are many that rife from the Ground all about, leaping with great force into the Air, which in a little fpace all unite, and make two great Bodies, each of them full of Water as clear as Chryftal. Thefe two Heads begin a kind of Combat a little be¬ low, and mingling in their Courfe with one another, as if fome Ingenious Artift had ordered it, make a great many Turn¬ ings and Windings, fometimes far from one another,and fometimes united through the whole Valley *, till at the end of it, joining together, thay fall into one Ca¬ nal, which empties it felf into the prin- Los 0 jot it Aopua, cipal River, compofed by many of thefe Ri volets. T One Property of all thefe Chryftal $r Springs. Streams, isextream Coolnefs, which they The Waters never lofe j no, not when the Sun fhines extream out moft in the heat of the day: It is cc fuch, that no body can drink half a Cup full of it without refting or taking Breath ; and though all thefe Springs have this qua- lity, yet none in fo intence a degree as this Fountain of Los Ojos de aqua • of which, though the Weather • be never fo hot, ’tis not poffible to drink above two or three Sups, and one can hardly endure to hold the Water in ones hand above a Minute. Behind one of thofe high Mountains which is to the Eaft of this Fountain, there is a great Lake or Pond, fo deep and clear, that it appears as if ic were of Azure j and there is a Tradition, That the laft of the Ingas Kings of Peru, caufed vaft Quantities of Treafure to be thrown into it, when he faw that he could not redeem himfelf, nor fave his Life by them ; though it feems hard to believe theyfhould go fo far to do a thing they might have executed much nearer home. The Wa¬ ters of this Lake have no Iffue, being en¬ vironed on all fldes with very high Rocks, and therefore ’tis thought that it comes * under Ground to thofe Fountains called the Ojos de aqua } and empties it felf by them. I cannot p^fe over in filence another Fountain wivich is at the foot of the Cor¬ dillera on the other fide towards Cuyo, There is a River called the Rio de Men. doga, which comes down from the Eaft, ^ 0 J not inferior to that of Aconcaqua in Chile , m °S* m which runs to the Weft into the South Sea. Into thefe two Rivers are emptied moft of the little Streams of the Moun¬ tain ; that of Mendopa meeting in its way with a Chalky Mountain, bores it quite through, and leaves a Bridge broad e- nough for three or four Carts to pals a- breaft. Under this Bridge is a great Ta¬ ble of Rock, over which run five different Streams of Water, proceeding from fo many Fountains; which Water is extream hot, and very good for many Diftempers: The Stones over which it runs are of a Green like Emerald. The Vault of this Bridge furpaftes in Beauty all that humane Art can produce ; for there hangs down from it feveral Icicles in ftiapes of Flowers, and Pendants of a Stone like Salt j for the Humidity which penetrates from above makes it congeal like Points of Diamonds, and other Figure,swhich adorn this Vault; through which there falls perpetually a quantity of great Drops as big as Peafe, fome i7 Chap. V III. Kingdom of C H 1 L E. fome, and others as big as Yolks of Eggs; which falling upon the Stone Table I have mentioned, are turned into Stones of (e- veral Shapes and Colours, of no (mall Va¬ lue. The in- There, is another Bridge on the other &** fide, call’d the Inga's Bridge, either be- Bi'itlge. cau f c j ie cau s’d ic to be built, or because (as is more probable) his Generals were the firft Difcoverers of it, and pals’d over it: for it is not poflible that any Humane Art could make fo bold an Attempt as has* been brought to pafs by the Author of Nature in this place. This Bridge is form’d by a molt prodigious high Rock, which is cloven in two as if it had been (awed down, only cover’d on top ; it is hollow to the very- Rivet, which is large and rapid, and yet the noife of it is no more heard on the top than if it were a little Brook, which is a ftrong Argument of the great diftance there is between the top and the bottom of the Mountain ; for the opening not being above Eight Foot over, it being eafie to leap from one fide to the other, it would be thought, that a great River being fo (Ireightned as to go through it, (hould make a very great no(e in palling fuch a (freight place Ovalle. with fo much force ; and if the noife does 1646. not reach the Ear, ’tis becaufe of the great diftance. I my feif have gone to the fide of this Bridge, and look'd down (though with great horrour, for it (bikes a (hivering into one to contem¬ plate fuch a. depth, than which I have not (een a more terrible one) I not only did not hear any noile, but that great River appear’d a little Brook hardly to be difeern’d. Thefe are the Entertainments for the Eye in palling this part of the Cordillera: As for the many others which may be met with in fo vaft an Extent, who can relate them ? I believe there are thofe who know much more than what I have here de- (crib’d, which is only what 1 have feen ; but from fo little ’ds eafie to infer more, for if only the Rife of Two Rivers have afforded fuch Matter of Admiration, what may not be produced in the Birth and Courle of (b many others, as we (hall delcribein the following Chapter? CHAP. VIII. Of the Vajl Number of Rivers ivhich take their Rife in this Mountain , and Empty themfelves into the Sea. T il E Great Author of Nature has founded the beft part of the Beauty and Fecundity of the Fields of Chile in this Range of Mountains call’d the Cor - diUera , in which, as in a Bank that can never break, he has depofited itsTrea- (ure and Riches, by affuring the annual Tribute of fo many Brooks and ample Rivers which are to fertilize the Earth; for neither can the Country maintain its Fertility without fuch Moifture, nor fuch a Moifture maintain it felf all the year without fuch quantities of Snow as are laid up in the deep Hollows of it in the Win¬ ter, to feed in the Summer the many Ri¬ vers that are deriv’d from it. Who can demoftrate the number of them at their Rife ? But one may guefs at the prodigious Quantity of Snow which fupplies them ; (or though it cannot be (een all in a Mals, becauie its Refervato- lies are impenetrable, yet its Effects do manifeft it; for befides the feeding of in¬ numerable Rivers which run to the Eaft, and empty themfelves into the North Sea, and fupplying prodigious Lakes ih the Province of C»yo i thole which run to the Weft, and enter the South Sea (not reck¬ oning what may be by the Streights of Magellan and the Tien a del Vuego ) are. above Fifty, which may be well multiplied by four a-piece more which they receive, and lo make Two hundred, which arrive at the Sea (o full and deep, that fome of them have Water enough for the Naviga¬ tion of the Gallions and Ships of great Burden; which is the more to be admir’d, becauie their Courfe is fo ftiort, the moft extended of them not pafling Thirty Leagues in length. The firft River of this Kingdom, be- The salt ginning from the Confines of Veru about River, the 2yth Degree of Latitude, is the River call’d the Salt River , which comes from the Cordillera , running through a deep Valley: Its Waters are lo fait, that they cannot- be drunk; and when fometimea Horfes, deceiv’d by its pure clear colours, happen to drink of them, they are turn’d into Salt by the heat of the Sun, (o that the Bodies leem of Pearl, they beginning to petrifie by the Tail. The next to this, is the River of Copiapo, Copiap, in 26 Degrees; it runs Twenty Leagues D horn i 6 aip.re emd 'Properties 'of the Book*!, from Eaft to Weft, and makes a Bay at Ovctlti. its entrance into the aea, which ferves ror i6A.6. a Harbour for Ships. In 28 Degrees the River ot Guafco does the fame, and foims Gofa. a Porr. c*qumh. After this comes the River ot Ccc/mmb in 30 Degrees, whole Port is a Nob.e Bay, adorn’d on the Shore with fiefh and beautiful Mirdes, and other Trees, which continue wirhih Land as iar as the t^own, .arid make a noble and pleafant Grove, which outdoes all tire Contrivances ot Art. There are Filh’d in this Coaft Tunny Fifh, Albucores , and marty forts of Excellent Fifh, as alfb OyUers, and great variety of Shell-fifh. Tongoy and The next to the River of Ccyuimbo are Li mar i. thole of Pen gey and Lfflari, about 30 Degrees and 2 half Eaft : And then in 31 chujpa. Degrees the River of Chuapa empties it fdf into the Sea. Upon that Coafi there is found a fort of delicate Shell-fifh, which they call Jacas. Between the One and thirtieth Degree Lomrotoma , arid the Two and thirtieth/he Rivers Longo. La Liga, towa and La Liga enter the Sea ; and and Jeon - about Thirty three Degrees that of Aeon - cagua. cagua 3 which is the great River which comes down, as we have faid, by the way of the Cordillera. This is a very deep River, and though it runs through the large Valleys of Curimon , Aconcagua , QuiL lota, and Cmco'n , which being cultivated with all kinds of Products, particularly Wheat, Flax, Hemp, &c. and by con¬ fluence well Water'd, yet this River ar¬ rives at the Sea as full and deep as if they had not drained it by the way to fertilize their Fields. Maypt. About Thirty three and a half, follows the famous River Maypo+ which I cannot tell whether it be more famous for its good qualities, or for the danger and difficulty of palling if; many having been drowned in it, and every day mifearrying by it. It is of fo rapid a Current, and lometimes (wells fo high, that no Bridge can refill: its fury, but it is carried away by it; for which reafon at this day it has no other but one of many Cables joyn’d together, and lying a-crofs from one fide to the other. Its Waters are ordinarily thick, and it enters the Sea with fo much force, that it makes its way in it diftintf: for a good while: Its Waters are perfectly known from thofe of the Sea by a Circle they make; they are befides very cold, and yet it quenches Thirft but ill, for it is brackilh, which makes the Fiefh of the Sheep which feed near it to be Excellent in Tafte. There are Fifh’d here alfo Fifh, particularly Trouts . .. . : .. . There fails into this River, among o- t'hcrs, that of Sc. j«go, otherwife call’d st. jago 0 the River of Mapocbo, which is divided Mapccho. into feveral Streams, to Water the Diftrict of that City i and it does it fometimes more than we could wifh, u hen it over¬ flows: Not far from the City * it hides ic^ (elf under Ground, leaving a Bridge of Two or Three Leagues over it, while it maintains a filenc Com ie underneath; at the end of this Space it comes out in Babbies among a Grove ot Cherry Trees, with its Waters as clear and purified as Ghryflal, fo that though it feems ro hide it felij and dye, it is only to fpring up a- gain more beautiful and [lately, being of a flronge'r Current, before it is again fpread and diffus’d to fertilize the Fields. At this place of its fecond Birth there Bands an ancient and llluflrious Convent of St. France, which becaufe it is within fight of a vaft Forreft of Trees is call’d Sr. Francis of the Mountain i in which there have been from time to time moll Holy Men of the Firft Founders in that Pro¬ vince, and Who Employ themleives in the Worfhip of God, and help of their Neigh¬ bours, with great Zeal and Reputation of their Order. The River of foangue , which falls like- Poangue. wife into Maypo , runs alfb many Leagues under Ground: This cannot rife with more advantages than at its firft Fountain; for its Waters are at the very Source fo clear, delicate and fweet, that they can¬ not be mended; it has not its Original like all the reft from Snow Water, but from Minerals .of Gold, through whole Veins it makes its way, as if it had an Aqueduct of that Precious Metal; its Courfe is bor¬ der’d on each fide with moll beautiful Trees, which contribute to make its Wa¬ fers wholefom ; They are indeed of them- felves a Remedy, for they help Digeftion fo vifibly, that if any one has exceeded and eat more than his Stomach can well em¬ brace, one Draught of this Water will re¬ lieve him, fo that he (hall be Hungry a- gain in a little time: Neither is it ufelefs under Ground; for while it is there, it com¬ municates it felf to the whole Valley bv Subterranean Conduits; the Effect of which is vifible, for though in the Summer it does not Rain a drop, and the Valley has no other Watering, yet it brings as lealonable a Crop, and as rellifhing Fruit as any other that has the help of Rain and other Irrigations; neither have I feea any where larger or more delicious Melons, nor more abounding and well grown Maiz, than in this Valley*. There Chap. VIII. Kingdom of CHILE. 19 De Coli- There are Two other Rivers which na and fall into Maypo % which are call’d De Co- Lampa, lina and Lampa 5 which uniting together make the a b out Ten or Twelve Leagues from their Lake’of r ^ e? ma ^ e c ^ e fenious Lake of Cuda- Cuda^ue. £ ue h fo profound and deep, that great Ships might Iwim in it: This Lake is a- boutTwo Leagues 'long, all bordered with delicate Willow Trees, and other Greens, which keep their Frefhnefs and Green- nds all the year round ; and, that nothing may be wanting to its Agreeableneis, it is full of excellent Trouts and Vagres , which fometimes are fo plentiful, that they are eafily catched; and this ufos to be one of the greateft Diverfions of the Citizens of the City of St. Jago. There are other Lakes *, as thole of Aculco, which empty themfoives into this River of May- po on the contrary fide to that of the Clear River: There are alio bred in it Smelts of above a Foot long; the very Name in Spanijh declaring their Excel¬ lency, it fignilying a Royal Fifh: Some years there is fuch Plenty of them, that the whole City may keep Lent with them alone, without buying any other Filh from the Sea; which, though it is very good, yet it never attains to the Delicacy of the River Fifh, which is fo fweet and healthy, that it is ufed to be given to the Sick and Convalefoent. Rapel After * s the River of Rapd, not Cachapo- at a N inferior to the other; it enters the al, and Sea about the 34th Degree, and as many Tinguiri- Minutes; about four or five Leagues be- tica. fore the two famous Riveis of Cacbapoal and Tmguiritica join together, and are no lefs in Debt to Mankind for the many People they have fwallowed, than that of Maypo. Among others which encreafo Malla and ra pid Current, are the Rivers Mal- Chamba- U*a and Cbambaronigo : On the Banks of ronigo. this the Order of the Redemption has a Convent for the Inftruftion and Edifica¬ tion of all that Country. The j hfoites have alfo a Novitiate, who have for Neigh¬ bours a Monaftery of St, Dominick : The Lands thereabouts are extream Fertile, have excellent Paftures for the Fattening of Cattle, and are much valued all over the Country. In Thirty four degrees and Delora, Three quarters is the River Delora , which Teno, Pe- receives thole of Teno , Peterroa , and Me- terroz,*ud taquito, whole Stream is fo rapid, that Metaqm- man y perilh in it. Thefe Rivers water moll rich Lands, and a delicious Coun¬ try for the Breeding and Feeding of all forts of Cattle, and indeed there is not a foot of Ground unemployed in them. The Maul. The Great Maule appears at Thirty five degrees, and it makes the Limits of the Archbilhoprick and Jurifdi< 5 Hon of the \M City of St. Jago ; All chat was enclofed Ovdlle „ between this and Rapel, Cacbapoal , and Tin. j £, guiritica , was called by the Natural Indians Promocaes ; that is, a Place of Dancing Promo- and Delight, to exprefs the Pieafantnefs cae$. of that Country. .They were not out in this Character at all: I remember once, that Travelling in this Country, when I came to a Farm of any Spaniard , he would entertain me with nothing but the Praifos of it, and that with fo many Particulars, that I could not imagine it could be out¬ done by any in the World; but when l came to another Farm, the Mailer of it would relate to me fuch admirable Pro¬ perties of his, that the firft foemed but ordinary to me. Thus I found every one fo in love with the Spot he lived on, that I could not but admire the whole, and have a great Idea of the Excellency and Temperament of this Land, as .well as of its Provifions. Partridge are abounding, and all manner of Game j and as for Fifh, there are fuch quantities of Smelts and Trouts, that they take them when they will, being as fore almolf: to catch them, as if they had them in Ponds at home. I have heard them ofcen fay. That when they were fat down to Table, if any one long’d for a. frelh Trout, they had no more to do, than to fond and catch one ; which they would have ready drefted be¬ fore they rife from the Table. The Ri¬ ver Maude receives the clear River, and that of Cauquenes • and though it be as c aupue= " deep again as either of them, yet it is nes> 5 lefs dangerous for PafTengers, and fewer People are drowned in it; becaufo near the Sea,by the Yard for building of Ships, it fpreads it folf, and makes a large Paf fage, where the King has a Ferry for the Conveniency of PafTengers. The Aufiin Friers have alfo a Convent here, and take care of the Spaniards , and their Black and Indian Servants, who People all the Banks of this River, and are numerous, living in foparate Farms all along the Country : Thele they call Eftancia’s. Now wc enter the Jurifdi&ion of the City of the Conception , where the Gover- cit y 0 y t y nor refides, and there is a Garrifon of the Concept^ Militia: The Bi/hoprick of the City of on. Imperial begins alfo at this River, which has for next and immediate Neighbour the Peaceable and Noble River of It at a, three - times as large and as deep as the Maule , Ata *' and enters the Sea at about Thirty fix de¬ grees ; its Courfo Is among Rocks, and fo is lefs ufoful to the Land, becaufo it cannot water it: They pafs it upon Rafts, and there are alfo Fords in fome Places. X) % Abour Book I. zo Of the Nature and Proper ties of the About the middle of its Courfe, the Fu- Ovaiie, rious Torrent called Nuble joins it: This 1646. wafhes the Walls of the City of St. Bar - tholomeiv of Chilian , an ancient Garrifon Nuble. of the Spaniards, and a Angular Proof of their Bravery and Fidelity. Bay of the Immediately next to this River is the Concept!- lj?aci°us and agreeable Bay of the Con - on. cep lion, into which the flow and fllent River Anddlien empties its felf at Thirty fix degrees and Three quarters. There is another fmall River which paffes through the middle of the City, having firft pre¬ cipitated it felf from a high Rock, and affording Matter to the Induflry of the Inhabitants, for all forts of Water-works among Pleafant Groves of Laurels and Mirtles, and other Odoriferous Plants which adorn its Banks; and as it falls from fb high, it invites the Induftrious Planters to contrive Mills for the Suftenance of the City ; of* which there are already a great many. Biobio. i Two leagues further from this Bay, in ' the Thirty feventh degree, the fb much Celebrated Biobio enters the Sea: It is the Powerfulieft River of ail Chile; it has at its Entrance two or three miles in breadth, more or lefs, according as it fwells or fhrinks, which is a great deal, conftderihg its fhort Courfe.; but that is not the chief thing which makes it Fa¬ mous, and deferve fb much Praifes ,• it is its Whoifome Waters; for, (befides the particular Exceliency they may acquire by palling through Veins of Gold, which nevertheless many other Rivers of this Country have too,) it has a Angular Ad¬ vantage by a fmall River which falls into it; which River taking its Rife and Courfe among Sarsaparilla Roots, communicates to the other its Vertue and good Quali¬ ties, and makes it a Cure for many Infir¬ mities. There is a Tradition, That at the Source of this River there were mofi rich Mines, work’d before ever the Spa- niards came int.o thefe Parts. Upon this Information, Don Alonfo de Sottomayor , Prefident of the Country, fent a Band of Soldiers to view them ; as they did,- tho as they came back they were laid wait for by the Indians , our Enemies, and had a lmart Engagement with them, and had much ado to fcapewkh their Lives. . This Indian People does always as much as they can hide from the Europeans the Treafiires and Riches of their Country ; as it has been laid already. This River is the Bounds which divides the Spaniards and cur Indian Friends from the Indian Enemies; in Winter the River overflows fo, that all the Fords are unpaf- (able, and fo the Soldiers may take fome Repofe till the Spring, that they are to begin their Inroads again. The Enemy^ on his Ade has no Garrifon, nor Place of Strength; for they truft to their Moun¬ tains, to which they can retire at any time ; but the Spaniards have many Gar- rifons all along the River, with which they bridle and keep in awe the Potent Rage of their proud Enemy; who alone has given them more Trouble than all the reft of America. Their Chief Forts, beftdes the Cities of the Conception and Chilian , are thole of Arauco and Sr. Philip , in which there are generally about 1 600 Natural Spaniards , beftdes the Indian Allies, who are nume¬ rous. The ftrft of thefe is upon the Sea- ftde, and the other nearer the Cordillera: There are others between on each Ade of the River, and fome pretty far into the Enemy’s Counti y : I can name Nine of thefe Fortswhich are, that of St. Angol , of the Nativity, vof St. Ann, of St. Rofendo , of Good Hope , of Talmdcahuida , of St. Peter , of Cole at a, and fhac of Leva. Thefe are all provided with Great Guns, and a iuf- Acient number of Soldiers, and at fuch proportionable diftances from each other, that they can fbon receive Notice of what is neceffory to be known from the Arif to the laft by the Cannon-iliot; ac¬ cording as it may have been concerted beforehand. The Company of Jefus has here two Recidencies, one in Arauco , and the other in the Fort of Good Hope ; from whence they alfo make their Attempts, not againft the Bodies, but to fave the Souls of their Enemies, Engaging with Hell it felf, and obtaining over it Daily and Glorious Vi¬ ctories ; as it fliall be told in its proper place ; for now we muft follow the De- feription already begun of the Rivers of Chile. After Biobio follow four others much in- Colcura, ferior to it; they are, the Rivers of Col Arauco, card, Arauco , Lavapie , and Leva , which Favapie, empties it felf near the Thirty eighth de- and Levo " grey ; and a little further, that of Ralemo Ra]emo which a little from its Source is called or Coypo. C°ypo, in near Thirty nine degrees. The Pieafant and Peaceful River of the Mpe- imperial.’ rial enters the Sea, having ftrft incorpo- rated with its Stream the River called the Ladies River , hecaufe of the Delicacy of Ladles its Waters and quiet Current. More above, River, nearer its Source,it receives the two Rivers of Curarava and Ryoiv , which, before Curarava they meet to enter the River Imperial, Zt^hT form the much Celebrated Lake of Bunn -/ La ke of a moft Unconquerable Fortrels of the Puren. Indians , Chap. IX. Kingdom of C H I L E. 2 1 Indians , who are more fecure in it, than About eight leagues further the River ' Que- the Spaniards in any of theirs. ule does the fame ; which;, though fmail, Ovalle. About half a Degree beyond the River yet receives Barks in it, and is about nine 1646. Cauren , which is the fame as the Imperial , leagues upon a North and South Line Token. t ^ ie Ri ver Token pays its Tribute to the from the famous River of Valdivia. Queule Sea, and is deep enough for great Ships. CHAP. IX. Of the Famous Fort and River of Valdivia. T H E River and Port of Valdivia , ne¬ ver enough commended by Foreign Writers, and no lels admired by thole who have feen it, had its Name from Pe¬ dro de Valdivia , firft Governor and Con¬ queror of Chile: It is as it were in the center of the whole Kingdom, at almoft Forty degrees Latitude South-Welt from Sevid in Spain ; upon a plain Map One thoufand Nine hundred and Seventy leagues, meafured by the Heavens. The Sun is five Hours and a third part of an Hour in going from the Meridian of Se¬ villa to the Meridian of Valdivia ; fo that when it is Noon at Sevilf ’tis in Valdivia fix a Clock and forty Minutes in the Morning . Its longeft Day is of fourteen Hours, or thereabouts. r . This River has its Opening to the of thcKi- North, and becaufe of the depth of its ver of Waters, great Ships can go up to the ve- Valdivia. ry City, which is two or three leagues from the Sea; when they are there, they can lie lb near the Shoar, as with a Plank to go in and out, and take in and unlade their Cargo without the help of Boats. There is juft over-againft the City a fine Ifland called the Iflam of Confiantine , with two little ones, one before, and the other behind the Ifland : The River is Naviga¬ ble on both fides the Ifland; but becaufe the South Branch has more depth, the great Ships come in that way, and the lefter by the North Branch. There are two high Points of Land, like Rocks, which mark the Entrance of this River; the biggeft is to the North, and is called Bonifacio's Hill \ the South is lelfer, and is called Gonpald* s Hill. When one is enn ed fome way up the River, there is another ftreighter Paflage, which is the Key of the Port, or rather Ports, becaufe there are many Harbours within: This Entrance has aifo two Hills, which come lb near each other, that I have heard a Captain, who was lent to found the Ri¬ ver, relate. That in the middle he was within Musket-lhot of either Hill; the Sbuth one is called Morro de las Manpanos, and the oppoflce Mono de Niera : fo that according to this Account there might be an Iron Chain laid from the one to the other, with which, and’two Forts railed on each fide, the Entrance would be made impenetrable. As foon as this Straight is paflfed, there The Port . is on the Souch-fide a noble Port; for though all the River may be called lo, for the quietnefs of its Water, yet ‘this is more advantagioufly fituated, by being co¬ vered with the Mountains of the Land : ’Tis called the Port of the Corral ; it forms a Bay capable of receiving great Fleets. When you have pafled this Port, there ap¬ pears the firft Ifland, between which, and the Land on the South-fide, there are ma¬ ny Shoals and Sands; wherefore the Ships take the North-fide, and go between this Ifland and the great one, and then follow their Courfe up to the City by the Chan¬ nel of the great Ifland ; the lelfer Veflfels may keep the other fide of the Ifland. Befides all thefe good Qualities, this Port has other Advantages from the Land by the Fertility of the Country, which produces Corn, and Fruits of all kinds, except Grapes, which do not ripen here fo well as in other Parts of Chile } from which Wine is brought to thefe Parts; but it has great Plenty of Beef and Mut¬ ton, Fowls and Venifon ; it has alio Wood for the building of Shipping *, and that which is above all, it has the richelt Mines of the fineft Gold in Chile ; and in all America there is none comes up to it but the Gold of Garabaya. This is the Account of Antonio de Her¬ rera : He adds. That there was an Indian who had every day a Revenue of 25 or 30 Pefo's of Gold; which being obferved by the Governor Valdivia , he lent the Adelantado Flyer onimo de Alder ate to Spain 3 to inform his Catholick Majefty of the great Riches of the Kingdom of Chile , that his Majefty might make the more efteem of it, and to invite Foreigners to come and People the Country, and help him to Conquer it: He lent fome Spa¬ niards Book! %% Of the Nature and "Properties of the march by Land, whofe Stirrups, Breaft- QvaUe % Plates, and all that ufe to be of Iron a- 1646. bout a Horfe, were ol fine Gold \ and that not fadsfied with this, he had refolved to go in Perfon to inform his Majelly, and obtain from him the Confirmation ot his Government; to which end he em¬ ployed 20000 Indians to bring him Gold, defigning to embark and fail through the ' Straights of Magellan , if Death had not prevented him. This City was founded by the Gover- If5 * nor Valdivia in the Year iyy2. upon a high rifing, but plain fide of a Hill, and above the reft of the Country. R . The Famous Indian Lady Recloma was afa?°™’ ver y Inftrumental in helping towards its Indian Conqueft and Foundation: The Story Lady. was thus; The Spanifh Forces were come to this River, Conquering the Country all the way before them; but here the In¬ dians not being willing to let Foreigners fettle in their Country, took up Arms,and making the River lerve for their Defence, hinder’d the Piogrefs of Valdivia , and gave him great Trouble: But he being a Man of great Courage, was not daunted by this Refiftance, but endeavoured to pafs the River to Engage the Enemy. Upon this Occafion this Brave Indian Lady, either infpired by Heaven, or touched by Companion of lo much Blood as muft be i'hed on both fides in the Ren¬ counter, offered the Governor, That (he alone would gain him the Victory, with¬ out any other Force than that of her Eloquence and Couragious Mind. Stay here , fays fhe, and go no further , for I will put all this Province into thy Hands , and will make thee this day Lord of all that thy Eyes can difeover: Stay for my return here, and do not fujfer any of thy Soldiers to pafs on a flep further. The Governor promifed to do fo, and upon his word, and promife of good Treatment to the Indians who fhould fubmit to his God and his King, fhe threw her felf into the Water, and in the pre¬ fence of them all fwam the River: When (he was landed fhe defired Audience of the General of the Indians j to whom fhe delivered her Meflage with fo much force of Eloquence, that they fubmitting to her Reafons, promifed to accept of what Terms Ihould be given them: With this fhe Famous Recloma returned to the Spa¬ niards, finging Vi&ory, laying at their Feet the richeft Prize they could wifh, and fuch a one, as after much time. Expence and Blood fhed in the Conqueft of it,they would have thought themfelves well 'paid fo be Mafters of fuch a Country •, whofe Golden Mines they prefently began so work: By which means the City encreafed fo faft, that if the Devil had not troubled the Peace, and caufed the Rebellion of the Indians , which ruined it, it had been one of the firft and belt Cities of the Indies. The Hollanders , our Enemies, are well informed of the Nature of the Country, and the Excellency of the Port, and do all they can to get Pofteffion of it; but our Saviour, who by his Grace has hither¬ to preferved thofe Countries free from Herefie and its Corruption, will not per¬ mit that this Hydra of Hell fhail infe for if they had ftaid till rhe Fleet from VeYu had come up to them, and the Land For¬ ces from Chile had attacked them, they had not gone off' fo well •, for the Mar¬ quis of M>*nfera being fo good a Soldier himfelf, and fo zealous for God and his King, immediately, upon the firft News of their arrival, had let out Ten Sail, which he provided with Powder and Am¬ munition, and difpatehed them to give Advice along the Coaif; then he prepared a Navy, which was to be of 1 6 Gallions and Ships, and 4000 Spaniards, refolving to go in Perfon, or at leait to fend his Son. The Governor of Chile , the Marquis of Baydes , with his accuftomed vigilancy and readinels in Things where the Service of God and the King are concerned, and as a Cap r ain of that Valour and Experience which he fhowed in Flanders, was ready to enter by Land, after having provided all the Ports of, the Kingdom with the Army kept on foot by his Majefty; fo that if the Hollander had had yet more Force than he had, being fo hard preffed both by Sea and Land, he muff either have relinquiihed the Port, or perifhed there for ever. It has been fecn in this Occafion, that one Man is as good as many in the De¬ fence of the Caufe of God and their Country, againft any Invader whatfoever, every one dcfpifing all Dangers on fuch an Account; but particularly Colonel de Villa nueva Sob era! fignalized himfelf at this time $ for being General of the Kingdom, and Governor of the Country of Arauco i he ventured himlelf in a (mail Bark in the midft of Winter, to follicite at Lima the neceffary Succours, and aflift the Vice- Roy for a niore quick Difpatch of all Things. . He took with him Father Domingo La - zaro, of the Company of Jefus, that he might inform him as an Eye-witnefs of all C H I L E that had palled; he being at that time employed in Chdoe in rhe Apofioiical Mif Ovalle. flons when the Hollanders landed : He ne- t6/\6 . verthelefs with undaunted Courage em- barked in the midft of the Winter in a tempeftuous Sea, as it is at that time ; and without apprehenfion of i thofe Dangers, and of being made a Prifoner by the Hollanders, who lay in his v^y, and could fcarcebe avoided, he anivedatthe City of the Conception, where he gave an Ac count of ail that had happened; by which means the Country was immediately pre¬ pared, and in Arms for their Defence. There is another A&ion which ought not to be concealed, as well becaufe it mows the great Prudence of the Marquis de Baydes, as the Courage of 20 Spanijh Soldiers: It being uncertain whether the Enemy were fiill at Valdivia , or whether he had abandoned it, they offered to go in a Boat up the River, as they did by the Governor’s Command, and without being terrified by the manifdt Danger they expofed themfelves to, they went as high as the Town, and having difcovered the ill Condition of the Enemy, and his Defign of leaving the Place, they retui|ied with that Advice: This riioved the Ge¬ neral not to attack them, as was at firft refblved but it did not hinder his Inten¬ tion of Peopling the Place, (as I believe i^doneby lafLSummer ) ; for I have Ad* vice frorh Panama, That there is a Garri- fon of 600 Spaniards left there to which our Indian Friends being joined, ( and the Goaft Indians are fo) that Poft will be henceforward inexpugnable, and by it the South Sea will be fecured, for it being already fo dangerous to fail through the Straights, and fo eafy for us who are at home to defend this Port of Valdivia, and having all the Land to friend to receive Succoilrs both from the Spaniards and In¬ dians, who are fb Friendly, that their Caciques fent to offer their Afliftance of their own accord againft the Hollanders, i fay it will be very hard hencefor¬ ward for any one to give us any Diftur- banco. 24. Of the Nature and ‘Properties of the Book I. Ovalle. CHAP. X. A Continuation of the Defection of the Rivers of Chile, and particularly of thofi which run to the Eafi , and of the Difference between the one and thee other fide of the Great Cordillera. Chnlbin. ^rHE River next to that of Valdivia i. is that which is call’d Chalbin ; it is deep, and capable of Great Veffels. From this River to a place call’d the Punta Ac Galcra, Bis about Two Leagues ; and from this to Rio Bueno , Seven, into which fall Five Rivers more, and one which is beyond the Bounds of Val¬ divia. Rio Chico. After this, is the Rio Chico , which comes from a Lake at the foot of the Cordillera ; in which Lake are Baths to Cure Leprofy and other Infirmities. Next to this, is the De la Bal- Rio de la B alien a, which is clofe to 'the lena. Cape of that Name, lo cali’d becaufe of a Whale of prodigious bignefs which died upon that Coalt. Afrer this, you come to the Archipelago of Illands, into which falls the River call’d De losT&abudos , beaiufe of an Indian Nation of that Name, (b call’d becaufe 'tis faid they are born with Tails, as Father Gregory of Leon defcribes them in his Map : More on to the The Ri- South is the River De los Coronados , namM ver De los fo j^y t | ie Company of a Ship which put mna - os ' in there on the day of the Forty Martyrs fo call’d. De la Efpe - After thefe, there are many Rivers all ronfa. J along the Coaft \ the firft is call’d De la Efperonfa , or of Hope, becaufe of the Wifhes, that one day the Light of the Gofpel may reach to thofe Parts by means of the Minifters of it. The fecond is Rio fin call’d Rio fin fundo , or the River without /undo. a Bottom, becaufe of the great depth of GtUegos. it. The third is call’d the Gallegos , from a Spaniard of that Name who fail’d along thofe Coafts, and like another Icarus t gave his Name to one of them by being drown’d in the Sea hard by it, at a Cape which has the fame Name $ then follow De los Msr- the *Rivers De los Martyr e $ 3 and De los tyres and Jpofioles ; and immediately after them pofioks^' Tvvo others; the firft has no Name, the De los Gi- fecond is call’d De los Gigantcs } or of the gantes. Gy ants, becaufe here they were begun to be feen, and they reach all along the Streights. The famous River call’d De Delatam-l a Camp ana, enters at a. place nam’d El far.a. Ancon fin fialida ; This Name was given to the River, becaufe its Two Arms feem to form the fliape of a Be!!. There are Two Rivers more before you come to the nthsPa* Streights. to wit, that De los Pawns 3 or of Birds, by reafon of the vaft quantity of them that were upon it in that part which comes towards the Streights ; and the other, of St. Victorian , call’d fo from st. Victo . the opening,to which the fame Saint gives rian. its Name. As for the other Rivers which run among the Blands, and thofe which empty chemfelves into the Streights 3 they are many, and ihall be deferib’d in their proper places. Hitherto we have deferib’d the Rivers of molt renown of this long extended Kingdom, which run from Eafi to Weft, and empty themfelves into the South Sea : Thofe which rum from the oppofite part of the Cordillera , towards the North Sea, are not fo well known, becaufe thofe Parts arc lefs inhabited, at leaf! by fueh as can give us a good account of them. The moft remarkable of them are thofe of St. John , and of Mendoga , which are The Ri- very large Rivers, and empty themfelves vers of into the famous Lake of Guanacache. • St. John The Governour Hieronimo Lewis de Ca- an£ f Men ~ brer a, a Gentleman of great Valour and do ^ a ‘ Merit, met with feveral great Rivers in his Paflage over thofe vaB Plains call’d the Pampas , where, as at Sea, People are fain to Travel by the Compafs, not to loofe themfelves; he was in queft of a Nation call’d the Ceffates , of whom we fhall Treat hereafter in its proper place. They were forc’d to pafs many great Rivers, and without doubt there are many more as far as the Pole. .Neverthelefs I am perfuaded that thefe Rivers do not equal thofe which run op- pofite, and enter the Sea on the Coaft of Chile • and this may be clearly gather’d from the difference which may be ob- ferv’d in palling the Cordillera between each fide of the Mountain, which is fo great that they feem T wo different Worlds, the Eaff and Weff Parts; and one would think Heaven had pur. thefe Mountains to divide them as a Wall, and keep off from the Weft all the Storms and ill Wea¬ ther of the Eafi, where are the Provinces of Cujo and t Iucuman 3 not to diBurb the Serenity and Tranquility of Chile and the Weftern Parts. Any one that Tra¬ vels to the top of the high Chain of Mountains, may experience this clearly ; for there he difeovers both Horizons, and when Chap. XL Kingdom 0 /C HILE. 25 when be looks to the Eaft, all is cover’d with grofs Vapours, which feem to hin¬ der the Light, and ihadow all the Coun¬ try ; and at the fame time looking Weft, the Heaven is fb Chryftaiiine and bright, that it caufes Pleafure and Joy to look on it. The Eaft fide is full of a cloudy thick Air, which engenders Storms and Hail, with horrible Thunders and Light¬ nings, which tright all the Inhabitants: On the other fide, in the Weft, there is not a Cloud to be leen, but clear and bright, as if in the Heavens themfelves there were foch a Partition as the Cordil¬ lera to divide the Climates, as that upon Earth does produce a difference in .the Trees, Plants and Animals on each fide. The for the Plains beldvtf thele are excreamly fertile, where they are cultivated, but at prefent there is no¬ thing but Thoms and barren Drynefs in thofe Parts. ’Tis not fo to the Weft, wheie Foun¬ tains break out continually, which in the Winter are temperate, and in the Summer as cold as Ice, and that fb much the more as the Weather grows hotter and hotter j Thefe Springs do fb fertilize the Fields ac the foot of the Mountains, that they keep the Earth frefli and green all the year, though ic be but a Patch, for moft of the Ground is Woody, and there is fuch va¬ riety of Wild l rees 3 that one would think they were Aihours and Groves planted by the Hand of Man ; many of thefe are loaded with Fruits of the Country, of which the Indians make Excellent Drinks, and fome of them; are very good to eat. The Valleys are full of Odorife¬ rous Beautiful Flowers, brought forth by' Nature, without any Humane fnduftry; there are alfo among them moft extraor¬ dinary Phyfical Plants of a beautiful Al- pe£t. The little Hills and Plains afford excellent Pafture for all forts of Cattle and Flocks,* there are alfo admirable Valleys for Planting of Olives and AL mond Trees, and ail forts of Fruit Trees* Ac the lower part, about a League in the Plain, there are Vineyards, of which are made Excellent Wines, particularly Moft catells, which arc in great efteem. There are likevvife in this defoent of the Mountain admirable Paftures, where Pa ft uyts - great Flocks are bred, and do encreafo wonderfully • their Fiefti is extream la- vory, and the Milk of the Goats is fo fat, that by only boiling and ftirring it gently over the Fire, l have feen it grow as thick as if Flower had been put into it * and yet in other Parts this Milk is ot its Na¬ ture very thin : This may be faid parti¬ cularly of the young She-Goats; and the Milk thus boil’d has a fweetnefs and deli¬ cacy which p^ffes ordinary Milk, even with the things chat are put in to mend ic 5 all which are Arguments of the great Subftanee and Nourifhment of that Land. % CHAP Of the Nature and Troper ties of the Book 1. z6 OvaUe. 1646. CHAP. XL Of the Effects produced by the great Snow of Cordillera. W ith the fir ft Rains of the Winter, which are about the middle of May , the Cordillera begins to be cover’d with Snow, and to put on as it were a white Armour, to hinder its being pafs’d, not only by Men, but even by Animals and Birds, which are fb driven out of it by the rigour of thatSeafon, that there is not one remaining in it. Intolerable Even the Silguerillo*s and Sorfales. Birds cold. t which of their own Nature are fo hot, that in the very beginning of the Summer they take to the Mountain ; as foon as they perceive that the Winter draws near, come in Flocks down to avoid its rigour in the Mountains; and then it is that the taking of them is eafie, and that as foon as the Cold pinches, the Ground being almoft cover’d with them, it proves the Seafbn of moft Pleafure for the Youth of the Country, who going our, take fo many of them- either with Glue or Nets, that they carry Loads of them home, relerving thofe of the fineft Colours to put in Cages, for their Harmony is very tweet. The Cordillera is fhut up five or fix Months in the year, fo that till Ottober or November, it cannot be paft without manifeft danger of ones Life ; and in the midft of Winter not at all, becaufe all the Paths and Ways aTe cover’d with Snow to the heighth of many yards; and if any one fhould be rafh enough to attempt it, he would after a little going fink in every where, fb that he would not be able to go a Step forward nor backward, as has happened to feveral, who either for fome very prefling Concern and Intereft, or flying from a Death which threatened them for their Crimes, have found it in thefe Defarts moie certainly than perhaps they would have done in the Prifons where they fear’d it. Thefe are bury’d, not in Sepulchres whitened on the outfide, nor under Cold Marble, but in the very Bofom of Froft and Snow, which preferves them without being Imbalm’d, and yet keeps them as Incorruptible and dry, for fo they have been found after many years; for fuch is the Cold of thofe Mountains, that it dries up all the Moifture that can caufe Cor¬ ruption in Dead Bodies, and fo preferves them. This fo Infupetable difficulty of paffing the Cordillera, is left at the entrance than the end of the Winter, becaufe the Drifts of Snow are not then fo violent as to fhut up the Ways entirely ; fo in thofe Seafons fome do venture to pafs, though never but with great danger, and upon urgent Oc- cafions- if fometimes they are fb lucky as to get off well, becaufe they meet with a dear Sky, yet at other times it cofts them dear, and always ’tis with infinite Labour that they get thorough. 1 have feen others who fcaped with their Lives by God’s Mercy, becaufe the Storm catch’d them before they were too far engaged in the Mountain, and fo they could yet make a retreat to the low Countries; others have been forc’d to open their Mules Bellies that they ride on, and hide themfelves in them, and by that warmth, and other defence of Clothes, they make a fhift to get over the Storm of Snow, if it does not laft long, after which they gain the Plains on Foot, if they are not too far engaged, and fo a- void the Danger, but not the long Suffer¬ ings which follow generally after fuch Ad¬ ventures. In fhort, every Body has fome Story to tell of the Mountain, and complain of it ; for fome lofe their Toes, others their Fingers, fome their Sight, fome are Be- numm’d and Lam’d, and fb remain all their Life with great Infirmities. And I do not wonder at all at this, becaufe though one fhould pafs without a Storm, yet the Cold is fo terrible that it cannot but injure Nature extreamly in that Sea- fon, fince even in the midft of Summer, when we pafs this Mountain, and in the lower part of it fweat with Heat, as foon as we come to pafs the top we are forced to put on double Clothing, and prepare the Stomach with good warm things, to withftand the fharpnefs of the Cold, and the fubtlenefs of the Air, which penetrates the Body through and through if it be not well cover’d. Among the feveral times that I have pafs’d this Mountain, one was in the be¬ ginning of April , when Autumn in thofe Parts is at an end, and the Winter begins to threaten ; and I muff own chat the Cold was lb intenfe, that it feem’d a dif¬ ferent Species of Cold from all thofe I ever felt either in India or Europe ; though even then it had not begun to Snow, the Cold was fo fierce that it made ones Hands cleave nay, it had an EfFed upon the Ve a^rJ^ 0C |k S ’ ^ 0r ^ re metnber the Sun was refieded by them as by a Looking-glafs. W hen we come to Treat of the firft Dif- covery of this Kingdom, I fhall relate what was Endur d by the Adelantado Don Chap. Xlf. Kingdom s/CHILE. Diego de Alriiagro with his Army, and by thole who afterwards followed hint, and paffed this Mountain, in which they were lb ill handled, that fome were flruck blind, others Same; fome loll' their ringers without feeling it, becaufe the exceffive Cold took away all Senle •, lome were frozen to Death, and with them fome Horfes, whom fix Months after fome other Spaniards found fo frefii and weli preleiv'd, that they eat of them ; and to fecure them- lelves from Cold, made a Defence of thole dead Bodies nay fome got into them: About fix years after, others go¬ ing that way, found a Negro, who, at that time was frozen to death, leaning againff the fide Of a Rock, with a lead Horle,and the Reins in his hand, tho con- fumed with time. They who have a mind to know more Particulars, let them read Don Antonio de Herrera , Decade y. Book io. and Chap. y. and alfo GarcilaJJo de la Veg Efides the Rivers and Springs of the of Chile. Jj Cordillera, there are others which rife in the Plains and Valleys, which have admirable Proprieties: I ftiall mention fome ; for ’tis impoffible to rehearle them all, nor can I remember but a few: Firlf, That which rifesat the foot of the high Vol¬ cano of Villa Rica , fo Famous in that King¬ dom for its terrible Effects, for which God Almighty makes himfelf to be Feared and Reflected by Mankind •, riles l lay at the foot of this Mount, with fuch force, that it Iprings out of the Earth in two Sources, each as big as a Man, and fufficient to form alone a good Stream, and runs into a Lake which is made by its Wa¬ ters. Rio Chi- * n an °d ier Lake, out of which comes co the River called Rio Cbico ) there rifes allb a Fountain of hot Water, moff Efficacious for the Cure of Leprofies, and all Conta¬ gious Infirmities. There is another Iprings up in the Maguey, yet molf admirable \ for there are two Sources jult by one a- nother, the one of hot, the other of cold Water; the hot one is fo hot, that no one can endure his hand in it *, the cold one is let in to temper the Bath which is made for the lick. The Baths of Ranca- gua are alfo very Famous, and like thefe ; which, for being near St. Jago, and in the greatefl Intercourle of the Kindom, are very ufeful, and much frequented. There are others in other Parts, but not remembring them difiin&ly, I can lay little of them. Among the Fountains, Fmtain * that of Ramon is very Famous, as well for Ramon! ^ the Goodnels as Abundance of its Waters, which is luch, that they alone are fuf¬ ficient to water many Fields j it is about two Leagues Eaffward of St. Jago , and in that Diftrict. There are many others, among which that of Caren is worth ta- £ aren king notice of •, it fprings in a Beautiful Adeadow of about five or fix Leagues in length, and affording a delicious Pro- fpeft j its Water is very fweet, and en¬ ters into the Meadow, the Earth of which is fo porous, that whoever treads hard upon it, feels it lhake under him ; it is all the year green, and the Grals is a kind of fmall Trefoil called by the Inhabitants E 2 Carcn % Book I, 28 Of the Nature and Properties of the Caren, and is pleafant to eat: neither Ovalle. ought I to pafs over in filence another 1646. Fountain between thele two, very plen- tifully furnilhed with delicate fweet Wa¬ ter, which is always fo much the Cooler as the Weather is Hotter; it is call’d the Mayten. Fountain of Mayten , by reafon of a Tree of that Name which grows at the foot of a great fquare Table of live Rock where People ule to go and eat their Collati¬ ons - 7 the Tree Ihekering them all the while from the heat, for’tis a Tree whole Leaves are green all the Year, fomething like a Mirtle, but much larger, and with¬ out difpute of a more beautiful Green ; by its- foot runs this Fountain, whofe Source is a little higher in a Valley, from whence it comes murmuring upon peble Stones, and among plealant Groves full of beautiful Herbs arid Flowers. The Trees, though wild, yet bear very lavoury Fruits of that Soil, and in them are great variety-of Birds, who, with their Harmony and- Iweet Notes, make the En¬ tertainment more delightful for thole that a Might- frequent the Place. ’Tis not the leaft part fulProfpeB. 0 f t | ie j r Enjoyment todilcover at the end of thele Woods a Prolped: for many Leagues over Plains, which being of lo great Extent, many of them lie uncultiva¬ ted; fo that among the Vineyards and Plowed Lands, the wild Uncultivated Parc is fo beautiful, particularly in the Spring, that one would think Art had help’d Nature. There are in one Place great fpots of yellow Flowers which co¬ ver the Earth, fo that for a great fpace nothing elle is to be leen; then you have white, blue, filamort Spots of the fame Proportion, the green Meddows mingle Mapo- in this with the Waters of the River Ma- cho - pocho, which is leen from this dilfance fome- tjmes entire in its bed, then divided into leveral Arms, and at laft dreined into the Fields of the Neighbour Grounds to fer¬ tilize them: The Profped is terminated with feveral Farms, which are called Cha - eras, with their Churches > and in the midft of all, the City ofSr. Jago , the Ca¬ pital of Chile, which being not above two Leagues off, and the Heavens lo lerene, the Towers of it are eafily diftinguilhed, and the Bells heard fometimes. This Diftrift is full of a great many more Springs, all within the compals of a Mile of each other \ and their Waters are Excellent and Healthy. Conchalli That which is to the North of the City of St. Jago, called Conchalli, \ s likewile highly commended; it fprings in a little Valley called the Salto or ' Leape , becaule of the fall of the River Mapocho \ This River comes running in a Plain to a cer¬ tain Place, where being divided (for it is the work of Induftry) into two Branches, the greatefr of which runs in its natural Channel, the Idler is derived to. water this Valley, which towards the Weft is even, but towards the Eaft the Land is fo high through which the River runs* that it is two or three Mile from the bottom of the Valley to the high Grounds,- from whence the River falls. Jt is precipitated with great noile, making lovely and va¬ rious Cafcades by the Rencounter of the Rocks and other obftacles, which by their ftreight Paffages retard its courfe, till at laft ic comes entire to the Valley, and is divided into Cuts and Channels for the watering it, which’ is not ungrateful to make a more than ordinary return to thole who cultivate it, not only in Corn, molt excellent Wine, and moft favoury Fruits of all kinds, but alfo ic ripens them above a Montli before any other Place therea- abouts; and it is very remarkable, that this Valley being only half a League from the City, of St. Jago, the Figs ule to be ripe in it, when in the Gardens of the City, and all its Neighbourhood, they fcarce begin to change colour: Therefore, as well for this as lor the Game it affords, of Partridges on the Hills, and Wild Fowl in the Waters and Ponds of it, it is the greateft Entertainment all thole Parts af¬ ford. I lhall not dilate upon more of thele Fountains, which are 16 frequent; for if I were to mention them all, 1 Ihould never have done ; for fince thole aloneof the Con¬ ception, Arauco, and the Country of the Li¬ mits upon theWarlike Indians ,would require a large Treadle, befides thole of the diftrift of St.. Jago ; what would it be then in the Territories of the ancient Cities, which are yet farther in the Country ? For it a- bounding extremely in Rivers, it is to be prelumed that it muft be 16 in Fountains and Springs ; all which proceeds from the abundance of moifture of the Cordil¬ lera. Of thefe Springs, the moft agreeable for their good Waters are the fartheft off from the Cordillera , becaule they are more purified by a long Motion, and refin’d by the good Qualities of the Earth they run through; particularly the Mineral Im¬ pregnations are fingular. I cannot but mention one, which is in the Novitiate of the Company of the Jefuits of Bucalemo , whofe Waters are not to be match’d, at leaft I never met with the like ; for with¬ out drinking them one may difeover by the touch their Noblenels, their Softnefs, 9 Chap. XIII. Kingdom of CHILE. being like that of New Butter; and they do make the Hands that are waffl’d in them in a few days fmooth, and thereby prove their vaft difference from other Waters. This Fountain fprings in a little Valley, very pleafant, under lome Hills, about a League from the Sea ; and it bubbles up between a white Sand, in which there is Gold, as if it had a Fire under it to make •it boil. It is wonderful to obferVe, that if they throw any Bough or Flowers up¬ on it, it feems to take it ill, and never is at reft till it has fwallow’d it up, leaping up againft it feveral times till it has made it its own, and hid it from our fight ; and this it will do for a whole Evening, if they continue throwing Flowers or Branches of Trees into it, without any bodies being able to tell what becomes of them all. The Effe&s that this Water caufes in the Stomach are admirable ; it helps to digeft the Meat with ntore eafinefs; it de- .ftroys Crudities, dififolves Phlegms and grols Humours, and evidently prolongs Ovalle. Life, elpecially to Old Men: This was mod particularly made clear in the Per- "xa Ion of that famous Captain Sebaftian Gar¬ cia Caretto Cbuntazero, the Founder of that Noviciate, who lived there many years, and came to be Ninety years old in good health, and fo vigorous that he did to the laft go on Horfeback through the Woods and Mountains, as if he had been a young. Man. I heard him lay many times, that this Fountain was his Life, for as loon as he found himfelf any ways out of order, he fent immediately for the Water of it, and drinking it frelh from the Spring, he uled to go to bed upon it, where falling a- fleep,he would after fome time awake well difpoled: this 1 have often been witnefs of. The old Indians thereabouts experi¬ mented the lame, and did attribute their good ftate of Health to this Spring, with¬ out uling any other Phylick or Reine- dies. CHAP. xm. Of the Lakes of Chile, and the Salt that is gather'd from them. lakes. AFTER having treated of the Jf\ Fountains and Rivers, it feems na¬ tural to treat of the Lakes and Handing Waters, form’d out of them and by lome Inundations of the Sea in Winter, when it fills them and leaves them provided for all the Summer. Thole made by Rivers come firft in rank; and I wilh my Me¬ mory would lerve to place them here, with their feveral Qualities. Omitting then to repeat what we have faid of thole of Aculco and Pudaguel , which being near St-.JagO) make the greateft diverfion of its Inhabitants, we will begin with the Lake of L a k e 0 f Tagataguas, about fourteen Leagues Tagata- f rom t h at City, and which once was §ms more in efteem; for the Trouts catch’d there are of a larger fize, and the Game for wild Fowl fo much more diverting, that there is no comparifon between thele Waters and others. Ido not delcribe here particularly the variety of wild Fowl, be- caule I intend to do it when I treat of the variety of Birds of this Country: The Lakes of Viila-Rica are of great re¬ nown, though I confels I know little of their Proprieties. Lake 0 f The Lake of Puren has been famous, Pure n having been an Impregnable Fortrels for the Warlike Indians our Enemies, by rea- fon of the Dilpofitton and Qualities ol its fituation; for from thence they have for many years maintain’d a War with whole Armies of Spaniards, without being fubdued » their advantage lay in this, that upon any Rout given them by us, they had here a moll certain and lafe Retrear, which when once they had recovered ,chey were out of ail danger, for none could hurt them either by Sword or Fire. The Sea-Lakes are alio many, and o ^sea-Lakes great Profit to their Owners; for the Filheries in them are much more certain than in the Sea, for which realbn they furnifn the beft part of the Lenten Fare, though the Sea affords a great deal too. Among the reft, the Lake o fRapel brings . a great Revenue; it runs in length above two Leagues within the Land; in the Winter time the Sea is joined to it; for by its Storms it forces an Entrance, but it leaves it full of all lorts of Filh, which, with thole that are bred there, furnilh it for the whole Year, and enable it to lim¬ ply all the Neighbouring Country ; and that not only with Filh, but with Salt too in abundance : For about January the Communication ceafing between it and the Sea, when the Sun is at.its hotteft in that Climate, the Water is congeal’d lo, that it has a Cruft of a Foot or more thick, of a molt excellent white Salt* This 10 Of the Nature and ‘Properties of the Book 1. This indeed does not happen every year» Ovalle. for it requires an extream Heat to do it, 1646. the Lake being deep, and the Climate there more enclining to Cold , but they provide themfelves in one for many others; and the Salt-Pits made by hand fe ! dom fail ; for they not being of great Extent, the Water that is let into them turns to Salt with left heat, the Matter to be congealed being lefs in it feif. And fince we are mentioning Salt, 1 cannot omit to relate what I my feif have Keen in Salt found the Valley oi Lampa, which is about three on a Herb Leagues from St. Jago j and it is this; growing in There grows there an Herb, not unlike t e Valley t0 s wce(; Bafil on |y j ts g re en is upon an .fLampa. AIh . co|our> 3m) ^ fo 8 gay . j t a . bout a foot above Ground: This Plant in the Summer is covered over with fmall Grains of Salt, like Pearl, which is con¬ gealed upon its Leaves, either from the Dew of Heaven, or by fome Vapour raifed by the Sun from that Earth *, or elfe the Nature of the Herb it feif is fuch, as to Kweat out this Humidity, which be¬ ing afterwards congealed by the heat of the Sun, is turned into Salt. Let the Caule be what it will, the Efted is Keen no where but in this Valley, and upon that Species of Herb, which is therefore much valued by the Indians, the Salt of it being more Savory, and of a finer Fla¬ vour than any other. I cannot tell whether Johannes de Laet means this in his DeKcription of the New World 5 for having mentioned the King¬ dom of Chile , to which he gives the Pre¬ ference, for its excellent Proprieties, he fays. That in that Kingdom, in fome of its Valleys, there falls at certain times of the year a Dew Kb thick upon the Leaves of the Plants, that it is like Sugar, and Kerves, being kept fome time, for the fame life as Manna. Antonio de Herrera re¬ ports the fame thing in his General Hi- ftory of the IVeft-Indies-, and, amongft o- ther Commendations he gives this Noble Kingdom, he relates the fame thing of this ftrange and admirable Dew. I fay upon this. That I know not whither they allude to what I have reported of the Valley of Lampa , by my own fight, and have no knowledge of that other thing they mention ; though one would think, fuch Authors ihould diftinguilh Things lo different in their Effeds and Savour, as Salt and Sugar. ’Tis poffible, God may have done both, having been Kb wonder¬ ful liberal to that Country,© where the Singularities are Kb many and wonderful \ and it would therefore be no Wonder fome. of them Khould not be known; efpecially, confidering, that we who are there employed for the Converiion of Souls, have not the time to fearch after Curiolities, and Secrets of Nature. CHAP. XIV. Wherein is treated of the Sea of the Kingdom of Chile, and of the Etimo - l°gy of its Name . Sea of HTHE Fountains, Springs, Rivers, and Chile. X Brooks, carry us along with them naturally to the Sea, where their Courfe ends, and where there is room for my Pen to exercife it Keif, if the Brevity of this Narration did not confine my flight: 1 muft therefore be content to fay Kbme- thing of this Element, that the nature of it may not be unknown as to this new World. Etimology Beginning therefore with the Eumology of the of its Name; ’tis well known, that all Name of commonly call it the South Sea , becauKe Chile. it is towards the Antartkk Pole, from whence generally the South Wind blows, in oppofition to thdTramontana , or North, which reigns in the Ocean as far as the Artick Pole :• But leaving thefe Difputes to the Schools, or rather to that Abyfs of Divine Wifdom, Qui profert Vent os de the. fauns fuis ■ ’tis a known Truth, That the EKfeds which the Wind of the Artick Pole caufes in its Jurifdidion towards the oppofite parr, the lame is cauled by the South Wind in itsjMotions from the An - tartick towards thele Parts. In Chile we look upon the South Wind The South as a favourable Wind, as in Europe the Wind moji North is in the lame Efteem. Th eJ NJnrth favourable with us covers the Heavens with Clouds , at Chile caufes Tempefts and Storms at Sea, and makes all the Land dark and fad. The South, on the contrary, clears the Sky, ferenes the Air, and makes the Sea as calm as Milk : On the contrary, this fame ^outh Wind in the North Sea is Stormy, and covers the Heavens with Clouds, and railes thole Tempefts which do fo en¬ danger Ships *, whereas the North, called there Tramontana, dears all again, and makes the fiae Days. From 3 1 Chap. XIV. Kingdom of CHI L E. From hence proceeds that in America the South Wind reigns in Summer, when the Sea is calm, and the North in Winter, when it is tempeftuous; the North does molt certainly biing with it the Rains, particulaily from 36 Degrees to the Pole, and that lo fuddenly, that Ibrnetimes, in the moment the Wind comes to the North, the Rain tails, and moft common¬ ly ’tis within half an hour after its change ; and when in thole Parts in Winter the i Sun is clear, and the Weather fai r, ’tis when the South Wind overpowers the North; for the South in thole Parts is cold and dry, and lo drives away the Clouds, fo as it happens fometitnes that the Heavens are dark; and as loon as the Clouds are dilcharged, if the South ap¬ pears a little the Wronger, 'tis an infallible lign of calm Weather, which generally follows in a trice ; for this Wind drives all the Clouds fo before it, that when it blows, it does not leave one in the Sky. The contrary of this is feen in Europe , where the South Winds bring humidity, and the North diives it away; the South relaxes the Body, and affefts the Head; but the North ftrengthens the Body, pu¬ rifies the Air, and dries up fuperfluous Humours. In fhort, thefe two Winds caufe quite different EffeaUe„ left ufed; by which it appears, that the 164b. belt part ot the South Sea Navigations are between the Tropicks, and lo the Sun has lo much force, as to keep the Ca! , ed „ Winds from being furious, and making tkeVucl- luch lafting Storms as thofe which are Eck Sea. railed without the Tropicks, and in Parts nearer the Pole ; for this realbn the Sailors in thele warm Climates, where there ne¬ ver is any Winter, called this Sea the Pa¬ cifick Sea, from the good Effects they ex¬ periment in it. The contrary of this is in the North Sea, where moft of the Na¬ vigations are out of the Tropicks; where the Sun having lels force, the Winter predominates, and raifes mighty Storms. Now the Europeans , who firft Navigated the South Sea, being fuch as were ufed to thofe Dangers to which the Navigators of the Northern Parts are moft commonly expoled, when they found fo quiet a Sea as that under the Line, and in thole which particularly are the Seat of Com¬ merce with New Spain , Panama, and Pe¬ ru, they gave it the Name of Pacifick, without examining any further the Caufe of the difference of the Effects, which they experienced in both S&ts ; but if they had try’d that very South Sea be¬ yond the Tropick of Capricorn, they would not lo eafily have named it Pa-° cifick . I know that this Difcourle will be ap¬ proved by thofe who have had Experience of the Hardlhips which are differed by the Navigators, from the 26th Degree of Latitude on the Coaft of Chile to ^3 De¬ grees ; for there, as loon as the Winter begins, the Sea cannot be Navigated with¬ out manifeft Danger, the Storms being no ways inferior to the greateft in the North Sea *, and though at that Seafon it is not lo dangerous for Ships to fail from Chile to Lima , becaufe they every day get into a lefs Latitude, and fo enjoy a quieter Sea; yet from Peru to Chile it is extream dangerous, not only becaufe they come into a greater Latitude, and go out fur¬ ther to Sea, to avoid the South Winds Oppofition, but alio becaufe the Vapours of the Sea and Cold Mills of the Earth do raife fuch Fogs and dark Clouds, that they cover the Land fo, that when they make their Port, they are in great danger of fplitting upon the Rocks. This which I lay,is only of thofe Coafts of Chile , which are in the leaft Latitude; for from the City of the Conception, towards the Pole, even in Summer, they are dange¬ rous > and the Ships which are bound for the Iflands Book I- Of the £\ature ana Properties of the r^_ I{lands of Cbilce have not above two or O val/e. three Months in the Year to go in and out 1646. conveniently; or they neither go in nor out till the Year following : This is un¬ derhood as far as 44 or 4? Degrees, in which this Archipelago ot {(lands is p;a ced for from thence to the Scraights ot Magellan, thole may relate the Dangers who have experienced them, and paifed thole Straights: All that i know of it is, that they all have Matter enough to dilcouile of at their return. So that we may fay, that the Name of Taiifiek does not abfolutely belong to the South Sea, according to its whole Extent, but only as to thole Parts of greateft In tercourle, which, becaule they are within the Tropicks, are the h eed from Storms; and yet it cannot be deny’d, that the South Sea has an advantage over the North Sea, even within the Tropicks; which is, that it is free from thole great Sands which are lo common in the North Sea, about Carthagena, la Havana-, and other Iflands; nay, even in the Canal of Baha¬ ma, which indeed are fo many, that let a Storm be but moderate, they make it Pill greater, and more dangerous, by Ihortening the Sea-room, and torce the Sailors to be always heaving the Lead, or elfe to (pi it upon the Rocks, which may be clearly (een and diltinguilhed from the Ship's fide. I find likewife that the South Sea may be called Pacifick for another Reafon, vih'ch is, becaule of the excream Quiet it enjoys, in its Navigation, without Diftur- bance from any of its Enemies, who are lo frequent on all the Shores of the North Sea •, for there being no other Entrance into the South Sea but by the Straights of Magellan and St. Vincent, which are at luch diftance, and defended bv Nature it fell, the Enemies of our Quiet do not care to engage in fo ufelefs and dangerous a De- fign, with lo manifelt a Deltru&ion, and fo little Advantage, as hath happened al¬ ready to lome Hereticks who have at¬ tempted it; for having no Settlement, nor Landing place in ail chat vaft Sea, they have been forced to fail to the Philippines : 4 Therefore the Ships of the South Sea are free from any tear of Enemies, and go and come without any App. r ehen(ion of Danger on that fide. Antomo tie Fhr- rera , in the yth Decade of his General Hiftory, Folio % 19. relates the Motive that Magellan had to call this the Pacifick. Sea, and that is, becaule there is not in ali that Element a more Spacious Career for the Winds and Tides; and becaule there reigns between the Tropicks fo (teddy and Prong a Levant, that in many days the Seamen need not hand their Sails, nor the Steeriman his Helm, failing through thole vaP Seas as if it were in a Canal, or River: And the lame Author adds, That this Motion of this W ind proceeds from the Courfe of the lirp Mobile, which is proved by its perpetual Invariability, and the Encreaie of its Vehemence, as it draws nearer rthe Equinox : Some de¬ pute, whether it ought to be called a Wind, or an Impuife which the Air re¬ ceives from Superior Orbs, communicated to them by the firft Sphere. So far this Author. CHAP. XV. Of the Sea-Coafts of Chile, and its Ports and Havens. I T would be too great an Excursion be¬ yond my purpofe to mention all the Ports and Creeks along the CoaP of Chile , for they are very numerous, George SpilbergV Sfdberg, Admiral of a Fleet of fix Sail, ohferva- whole Names were, the New Sun , the tion of jpf w Moon, the Hunter , the Pole-Star, Eo in the** ^ and Lucifer, fays, Lie obferved 25 'straight Ports in thc Straights of Magellan alone, of Mag el- before he enter’d the South Sea ; he com- hn. mends them mightily, but particularly he is much pleafed with the 25th; for he Pay’d in it lome time, and gave it his own Name : He calls it a Noble Port, by realon of its Safenels for Shipping, as al- fo for the Plealantnefs of the Fields j which he fays were all covered with Fruit; which I fuppofe were Straw¬ berries, according to the Defcription he makes of them : He found there iikewile abundance of excellent Oyfters, at the Mouth of a River which Beautify’d that Port extreamly, it falling into it from high Mountains. But this Retreat did not ferve them long : lor having leen lome very fine coloured Birds, they purified them on Shore, and hunted them ; which they had no looner begun to do, but they were aflaulted by a Troop of Indians , sobers with Clubs in their Hands, and lome o fa faulted them were killed, and the reft forced to b the In ‘ retire to their Ships, and fee Sail in hafte -, dians ' which Chap. XV. Kingdom of CHILE $5 which is a great Mark of the Valoiir With which thofe People Engaged them ; for though they had Fire-Arms., they could hot withftand the Charge. r r The moft famous Port in all the quimbo°" Coaff. befides that of Valdivia , which we have dfcribed already, is that of Co- quimbo, mentioned in our Seventh Chap¬ ter ; and it deferves all forts of Commen¬ dation, as well for its lovely Bay, where Ships ride as lafe as can be, as alfo for • the Pleafantnefs of the Country about it; which is one of the mod Delicious of all Chile . The Products of the Country are particularly Gold and Copper, which is carried from thence to Per«, for the ma¬ king of Artillery, calling of Bells, and other Houfhold Furniture. Copiapo, The Ports alfo of Copiapo and Guafco Guafco,’ are efteemed, and more defervedly that and Pa- of Paeudo , which is a private hidden Bay , cudo where the Ships of Peru come to load with the Hides and Tallow of Chuapa ; as alfo with Tar and Tackling for Ships, which is made in that Valley, and is whiter and better than any in Chile , By realon of the excellent Waters they liiake ufe of in its making. n The next good Port to thefe is that of Quintero- ^ nter0 ^ w h ere the General of the Six Ships above-named landed ; and it being a Place uninhabited, met with no Op- pofition, but refrelhed his Men with a large Fifhing which they made : They do fo commend the Place, that they cannot fufficiently (they fay ) extol the Pleafant- nefs of the Land, the Sweetnefs of the Water, the Security for Ships, and, in Ihort, all forts of Conveniencies for Hu¬ mane Life ; and after thefe many Enco¬ miums, the Hiftorian concludes thus; Portus hie nulli fecundus , this Port yields to none ; and yet this Port of Quintero is none of the famous ones ol Chile ; by which it may be inferred. that he was but little acquainted with the reft: Fie could not land in them, for he found them all Guarded by the Militia, who expe&ed him ; and, though coming to Val Paraifo , he had begun to land lome Men, yet, up¬ on Advice that the Horfe of St. Jago were at hand to hinder the Defcent, he took them on board again, and failing at mid¬ night, caft Anchor at Quintero } where they watered, and cut Wood, the Ad¬ miral himfelf landing with many Soldiers to pi oted his Men ; there they drevv up a Trench, with a kind of Half moon, to fecure their Retreat againft the Spaniards , who began to appear upon the Hills; but they did not ftay for them, but Embar¬ king again, followed their Courfe towards Peru t not landing any where elfe; but 'Wq yet they commend the Land extream- Ovalle , ly. 1646. AEter thefe, follows the Port of Cou- ^y^>j con } or Quillota , which ferves to embark Coucon, the Produd of thole Valleys; and hard ^ Quil- by that, the Port of Val Paraifo y where are landed all the Goods brought for the City a * of St. Jago ; from whence they are di- ftributed all over its Territory, and as far as Cuyo and Tucuman .- This Port is every day more and more Inhabited, and there is building a Convent of Auftin Friers; which will be of great Relief to the Souls of the Inhabitants, and of all thole who go and come, who are not a few; for this is the Port of the greaceft Com¬ merce with Peru *, 7 tis diftant from St. Ja¬ go 24 Leagues, all plain and good Way, fit for Carriage; and fo all the Commo¬ dities of both Kingdoms are conveyed and exchanged by it. Near the Port of Val Paraifo i? that of St. Antonio , which is alfo very fafe and good, and is at the Mouth of the River Maypo. There is a Miftake in Authors about this; for they place the Port of Val Paraifo at the Mouth of a River,, which they make in their Maps to 'come from St. Jago • which is a very great Er¬ ror, becaufe, at Val Paraifo , there is no River of any note, but only Springs and Fountains, which rife out of the Rocks clofe by the Sea, which are moft excel¬ lent Wafers : There are alfo others of a courfer Nature, with which the Ships fill their Provifion, becaufe they having more Body, they refift better at Sea againft Corruption. There are feveral other Ports between that and the Conception in the Bays and Mouths of Rive.s, but not much ufed, becaufe .they are not neceftary ; all thole Valleys from Maule to Quillota lending their Commodities to Val Paraifo : 1 believe in time other Ports will be employed, becaule the Produces ot that Kingdom multiply apace, and lo People will be wil¬ ling to feek out the neareft Ports for em¬ barking their Goods. All the Product from Maule upwaids is carried to the Harbour of the Conception , Which is the belt Bay in all thole Coafts ; and it be¬ ing a very large one, Providence placed at its Entrance the Ifland of Quinquina; jf ian d of under which, as under a Mole, Ships are Quiri^ui- fecured in foul Weather. At the iargeft na * Entrance of this Bay is the Port of Ln Herradura , or Horfe-foe, it being in char j^ a Herra- Form; and bppofite to that is that ol dura, St, Vincent ; and a little farther, that of St. Vin- Carnero , culled fo for the Refrdhmen ic ^e nt > and F afforded c,;1 «*»• Be ok I 34- Of the Nature and 'Properties of the afforded to one of the Ships of the Biff op Ovalle. of Palencia , who, by Order of Charles 1646. the Fifth, paffed the Straights of MageL ~vj last with Six Sail, and having loft their Tat ache, were forced to the Molucca's. Next to thefe, are the Ports of Tirva Several 0 - and Quedal , La Tala Ckica, that of Puralla , ther Ports. t j ie p ort 0 f St. Cebrian,that of Santia Clara , that of St. Domingo , St. Efteran, Los Reyes , that of Baixas, that of the Innocents , and many others lefs confiderable, as far as the Straights of Magellan. Befides thefe Ports which we have mar¬ ked upon the Terra-Firma , there are fe- veral others, well known in the Iflands of Juan Fernandas , La Mocha , S anti a Maria , in the Iflands of Chiloe,Alfa , where the moft frequented are that of Carelmapo , and that called the EngHJh Port , becaufe formerly an Englijh Ship landed there, and the Men and Ship, with all its Ar¬ tillery, were made Prize. There are al¬ io leveral other Ports in the Archipelago of Chiloe , which I forbear mentioning, be¬ caule I have not a perfed: Account of them. CHAP. XVI. Of the Fertility of the whole Co aft of Chile. T H E Abundance and Fertility of this Kingdom is not only perceived in its Valleys and Fields, but likewife in its whole Coaft, even on the Rocks, where the Sea beats: It will be hard to make this appear by Particulars; becaule, though in other Parts of the World the Rocks produce Shell- Fiff, yet I do not know that it is in fuch quantity, nor lo large any where as in Chile , nor of lo many different Species. Firft, I will fpeak of that which is moft Common and Intelligible ,* The Herb There grows along the Coaft every Luche. where an Herb not unlike to Endive; they call it Luche , which they pull from the Rocks; it is gathered in the Spring, when ’tis moft grown, and being dried in the Sun, ’tis made into Loaves, which are looked upon as a great Delicacy far from the Sea, particularly in Peru 3 Cuyo 3 and Jucuman ; for it ferves for many Sawces: It grows upon the tops of the Rocks, fuch as are above the Water. At the foot of the Rocks are found certain Roots, which bring forth a Trunk as thick as ones Wrift, called Ultecuejie: This they Ulteoi-* CUt ’ and Ia y in » before the Fire > the y efte. " pare it like a Lettice, or Artichoke Card; but it has a much different Tafte. From rhefe Trunks ffoot out certain long Cods of three or four Yards long, and lome of about fix or eight Fingers in breadth: Thefe they call Coehauyo , and there are two forts of them, which, though they refemble one another, yet the Indians make a great difference between them; relerving the good, which they cut and dry, and make Provifion of them for Lent; the others they leave to the Sea, which heaps them up upon the Shoar, where they.lie in Heaps, very ufelels. So much for the Herbs: Now let us fpeak of the Shell SeaFifh. The beft of this kind are Oifen f both great and final!, lo oifters. much talked of by the Hollanders with great Commendations: They found them in the Straights of Magellan • but the greateft Plenty of them is on the Coaft of Coijuimbo } where they are very large and delicious; the lelfer fort they call Taca's, very much valued too, and taken all along that Coaft : But thole of greateft Renown are the Oifters of Chuapa • in the great ones are bred Pearls, as the Dutch fay ; and, according to John and Theodore de Brye , they bought fome of the Indians in the Straights very finely wrought. That which they call Chords is alfo a Chore’s, fine fort of Shell-Fiff, and in its Shell, as Antonio de Herrera fays, there are Pearl very white: That fort which I have foen is not fo # big; but fince they are to be found every where, there may be of all forts of them; for they are caught in abundance, both little, middle fize, and large ones; fome as broad as my Hand: The Choiceft of them are thole which have the Fiff of a yellow Colour, though the black ones are good too. There is another Shell-Fiff called Ma- negues y which is in two round Shells, fuch Mane '~ as ferve for Models in Architecture; the §UeS Fiff within is but courfo Meat, but of good Suftenance: In one kind of thefe, which is the little fort, in opening the Shell, which in the infide is like Mother of Pearl, when one takes out the Meat, one may fee the Impreffion on the Shell of a Purple Colour, which reprefonts the Image of the moft Holy Virgin, with her Mantle and her Child in her Arms, which caufes great Devotion and Comfort • and* though they all have this Impreffion, yet fome have ic fo perfe $ 3 which is the beft and moft PvA-O wholelbm Fifh of all thole Parts: They Oval/e » did not take them with Nets, becaule 1646. ' they had not time to Land, but with Hooks at Sea, by the Ship’s fide, and that as fall as they could throw in and pull up. What I my felf have feen, is, in the great Lake of Rapel y all the fides of it cover’d with Pejerreyes , by the vaft quan- Pejerreyes, tity of them which came upon the Coaft; as the Droves of Pilchards by the Bay of the Conception , and in Chiloe \ fo that they take them with Blankets. I have feen the fame Droves of Tunny Fifh, which come leaping over one another’s Backs as if there were not room for them ; and in¬ deed that Climate being fo favourable to Multiplication in all Animals on Shore, as fhall be Ihew’d in its proper place, it cannot well be otherwife as to the Filhes. CHAP. XVIII. Of the Birds of Chile. T H E Birds and Fifhes feem to be Brothers of the lame Venter ; the Author of Nature having created them both out of the Element of Water ; and therefore to difpatch all the Creatures of this Country, having Treated of the firft, it leems that the Chain of an orderly Narration obliges us to fay fomething of the others. To fpeak generally, it may be truly faid of the Air of that Hemi- fphere, that ic has a great Advantage over the Earth, though fo fertile, fo r ich, and fo delicious, as we have reprelented it; for though it is true that it now produces the Animals and Fruits of Europe , with fiich an Encreafe as is wonderful, yet it cannot be denied, that before the Spa¬ niards carried thither the Seeds and Ani¬ mals, which are now fo multiplied, (for they had them not in any fort, though perhaps others which fupplied the want of them) the Air without being at all En¬ rich’d by the acceflion of Foreigners, has maintain’d always fuch an abundance of the Volatile Kind, that it needed no Supplies from Europe , but rather has many to make up any one Defed. The Eagle. To begin with the King of them all, the Eagle : There are there abundance of them ; thofe which are call’d Royal or Imperial, have been feen there only twice; firft when the Spaniards firft entred that Kingdom; and the fecond time, in the 1640. year 1640. when the Araucanos fubmitted their untanfd Necks to their God and the King; they interpreting this as one of the Signs of God Almighty's Will to en cline them to take that Refolution, which they then took. As for the ordinary Eagles, who do not differ much from the others, they have always been and are ftill in the Country very common. There are likewife bred Faulcons, fo large and p au j c6ns ftrong, that for their Beauty they have been carried from thence, though fo far, as a Prefent to the King of Spain j and they are commonly carried to Peru , par¬ ticularly that Kind which are call’d Pri - mas } or Firft, though thofe call’d Second are very large too ; There are befides, all Birds ef other Birds of Rapine and Prey ; and of Pre y- the Singing Birds, there are Linots, Bulfinches, Nightingales, Blackbirds, and singing- many others, who form fome a Bafs, and Birds - fome a Tenor, with all the other parts of a Harmony beyond belief, particularly in Summer under the Shades of Trees. The Birds for Game are, Garza’s, Par- Birds of tridges, Wild Pigeons, Thrulhes, Turtles , Game - Parrots, Wild Ducks of a Thoufand forts, fome of one colour, and fome of ano¬ ther; and all very good. The Dome- Tame Fowl. flick Tame Fowls are, Hens, Ducks, Geefe, Turkeys; and that nothing may be wanting, Swallows in Summer, which Swai/om. go away in Winter, as they do in Europe , to warmer Climates; Screech Owls, and ° wb and other Night Birds; as alfo Bats. Batf " Thefe ; 8 Of the Nature and Thefe arc the Biids of the European Ovaile, Kind which are found in thofe parts, as 1646. well as I can remember t and there is i/- v hardly a Bird here in Europe , that I ob- ferve in the Fields, that 1 have not obferv’d the like fomewhere in Chile , with very little difference. Who now can defcribe the variety of Native Birds of that Climate, who are in luch variety and abundance, that People are fain to guard their Vineyards from them as foon as the Grapes begin to ripen; and yet ’cis impoffible to hinder them from doing a great deal of Mifchief, they being fo nimble, and having fo fecure a Retreat, though all forts of Inventions, fuch as Guns, Crofsbows, Slings, Scare¬ crows, are put in ufe ? fo that if any are negligent, they may be fure to find their Vintage made to their Hand. And this Mifchief is not only for their Vineyards, but likewife for all Seeds, which is fain to be watched after ’tis (owed till it fprouts; and as fbon as the Wheat and Maiz begin to ripen, the Guards muff be renewed, for there comes whole Armies of Birds to attack them, and do them as much mifchief as if they were Xerxe’s Armies. Parrots. In particular, the Parrots are fo vora¬ cious and greedy, and have a Bill that cuts like a Razor; they come in Flocks of fuch an extent, that when they rife they cover the Air, and fill it with fuch a Con- fufion of Cries, that I cannot find any thing to compare it to. This kind of Birds is bred all over Chile in the Moun¬ tains, and in the Cordillera , and ’tis won- derfuil to fee how exactly they come to an hour, as if they were call’d by a Bell, or had fome notice where and when the Fruits are ripe and in feafon for them to enjoy them ; they come down from the Mountains in the Evening ; and the noife they make in flying, though they fly high, is fuch, that one would think them clofe by; they have a fhrill clear Voice, and they fly all (creaming at once, fo that their noife is very lowd ; they are all green and yellow, and have a blue Circle about their Neck, and very good to Eat, par¬ ticularly the young ones. Thofe years which are to prove Rainy, as the Natives obferve; as foon as the Weather grows cool, before the Winter begins, one may fee every Evening,, for 'Properties of the Book I. many Days, great quantities of Crows Xnvt. 1 come down from the Cordillera into the Plains; they come about an hour before Sunfet in Squadrons, forming a Triangle or Piramide ; the Point of which is led by one Angle one, before whom none dares go ; The Figure they make is mod regular, with great correfpondency to each other, as if they were fixed in the Air, and immoveable, fo equal and well concerted is their Flight. There is likewife a Biid which we call Taltales,tt Taltde 1 s or Galinafo's ; it is like a Duck, Galtwfos. but has bigger Wings; they are either black or brown, and very voracious of Carrion. In the time of Slaughtering, which is every year in Chile, of molt Beads,, there is a great deal of Flefh loft; then thefe Birds come, as if one had founded a Charge to them, and fall upon the Can ion with fo much greedinefs, that having eaten their fill they cannot rife again, and are ealily knock’d on the Head with Sticks s the Bones of their Legs are valued to make Scizers, and their Quils, which are as thick as ones Finger, ferve for Harpfica.ls and other Curiofities. Out of this Slaughtering time they dye with Hunger, but among all the ways they have of maintaining themfelves, their way of Hunting young Goats and Lambs is admirable: They fit upon high Trees, and from thence fpy the Flocks of Sheep and Goats, watching till any of the young ones dray from the guard of its Dam, as they often do, either flaying behind to feed, or climbing fome Rock. This the Taltale quickly feeing, and that the young one is far from the defence either of the Shepherd or old one, it leaps upon it, and the firft thing it does is to peck out its Eyes, and eat its Brains, which it does fo quick, that though it cry, and the Shep¬ herd or Mother come to its relief, ’tis too late. Very like to thefe are another fort °l k 01 ^ 1 as to bignefs, colour, and fnape, and its difpofition to Prey; they call them Veuques ,only they are fomething Peuques, lefs, and of a nicer Dyer, being pleas’d with nothing but Hens or Chickens, which they take very dexteroufly ; they are fo bold and nimble, as to get into a Henrood, and carry away their Prey, even in prefence of the Owners, without being dop’d or prevented. CHAR Chap. XXL Kingdom of CHIL E. Flamen¬ co’s. The Child Bird. Airones. Gar^ola’s. Voyca’s. 39 CHAP. XIX. The fame Matter is pnrfned, and the Flying of Hawks Treated of. Ovalle . 1646* A Mongft the great number of Birds which are bred in Lakes and Ponds, and on the Sea fide, which are of great variety, none are more remarkable then the Birds call’d Flamenco b * they are White and Scarlet, bigger then Turkeys, but fo long Legg’d that that they walk through a Lake with great gravity, the Water not touching their Feathers by a Foot or Two: The Indians delight in making Works of their White and Scarlet Feathers, for their Dances and their Feafts. There is another Bird call’d the Child Bird, becaufe it looks like a Swadled Child, with its Arms at liberty ; I have not feen them any where but at Sea \ per¬ haps they are the fame call’d Pinguins , of which frequent mention is made by thofe who pafs the Streights of Magellan ; they are generally painted in the Maps, and they lay there, are abundance of them in thofe Parts, and that they are good Meat. There are other Birds which furnifh the Tufts of Feathers, call’d Airones , which though fo narrow, yet are fo valued, that formerly every Feather was worth Two Rials ; thofe which grow under their Wings are larger and better, though thole on their Heads, which they wear as Ai¬ grettes, are very fine : There are but few of this Rind of Birds, for they do not encreafe fo much as others: There are more of that Kind call’d Gar fold’s, which ferve for Soldiers Feathers, and other Or¬ naments. There are many others of great variety of Colours, of which the Indians ufe to make their Ornaments call’d Mallengues, which are made for the Head like a Garland of molt fine colours of Wooll, and in that they ftick a Pannache of Feathers for their Dances and Days of Rejoicing. The Birds call’d by the Indians Poycd*s , are very famous among them, in whofe Notes, at certain Times and Places, they find great Myfteries, Prognofticating by them either their own or their Children, or their Friends Death, or Sicknefs, or other Misfortune; and they remain with great Apprehenfion and Fear: The Spa - niards call thefe Birds Pechicolorado’s, that is mark’d on the Breaft, becaufe there is no Scarlet deeper, nor brighter, than the red on their Breaft 5 The other Feathers of their Wings and Body are brown. There are other very little ones, call’d Pingueda’s , whole Body is not much big- Pingue- ger than an Almond; thele liv'e upon da’s Flowers; and that they may come at the Floney of them, Nature has given them a Bill, which when ’tis Ihut, is like a Needle to fow with, and for this reafon they feed flying like Bees, from Flower to Flower, without lighting but very feldom on a Branch of it, and that very llightly: Thele Birds are of the greateft Beauty imaginable, for if they were made of Polilh d Gold, they could not Ihine brighter; They have a green mingled with this Gold colour: The Males are diflinguifh’d from the Females, in that they have on the Head a lively Orange colour, which is like Fire. Thole on the other fide of the Cordillera are yet more beautiful, becaule their Tail is alfo of the colour of their Flead ; and though they have fo little a Body, their Tail is a Foot long, and Two Inches broad. There is likewile a very odd Bird, to which the Spaniards have given the Name of Paxaro Carpintero , becaufe though they Paxaro are but little, they have fo Itrong and Car P c nte= fharp a Bill, that they form their Nefts ro ‘ with it in the Trees, forming a hollow Place fit for them, as exa&ly as if they had an Inftrument to do it: Of thele I have feen but few ; but there are great numbers of a Kind of Birds call’d Con- Condores; dores , which are as White as Ermin ; and of their Skins they make that which they call Regalillds for the Elands, being of a very foft touch, and extream warm; but the Bellies of the Buzzards are much more fo, being admirable to make Sto¬ machers to cover the Pit of the Stomach* and held Digeftion. I have not feen fuch variety of Birds on the other fide of the Cordillera , and the caufe, I believe, is the drynefs of the Land, and the want of that Ihelter of Woods and Groves which are on Chile fide •, but in thofe Plains call’d the Pam¬ pas, there are Francolins to be found. Franco- which are a fort of Wild Hens, and as lins, big, but much better Meat, and of a higher rellilh. There are likewife Au- firiches who are a mighty Bird, and very c hes. 1 numerous there. They often find their Nelis, and in them fuch a quantity of Eggs, as one Neft will feed a great Com¬ pany i Book I. ___ . pany •, one of them alone being beaten Ovallc . and byed, makes a Pancake big enough 1646. to dine feveral People: Their Feathers are employed for FJmbretlo’s to Keep 011 the Sun, and other good Ufes. V/ . * 'Tis a pleafant Sight to fee the taking DivelVL of the 'Francolines : The Indian, with a in Hunting , String made at one end into a running Banking, Knot or Noofe, at the other having a &c, little piece of fharp Cane fattened to it, goes out to find them, which when he has done, he draws gently near, fo as not to fright his Game ; when he is at a due diftance, he begins to go round the Bird, making with the Cane feveral Circles ove r his Plead : The Francolin is of its own Nature a very fearful Bird, arid fimple, and dares not rife, becaufe he thinks he is encompaffed round, but goes into the middle of the Circle; where the Indian teffening Bill his Rounds, follows it, fo that at laft it fquats down upon * the Ground, and lets the Indian put the Noofe over its Head , which when he has done, touching it on the Wing with the fharp end of the Cane, the Bird flies up, and draws die Noofe clofe, and fo is catch’d, like the Fifhes by ari Angling-Rod. ’Tis not fo eafie to catch the Auftriches ; for though they do not flie, yet they have flich large Wings, that though a Greyhound be very fwift, if the Bird has Law of him, he will hardly overtake him ; but if by chance he comes up with him by furprize, or otherwife, ’tis wonderful to fee the Art the Aufirich ufes to avoid his Teeth ; for when the Dog is juft go¬ ing to feize, the Aufirich lets down one of his Wings, and fixes it to the Ground, covering with it its whole Body ; the Greyhound thinking he has him fure, takes hold with open Mouth, but he fills it only with Feathers, and is cheated; for immediately the Aufirich , before the Dog can clear his Mouth, lets a running, and gets a good length before him, and often Icapes, if the Greyhound do not make extraordinary hafte to overtake it. This is a very Diverting Sport; but that which is ufed in Chile with Faulcons is much more fo ; not to flie Partridges, for that is a known Sport every where but with another fort of Bird, which the Indians call Quulteu , from the Sound of its Note when it fings, which founds {6 : I hefe are as big as Hens, and have very large Wings, and upon their Wings they have in the joining place, provided by Nature for their Defence, certain fharp Points. The Spaniards call thele Birds Friers , either becaufe they always go two and two, or three and three, or becaufe the Colour and Order of their Feathers is fo, that -one would really think they have a Flood and a Frock. for this Sport ’tis not enough to have one Faulcon , but there muft be two, and thofe very well taught, and dexterous to aftift one another. There ufes to be very good Company to fee the Engagement, as we may call it \ for it is worth feeing. Coming then to the Place that thefe Birds haunt, which is generally fome Meadow or Watery Ground \ (for that they never forfake, their;! a ft Defence being in the Wa¬ ter, as foon as they are fprung) one at a time, the Sportfman flies one Faulcon at them, who, as if he minded not his Game, endeavours to get as high as he can, and get the Wind of his Prey, who at the fame time does the fame thing, and con¬ tends for Place with his Enemy, fo that they both get almoft out of fight; but at laft the Faulcon having the better Wing prevails: When he has got Advantage enough over him, he comes down upon him like Lightning; but the Quulteu de¬ fends himfelf, either by avoiding the Blow, or by oppofing the Aimed Points of his Wings; upon which often the unwary Hawk is wounded in the Breaft. When the Sportfman fees the Engagement laft: too long, fearing his Hawk may tire, or be balk’d before Victory declares for him, he loofes his other Faulcon to help the firft, who being frefh, foon joins his Compa¬ nion, and both together fall upon the Quulteu , but not at the fame time, left: they fhould hinder one another; one gives him a Blow, and then the other a- nother, and fo, though he make a good Defence., he is forced to yield, which he does by making away for the Water, where he has his laft Retreat to defend his Life : Here he expe&s his Enemies up¬ on his Back, with the Points of his Armed Wings turned towards them ; the Faulcon defpifing the Danger, comes down with all his force, and feizing her with one Foot, tears her to pieces; but ’tis not without receiving fometimes dangerous Wounds: The Vi&ory does not always coft fb dear, for that is according to the Strength of the Contenders. I omit the footing of Wild-Fowl in the Fens and Waters, which is neverthelefs very En¬ tertaining; as are likewife the Indians Ways with Nets, Noofes, Arrows, Night- Lights; nay, the manner of catching the Faulcons themfelves is as diverting; ’tis done with fine Nets, in which they in¬ volve them, that they may not hurt their Wings. This 4° Of the Nature and Troperties of the Chap. XX. Kingdom of CEIL E. 4.1 Th^ is fufficient about the Birds ”, and it,, before we come down to the Earth -PsA^ fince we are in the Region of the Air, again. Othtile. fo near Heaven, let us fay fbmething of 1646I C H A P. XX. Of the Heaven^ and Stars , which are proper to the Kingdon and Region of Chile. >nrr>I S the common Opinion of ail thofe Jfc that have feen-and dwelled in Chile, that its Soil, and Heaven, if they have their Equal, have not their Superior in the World ; and though fome lay the Stars of the Artick Pole are larger than thole of the Ant artick , yet as to their Brightnels and Beauty, and the Light they give, and as to their Numbers, with the Clearnels of the Heavens where they are, there is none but mult own the Advantage on the hde of the Antartick. We may give, as a Na¬ tural Reafon of this, the Temper of the Climate, both as to Air and Earth ; for though there are in it lo many Rivers, as we have obferved, yet they being ra pid, and fwift in their Courfe, do not caule overmuch Humidity by their Ray, but afford oniy what is neceffary for its Fertility •, and, of the two Extreams, the Country is rather dry than moiff, par¬ ticularly as far as 34 or 35" Degrees* as is manifefHy* made out by two Experi¬ ments: Firffi By the Facility with which all Wounds are Cured, which ufe to be much longer in wet Countries; and, le- condl y, ’Tis proved from the Habitations and Houfes, where the belt Apartments are reputed to be on the fiift Floor, they being looked upon in Summer lor coole/t, and in Winter for warmeft; and, though they are watered every day in the year, and the Floors molt commonly but of Earth, not at all upon Vaults, yet they are never unhealthy, and there is no need of Board-flooring or Mats, let the Winter be never 16 fharp. This is a convincing Argument, that the Country enclines to drynefs rather than to humidity ,* from whence it follows, that the Sun raifes fewer Vapours, and therefore the Air be¬ ing clearer, the Brightnels of the Stars is more Confpicuous; and for this reafon the Sun lets and rifes fo Glorious, calling out Refplendent Beams of Light ; which is not fo on the other fide of the Cor ML leva ; for there I have feen the Sun pretty high, and its whole Body vifible, and yet no ways dazling; the Vapours of the Earth taking away the Radiant Beauty of its Beams. The Experience of this is y.et more ad¬ mirable to thofe who fail 1 from Peru for Chile ; for though they keep out a great way from Land, yet they know prelently by the Horizon when they come to the heighth of Chile ; lor they begin to fee it all difengaged from Clouds, and Serene, Guilded and Glorious, and its Beauty encreafing upon them every day as they gain more heighth towards the Pole: On the contrary, when they fail for the Line from Chile , the nearer they grow to the Tropick, that Fight and Splendor grows duller and duller; 16 that in my Voyage for Panama, I law ail the Horizon muddy, fid and clouded, which continued till I got to the Havana ; where being in 18 Degrees North Latitude, the Horizon cleared up, and grew everyday better and better, till we got to Spain. So much for the Ciearnels and Beauty of the Heavens and Stars, which may be confirmed by ail thofe who have feen the Place; but ’tis not 16 of the bignefs of the Stars. The Afh ologers pretend. That the Contemplation of them and their Mealure belongs entirely to their Art, as underllanding beft the Dilpoficion of the Celefiial Sphere; but in my Judgment, they who can beft fpeak ol this Matter, are thole who have leen both Poles; as is well oblerved by John and Theodore de Brye , in the Eighth and Ninth Part of their Twelve Curious Books; where they relate Variety of Hifrories, Obfervations, and Voyages, which have been in the North and South America , as far as the Straights of Magellan. They report then the Opinions of Learned Men, who, in failing on the South Sea, obferved what I fhall here produce, tranflated faithfully from their Elegant Latin into our Vulgar Tongue, in thefe Words: The Learned of our Nation, who have j Q [ in Rn ^ failed on the South Sea , do relate to us many Thso- Thingi of that Sky , and its Stars , as well of dove de thiir Number , as Beauty and Bignefs ; and Brye. try Opinion is. That the Stars we fee here, are no ways preferable to the Meridional ones • but rather do affirm, without difpute , That thofe Stars which are near the Antartick Pole G are 4.1 Of the Nature and ‘Properties of the Book I. rsA-O are more in number, and brighter and big - Oval/e . ger. 1646. He adds, befides, fpeaking of the Stars of the Conftellation of the Cra&ero, that their Splendours and Beauty is extraordi¬ nary, and that the Via lattea, or Milky- ’way, is much brighter in thele Parts. This is all from thofe Authors. Tf)e r Peter Theodore , a moft Skilful Pilot and conjleia- Aftronomer, relates in particular the Stars tionsofthe of that Hemifphere, and the fourteen Hemijphm Figures or Conftellations they make: The 0/ Chile. i s t he Camekon, which contains Ten Stars j The fecond is the Indian Afpick, made up of Four Stars ; The third is the Plying Fijh, which is made up of Seven ; The fourth, called the Fijh Dorado, is com- pofed of Five ; The fifth is called the Hy~ dra, and is of Fifteen: The Bird Toncan, which is the fixth, has Eight Stars; and the Phoenix, which is the feventh, has Fourteen; The Crane has Thirteen, which is the eighth : In Noah's Dove , which is the ninth, there appear Eleven ; The In - dian Sagittary , which is the tenth, has Twelve \ The Peacock, which is the eleventh, Chap. XXL Kingdom of CHILE. 43 eleventh, is compofed of Sixteen; The Bird of Faradife , otherwile call’d Maauco- diata , has Twelve: The thirteenth is the Triangle , and contains Five ; and the laft is the Cruzero , in which are Four, which make a Crofs, with a little one clofe by it, which makes the foot of the Crofs: And though this Cruzero is the Guide of thole who fail in the South Sea, as the Cy - nofura is to thole who navigate the North Sea, yet it is not immediately at the Pole, but 30 Degrees from it; but there being no Stars of that bignels near it, it is made ule of for that EfFeft, but not for the Needle; for that, in.either Sea, whether South or North Latitude, al¬ ways turns to the North; though when one is in the South Sea, the whole Globe of the Earth, or the bell part of ic, is be¬ tween them and the North, according to the Circle that the Cruzero makes. The fix’d Point of the Pole feems to be be- OvaUe* tween two,as it were great Clouds,tho they t ° are not fuch, but Clulters of Stars, not well diftinguilhable, fuch as compofe the Via lattea, and they are always fixed without ftirring; and when the Heavens are clear, they are brighter, and better feen : There are other Stars nearer thele Clouds than the Cruzero , but not being lo big, there is little notice taken of them, but only of the Cruzero Stars, which are indeed very beautiful, and fhine with great livelinels. I fuppofe that thofe who have not feen them in their own Place and Situation, would be glad to fee a Draught of them ; which therefore I have placed in the fore¬ going Page, reprelenting them as they are feen there. C H A P. XXI. Of the Animals, as well proper as new Comers to the Kingdom of Chile 5 and alfo of the Bezoar-Stones. T ILL the Spaniards came to thele A. mertcan Parts, there never had been feen in them either Cows, Horles, Sheep. Hogs, Houle-Cats, nor Rabbets tame or wild, nor Dogs, except thole called Coz- yues, but no Hounds, Greyhounds, nor other Dogs for Game either by Land or Water, no Maftifts, nor little Dogs, which we call Lap-Dogs, no Goats nor Alfes; but as loon as the Spaniards were fettled in Chile , and found the Land lo proper for the breed of Cattle and Flocks, they have encreafed them to a degree of Superfluity; fo that there is not only enough for the Support of Humane Life, but allb for thofe Animals who are Carnivorous i for as we have feen above, in the Slaughtering time, much Flelh lies wall in the Fields, fo that ’tis necefifary to burn it, and throw it into Lakes and Rivers, to hinder its corrupting the Air. That which in other Parts is called a Calamity and Defolation of the Country, which is a Murrain a- mong Cattel, in Chile is thought a necef fary Purge of the too great Abundance of it. This may feem a Paradox, but yet is founded upon Experience ; becaule the Cattel encreafing as it does, and the Land being fo good, that it fattens them to a wonderful degree; (there being often taken out of one Cow a Ffundred and fifty Pounds weight of Tallow, each Pound of Sixteen Ounces) there is enough to do to get a Vent for ic. The fame may be faid of the Hides; for though Peru, where the belt part of the Coniumption is made, is lo great, yet fuch is the Product of Chile , that it wants another Peru to confume it: For this rea- fon ’ds a Gain to lofe the Encreale of the Cattel; for then the Profit is more, with lels Trouble, and colt of Servants. In the beginning of the Settlement in Chile , Don Antonio de Herrera lays, That Horfes were commonly fold tor a Thoufand Pieces of Eight a Horfe ; and Gareilajjo fays. That at firft a ITorfe did not ufe to be lold in Peru at all, except upon the Death of the Owner, or upon his re¬ turning to Spam ; and in that cale they were lold for Four, Five, or Six Thoufand Pieces of Eight a Horfe : He lays, he knew himlelf a Soldier who had an ex¬ cellent Horfe, and that a Negro going one day by with him in his Hand, a Gen¬ tleman who law them lent to offer the Soldier Ten thoufand Pieces of Eight for the Horfe and Negro, which he refuted with Contempt; but fince that time Hor¬ fes have multiplied fo, that there being not People enough to feed and tend them, they are fallen extreamly : The Cows too have encreafed fo as to cover the Fields; and ’tis a wonderful thing to fee in thofe great Plains of Tu- cuman and Buenos Aires vaft Herds of them feeding, without any other Mailer than the firft that will take them, if he can. G a | 44 Of the Nmtre and ‘Properties of the Book J a large fort of Rats. C' a. - I have feen in Chile, in the Territory of Ovatt'c. St. Jago, Horles all ready drels’d tor *646, War,fold for Two Crowns a piece ; to ft p- iply the Army,and yet for Shape, Courage and good Qualities they yield to no Nea¬ politan Horft I ever law ; no, nor to the AnMuz.es, from whom they are defcen- •ded ; for they have had no rcafon to de¬ generate in (o good a Land* The Cow's too, which were at ftrlt out of all Price, I have feen fold for a Crown a piece, and the Calves for half a Crown The Sheep, fach as l have feen bought in Flocks for Cuyo and Tuatman,hwc been lold foi jThree Pence or Three half Pence a piece. Theodore and John de Brye do mention fome Author, who fays, That Rats were likewift Strangers to Chile , and were car¬ ried thither by an Antwerp Ship that pal- fed the Straights of Magellan : They muff not mean the ordinary Houft-Rats and Mice, but thofe great ones which have a large Tail, and are about a Foot long; * • they are called Pericotes , and are very aUrze **■ mifthievous. This Ship without doubt took Port in fome of thofe of _ Chile s where it left theft Animals, fo prejudicial and hard to deflroy ; for they refill: the Cats, and ’tis a ttout one chat Can kill them : But it is a wonderful thing to ob- ferve, that though in Sea Towns the Ma¬ gazines, Shops, and Warehoules, are full of them, yet they never go further into the Land, which they might -eafily do, by fo much Carriage as the Commerce of thole Parts requires: 1 believe the Air of the Cordillera does not agree with them, and lo may have killed thole which have been carried by chance with Goods-, for I do not remember I ever law one in St. Jago , nor in any Town far from the Sea-fide. Among the Animals that are proper to Chile , the firft may be reckoned thole which are called the Sheep of that Coun¬ try ; they are of the Shape of Camels, not lo big, nor vaff, and without the Bunch that Camels have j they are White, Black, Brown, and lomeare Alh colour’d. The Authors above cited lay. That an¬ ciently they ferved to Plow the Land in fome Parts, before there were Oxen in it, nay, in the Relation of George Spilberg and his Fleet, ’tis faid, the Dutch palling by the Ifland of Mocha , faw the Indians ufe them in that Work. They are made ule of at this time in fome Parts for Carriage of Wine, Wheat, Maize, and other Provifions; and I re¬ member to have feen them about Thirty Years ago ftrve to carry Water at St. Ja¬ go from the River to the Houfes, for the Sheep. 1 ufe of the Family ; but now they are not at all employed there in this Vnd of La¬ bour, there being inch quaniides of Mules and Aifes for all that Service. Theft Sheep have their upper L'p flit, with which they do as it were fpit at thofe who vex them ; and the Children, who 11ft to do it, when they lee them ready to fpit, run away; for they know, and ’tis a com¬ mon Truth, that wherever their Spitting fails, it caufts a Scab, and having a very long Neck, about Three Foot long, they uft theft Defenfive Arms the better; theif Wooll is extreamly valued, for of it are woven Cloaks, or Mantles, fo fine, that they look like Cameloc: They govern them by a kind of Bridle, which they put through Floles in their Ears, and ft by pulling the Reins, turn them which way T they will. They kneel down to be loaded, and when the Loading is well fitted and fattened, they rift and carry it very gravely. There are likewife natural to that Coun- p C o U ’ s * try a fort of little Rabbets, called by th efmali f 6rt Indians Pegu's, which they eat with much Pleaftre: They are wiid. The taking G f them is very good Sport ; for they carry Water in great Tubs to their Holes, and though they arc very deep, and have fe- cret lflues and Correfpondencies with each other under Ground, to avoid being pur- fued by the Hunters, or their Dogs, yet the Water overcomes them, and while they file from it, the Indians watch for them at their other Holes, and with their Dogs take them as they come out to avoid the Water, There are another fort of little Rabbets which are like theft, but they are tame. Rabbets, and the Indians call them Cuyes, which are halted alfo very good Meat: They are of pretty Cuyes. Colours, and jotted : They are very com¬ mon every where. The Squirrels are not fo, and I do not * know they are to be found any where in Chile but in the Valley of Guafco • they are Grey or Alh-colour, and their Skins are mightily valued for Furs, for their warmth, and finenefs of the touch. The Animals called Guanacos, ChamoPs or Wild-Goats, are very like theft Coun- Vvi1 ^ try Sheep, as well in their Shape as Mo- GoatS ’ tions; but they are of a different Colour: for they are Red, of a clear Colour : Ihey never can be tam’d, but go in Flocks feeding in the Fields; and ’tis as much as a very fwift Horfe can do to overtake diem running, and if they have the leatt ttart of them, they ftem to play w.th them; for by an eafie Gallop, they rn^ke the Horft ttrain; in which they are much 45 Chap. XXI. Kingdom of CHI L JE. much help’d by their long Legs, for by them they gain more Ground at every reach. Yet ’tis very eafie to catch the young ones, or thole who are not tls’d to be Hunted, becaufe being fo tall, and their Bones, becaufe of their youth, not well knit, they are eafily tir’d ; fo that by following a Flock of them on Horfe- back with Dogs, (and they go Three or Four hundred in a Flock ) the young ones are forc’d to lag behind, and fome are kill’d by the Dogs, fome are knock’d on the Head with a Stick by the Hunter. I have feen them bring thus Three or Four dead at a time; and this is not only a plealant but a ufetiil Sport, for the Flefh of thefe young ones is like KidsFiefh, and is eaten trefh; but that of the old ones is not lb, but dry’d and fmoak’d ; "tis the beft of that Kind in the W orld. The Bezoar Thefe Creatures breed, in a Bag they Stone - have under the Belly, the Bezoar Stones;, which are lo valued ag.iinft Poifon and Malignant Fevers, good to rejoice the Heart, and other admirable Effects: The Matter out of which they are made are Herbs of great Vertue, which thele Ani¬ mals eat to cure themfelves of any thing they ail, and preferve themfelves from the Poilon of any Venomous Creature,as Ser¬ pents. or Poifonous Plants, and other Ac¬ cidents. Thele Stones are found in the oldeft Guanaco’s, and the reafon is, That their natural heat not being altogether fo ftrong as the heat of the young ones, they cari- not convert into their Subftance all the Humour of the Herb they take to remedy their Indilpofition ; and lo Nature has provided, that what remains may be de- pofited in that Bag, and be made a Stone to cure in Men the fame InfirrhitieS; ac¬ cording to this Notion one may oblerve, that the Stone is compos’d of feverai Goats, fome thicker, and fome thinner, according to the quantity of Matter that is gather’d together at each time, juft as a Wax Candle is made by feverai Coats given it ac feverai times to form its big- nels. ’Tis likewife a thing well experienced, That in thofe Countreys where there are moft Vipers, and ocher Poifonous Ani¬ mals, thefe Stones are moft plentiful •, and the Caufe is manifeft, becaufe thefe Ani¬ mals, and the Dear Kind, do beat fo much Ground for their Livelihood, they are more expos’d to Venomous Creatures, which when trod upon wound them foreiy, and they run naturally to their Remedy in thefe Herbs *, and as they do this more frequently in fttbfe Parts where they re¬ ceive moft Damage,by confequence there are more of thele Stones engendred From hence it happens, that in thofe . Parts of Cuyo there is a greater quantity ^ of thefe Bezoar Stones to be had, than in that which we call properly Chile ; for there are many Vipers and Poifonous Creatures, of which Chile is very free, as we have Lid ^ and yet there are taken fome Stones here, but the greateft part come from Cuyo : To which likewife it is of feme Conlideration, that there ar? bred more Guanaco's and Stags then in Chile for that Country being not fo Po¬ pulous, and having luch vaft Plains, thefe Animals have room enough for Food and for Encreafe » but it is not lb towards th® Sea-lide of Chile , for that being very Po¬ pulous and full of Cattle and Flocks, there is no room for the Wild ones, except upon the Edges of the Cordillera , from whence they come down into the Plains fometimes. The bignels of thefe Stones is in pro¬ portion to the Animal that breeds them ; The moft certain Rule is, that if they are little, there are many in the Bag, and fewer if large, and lometimes when very large there is but one. I carried with me to Italy one that weighed Thirty two Ounces, and yet that was not it which made it the moft valuable, but its Vertues and Shape, for it was a perfect Oval as if it had been turn’d by a Turner: The Indian who found it had Seventy Pieces of Eight for it, becaufe when a great Stone is found, it is not Ibid by weight, but ac¬ cording to the Eftimation of the Owners and the bigger the Dearer. The Vertue of thefe Bezoar Stones is very well known and Experienc’d j and People of Quality take them, not only in the time of their Sicknels, but alfo in Health, to preferve it: The Way of tiling them is to put them whole into the Veftel that holds either the Wine or Water, or into the Glafs out of which one drinks, and the longer they ftay in, the more Vertue they communicate ; but if a Per- fon be not much Indifpofed, there is no need of ufmg them any other way, ex¬ cept if orte mould be attack’d by any Di- ftemper of Corifequence, and be Sick at Heart, or be aifetfted with Melancholy Fits, it would have more Vertue to grate a little of the .Stone to powder and drink it; Whatfoever way ’tis taken,it comforts the Heart, purifies the. Blood, and . the ufing of it is look’d upon as a Prefervativg againft all Infirmities. Qvalle „ 1646c 46 Book I. Of the Nature and "Properties of the There are alfb bred in the Pampas, or Oval/e . the Plains of Cuyo, many Hares, and one 1646. fort call’d Cbirichmchd*s , whole Flelh taftes bke that of Sucking Pigs; but the greateft Harts. Encreafers are the Guanaco's and the Deer. It has been faid already, that in Chile there are but few/or the Reafons alledged; Wild Cows, but there are great quantity of Wild Cows and Wild Mares, which came at firft mild Mara from fome which went a ltray by the neg¬ ligence of the Owners, and being once in thofe Mountains, they have encrealed lo wonderfully, that they are become a Game, and many go to kill them or take them for Profit. CHAP. XXII. Of the Trees Growing in Chile. A Mongft other Obligations which the Land of America has to Spain , one is the having enrich’d it with lo many noble Plants, Trees and Seeds, which it wanted •, for before the Spaniards Con¬ quer’d it, there were not in all America either Vines, Fig-trees, Olive-trees, Ap¬ ple-trees, Melicotoons, Peaches, Au- berges. Quinces, Pears, Pomegranates, Cherries,Apricots,Plums,Oranges,Lemons, Citrons, nor Almonds. As for Seeds, there was neither Wheat, Barly, nor Oats, Anis Seed, Coriander Seed, Cumin, nor Ore- ganum, Linleed, Flax, Peale, Beans, nor Cabbage, Lettice, Radifhes, Cardoons, Chicory, or indive, Berenguena's, Gourels, Melons, Cucumbers, Parfly, Garlick, or Onion. But inftead of thefe Trees, Fruits and Plants, the Author of Nature had provided them with others of great ufe and good rellifh, luch as Maize all over America. Frifoles , Las Papas el Madi , Los Capados , and lome others, are proper only to Peru , and the Land within the Tropicks; the Camotes , Guay aha s, Mam- meyes, Plantam 1 s, Zipitapotes , Anones , Nif- pero*s, Aquacates, Pinna s, Guanahand , s i Pa. paya*s, Pitahayds , and many others, which though highly commended, do not gene¬ rally come up to the Rellifh of the Euro¬ pean Fruits. And the Bread and Wine has been a fingular addition to them, fuch as die Indians value more then all their Pro- dud, and particularly the Wine, which is their chief delight ^ as for Bread,they value it, but not fo much. Though America is oblig’d to Europe for all this addition, yet Chile much more, as having the greateft advantage by it, and with more plenty then any other part of that New World ; for though all that we have nam’d of European Plants are to be found fomewhere, yet not all evdry where; for in fome there grows Corn, and not Wine, in others both thofe, and not Oyl • in others neither Corn, Wine, nor Oyl* but other Fruit Trees, The lame thing may be faid of the Animals to eat; fome have Beef, others Mutton, others Pork, which on the Continent is a Delicacy, and is given to the Sick s fo that running over all America , we may find that this Communication of new Creatures has reach’d fome Parts for one thing, and fome for another But as for the King¬ dom of Chile , it may be laid to have been totally oblig’d and enrich’d ; for all the Trees, Seeds, Plants, all the Animals, &a of Europe , are to be found there, and that almoft in every part of it, for ’tis rare to fee any thing take in one place, and not in another i but if it does, they may eafily have it from their Neighbours, if it be not fo good, or not at all with them. In the Third Chapter of this Book we have already mentioned how all thefe European Fruits and Seeds take in Chile , but we can never enough dilate upon that Subject. It will hardly be believed by moft People, particularly by thofe who never having been out of their own Coun¬ try, are fb in love with it, as not to ima¬ gine there can be any equal to it, much lefs exceed it; and we relating things fo diftant, of which we cannot bring Ocular Witneffes, we are the more iiable to con¬ tradiction ; but fince we are Writing a Hiftory, we mud fpeak the Truth as we know it, and it really is. Some Trees do not exceed in bignefs Trtts. thofe of Europe of the fame Kind, as Cherry Trees, Quince Trees, Almond, Peach, and Pomegranate Trees, Olive, Orange, Lemmon, and Citron Trees, Melicotoons, which laft in Tucuman are neverthelefs very large, and to that de¬ gree, that Three or Four Men fometimes cannot Embrace the Body of one of thofe Trees. I have feen fome Apple Trees as big as Elm Trees; the Pear Trees are yet bigger, and much more the Mulberry Trees, and Wallnut Trees, tho as to their Fruit it is not fo large as that of Europe, the Nuts having the Shell as thick again. Chap. XXII. Cyprefs Tree. Cedar Tree. The Oak. faragua Tree. Cinnamon Tree. Cuayac Tree. Kingdom of C H I L E. and by confluence Ids Meat. This is, as to the Garden Trees brought from Europe, As for the Trees natural to that Coun¬ try, they are of Two forts, the one is Fruit Trees, the other not; Of the fir ft, I find only Three Kinds or Species of thofe which are likewife in Europe , which are the AveUaruPs or Hafel Nut, the Pine Tree, and the Alganobo^s or Cod Tree. Of thole which are not properly Fruit Trees, there are the Laurel 3 the Oak, the Wil¬ low, the Cyprefs, which are in great abundance, and very large ; out of thefe they have Boards very fit for Boxes and Trunks, which are no ways pieced, but ol one Plank ; The Doors and Coverings of the Churches are alfo of this Cvprels Wood. Thefe Trees grow.moft commonly in the Precipices of the Cordillera , which be¬ ing very deep, the Cypreftes are extream large and tail, for they /hoot up till their tops can be warm’d by the Sunbeams, fo that they are as freight as a Wax Candle, and of lo fine a Smell and Perfume, that though it be fo plentiful, it bears a good Price, and a greater in Peru , to which ’tis carried as well as the Cedar, which does not fell fo well becaufe there are more of them. Thele Cedar Trees are without compa- rifon bigger, and have larger Heads than the Cyprels Trees, and of one of them are made leveral Planks ; but more of this when we come to fpeak of the Iflands of C&iloe, lot there they are larger than in any other Part. The colour of the Wood is red when it is firft Work’d, but in time, and by degrees, it loles that lively co¬ lour, and comes to be of a kind of Wall- nut Tree colour ; The Planks are of the falhion of Cedar Planks, not lo lubjeft to the Worm, but more eafie to Work. The Oak alfo yields very large Planks^ for they thrive exceedingly, and grow very thick ; lome of them are white, and the Wood of them is corruptible ; others arc red, and incorruptible. The Planks from the Paragua Tree are the moll in ule, but lefs valuable. The Tree is a handlom branching Tree, keeping its Leaves green all the year: They are like Elms. The mod common Wood of all, and that of which there is moll plenty, which lerves for the Covering of Houles and Roofs, is the Cinnamon Wood ; thefe are very large Trees, of a beautiful Afpedt i they keep their Leaves all the year, and are like that which in Italy they call the Laurei Royal. The Guayac Tree is bred in the Mountain or Cordillera , and from fSAx'y thence has its hardnefs and beavinds Ovalle . which is fuch that it is like Iron ; and 1646. the Balls made of it to Play at Billiards, are almoll as hard as the Ivory ones; The Tree is no large Tree, and the Heart ol the Wood is a yellow mixt with green ; The DecoQion of it is good for many Infir¬ mities. The Sandal Tree is very Odorife- Sandal rous; there are great quantities of them in Tres - the Iflands which are nam’d from Juan Fernandes ; ’tis a Prelervative againll the Plague, and is us’d by the ConfefTours and others who are bound to approach In¬ fected People. There are other Trees and Shrubs of admirable Vertue for feveral Infirmities, of which the Indians have a particular Knowledge, and perform ad¬ mirable Cures with them. The Fruit Trees bred in the Mountains are many, and of great variety ; let us firft Treat of that which indeed carries the Palm, not only becaufe of itsName,but that its Heighth, Beauty, and Abundance, and that of its moft excellent Fruit, chal¬ lenges the firft place among all the reft. They grow generally upon the Moun- Palm Tree. tains, and in Precipices, fo thick toge¬ ther, that feeing them at a diftance, one would think they were a Clump let by Hand ; they are very thick and high, all the Body of the Tree is naked till the top or firft fprout; its nature is to lofe all its old Branches as the new ones come out, by which means the Body of the Tree riling free, and difencomber’d from fuch Boughs as ufe in other Trees to grow out of the Sides of them, is totally em¬ ployed in feeding the top, and the Fruit which grows within it, being as it were a Piramide round it, to preferve it by the admirable Texture of its Leaves and Branches which encompals it. Thefe Palm Trees have a wonderful Property, and moft certain, which is, that none of them give their Fruit except they are in fight of each other; and if it happens that one comes up alone with¬ out a Companion, though it thrive to a great largenefs, yet it never bears except another be planted by it, and this they call the Female; and as loon as the Fe¬ male is planted, though never fb little a one, yet the great one bears, and the fecond in irs time, when it is big enough : I have feen the Experience of this, and 'tis a thing well known to all. The Fruit of thefe Trees is call’d Coco’s, and is like Filberts, though bigger by half, and the Meat within the Shell is not folid, but hollow, and is round the Edge about the thieknels of a Crown Piece ; and in the reft Book I 48 Of the 'Nature and Properties of the reft of the hollow is a kind of Milk or OveiUe. Water, of an excellent rellilh, and fo is 1646. the Flefh of it, which is white, and Serves to preserve the Liquor like a Phiol, which Bays in it till it be Imbib’d by the Coco, which happens in fome Months, and then they are not fo good to eat as when they are frefh ; but then they are good to preferve, as Almonds are $ and other Kernels of that nature. Antonio de Herrera, and other Authors, lay, that thefe Coco's are good againft Poifon i ana Nature' feems to fet a value upon it by the many covers in which it is involv’d *, firft the Kernel is cover’d with a Shell harder than that of-the Almond, then it has another cover of a green co- Ibiu , and fometimes yellow, which is woven io clofe about it, and fo flrongly, that when it is green ’tis ealier to break it than to peel it off. The Fruit grows clofe to a Stalk, which fometimes will have above a Thoufand on it; and this is environ'd by a great Shell, which grows bigger and bigger with that bunch it con¬ tains, till at laft the Fruit makes it burft and open into two parts, which are like two Boats, each of above half a yard long, and two fpans diameter in the broad- eft place, and the bunch within all of z fine yellow, very beautiful to look on ; it hangs on the Branches till it be ripe, and then falls to the Ground, where- it is ga¬ ther’d, and great provifion is made of it for Peru , for befides their being made a Sweetmeat, the Children rid the Mer¬ chants of them for Play Things, it being one of their greateft Entertainments, The Palm Trees which bear Dates* do not feem to be natural to this Country, but brought from abroad, for I never law them,, as others, wild in the Fields, but only in Gardens- The Pengtt. There are other Fruit Trees wild which come in the Fields, and are call’d Peng#, they have a red Fruit, fomething biggen and more oval then the Filberts; thefe the Indians eat boil’d- with other Ingres The Magiie. clients. There-are alfb Trees call’d Ma- pets, which are very beautiful and cook¬ ing ; the Leaves are admirable againft a Burn •, The Fruit- is black, like a Mireie Berry/ds very well rellifh’d, having, a duk cepi'fuante very agreeable it blackens the Mouth and Hands when it is eaten* and for that reafon the more Civiliz’d People do not ufe it fo much. There are ailfo Fruits of which the Indians make their fermented Liquors, whofe Names and Properties I cannot call to mind t only I know there is great variety of them, and I can remember one call’d Qudu • The Fruit is very fweet and fmail* between red and yellow; 01 this they make a Drink extraordinary fweet; they make another Drink of that which they call Iluigan, and the Spaniards Motley fit is ot the fhape and colour like Pepper, the Tree on which they grow is but little, but a great bearer ; This Drink is very agreeable, and coveted even by the greareft Ladies, The moft common Drink of the Indians is made of Maiz., which is the or¬ dinary Bread and Sulienance of the In¬ dians. Let us end by the Tree call’d Murtilia, Tf Mur* though if vve believe the. Authors who u * Treat of it, it deferves to be ranked in the fir ft place : Antonio de Herrera i peaks lb well of this Tree in the Ninth Decade of his Hiftory of the Indias, Took the yah, and Fol. 247. that 1 will relate only whac he fays, and that in his own Words, which are as follow. [ 'There is a- kind of Fruit Ant. de of Trees that grow on the Mount aim, which * lerrer fine, warm, and very agreeable to the-tafle, as well as profitable to the Stomach -; it ccmfmnes- ail Vapours in fha Mead, its heat warning the Ears without going any further it cow forts and dm ijhes the Stomach, encreafes- Appetite, and never takes it away $ it never offends the Heady or makes it heavy, or butt bens the Stomach $ and it bears as much Water aga.hr as Wine will do. Thofe who have rafted it, commend its colour and favour as much as that of Grapes ; its colour is golden, and mighty bright, and it is as fweet and g ood as the Wersa cf Ciudad Real. There is fit tie of it made, and fo it- lafis but eight Months, for which reafon y rii not known how many years it would keep 5 it takes up as much labour and care as IVme in the making ; If u be left to its felf and without Fire, tis forty days before if fer¬ ments ; tt cafis down a Lee , and works out the frothy part at the top of the Veffel, and for that tea]on care is taken to [cum it as it boils, and then ’tis drawn of into another Veft el, When dis turn'd to Vinegar, Us Vine* gar has a better t-afh and colour then Wm Vinegar, Chap. XXII. Kingdom Vinegar , for it retains the colour of the Fruit , which is 'very odoriferous and fwect ~\ Thus far this Author ; from whence it may be inferr’d, that this Land had good Wine of its own; and it had alfo very good Oyl made of a Seed call’d Madi , it is extreamly well rellilh’d, but now ’tis not much in ufe, becaufe that of Olives is fo common. Ic is not poffible to defcribe particularly one by one all the various forts of Trees that are bred in the Woods and Moun¬ tains of Chile, and it would take up a very large Treatife, which is not my pur- pole ; yet when we come to Treat of the Streights of Magellan , we will fpeak of the Cinnamon Tree which is to be found there, and of the Barks of fome other Trees of that Soil, which have the fame tafte as the Eaf•India Pepper. All of CHILE. 4 9 that I can fay at prefent is that there are few of thefo Trees that lofe their Leaves Ovalle . in Winter, particularly thofe which grow ifyfa wild in the Woods, which are generally i/*y~v/ Aromotick, and of a very fragrant fmell; and of them all the fineft ofthisKhid are bred in the Territory of the Conception . I would not have believed it, if I had not feen it j for in Travelling I met with lovely Groves, which border'd the Highways, and call out fo rich a fmell from their Leaves, that the Flowers of Jafmin did not appear fweeter. There are alfo abun¬ dance of Mirtles and Laurels which grow in great Groves naturally, and yet among them there are Trees whofe Leaves ex¬ ceed them infinitely in the perfume of their fmell; infomuch that palling ones Hand over them, one would think one had Amber Gloves on. H The 50 The Second Book. \0valle . 1646. IJIands. T R EATING Of the Second and Third Part O F T H E KINGDOM O F CHAP. I. Of the IJIands of the Kingdom of Chile. H AVING, for the better De* fcription of the Kingdom of Chile, divided it into Three Parts, we have treated of the Firlt and Principal one, which is that which is properly called Chile, in which many Things are laid which are common to all the Three Parts; therefore in thefe Two which remain we (hall take notice of that only which fhall be peculiar to them, to avoid Repetition. We come now to the Second Part, v/hich are, the Blands which are fpread all along the Coaft of the South Sea as far as the Streighcs of Magellan. I fay, they are many in number, and fome of them very large ones ; as that of Santi a Maria, La Mocha, Juan Fernandes , and, above all, that ot Chiloe, in which is founded the City of C afro : Some make this Iflands yo, Ionic 70 Leagues in length, and about fix or feven Leagues in breadth! In the lame Sea, or Archipelago , there are many more, ibme of 10 Leagues, and others lels, and in all, reckoning thofe that are within the Streights of Magellan , there are above 200 difeovered. Juft over-againft Ccquimbo there are three, which are called del Soboral , de Mu xi Hones, and de los Pax.or os, in 30 Degrees Muxillo* Latitude \ two more in 33 and 40 De- nes, de grees: There are eight Email ones juft ios Pa- over again!! Val Paraifo, which are called rax0S) ^ the Ifluids of Juan Fernandes • who dying, lefc them to the Jefuites. Then follows the Ifland Quinquina , which is in the Bay of the Conception: Juft over againft Arauco is the Ifland of S unci a Maria , in the 37th Degree ^ and in 38 that of La Mocha. Hard by Valdivia, about 43 Degrees, comes the Archipelago of Chiloe, which is compofed of 40 Iflands ; and hard by it is the Province of Calbuco, in which there are 12 more: Thofe of Los Chonos are as many, in 4^ Degrees; and in yo Degrees are the 80 Iflands difeovered by Pedro Sarmienio ; as lhall be related here¬ after. The Iflands of Chiloe are reputed bar- Ifle5 J ren, but their Soil is not really fb, only chiloe. the Chap. II. Kingdom of the exceflive Rains choak the Seed, and do not let the Corn thrive ; lo that they are without Wheat, Wine, or Oil, or any other Plants which need much Sun. The Nature of the Climate of this Archipelago is fuch, that it Rains almolf all the year, fo that only Maiz, or other llich Grains, can ripen, that do not want fo much Sun. The Nourifhment, or Diet of the Nacives, is moftiy of a Root called Papas , well known over all the Weft-Indies , of a good Nourifhment, and they grow there bigger than in any other Place : They have be. fides fome Maiz, fome Fiih, and particu¬ larly Shell-Filh, which is excellent in thole Seas. 1 hey have few Sheep, but very good Poultry, as well as Hogs, and fome Beef-, with which, and what belides is brought to them fiom St.Jago and the Conception, the Spaniards , both of the Gar- rifbn and City of Caftro, make a good Shift. This ( icy is the Capital of the Chief Ifland, in which, and in the rdf, there is great quantity of Honey and Wax made; and Herrera and other Hi- ftorians fay, There are Mines of Gold upon the Shore, and they remark it as an extraordinary thing, and hardly heard of in any other Place. Manufa - The Manufactures of thefe Iflands are chire of the the Cloathing tor the Indians , who have iflands, a kind of Veft which they call Macnn, and it is without Sleeves, becaufe their Arms are naked ; and over this they put a Garment called Choni , which ferves for a Cloak, and is like chat which Painters give to the Apoftles in their Pidtures.They have another Commodity from their Woods, particularly of the Plank they make of a Tree, which is a Cedar, and of which they have vaft Woods, and in them Trees of a prodigious fize; for Frier Gregory of Leon, of the Order of St, Francis , in his Map of Chile , which he Dedicates to the Prelident Don Loiiis Fernandes 4e Cor dona. Senior del Carpio, fays. That fome of thele Trees are fo big, that they cannot be hardly encompaffed by a Rope of fix Yards long; and out of the Wood of the Boughs there has been made 600 Planks, of 25 Foot long, and two Foot broad ; and that which is confiderable is, that this Plank is not fa wed, but cut with Axes; in which there is much more Lofs: This Author deferves Belief, as well from the Experience of 42 years that he lived in Chile, as from having been Definitor of his Order: And what I have hfcard from the Mouth of a Colonel, who was both born and bred in that Country, will ferve to confirm this; which is, That if two Men on Horfeback are on each fide of CHILE. 51 the Tree when it lies along, they cannot fee one another; for the Body of the Qvalle 0 Trunk hinders them. Thefe Planks are 1646* carried to Chile and Pern, and in Ex- change they bring back Provifions to live on. The Iflands of Chono are yet poorer jn es 0 p than thefe • becaufe, that being nearer the Chono. Pole, their Summer is fhorter, and their Rains more copious, infomuch that they drown the Earth, and hinder it from producing. We have little Knowledge of any other 1 funds belides thefe of Cbiloe ; becaufe the Continent being fo large, and yet not throughly Peopled, there has been little occafion of Inhabiting any more than fome few of the Iflands; by which means there is but finall Difcovery made of their Qualities; though 'tis reafonable to think they relemble the Land over againft which they lie. As tor the Iflands of Juan Fernandes , ifles of I will relate what I find writ about them Juan Fer- in Theodore and John de Brye , in their Re- na Mes. lation of the Voyage of John Scutten ; They fay then. That thefe two Iflands ai e^very high Land ; the Jeaff of the two, which is the Wefiermoft, appeared to them barren, as being covered with Wood, and very Mountainous; though not Lan- oingonic, they could make no Judgment of the infide of the Ifland. The bigger Ifland, which is the Eafiermolt, is iike- wile Mountainous, but has great Variety of Trees, and much Grafs, with which are fed great Herds of Swine and Goats, bred from fome few which were put on Shore by John Fernandes , who began to Cultivate thefe Iflands as his own ; but he dying, and the Spaniards finding greater Advantages upon the Continent, they forfook thofe Iflands, which were out of all Trade, leaving their Stocks of Cattel ’behind them, which now are infinitely multiplied. They fay belides. That coming to this. Fine which they call the Fine Ifland , they found Ifland a Port very fafe for their Ships, having 20 or 50. Fathom depth ; the Shore all Sandy and even, with a delicate Valley full of Trees of all forts, and Wild-Boars, and other Animals feeding in it; but they could not diflinguifh them, by rea- fon of the diftance they were at. They extol particularly a moil Beautiful Foun¬ tain, which coming down from high Rocks, rowls into the Sea by different Canals, which form a pleafanc Profpebf, and its Water is very fweet and agreeable: They faw alfo great Store of Seals, and other Filh, which they caught in great Plenty. In ihort, they were fo in love H 2 with 52 Of the Nature and ‘Properties of the Book II. with this Ifland, for the good Qualities Ovalle. they difcovered even at its Entrance, that 1646. they were very unwilling to leave it, tho prefled in point of time. I do not doubt but this is a very pleafant Situation ; for in its Temperature, and other Properties, it muft be very like Val Varaifo and St. Jago, becaule 7 tis almoft in the fame Degree Weft •, and without doubt thefe Iflands will be Peopled in time, when the Continent grows Popu¬ lous ; as it does every day ; for then Peo¬ ple will be feeking new Habitations; but at prefent they only go thither fometimes to Fifh, to (end it to Peru , where they have it not fo Plentifully. The fame Authors, giving an Account of the other Dutch Squadron under George Spilberg, fay. That they came to the Ifland of Mocha, and found the Nortn- fide of it plain and low, but the South full of Rocks: They Landed; and the good Reception they found from the In- Mans is an Argument of the Fertility of the Place. Thole Indians are a Noble fort of People, and very good Natur’d. When they had Refrelhed themielves much at their Eafe, they made Provilion of great Store of Sheep, who are very large, and in great plenty there ; as like- wife of Hen’s, Eggs, Fruit, and other Provifions. They Treated the Indians on Board, and lhewed them their Great Guns, and their Men in Order for Fight¬ ing : They prefented them alfo with Eu¬ ropean Commodities; fuch as Hats,Clothes, Axes, and Things which they valued. After this they fet them again on Shore, and the Indians made Signs to them to go back to their Ships; as they did. But they were very differently received in the Ifland of SanSla Maria, where the Vice-Admiral Landed with fome of his Men, and were invited by the Indians to Eat; but from the Ships they faw a great Army coming down upon them, as they were going to fit down to Table; where¬ upon they made Signs to them to retreat to the Port; which they did, and had juft time to Embark ; but they likewife carried off about foo Sheep, and other Refrefh- ments, having found the Ifland very Fer¬ tile, and well provided, as well as very Temperate ; being about r; Leagues South-Weft from the City of the Con. ception , about 37 Degrees, and not above three Leagues from Arauco ; which makes fome think, that formerly this Ifland was faftened to the Main Land, and that the Sea had in length of time made the Di- viflon, which now forms the Bay of Arauco. There is little to be faid that is particu¬ lar of all the other Iflands to theStreights of Magellan, flnce it has not pleafed God to let < them be Peopled by Spaniards y and fo give an Entrance to the Gofpel ; by which means the Product and Nature of them might be known, and many Souls faved which Inhabit them. All that we know now of them, is. That in the Voyage of Pedro de Sarmiento to Spain , being fent by the Vice-Roy to Chaftife Francis Drake, for his Boldnefs for Infefting thole Coafts; in his way, on this fide the Streights of Magellan t he difco¬ vered a great Archipelago of Iflands, which they told to the number of 80, which he named by feveral Names, and took Poffeffion of them in the Name of his King. He alfo difcovered more Iflands in yi Degrees, to which he did the fame. 'Tis known likewife, That in the Streights themielves there are many Iflands, fome of which wc fhall mention when we neat of the Streights of Ma¬ gellan. CHAP. II. Of the Land called Tierra del Fuego„ "T HE Land called Tierra del Fuego, (fo 1 Famous in the Relations and Maps we have of the Streights of Magellan ) has deceived many by its Name ; People be¬ lieving that it had been given it for fome Volcano's , or Burning Mountains, or other Subterraneous Fires; but it is not fo; for this Name had no other occaflon, than that the firft Navigators through the Streights difcovered upon it many Fires and great Smoaks, made as they fuppofed by the numerous Inhabitants of it; and fo they called it the Land of Fire. There arofe likewife another Miftakefrom its great Extent; for it was judged to be a great Continent, of which in time the World was undeceived, as we fhall fee hereafter. T. his Land, called Tierra del Fuego, is that which forms the South-lide of the ffjTti. Streights ot Magellan , extending its felfdel Fue- the whole Length of th* Streights Eaft go- and Chap. II. Kingdom of C H I LE n and Weft, above One hundred and thirty Leagues. Formerly, before the Streights of St. Vincent, orherwile call'd the Streights of Le Maire , were dilcover’d, this Land was thought to be joined to fome other great Continent of the Terra Aufiralis, which was fuppofed to join to New Guinea, or the Iflands of Solomon ; and Ortelius in his Geography, is of this Opinion » but upon the difcovery of the other Streights ofiSY. Vincent , that Doubt has been clear d, ieveral having gone through them to the South Sea ; and among the reft, Two Caravels fee out by the King’s Command, in the year 1618. on purpofe to view thele Streights, which it was faid had been difeover’d by James Le Maire, w bich Caravels were Commanded by Don Juan de More. *618. Thele Two Veflels let out from Lif bonne in the Month of October i6i 8. and being come to the Eaft Entrance of the Streights of Magellan , they run along all that Coaft without finding any Entrance, til) they came to that of Le Maire-, which they went through in lels then one day’s time ; after which they turn’d to the South, and afterwards to the Weft, they went round all the Tierra del Fuego , and failing North, came to the Weft Entrance of the Streights of Magellan , into which they enterd, and faii’d through them to the North Sea. Having thus made a Circle clean round the Tierra del Fuego , they proved it demonftratively to be an Eland leparate fi om ail other Land. The lame was done by Sir Richard Haukins , an Englijh Gentleman, who having pals’d the Streighc of Le Maire , fail’d for Five and forty days to the South, without find¬ ing any Land contiguous to the Tierra del Fuego, but many Iflands, as is related by Antonio de Herrera, Chap. 27. of the De- feription of the FVeJl India's. The fame has been confirm'd by Ieveral, who being driven by Storms from their intended Courfe, have been forc’d to run towards the South Pole» amongft the reft by Francis Drake , who having pafsd the Streights of Magellan the 6th of September \ 5:72. and being got on the 7th a Degree from the Streights, was carried by a Storm Two hundred Leagues to the South; and coming to an Anchor in fome of thofe Iflands, he there found that the Sun being Eight Degrees from theTropick of Capricorn , the days were fo long, that there was not above Two hours night; from whence he inferEdi, that under the Tropick there muft be a perpetual day of 24 hours; the lame was Experimented about Two year ago by the Fleet of Ge¬ neral Henry Brum, which having pafs’d the Streights in April , were by the force Ovalle . of Ill Weather carried into Seventy two 164&. Degree's, and caft Anchor at,the Iflund of Si. Bernard, to which they gave the Name of Barhe'velt ; and it being about the en¬ trance of Winter, the days were not above Three hours long, lo that they expetfted they would Dili Shorten till June, when the Sun being furtheft off from that He- mifphere, would leave them in. a total night; for this Reafbn, and becauie of the Hardnefsof the Weather, which encreas’d every day, they duift not Winter in that Eland, as they had a mind, but after a Fort¬ nights ft ay in it weigh’d Anchor, and.fail’d for Chile . In which Voyage they made bu£ little advance, having always the Wind a~ head, infomuch that they were a whole Month Doubling one Cape, and loft in the Endeavour their Tender ; in which was the beft part of their Provifion. So much for the Iflands belonging to the Coaft of Chile ; but having alio men¬ tion’d the Iflands of Solomon and New Guinea , to which anciently it was thought that the Land of Tierra del Fuego was join’d, it will be well to fay fomething of them. The -Author who writes the beft of them, is Antonio de Herrera , and from him is taken what John 2 nd Theodore de Brye fay of them ; which is thus. The Iflands of New Guinea run from iflands of fomething more than One Degree South New Gui* of the Pole Antartick , Three hundred nea * Leagues Eaft to the Fifth or Sixth De¬ gree ; according to which reckoning,, they fall about the Weft of Fait a. The Iflands of Solomon fall to the Weft of Peru about Solomon.' Eight hundred Leagues from its Coaft, and extend themielves between the Seventh and Twelfth Degree: They are diftant from Lima about Fifteen hundred Leagues; they are many, of a good Size; There are Eighteen Principal ones, which are fome Three hundred, fome Two hundred, fome One hundred, fome Fifty Leagues, and lefs in Compals. Between them and Peru, inclining to the Land of Chile , there is another Ifland call’d the Ifland of St. Paul , about the Latitude of Fifteen jnje of Degres, and about Seven hundred Leagues St. Paul, from the Terra Firma. The Fleet of IViUiam Scouten having i^i run along the Coaft of Chile in the year 1615- or 1 616. from the Streights of Ma¬ gellan, took their Courfe to the Weft, when they were about the Latitude of Eighteen Degrees, to try to find out fome new Ifland, and found one in Fifteen De¬ grees ; which according to their Compu cation. 54- 0/ the Nature and As*\ tation, was diftant from the Coafts of Ovalle. Peru about Nine hundred Leagues: After 1646. this, they difcover’d Two more, which they call’d the Coco Iflands, by reafonof The Coco the great plenty of that Fruit that was ijlands. t h ere - That the Inhabitants did ufe to drink the fweet Liquor that was bred w'ithin the Coco's, but when it was at an end, they made a lliifc with Salt Water; to which being accuftom’d from their youth, it did not hurt them. They lay more. That the Inhabitants go Naked, though not quite ; and that their way of being Civil and Saluting, is to give them- ielves Blows upon their Temples, which is the fame as with us the pulling off the Hat or Cap. At firft they laughed at the Fire Arms, till they faw one fall much wounded, which undeceiv’d them, and ‘Properties of the Book II. convinced them that it was not only noiie which proceeded from thofe Arms. Thefe Iflands are diftant from Veru 1 5 1 o Ger¬ man Leagues; which are longer then the Spanijh Leagues, though not fo long as the Indian ones. There were found alio other Iflands in the Latitude of Twenty nine Degrees, which perhaps were thofe which at firft they call’d the Iflands of Solomon: Others fay, that there are others more to the Weft oppofite to Chile. Whofoever is Curious enough to know the Particuiais of all thole Iflands, their Temperature, Inhabitants, their good and ill Qualities, may find them in the above cited Authors, who Treat of them more at large ; for my Intention, ’tis enough to fay what I have reported. CHAP. III. Of the Two Streights of Magellan and St. Vincent. T H E Streight of Magellan receiv’d its Name from that Man, whoE- ternized his own, by being the firft who difcover’d and pafs’d it. This was that famous Vortuguefe Captain Hernando de Magellanes , whole Intrepid Soul going al- moft beyond the true limits of all ordi¬ nary Valour, feems to have border’d upon temerity and rafhnefs, by engaging him- felf to difeover a Pafiage altogether un¬ known, and fo narrow that it was very dangerous for Ships ; being befides in the ?4th Degree, which makes it very cold. This bold Captain begun to enter the Streight by the North Sea the 27th of No. *vtmber of the year 15-20. and in Twenty days, which was a happy Palfage, he enter’d the South Sea; from thence he fail’d to the Philippine Iflands, where he was kill’d in one of thofe Iflands call’d Mat an, to which he went from another call’d Pezetu, to fight againft tfie King of the firft, becaufe he refufed to fubjed him- felf to one of thofe Kings who had turn’d Chriftian ; engaging him with more Cou¬ rage then Conduct : And fo he perifh’d by the great number of his Adverfaries, His Death was very much lamented, and he much mifs’d in the Difcoveries of that New World; for without doubt, if he had lived longer, he would have made great Dilcoveries in the Terra Firma and Iflands. To give a more certain Account of this Streight of Magellan, I will make ufe of the Memoirs of chafe who have pafs’d it, and left Relations of it, who as Eye Witnefles, were left fubjed to miftake. And firft I will give thofe Sworn Rela¬ tions given in Caftilla , by thofe who fee fail from the Corunna by the Emperor Charles the Fifth’s Order, in Six Ships, under the Command of Fray Garcia Jofre de Loayfa, a Knight of Maltha , and born at Civedad Real. They fay in their Report,That the laid Streight is a Hundred Leagues in length, from the Cape of the Pleven Thousand Virgins, which is at the Entrance of the North Sea, to the Cape of Difire, which is at the Entrance of the South Sea ; and they fay more, that they found in the Screight Three great Ba) s of about Seven Leagues wide from Land to Land, but the Entrances of them are not much more then half a League over; the firft is a bout a League deep ; the fecond about two Leagues; the third, they fay, is en- compafs’d with Mountains of fuch a heighth, that they feem to be in compe¬ tition with the Stars, and the Sun does not enter within them in the whole year; which was the caufe oi their enduring there an extream Cold, for it Snows al- moft continually, and the Snow never melting by the Sun Beams, it looked with a kind of bluifh colour. They fay tnore- over-i that the Nights were Twenty hours long; they met with good Water, and Trees of feveral forts, among which many Cinnamon Trees; and that the Leaves and Boughs oi the Trees, though they appear’d Chap. III. Kingdom of appear’d green, yet burnt in the Fire as it they were dry ; That they found many good Fifhing Places, and faw many Whales, (Tome Mermaids) many of the Tunny Fifh, Sharks, Cods, great Store of Pilchards and Anchovies, very great Oy- fters, and other Shell Fifh. That there were alio very good Harbours with Fif¬ teen fathom Water \ and in the ^freights it Felf above Five hundred fathom, and now where are there any Sands or Shoals. They obferv’d feveral pleafantRiversand Streams i and law that the Tides of both Seas came each of them above Fifty Leagues up the Streight, and meet about the middle of it with a prodigious Noife and formidable Shock; though a ?on'ugue[e Captain^ who had pafs’d this Streight, told me, that rhefe Tides were only lome high Floods which laft a Month or thereabouts, as the Winds blow, which makes the Sea fome* times life to a great height, and at other times fall as much, leaving the Shore dry for ,a great way ; and the Ebbing is fome- rimes fo faff, that Ships are left dry; as this Captain’s Ship was, fo that he was forc’d to dig his wav out to get into deeper Water. They found feveral other Entrances in this Streight, hut for want of Provifion they could not (fay to fearch rhem : They loll one Ship off the Virgin’s Cape ; and they had fcarce entred the Streights. when a Storm blew them back to the River of St. lUrfonfb , and to the Fort of Santta, Qrcce y where they found Serpents of various colours, and Stones that were good for Ranching of Blood; a!! this may be feen in Antoiiio de Herrera , m the Second Tome, Decad. 3. and the Ninth Book, Fd. 555-. arrd it does not difagree with the ether Relation of Ma¬ gellan’s Voyage, though this makes the ftreighceft part yet Ids, allowing it not above a Mufquec Shot over, and from one Entrance to another it reckons a,Hundred Leagues; the Land on both fidcs being very rich and beautiful. This is in Ihort the Relation given in to the King. There are feme other A uthors, who 'neither m^ke the Streight fo long, nor do they make the narroweft part fo freight; for fome allow but Fourlcore and ten Leagues, or lefs, to its length ; but yet ’tis probable that the fh ft give the moft Crediole Account, becaufe they Examin’d it with fuch Crre and Puncftu- aiity, in order to inform his Majefty ; All agree in one thing, which is, in the good Qualities of the Sea, Land and Iflands of die Streight, as well as of the Shore bn both fides, and of the good Parts that are in it,and of fome particularly fb fecure..that the Ships rid in them without being faflened, being as Fife as if they had been ill a Bob CHILE. §5 Among the red the Hollanders celebrate much the 25th Port» call’d the Famous ; Ovalle„ and it is fo much fb, that George Spilberg y their General, gave it that Name, for the Excellent Reception they found there * They faw the whole Earth about cover’d with various Fruits of various colours, and of excellent tafte; To delight them the more, there was a fine Brook of excellent Water that fell from a high Rock, and Water’d ail tiie Valley entering into the Port ,* and befides thele Five and twenty Ports or Harbours, there were many o- thers in the remaining part of the Streight' which might be a Third of it, all which were very remarkable. There is a Harbour call’d De la Vimien. Harbour ta ) or rhe Pepper Harbour, for the fake of De h Pi- fome Trees they found in it, whole Barks ni ^ hra had a moft aronvatick fmell, and a tafte of Pepper; fomething more burning and quick than that of the Edfi -India’s, When the Nodales p.ifs’d this way , they gather’d a great deal of this Bark ; and Authors fay, that when they brought it to SeviU, ic Was fb valued there, that it was fold For Sixteen Ryals or Two Crowns a Pound. The fame Authors report, tha't they found Cinnamon Trees, which bore good Cinnamon j and in the Second narrow Paffage fome others, that bear a fore of black Fruit, of moft excellent tafte and favour. In other Places they faw molt beautiful Woods and Groves, pleafant Plains, agreeable Valleys, and Intervals of. great Beauty, vvirh high Mountains, fome -cover’d with Show, from whence there defeended lovely Streams; others all Cloathed with Greens of various forts, and in them they deferied many Animals going to and fro, fuch as Deer, Clinches.; and others, as aifo great variety of. molt beautiful Birds of a!i Colours j and among the reft they kill’d on$ fo large,, chat mea- furing one of its Wings, they found it above a yard long ; and they were fb tame that they flew to the Ships, and fufter’d themfelves to be handled 5 They found alfo another fort of large Birds, Which they call’d Sea Geefe, every one of which, after they had been plum’d and pull’d, weigh’d Eight Pounds of CafiFs ^ and they were lb numerous, that the Ground was cover'd with them ; fo chat they kill’d what quantities they pleas’d. They faw another fort of Bird, much of the fliape of a Pidgeon, all white, only with red Bills, and red Feet ; all which were a great Entertainment to them they fail'd along. They commend alfo the Harbour which they call \x\oi\ Beauti¬ ful, Where the City of St. Philip vVas founded \ 56 Book II. Of the Nature and 'Properties of the founded; there they faw the Traces of Ovalie. feverai Animals, wnich us’d to come to 1646. drink in thofe Chryftal Fountains. After the Third Streight place, there is^tobe feen a moft excellent Harbour, call’d the Shell-Harbour, by realon of the vaft quan¬ tity of Oyflers and other Shellfilh that they found there, which fufficed to feed the whole Fleet feverai days, carrying away with them a good Provilion likewile for their Voyage; all owning that they were better than thofe of Europe. There are found in the great Canal of the Streight feverai Iflands, which are as Eftimable as the Terra Firma ; they are generally in the wideft parr, where the Sea is, Seven or Eight Leagues over; the ifefrf Chief are thofe of St. Lawrence and St.Ste- renc t'and fien, otherwife call’d the Ifland of Earne¬ st. Ste- wb. Before they came to thefe, they phen. found other Iflands which they call’d the Pinguin Pinguin Iflands, for the great quantity of jflands. that fort 0 f Birds that are bred there. Holy King’s There is another call’d the Holy Kmfs ijland. JJla n d } which is in a River which enters into the Streights,and they faw in it many Seals. Others of thefe Iflands are nam’d ijles of Se- Sevaldo , from the Name of him that dif iraldo. cover’d them, near which there were Bore *of the Pinguin Birds, and abundance of Whales. After having pafs’d the Second Streight, there are ftiil more Iflands, the lfl es °f firft is call’d of the Angels , and is full of Angels. t | ie Birds we have mentioned. The Se- JJie of Pa- cond is nam’d the ffland of the Patagoons tagoons, or Gyants, becaufe they faw there lome an fl e ? e ~ of them. Near the Shell Port there are ra ot.ers. ot }, er ]fl anc |s; and a little before the Entrance into the South Sea, there are feverai other Iflands, which mull be very little, for the Streights are there very narrow. Some may defire to know, whe* ther, befides this Entrance of the Streight of Magellan , there are any other, by which Ships may fail from the North Sea to the South; touching which, the Rela¬ tion of George Spilberg fays, That there is one by the Cape, which they called Prou- vaert. Some Engtijh likewise, who have fail’d that way, are of the fame Opinion, for which they cite Father Acofia of our Society, in his Oriental Hiftory, Tran* flated by John Hugh Lin feet , Chap. jo. in the end ; as may be feen in the already cited John and Theodore de Brye , who add, that many other Authors do agree in this Opinion, and that thofe of Spilberg* sFieet, before they came to the Streight, faw this Opening on the North fide, but they did not dare to go into it, becaufe they had Exprefs Orders to pafs the Streight of Magellan ; and befides, that which added to this Refolution, was the Obfervation they made of the great force with which the Waves met each other at this Open¬ ing, in fo much that the Sea- feem’d to boil. This is all that I have met with in Au¬ thors about this Opinion *, which even John and Theodore de Brye look upon as falfe, becaufe neither the Spaniards nor Dutch ever faw this Second Canal; but rather that the whole Land of Fttego is one great continued Ifland, which they prove by the Relation of the Navigation made by the Nodales , who were fent to fearch for the Sreight of St. Vincent , and who went round the Tierra del Fuego without finding any fuch Opening, or any other than that of Magellan and St. Vincent ; and yet I am of another Opinion, and hold the firft for certain ; and this does not contradict the Opinion of Spilberg , who does not fay, that the Opening he faw was on the South, but on the North fide towards the Land of Chile ; and fo, though the Land of Fuego be an Ifland, it does not follow that there may not be an En¬ trance on the North fide: But let us leave that to time to make out, and fay fome- thing of the Streight of St. Vincent, which is the Second Paftage from the North to the South Sea. CHAP. IV. 7 he fame Matter n continued , and the Vfefulnefs of the Commerce between Chile and the Philippine Iflands is made out . 1619* I N the year 1619. the King fent, in the Month of oaober, the Two Caravels which I mention’d above, to fearch the Streight of St. Vincent, becaufe about that time it was reported in Spain, that James Le Make had difeover’d it. Thefe Two Ships faii’d to the Bay of Sr* Gregory, which is near the Eaft Entrance of the Streight of Magellan , from whence they fail’d along all that Coaft, where they faw and convers’d with a fort of Gyanrs who were at leaft the Head higher then any of the Europeans, and they Exchang’d for Cizers and other Baubles, Gold, which it feems Chap. IV. 57 Kingdom of C H 1 L E. ieems is the Product of thatCountiy; after which they fail’d South weft round the Tien a del Fuego. tiil they came to the mouth of this new Streight, which they call’d the Streight of St] Fincent ; and be¬ fore they enter’d it, they fail’d along the Shore of this new difcover’d Land, keep¬ ing it always on their Right Hand, their Courfe Eaft North Eaft as it tends. They fail’d about Thirty Leagues, and not having difcover’d, all that way, nor as far as they could fee, any Opening or Inlet, they returned to the Opening of the Streight of St. Fwcent, and entring into it, went through it in lefs then one day, ic not being above Seven Leagues in length ; and being enter’d afterwards into the South Sea, they followed the fame Land to the Eaft, and Southweft, Thirty Leagues more; and feeing it was one continued Coaft, clofed up with Moun¬ tains of great heighth, they durft not go any further, beginning to want Provisi¬ ons ; and fo thinking that this Land might reach as far as the Cape of Good Hope , they left it, and fail’d to the Weft Entrance of the Streight of Magellan ^ which they enter’d, and went thorough to the North Sea, returning that way to Spain, to give an account of what they had difcover’d ; having made a very fortunate Voyage,and not loft one Man, nor had any Sicknefs, all that Climate being very like that of Europe , and particularly to the Cold part of it: This made the King give Order for the letting out of Eight Sail more, to carry this way to the Philippine Iflands all the Relief neceffary, of Soldiers, Artil¬ lery, and Tackling for Ships > refolving henceforward that they fhould always go this way, as being fhorter, eafier, and of lels Charge and Danger. This was the Opinion of Michael de Cardoel, and the other Pilots chofen tor this Expedition, who oblig’d themfelves to fail to the Phi¬ lippines (bating extraordinary AccidentsJ in Eight or Nine Months ; for having once pafs’d the Streights, if they had the Wind and Currents favourable, they hoped to gee to the Philippines in Two Months; becaufe from Chile to thofe Iflands, there is no reafon, as in other Navigations, to wait for certain Seafons and Times of the year, for all that Voyage being to be made within the Tropicks, there is no danger of Winter, but one may fail ic at any time of the year. The Dutch Authors already cited, treat¬ ing of this Subject, add thefe Words: [‘In truth this is a great conveniency to ‘ Mankind, to be able to go from Europe ‘ co thefe Iflands in fo ihort a time, with ‘ all the Health and Safety of the Sailors, 1 it being otherwife in going bv the Cape Ovalle . ‘of Good Hope , where the djverfity of 1646. ‘ Winds is to be obfei v’d ; fome of them ‘ being fo contrary as to hinder abfolutely ‘the Voyage, fo that it lafts fornetimes ‘ Fifteen or Sixteen Months. Befides, this ‘Courfe is fo fubje the diftance being much lefs, and having for Friends all the Ports of Chile , if they won’t go fo high as Peru, which the Dutch have not: Neither would it be a fmall Ad¬ vantage to exchange in thofe Ports the Merchandices of Europe with their Pro- dud, which is fo wanting in the Philippine Iflands, and all thofe Parts of the Eaft. Every one may find their Account in this Trade ; the Spaniards without running the danger of Sicknefs in thofe unhealthy Cli¬ mates of Carthagena , Panama , and Puerto Bello , might find as much vent for the Eu¬ ropean Commodities; Chile and Pirn would ' - have all Goods from Spain , much cheaper than they have them now by the Terra Firrna, the Charges then would be three times lels, and at the fame time they would help off the Produd of thofe Parrs; as from Peru they might load Corn, Wine, and Oyl ; and if they did not care to go fo far, they might have the fame things from Chile , and cheaper; befides Copper, Hides, Almonds, and other Commodities proper to Europe: fo that ’tis clear, this would be a very advantageous Intercourfe for. the Philippines , who want all thefe Com¬ modities fo much. Neither would the Trade of New Spain receive any damage at all from this; for thofe Countreys could not have them from Peru and Chile fb eafiiy as from Eu¬ rope, and lo Spain would lend lefs only fb much as is carried to the Philippines from New Spain , which cannot be much, lor the Charge of carrying thofe European l Com- 58 Of the Nature and Properties of the Book 11. modifies from Vera Cruz ,, to be Embark d Ovalle . again for the Philippines, is very confide* 1646. rable, it being at leal! One hundred and fixty Leagues by Land from the Vera 'Cruz, to Acapulco , which is the Port where they are to be Embark d ; alter which they have a Navigation of Three Months; and then there being not al¬ ways Conveniences of Shipping in Aca. pulco, thofe Commodities are kept fo Jong that they are Ipoil'd; and ’tis feen by Experience how little of this Trade turns to account : But it would be other- wile if thele Commodities were carried frofn Chile, lincein Two or Three Months, always in a Temperate Climate, they might fail with a conftant South Wind, which blows all the Summer infallibly, and fo bring the Produd of Chile in a good condition to the Philippines . This Commerce, though it would accommo¬ date all Parties, yet it mud be confefs d it would be mod beneficial to Chile, which would thereby have more vent for its Prcdud, and acquire more People to cultivate its natural Fertility. There has been Two Obllacles to this Project, which have hindred its taking. The firft is, the difficulty of palling the Streight of Magellan , becaufe it being fo much elevated towards the Pole, it cannot be pals’d, but in certain Months of the year, which if thole who attempt it do not hit, they are in danger of pe- rilhing; as in effed it has happened to fome Squadrons of Ships, as I lhall relate in the next Chapter ; though others have pafs’d it very luckily in its proper Sea- Ion ; the Streight it felf having, as we have leen, many good Harbours and Shelters for Ships. The fecond Oblfacle is the lame that keeps the Port of Buenos Aires from being frequented, (for elle all the Treafure of Peru might be fent that way) and it is, that the Courfe of Trade is fettled the other way, notwithftanding the Great Charge the Crown is at to have Two Fleets, the one in the South, the other in the North Sea, only to lecure this Paffage, and that with the lofs of lo many Spaniard’* Lives, that in the only Hofpical ot Panama there were buried, as they told me, when l wenc that way in the year Thirty, above Fourteen thoufend Per- 2630. fons; and what mull we guefs then in the Ports of Carthagena and Puerto Bello , which have been the Sepulchre of fo many Eu¬ ropeans, ‘ Notwithftanding all thele Milchiefs, this Way is continued to maintain thofe Cities already founded in thole Parts j though it is moil certain, that the fame End of carrying the Siivei; to Spain might be attain’d by one only Fleet with Ids danger of the Sea : By that Courle the Galeons would laii always in deep Water, and not run the Hazards they do between Carthagena and the Havana , between which Places they are fain to Sound all the way, and keep the Led going, to avoid the many Sholes that are in thole Seas, and in the Canal of Bahama after¬ wards *, belides, that the dangers of Sick- nefs would be avoided, lor the Spaniards find by Experience, that at Buenos Aires they are Healthy, that being in the Tem¬ perate Clirnace, correfponding to chat of Europe. And for the lame Realon, the Naviga¬ tion between Chile and the Philippines is not put in ufe; becaufe the Courle of Things being once fettled one way, ’tis very hard to change them, though to a better. 1 lhall not purfue this Matter any further, becaufe it leems to touch the State and Government, which is not my Defign : Perhaps time will bring all things to pafs, and that thole of Chile themleives will venture to find out this Vent for their Produd. All conlilfs in trying; for the Advantages on both fides would be fo manifell, that the Sweet of them would ibon make the Way eafie, and that Trade would wonderfully Enrich Chile and Peru, fince they might bring back to thole Kingdoms all the Commodities of China and Japan , and that without carrying any Gold or Silver, which might be preferv’d all for Europe : Thus the greatell part of this New World being Enrich’d by its own Produd, the King’s Revenue will be the greater, as well as the Returns in Gold and Silver the greater; and all things thus well accommodated, the Service of God, and the Divine Cult and Worlhip, would be better carried on. CHAP Chap. V. om s/CHILE 5 9 CHAP. V. Of the Fleets, feme of which have been lofi, and fern have happily puffed the Streight of Magellan, OvaUe, 164.6. °f A Mong the Fleets which have been FJacen- l°ft in the Streight of Magellan, ria’s ships the Fir ft was that of four Ships fei out by top in the the Bifhop of Placentia , for the Molucca streight of Iflands ; which having got to the Streight Magellan, with good Weather, and being entredinto it about twenty Leagues, there rife from the Weft a Storm, which blowing dire&ly a-head, forced three of the Ships a fhore, they not having room to turn or run be¬ fore it > but all the Men were faved: The fourth had better fortune; for going before the Storm, fhe got out of the Streight, and when the foul weather was over, came into the Streight again, where the other Ships were loft and found the Men, who had faVed themfelires, on Shore, who pre- fently made figns and cries to be taken on Board ; but they with Hearts full of grief anfwered them, What would you have l We cannot relieve you , for the Vrovifions ive have on Board are not fujficient for us, and fo we may fear to Perijh all of us together. They could not fay to them the other words of the Gofpel, go rather to thofe who fell, becaufe they were in a Defart Countrey, Where they had no Remedy, but to fend Sighs to Heaven, accompanied with incon- folable Tears and Cries, capable of mo¬ ving the Stones thetnfelves. Thus they left them, pursuing their Voyage,much afflicted to be forced to forfake them, and not be able to do any thing for them ; but thefe are Accidents and hard Cafes belonging to the Sea-faring Men. ’Tis not know to this day what has be¬ come of thefe Men; only there is a Tradi¬ tion, that a great way within Land,on the Continent of Chile, near the Streight, there The Cef- is a Nation call’d Cejfares , who were en- ares/Kf deavour’d to bedifeover’d by Don Hiero- Saniard’s nim ° ^ Uls Cabrera, G overnour of Tucti- origimlty. man > about Eight and twenty years agoe, with a good Army rais’d at his own Charge; but his diligence was in vain, as we have marked already, and told the caufe of his mifearrying. ’Tis thought, and ’tis very probable, thefe Cejfares may be defeended from thofe Spaniards who were faved in this Shipwreck; becaufe it was poffible that feeing thetnfelves without any other re- courfe, they might go on into the Terra fir - ma‘ where contracting Alliance with fome Indian Nation, they may have multiplied, and the Fame of them may have reached die neighbouring Nations, and fo on to others. This is certain, that this Traditi¬ on is much kept up, that there is in thofe Parts an European Nation called Cejfares . Some fay that there has been heard the found of Bel Is, and they have founded Ci¬ ties where they live; but in fine there is no certainty of all this. A Gentleman born in Chiloe and who has been a Colonel in thofe Parts, gave me in writing a Relation of feveral Traditionsand Informationsof great dumbers of people that inhabit the "land within, and who have much Gold. There has been made feveral attempts to difeover them, though all have mifearried for want ofProvifions,or by other Accidents, which in time may be remedied when it pleafes God. And at this very time 1 have re¬ ceiv’d Letters, which acquaint me. That Father Hieronimo de Montemayor , Apo- ftolical Miffionary of that Archipelago, of Chiloe, had entred into the Terra firrtia in company of Captain Navarro, a Man ve.rv famous in thofe Parts; and that they dif- covered a Nation which ’cis thought are thefe Cejfares , becaufe they are a Nation of White, Complexion, and frefh Cherry Cheeks, and who in their fhape and dtj- pofition of Body, feem to be Men of Met¬ tle ; and that they had brought fbme of them along with them, to endeavour to inform themfelves of that which they fo much defire. This is all the Father writ at that time, becaufe the Ship could not ftay, and there is but one Ship every year bound for thofe Parts; fo he was forced to refer himfelf to the next Coftveniency to inform me more particularly of the Ori¬ ginal and defeent of this Nation: So that this is all that at prefent we can fay of this Nation of the Cejfares, which ’cis pof fible may come from thefe Shipwrecked Men; orelfe they may defeend from fome Dutch, who may have been ShipWrcckedf in the fame place,or thereabouts; and their Complexion feems to fortifte this Conje¬ cture, befides that they fpeak a Language which no Body then prefent could under- ftand ; or there may be both Spaniards and Flemings : ’Tis thought we (hail not be long without knowing the truth, and fo I continue my narration. The fecond Fleet - j which mifearried in the Streight, waf that FleJlp h which was fet out about Two and twenty in the years ago, under General Nyala, a Gentle- streight. man of High Birth and Valour •, Who going from Spain to Chile, dealt with his f f Mai'eltV 16 Book II. Of the Nature and Properties of the vJCo Majefty for a Relief of Men, which he Ovalle . was to carry through the Streight of I 5 a6 . Magellan , without landing any where elfe; but juft as they were entring it, they were all caft away, fo as to this day there has not been any account of them, except of the Vice-Admiral Ship, under the Command of Francifco tie Manduja - •ua: for having loft fight of the Admiral in the Storm, fhe was carried afore the Wind to the port of Buenos A ires , where he landed the Men, and marched them over Land to Chile. I heard lome of the Men talk of this matter; and they tiled to blame the General very much, for having gone about to enter the Streight when the time of year was fo far advanced, par¬ ticularly having been advifed in Brafil , where he touched, to Winter there, which he refufed to do for fear his People Ihould difert him, and lb he and they all pe'rifh- ed. Thele Accidents feem to have made this Paftage lels practicable » but yet we know that many have palled this Streight with little danger, and fome with great felici¬ ty. Eight Fleets are mentioned by John and Theodore de Brye , as well Spaniards as Foreigners, who have palled this Streight; and though lome have had bad Weather, yet there is no doubt but time and good Obfervations may make it more feafabie ; particularly there being lb many good Harbours and-Bays in this Streight, where Ships may fhelter themlelves, and let the Storms blow over. CHAP. VI. Of the Trovince of Cuyo. Cuyo, the A Fter having treated of the two Firft Third Prt- Parts of the Kingdom of Chile, we vince of mu ft f a y fomething now of the Third, ChlIe - which contains thole large Provinces of Cuyo , which are on the other fide of the Cordillera towards the Eaft: We have al¬ ready delcribed their Situation and Ex¬ tent ; let us treat now of the Nature of them. And to begin with their ill quali- . ties; ’cis a wonderful thing to confider that there being nothing between them and Chile, but the high Mountains of the Cor¬ dillera, yet they are fo different in their qualities; we have already mentioned lome. Remarks on but we may fay that as to their temperature Cuy°. tlaey are in every thing entirely oppofite; for firft the Heats are Exceffive and Into¬ lerable in Summer; and for that,as well as for the vaft quanticy of Bugs, or Punaifes, which are there, fome very fmail and others as big as bees; one can hardly Sleep a Nights in the Houles, and therefore the People all Sleep in their Gardens, and Court.Yards. There are almoft perpetual Thunders and Lightnings, and many Poifonous Reptiles and Infects, though not fo many as in Tucuman and Paraguay. There are likewile a Species of Mofejuito^s or Gnats,no bigger than die points of Need¬ les, and as fnarp in their Sting, though themlelves are almoft Imperceptible; they get into the Hair of ones Beard, and one cannot be lid of them any other way than by killing them. Theie are the evil qualities of the Land of Cuyo . let us now mention the good ones. The Land is fo fertile, that in many things it exceeds even the richeft Soy 1 of Chile ; the Crops are better, the Fruits lar¬ ger, and of better tafte, by reafon of the great heat which ripens them more: There is good ftore of Corn, Wine, Flelh, all lores of Fruits, Roots, and Herbs of Eu¬ rope-, as alfo great quantities of Olive- Yards and Almond-Grounds; lo that the only effential difference between it and Chile , is the many venomous Animals, and the Thunders and Rains in Summer ; though to make fome amends, if Chile exceeds in Summer, Cuyo has the advan- tange in Winter; for though the Cold is Iharp yet it is not with fuch Clouds, nor fuch Snow and Rains, as in Chile ; but rather the Weather is ferene, and the Sun beautiful and clear, without any dark Weather, which makes it very tempe¬ rate. There is no Sea-Filh in this Province, Cuyo an it being very far from any Sea ; but it has in-Uud Ponds, which are called the Ponds of Gua - Comtr T nacache , where they catch great quanti¬ ties of Trouts, as they call them, which are very big, like the Savalo’s of Seville , but much better without companion, for they have no finali bones, and are of a higher rellilh, and a very healthy Food Belides the Fruits of Europe, this Coun¬ try has feveral very good of its own. The firft is called Chanales, which are like I il- berts or final! Nuts, only the difference is, that that which is to be eaten is not with¬ in, but on the outfide of the Shell. The other is the Algaroha of which they make Bread lo fweet, that it naufeates thole who are not ufed to it. All Tucuman, a$ far as Buenos Ayers and Paraguay, are pro¬ vided Chao. VI. Kingdom of CHILE. 61 vided from hence with Figs , Pomegra¬ nates, diied Peaches, and d.-ied Grapes, Apples, Oyl, and excellent Wine, of which they have abundance, which they carry over thole vaft Plains called the Pampas (where for nv.ny Leagues together there is not a Tree, nor a Stone, to be found ) in large Carts, fuch as they ufe here in Rome $ and they are a Caravan of them together,to defend themfelves from certain Indians , who are Enemies, and often attack them by the way. Some years ago they began to dilcover here rich vlinesof Silver; the Fameofwhich, drew People from Potofi when 1 left Chile , becaufe they were reputed to be richer and of more profit than thofe of Potofi , all Provifions being more abounding and cheaper too: thele Mines were alto laid to be in a plain Country .where Carts might come eafily. They write me word like- wife, That there has fmee been dilcovered Gold Mines of a prodigious Richnels. ’Tis true indeed, that in this matter of Mines, there is a great difference between allaying of them in little Parcels^ or in great ones; for often the Ore that promiles much, yields, but. iittle , when the Affay comes to be made in great. This i$ a common Obfer- vation in Mines; and if thele of Cuyo do not prove extraordinary rich, there will hardly come any People from abroad to them, particularly from Chile , where they have already fo many and good ones of luch a known Profit, and yet they do not work them, the People being more profita¬ bly employed in Husbandry, which turns to greater account. I. will give here an Extract of a Letter which I received in Rome this year from Father Juan del Popo of our Company, a Perfon of great Piety, and worthy of Cre¬ dit, who is at prelent in the College of Mendofa , the chief of all thole of the Pro¬ vince of Cuyo, and it is thus. £* The greateft 6 News here, is about the Mines which are ‘begun to be difeovered, which if it holds ‘ as they relate, it will be the greateft thing f in the World: They are of Gold, which is 6 feen among the Silver Ore; there are come ‘ very underftanding Miners From Potofi , c who cannot give over commending them. f There come People from S ujagoto work ‘ them; and Captai n Loren fo Soares is named £ for Alcalde Mayor of thele Mines ] There are others who write the fame thing; and there is no doubt to be made, but that if they can have People, that country will be one of the Richeft of all the India's ^ for its great Fertility wants nothing lout Peo¬ ple to cultivate and confume its Product, This will make the three Cities of that Pro¬ vince, which are that of Adendopafthatof St. Juan , and that of St. Luis of Loiola , Ovalle, encreale, mightily which fince their firft Foundation have been at a (land, by rea- fon of the Neighbourhood o {'Chile, which has kept them down ; many of the firft Inhabitants of Cuyo having left it to go to Chile 3 as being more temperate and more abounding with the Convenienciesof Life ; for the lame realbn that we fee in other parts moft People flock to the Capitals of a Kingdom, as is Evident in Naples and other great Cities: But if the Spanijh Inha¬ bitants encreale as they have done hither¬ to, there will be enough for all thefe Parts; and already fome of St. Jago have fettled and married at St. Juan and Mendopa ; nei¬ ther can it be otherwife, for the People ol Chile , are beginning to be lo ftreighr- ned, that they cannot have all theConveni- encies of being at large, and lo are forced to leek them abroad. And ’tis moft certain that the Gonveni- encies of this Province are very great; and their not appearing lo is owing only to their Neighbourhood to Chile , in com¬ panion of which thefe Countries appear a place of Banilhment, and is looked up¬ on as the moft rigorous that can be given any one in Chile ^ becaufe, to fay truth, the difference is very great, considering the Proprieties of each place ; but if we conib der Cuyo , without comparing it, it is not only a good place, but furpaffes many o- thers, where neverthelefs the Inhabitants think themfelves very happy, though wanting the abundance of Cuyo s where the Flelh is very Subftantial and Savory, and great abundance of Game, as alio of Pork, Turkeys, Ducks, Liens, and other tame Fowl. The Wines are very generous, and of lo much Strength^ that though they be carried three or four hundred Leagues over thofe Plains, and the intolerable Heats of the Pampas and that by Oxen ; yet they come good to Buenos Aires and other Places, and are preferved with the fame facility, as long as one pleafes, with¬ out fpoiling and they are in luch quanti¬ ty, that all the Provinces round are lup- plied with them, nay, as far as Paraguay , which is. three or . four hundred Leagues more. The Bread is excellent, lo is the Oyl, and all forts of Legumes and Gar¬ dening ; the Fifh better than the Sea- Fifh; the Flax and Hemp as good as that of Chile , the Materials tor Tanning very good; and in Ihqrt it has ail Neceffaries for Life with as much Advantage as any ocher Country. 62 (Jf the i\ature and This being thus, and even more than I Omlle. Relate, what is there wanting to this Land, or What are its blots? Punaifes. Thunder , Lightning, Hail ; and what oth~r Coun¬ try has not fome oi theie? Shall we lay, becaufe God has excempred Chile, by a lingular Providence, from thefe things, that therefore Cuyo is an ill Country ? No, for then we mull condemn molt Countries, where theie affixing Circumltances are found: And though it mult be owned that in the Summer the Heats are great, yet they do not exceed thole of Tucuman , Buenos Ayres and Paraguay ; and they are Inferior to thofe of Brafil, and thofe of Cver-againft the Tierra del Fuego , and is on the Eaft fide of the freight of St. Vincent, otherwife call’d the Screight of Le -Maire ; for fome think that it may run as far as the Cape of Good Hope, and fo be lb near that part of Africa , that Men might pafs in final 1 Veffels from the one to the others ’Tis like wife uncertain, that the Conti¬ nent of America ever was nearer than it now is to any other Continent, or that the Sea has fince broke away part of either, to make the Separation wider; as we have obferv’d it did in the lfland of Sanbla Maria , which is fuppos’d to have formerly been all of one continued Piece with the firm Land of Arauco ; but theie are all Conjeaures, and he alone knows the truth who created theie Men, and other Animals of America , and by whofe Providence they pafs’d to thole Parts, for the great Ends of his hidden Secrets; to whom, with all Veneration for his Coun¬ cils, we muft fubmic the Enquiry, why he has been pleas’d that that part of the World Ihould remain undifeover’d for fo many Ages, without any Communication with thole Parts where his Divine Light has appear’d fooner. Thefe are Confi- derations for the Good to make ufe of with Thanks, for having been admitted tP it; and Conlufion of the Wicked, who at Noon Day are as much in the dark as if it had never dawn’d. ijersius. Veter Bereim , in his Geography, as John and Theodore de Brye do relate, col¬ lects the Antiquity of thofe Nations of America from their molt ancient Kings and Lords, and from the Ruines of an¬ cient Edifices, and other Memorable Things; tor this argues the largenelsof time, in which all this was done. Among!! other things he mentions the Report of one of their Gardens belonging to fome King, (which muft be of Peru, who were always the richeft) in which all the Herbs and Plants and Shrubs, with their Trunks, Leaves, and Flowers of the Natural Pro¬ portion, were of Mafly Gold; and in the Houfcs of Recreation, there were all forts of Animals made of Precious Stones, and fome of Feathers of various colours* They lay befides, that the Inga's, who were the Emperors of Peru, were die Richeft Princes in the World, and that they had fo much Gold, that not only the Plate they eat in, were of that Me¬ tal, but all their Houlhold Stuff and Fur¬ niture, were of the fame, to their Tables* Benches, Cupboards, nay, to the Statues themfelves; a great deal of which fell to the Spaniards lhare when they Conquer’d thofe Parts; but the belt part was hid and conceal’d by the Indians , which to this day they keep undifeover’d, being in that way of Secret intractable and extream clofe. Neither is it any wonder that thole Princes Ihould ufe lb much Gold, fince they were Mailers of more of that Me¬ tal than any others, being lb beloved by their Subjects, that whatever they had that was Precious, they prefented it to them ; and they were fo inclin’d to hoard it, that whoever fucceeded in die Mo¬ narchy, made it a Point of State not to touch, but rather to encreafe the Treafore of his Father; of which a great Proof was the vaft Sum which Atahualpa offer’d for his Ranfom, and paid to the Spaniards for it, as we fhall fee hereafter. Amongft other Precious Pieces of Gold Work, Authors make particular mention, and admire with Reafon, that Chain which the King Guaynacapa , the Eleventh King of Peru , caus’d to be made at the Birth of his Son Guafcar, who was to Inherit his Crown ; for each Link of it was as big as the Wrift of a Man, (as is reported by Gareilajfo de la Vega , who had it from an Uncle of his, an Inga alfo ; who told him, when he ask’d the bignefs, as big as this, filewing his Wrift) and as long as twice the length of the Great Place of Cufco , which in all might be above Se¬ ven hundred Foot long. And the Con- tador Augufiin de Varate , in his Firft Book, Chapter the Fourteenth, Treating of the incredible Riches of that Inga , fays thefe Words : [Guaynacapa, at the Birth of his Son , caus'd a great Cable of Gold to be made , (as is attefted by foveral Indians yet alive) of fo much weight, that Two hundred Indians could but jujl lift it up from the Ground ; for Memory of which they gave the . Name of Guafcar Inga to the new born Prince ; for Guafca fignifies a Gable ; and the Sir name of Inga was added , as that of Auguftus to the Roman Emperors .] Thus far this Author. But this Name or Word Guafca, not being fo decent in its ligqification for a Prince, they added the r to it, and never- thelefs eterniz’d the Memory of that Rich Chain. The Chap. II. Kingdom of C H I L E. 67 The chitfeff Motive the King had to order this Chain to be made, was, that the Dances which were ro be made at his Birth, miyht be more Solemn, and worthy of his Royal Per (on ; becaufe the manner of Dancing of the Indians , is to take one another by the Hands, and make a Circle, and lo moving Two Steps forward, and one backward, draw clofer and clofer to the King, to make their Obeilances \ and the King cauled this Chain to be made, for them to take hold of, inftead of taking hold of one another. A great Proof likewife of this Anti- fOCo quity of the Empire of Peru } is thofe Tvvo Ovalle Highways mention’d by Herrav ; for 1646, being ol that valt length, and vro’d u^y'v with all thole Conveniences for Travel¬ lers, they could not be made but by length of time, a. d with a long continued la¬ bour. This is what I find of the Anti¬ quity of the Firfl Inhabitants of America y in which we may comprehend the Indians of Chile. CHAP. II. Of the Great Courage and Boldncjs of the Indians of Chile. T H E Indians of Chile are fam’d by all, who have Writ of them, for the Boldeft and molt Valiant Warriors of all the vail extent of the New World ; it were to be wilh’d by us, that this had not been confirm’d by Woful Experience, for then the Kingdom of Chile woifd have been one ot the molt Fiouiifhing Kingdoms of the India's, without the con¬ tinual Wars which it has maintain’d for about a Hundred years, without ever cealing or laying down irs Arms. This is the more Confiderable, if we refledt, that the Spaniards having lubjedted, in lo little a time, thole vaft Empires ol Mexico and Peru, have neverthelefs not been able, in lo great a time, to Conquer the Indians of Chile , Sons of the Great Cordillera , from whole Rocks they leem to borrow their untameable Strength and Fiercenefs. Except we fhould fay with Fryer Gregory of Leon, That this Bravery comes fiom the Fertility of the Eaith, which, as he lays, and is true, does not need any thing from abroad ; To which he adds the Birth of thefe People, who all their Life tread upon fo much Gold, and drink the Water which runs over thefe Rich Mine¬ rals, by which they participate of its good and generous Qualities *, as it is obferv’d of thofe who live at Potvfi , near that valf Mountain of Silver, who are fo Stout and Haughty, as has appear’d in the many Re¬ volutions that have happened there. Let this be as it will, all Authors agree, that they are the Top Nation of America , though hitherto no one has Treated pur- polely of this Matter: There are now Two Hifiories in the Prefs, which will riiake out, by Particulars, all that has been laid of this Nation. Don Alonso de E- reilla fays enough, in his Famous Posm, call’d the Araucana ; but becaufe it is in Verfe, it feems to leiTen fomething the real Truth ; and yet ablfradling from the Hyperboles and Enlargeings of Poetr>, all the Hift >ricai pare is very confer mab to Truth; he being a Gentleman of great Quality, and an E.ye wheels ot v. at he afffims; for what he W it was not by hearfay. but upon the very lpot where the Things happened : lo that he might have had as many Con trad iCtors, as he had Witneffes, who were prelent as well as he at what pals’d. He Dedicated his Book to the moll Ca- tholick King, his Lord and Mafter; and prefenting it to him with his own Hand* when he came fiom Chile to Spain , ’tis to be prefum’d he would noc have dared to fail in theExaftnef of Truth, for fear of receiving a Chaliifement, inftead of a Reward. which he obtain’d for it. Lee any read his Prologue, in which, in a very good Stile, and in Prole, he gives a Noble Account of the Valour of the Indians ; and concludes his Preface with thefe Words : [7 have (aid all this , as a Proof and char Demonf ration of the Valour of thefe Na¬ tions , worthy of all the Encomiums I can give them in my Verfes and bejides 3 there are now in Spain feveral Ptrjons who were pre- fent at many of the Attions which I here de. feribe , and refer to them the Defence of my Work on that fidef\ Thus far this Author, worthy of Immortal Praile for his incom¬ parable Book, which, though Publifh’d above Fifty years ago, and Printed in Spain and Flanders , is yet continually Re¬ printed, which (hews the Value the Cu¬ rious and the Learned have for it; The Araucano’s are indeed the chief Subject of it, and yet what is faid of them, may b« extended to all the Indians of Chile t as we K 2 fhall 68 Of the Nature and fhall lee in its proper Place, when we (hall Ovalle, treat of the Wars they had with th z Spaniard, 1646. But before ever the Spaniards let their Feet on their Ground, they had given fufficient Proof of their Bravery, which was invincible, to the Inga's, Emperors of Peru -, fince with all their Power they could never Conquer them, though they endeavour’d it, as being extreamly inclin’d to enlarge their Dominions; and they de¬ fied it the more, for the Fame of Chile, 1 o which,they lent a powerful Army and which made fome Progreft at firft:, fubje&ing fonie Nations to extraordinary Tributes: But as they purified their Point, and came to the Valley of Maule, they met with .the Promocaes , to whofe Succour the Cbileno's who Inhabited more within the Country, were come, and forc’d the Army of the Ingas to retire in hafte. GareilaJJo de la Vega relating this more particularly, fays. Gar. dt la That the Inga yn Pangue the Tenth King of Peru , came to the Confines of his own Kingdom, to a place call’d Atacama, to be nearer at Hand to attend the Con- queft of Chile •, and from thence firft Pent his Scouts through the Fourfcore Leagues of uncultivated Country, which was be¬ tween his Kingdom and Chile , with Or¬ ders to di(patch a Man, every two Leagues, with an Acccount of what they difco- vered ; which they did, one Meflenger following another, and leaving in the way certain Marks, whereby they thac came laft might guide themlelves. He firft fent Ten thoufand Men under the Com¬ mand of General Sinchiruca , and two o- ther Colonels of his own Kindred, not being willing to commit to any others Care lo great an Enterprize. They came within fight of the Valley of Copiapo, which is the firft Inhabited Valley of Chile j with the Inhabitants of which, the Peru¬ vians began to Skirmiih, becaufe they had not admitted the Embafiy which they lent them, as from the Inga, to own him for their Lord; and withal, having given notice of the Refiftance they found, to the Inga, he fent them Ten thoufand Men more, with a new Summons; alluring them,ThathisDefignwas not to take their Country from them, but only thac they fhould own him as Son of the Sun, and Lord of all that was warm’d and enlight- ned by him. Thofe of Copiapo ; feeing this new Relief to their Enemies, and knowing that it would not be the laft, becaufe the Inga yn Pangue was preparing another Succour ; and being convinced that this Acknowledgment would caft them left than the Blood that muft be fpilt in a long Refiftance, they agreed to own the Inga as he de fir’d. Properties of the Book III. This was the firft Entrance of the Peruvi¬ ans as far as Maule , which is one of the Rivers of Chile, as has been fay’d already. By this time, the Army of the Peruvians was Fifty thoufand Men, and defiring to profecute their Conqueft, they fent their ordinary Embafty to the Nation of the Promocaes ; who having already been in¬ form'd of their Invading their Neighbours, were in Arms to defend their Connery. The Ambafladors of the Inga deliver’d their accuftom’d Meflage; protefting,That their Lord delir’d nothing more, chan to be acknowledg’d as Son of the Sun , and honour’d accordingly by their Submift fion. The Promocaes 5 who were refolv’d to defend their Liberties,made tv,That the Conquerors jhould be the Lords and Ma - fters , and fo uniting all their Forces, came on the Fourth day, and prefented Battei to the Peruvians, The btg/Ps Generals, fur- priz’d at fuch a couragious Refolution, lent them new Summons, defiring their Friendfhip and Peace, calling the Sun and Moon to Witneft, That they came not to fpoil them of their Lands or Goods, but only to oblige them to own the Sun for their God, and the Inga for his Son and their Lord. To which they receiv’d Anfwer, That they came not to fpend time in talk* ing, or vain Difcourfes, but to fight manful¬ ly till they fhould conquer or die; adding, that they might prepare themlelves for Battle the next day, as it happen’d; and the Promocaes overcame that powerful Ar¬ my of the Ingals, fo that they had no mind to try their Fortune any more, but made their Retreat, leaving the Promocaes in Peace and full Poffeftion of their Lands, which they had fo bravely defended. Anto¬ nio de Herrera, in his Third Tome, and Fifth Decade, treating of the Reafon why thofe of Chile refus’d to fubmit to thofe Monarchs the Inga's, fays, That it was be¬ caufe of the great Reverence with which they made their Subje&s treat them, as if they were Gods, and approach them as if they were of another Species; which the Chilenians could not bear, their Mind be¬ ing too lofty and generous to fubmit to fuch a Tyranny, which they conftantly oppos’d, infomuch thac though the Inga's had Con¬ quer’d the beft part of thac Continent, yet the Chilenians never did yield to their Power. Perhaps the neareft Provinces to Peru , fuch as thofe of Guafco , Coquimbo and Copiapo, did in fome meafure acknow¬ ledge their Power, fince they pay’d a Tri¬ bute in Gold ; and for that Reafon, thefe Provinces alone in all the Kingdom of Chile , do fpeak the common Language of Peru, which it a very ftrong Proof of what I hear fay. For Chap. III. Kingdom of CHILE. 69 For the fame Reafbn that they refilled the Ingas, they did not care to have any King -of their own Nation , the Love of their Liberty prevailing againff all the Reafons of State which might move them to have one Monarch; neither did they fall into any Popular Form of Govern- menc, or Commonwealth» for their War¬ like Temper did not afford Patience enough for the fiegmatick Debates, necelfary for the Union of fo many Minds. Thus every Family chofe one among them to Govern them. From thisarofe th cCaciques, who are the Sovereigns among them,and by degrees had that Power Heredirary, and their Children after them enjoy it, with all its Rights. But though every one Governs indepen¬ dently his own Dill rift or Jurifdi&ion, yet when the Occafion offers, that the Safe¬ ly statt ty of all is concern’d, there is an Affembly jfcmblies. 0 f the Caciques, and fome of the Elders of the People; who are Men of Experience, and are fummon’d after their way by par¬ ticular Melfengers. In thefe Councils they refolve what they think moft conve¬ nient, which, if it be aCafe of War, ei¬ ther Defenfive or Offenfive, they choofe choice of a the General, not one of the moft Noble General of the Caciques, or the moft Powerful, but he who has the Fame of moft Valiant, and has beft behav’d himlelfon the like Occafi- on, againft their Enemies; and when he Ovalle. is juft chofen, aii the other Caciques obey 1646. him pun&ually. Tisafter this manner that they have preferv’d themfeives fo many Years againft all the Strength that has been brought againft them. To make thefe AlTemblies, they chofe out fome very plea- fant Place, Field, or Meadow; and thi¬ ther they bring great ftore of Proviiion, Manner of and ftrong Drink, call’d Chicha, which is *befeSu*at inftead of Wine. Being all Aflembled, and well warm’d with this Liquor, and excited in their Martial Temper, there riles up fome one of the moft Antienr, to whofe Lot it falls to propole the bufinefs of that Meeting; who with great Eloquence ( for in that they are very Famous) opens the Matter, and brings all the Reafons and Motives of Perfwafion that he can. All are oblig’d to yield to the Majority of Opi¬ nion, and when the Refult is made, ’cis publifh’d with the Sound of Drums and Trumpets, and a mighty Noife; but yet allowing every one the Term of Three Days to refled and confider on what has been refblv’d ; after which, ifthey find no Inconveniency, the Execution is In¬ fallible, and they think of the Means of bringing the bufinefs about by moft pro¬ per Methods. CHAP. III. 7 he fame Subject is pur fie d , and the Nobility of the Indians of Chile Examind . A Ntonio tie Herrera, in the Place alrea¬ dy cited in the laft Chapter, fays, That there are fome of the Indians reputed above the reft ns Gentlemen; and then he adds thefe Words ( Of tins fort have been and are fill the Indians of Chile.) In which he (ays well: For if Valour and the Glory of Arms makes Gentlemen, as may be leen in Andreas Tiraquello, in his Book de Nobilitate & jure Pnmogenitorum ; and if many Noble Families do to this day de¬ rive themfelves from fome Great Captain or Famous Soldier ; the Chilean Indi¬ ans having fo often fignatized their Va¬ lour in Fights, they may very juftly be diftinguifh’d from all the other Indians , and reputed more Noble. In fliort, they are the untamed Cantabri of America, who, like thofe of Europe , defended them¬ felves, when all the reft of it was enfla- ved ; and repulfed the Conquering Mo- narchs of Pern to the extream Confines of their Provinces. And there is oneCircumftance more par¬ ticular than under the Cantabrians, becaufe they had the Advantage of their Moun¬ tains, and the Barrennefs of their Coun¬ try, not fo inviting to a Conqueror •, but in Chile it was otherwife; the Richnefs of its Mines, and its Soil full of delicious Val¬ leys, and a clear and rich Territory, ha¬ ving been always well known, the only Vallour and Bravery of its Inhabitants was then the Defence of the Country ; thefe were the Fortreffes and Walls of it » for without a bit of Fortification of any fort, or fb much as one Fire-Arm, they ob¬ lig’d their powerful Enemy to a fhame- fill Retreat. Indeed this is a thing wor¬ thy of great Admiration, yet not fo much to thole who know how thefe Indians value themfelves upon being good Soldiers, ufing themfelves to Arms, even from their Childhood ; of which it will not be amis tofpeaka little. When 7 o Of the Nature and Properties of the Book. II When a Child is ftrong enough, they Ovalle . make it run up the rocky fide of a Hill, 1646. giving him that does it belt, fome Prize or Reward; this makes them very nimble The Educa- and light, and I have feen them, in their t ion of the Feafts and Entertainments, run two and % two for Wagers with wonderful Swiftnefs; e " and thole who fhow little difpofition to this Exercife are applied to follow Day- labour, but the others they referve for War; not fuffering them to take to any other Employments, but mind their Arms and their Horfes, that they may be perfed in all their Exerciles. To thefe they Aflign their Poll upon occafion, according as each has behav’d himfelf in thofe which he has been in before ; and they have in this no Confiderationof Gentility, Interceflion of others, or other Motives, but that alone of a good Performance, and the many Proofs given by them of their Courage and Condud in War. Their Arms The Arms they ufe, are Pikes, Hoi- inWar. berts, Launces, Hatchets, Maces of Arms, Bars, Darts, Arrows, and Clubs; As alio Strong Noofes to throw upon a Horfe- man, and flings. Their Horfe fight with LaunceandBuck!er,which they have learn’d from the Spaniards, and from them they have had their Horfes; for before their time they had neither Horfe nor Iron, but they have a hard Wood, which grows yet har¬ der by being turn’d in the Fire, and is al- moft as ufeful as Steel. They have hard Their Ar- and ftrong Corcelets, Back and Bread, ™<>r. and Thigh, Arms, Bracelets, Gauntlets, Helmets 3 Morions, all thefe of a hardened Leather, fo prepared when raw, that it becomes by drying as impenetrable as any Steel; and they are fomething better be- caufemore manageable, and doEmbarafs the Body lels, as being lighter ^ and fo the Man is more at his eafe, and better, dif- pos’d in Fight. Among them the Pike- man may not be an Archer; neither can any that ufes the Mace of Arms, ufe other Arms ; fo every one befiirs himfeif with the Arms he is us’d too. Their Or- . In forming their Battalions, every File derof Bat- is ot above an Hundred Men,and between tel. every Pikeman an Archer, who are de¬ fended by the Pikemen, who dole their Shoulders together, and if their Firfi Bat¬ talion is broken, the Second relieves them with fo much Readinefs, that there feems not that any have fail’d and lo by the Third and Fourth, following each other like Waves of the Sea without any Inter¬ ruption, and no Man forfakes his Rank but by Death. They always endeavour to have fome Bog or Lake not far off for a Retreat $ for there they are more in Safety than in the ftrongeft Caftle. Their Vo¬ lunteers go before the Battalion, trailing their Pikes with fo much State, and are them lei ves fo haughty, that, like Goliak , they Challenge their Enemy to meet them Body to Body ; and they do the lame to the Spaniards, giving themfelves Teh War- great Airs of Pride. They march to the found of their Drums and Trumpets, ha- 1(v 5 ving their Arms garnifh’d with all variety of beautiful Colours, and themfelves adorn’d with great Plumes of rich Fea¬ thers, lo that they appear very handfome and Sightly. When they make any Forts for their De¬ fence, it is of great Trees Inter woven with each other, and leaving in the middle a Their Forts. place of Arms; and formerly within this Fort they us’d to make another of thick Planks. Behind this, they make a great Ditch, cover’d over with Plants and Flowers, but underneath them fharp Stakes to lame the Enem’ys Horfes; lome they make deeper, that the Horles may remain there Stak’d thorough. Many of them are fubjedt to great Su- perftitions and Augures, obferving the Omens both before and at the time of their Undertaking ; but many of them Laugh at thole Oblervations, laying, there are no better Omens than good Blows and flout laying about them, without fear of either Seel, Fire, or any fort of Death} and it is certainly fo, that their firfi Encounter is terrible, and as if they fear’d no one thing in the World. When they fre draw up, and ready to Engage, there is Silence made, and the General railing his Voice, begins an Harangue, fo full of Spirit, fill’d with fuch warm Incitations, • and fuch a lively A< 5 lion,that the Coward- lieft among them become like Lions andTy - gers, againfi their Enemies. He lays before them the Glory of Victory, and the Shame ot being overcome and made Captives and Slaves to their Adverfaries, Take no- Tice, fays he. That there is now no Medi- ‘ um between thole two Extreams; are not c you the Sons and Grandchildren of thofe ‘ brave Men, who have fought fo many c Battels and ventur’d all to defend that Their Mill - Country and Liberty, for which we now tar J. Ex ^ or " ^ Fight ? Shall we own that they exceed c us * n bravery, or that the Enemies we en¬ counter, arefuperior to thofe whom they c ovo f came ? Had they lefs Motives then we t hav ®> or dp we hope for lefs Glory? Vv& t mint all die 5 and in the equality of that common Fate,the only difference is dying ‘ nobly tor our dear Country, and the Li¬ berty of our Wives and Children : there¬ fore roufe up that Courage which you Chap. III. Kingdom of CHI L E* 1 have Inherited from your AncelVors, who 4 never could endure the thoughts of that ‘ Infamous Yoke of Slavery upon their * Necks. Courage then brave Men, as brave * as any the Sun lees; Courage, for in that * liesVi&ory. With thefe, and other fuch Words, and calling to mind feme of their Vi&ories, they grow fo warm, that railing a Cry of War, they drive away all Fear, and Ex- prels great defin e of engaging their Ene¬ mies ; which they do with fo much Fury and Refolution, that a Battalion that Bands their firB Shock is a very firm one. But we will treat further of this when we (hall fpeak of the Bartels they have had with the Spaniards, wh'ofe Valour has let theirs in its LuBre, obliging them to give fuch Proofs as are worthy to be Recorded in Bi- Bory ; let us purfue now the Account of their natural Qualities , independent¬ ly from the RefiBance which they have made to his Gatholick MajeB’ys Arms. Their Na- The Warlike Spirit of this Nation pro- turalTejn- ceec j s f rom their natural Temper, which is * er ‘ Colerick and Impatient, Proud, Arro¬ gant, and Fierce, very cruel in their Re¬ venge, cutting their Enemies ( when in their power) Inhumanely to pieces, and wallowing in their Blood. We (hall relate a Cafe hereafter, in which fomething of this Their will be feen. They are Brong and robuB of Make. Body, well proportion’d, large Shoulders, high CheBs well fetin their Members, Nim¬ ble, Active, Vigorous, and Nervous, Cou- ragious and Undertaking •, enduring Hun¬ ger, Third, Heat, Cold; defpifingall Con¬ veniences of Life, even their own fmall ones; having little Value for their very Lives, when ’tis neceflary to hazard them, either for Glory or Liberty; conBant in their Re- felutions, and pei filling in a thing once be¬ gun, with incredible Steddinefs. GoodHorfe. They are excellent Horfemen, and up- men - on a fingle Saddie-Cioth, or without one* they are as firm as others in War Sad¬ dles ; they’! ride down the fide of a Hill or a Precipice as if they were Goats; with their Bodies as flreight and as firm on Horfeback, as if they were nail’d to the Horfe: They have no trouble with the Bagage they want, for they carry but little with them ; nor but that when they march they have their little Pack of Flower of Maiz, a little Salt, feme Pimiernos or Guinea Pepper, and dried Fleih ; and this is enough to maintain them a good while* They need no other Kuchin Llrenlils, than a Gourd or Cala¬ bash with which, when they come to a River or Spring, they open their Flower Bag, and wee a little with the Water, and that ferves them for Drink; and for Meat, when they put more of it with a Qvallc. little Salt and Pepper; this they call Kabul: 1646* and fometimes they eat their Meal dry with dices of dry’d Flefli. The great Numbers of People which TheirNuns - that Country has maintain’d, may be bers L anii coile&ed from the People that the Spani- ard^ found there at their firB coming, which was about 200000. more or lefs, according to the greatnels of the DiBrids or Territories; and their Habita¬ tions, which never were in form of a Ciry, or Towns: for the Indians cannot endure any formal ConBraint, but love to live free in the Fields; and every Cacique^ or Lord, govern’d his own Valfais, who placed themfelves according to their Con¬ veniences, feme in one Vailey, and feme in another, feme at the Foot of Moun¬ tains, others on the fide of Rivers, feme by the Sea fide, or on the top of Moun¬ tains ; but all under no other form of Go¬ vernment, than the will of their Lord the Cacique, to whom they yielded a ready and prompt Obedience with Joy. Their Houfes are generally of Wood, without Their Hou- any Stories, not very large, nor all of a fit. Piece, but each Room fraim'd by it fel£ io that when they have a mind to remove and choofe another Situation, they carry away the Houle by Pieces, or R.coms, which ten or twenty Men can eafily car¬ ry : when they take it up, they clear the Ground about it, and then at one Cry, lifting altogether, they get it up and car¬ ry it chearfully away; every one ta¬ king hold by its Pillars, and when they are weary they reB a while, and fo on Their fide- again. Their Doors are of the fame ^ Material, and they have neither Hinges , another - Locks, nor Keks, nor any thing under a Lock or Key; their Security confiding in each others Fidelity, which they ob» ferve fecredly towards one another. Their Furniture is very mean, they being a People that defpife all Conve¬ niences and Superfluities; in fo much. Their Fur- that that which is their Natural way of nitare - Living, would be high Pennance with other European Nations, for FirB, as to their Beds, they have neither Quilts, nor Sheets, nor Pillows; much lefs do they need Curtains, Paviliions, or Alcoves: The hard Ground is their Couch, upon which they lay feme poor Skins; and for BouiBer, they lay a Stone, or a piece of Wood, and double their Cloaks to lay on it; and that is their higheB Con¬ trivance of Eafe; They have One or Two very courfe Coverlets, which they Weave of a fort of Thread as thick as ones yx Of the Nature and ‘Properties of the Book HI . J^ 3 C^ones little Finger. People that ufe fo it is not only their Meat, but their Drink, Ovalle . HcBe about their Perfons, may eafily be which they make ot the lame Maiz, 1664. prefum’d to have no Hangings, nor other toaBed and deep d in Water and then Ornament to their Wails ; They have boil’d and fee by, and that is their Cb.cha no Utenfil of Gold or Silver, though or Wine, which they make alio ot the they have fo much in their Country ; Fruit ot other Trees. Their Plate is Four or Five Difhes, and Their way of making Flower is very Thtir fome Spoons of Wood, or a Shell from different from ours ^ They firft coaB their Bread. the Sea fide •, a Calabafh or Gourd to Maiz in great Platters of Earth i thefe di ink in ; a Leaf ot a Tree, or of Maiz, they fet upon the Fire full of Sand, which for a Saltfeller: 1 his is all the Apparatus when it is very hot, they take off, and of their Table, which is the Ground, or putting the Grains of Maiz to it, liir at belt a little Bench, without any Cloth them about very faft with a kind of Broom > or Napkins, but only a little Broom, upon ir is Con toaBed ; when done, they take which they wipe their Hands. it out, and put in more, till they have Their Food The5r Mea ts are t fi e fi m p’e, and done enough to make Flower: This they * ndDtet - ea fiiy dreft, without any Incitements to grind between Two Stones thus; They Gluttony, as in other Nations; but yet have a Stone fix’d in the Ground, of a- they are tafteful enough, and fuch as bout the fhape and bignefs of a Sheet of many of our European's like very well. Paper, and fo hollowed, as another Stone They eat little Fiefh ; and before the Spa- of an Oval Figure may play upon it: rtards came among them, they had nei- This the Indian Woman takes with both The Wo- ther Sheep, Goats, nor Cows; no nor Hands, and being upon her Knees, makes *»«* »*** Hens; They ufe thefe only at their great it play upon the other, putting from time ft - Feafts. Their ordinary Dyet is of Maiz,, to time wich her left Hand, the Maiz variety of Fruits and Herbs; and moft between the Two Stones, fb as to fupply commonly Gourds, or a fort of Beans, what falls away, and that the Mill do not which we call Frizoles. They did eat Band Bill : The Flower falls forward into Fifii, and the Game they Hunted, par- a fort of Box, as ic does in our Mills, and ticularly a fort of fmall Rabbets, which almoB as faB, comparing the Strength of they call Degus ; and fince the coming in a Woman to that of a Stream of Water: of the Spaniards, they eat Beef and Mut- She can do enough at once for the Main- ton, of which there is great abundance. tenance of her Family, and make a Pro- InBead of Wheat Bread, which they vifion too for a Journey or a Voyage of had not before the Spaniards brought it, her Husband or Son to the Wars. This is they eat Maiz boil’d in Water, juB as the proper Bufinefs of the Women; and Maiz.. Ri C e in the Eaft-India's. This Maiz is, it would be a Shame for a Man to em~ and always has been, the General Nou- ploy himfelf in ic, or in any other Houf- rifhment of the Indians of America ; and hold Bufinefs. C H A P. IV. Of the fame Subject. W Hen the Indians are Sick, they change little of their ordinary way of Living, and they never have a indim better Bed. Their way of letting Blood Phleboto- j s f a f er t j ian ours ^ f or j t j s not w j t fi a my Lancet, which may either fail to draw Blood, or go too deep, and lame the Arm, if the Surgeon be not very Skilful * but with a lharp Flint, fix’d at the end of a little piece of Wood, fo faB, that there is juB enough left out to cut the Vein, and no more •, This they apply to the Vein after they have made a Bandage, as we do, and Briking a little Stroke upon it, the Blood never fails to come, in greater abundance then our Bleedings are. This is all that they need a Surgeon or Barber for, they themlelves having no Beards to Shave, and the little Hair they have, every one pulls out, and they take it for an Af¬ front to look Hairy ; They have Pinfers which they make of Cockle-fhells, and always have them about them, ufing them from time to time in Converfation ; they thinking it as Honourable to be without that, which other People Nourilh, Comb, and take Care of; which is a good Con- vidlion of the variety of Opinions of Mankind, about what is, and is not Ho¬ nourable : As for their Hair, they let it grow juB below their Ears, and no lower, and lb need no Barber to cut it, but n Chap. IV. Kingdom c/CHILE. but do every one help the other to keep the ends of it even. Their Manner of Cloathing themlelves (though of various, arid very beautiful Colours, which they give to the Wooll that they Weave their Cloaths of) is very plain and fimple '» they have no Lin¬ ing to any of their Cloaths, neicher do fhciT mkit- they wear one under another •, Their verof Drawers eottie down to their Knees, C loathing. 0 p en i 00 fe^ and it is upon their Naked Body, for they ufe no Shirt’s,* They have a iort of Waftcoat which they call Macim, and it is made of about a yard and a half of fortie Woollen Stuff, which they leave open 5 fo as to put it over their Heads, and then they gird it with a Girdle; They have alfo a kind of Cloak or Mantle, which they call Chomi, which they put on when they go abroad : They have their Arms and Legs naked ; and on their Feet they have a lort of Shoe, which they call Ojota , and is like the Rope Shoes the Spaniards wear; They wear no¬ thing on their Heads, but a kind of Circle of Wooll, of various Colours, with its Fringes hanging down like a Cap, which they ftir or pull off in Ihew of Re- fpebt, as we do our Hats. Their Fine- In their Feafts, Balls, and Rejoycings, 7- though they do not change the form of their Cloaths, yet they have a richer fort, of liner Wooll, and richer Colours; They put about their Necks fome Chains of Shells, which they gather by the Sea fide ; thefe they call Nancas : Others put Snail- fhells, (hung upon a String, about their Necks; and thofe of the Streights of Ma¬ gellan, have Pearls very well wrought, and of great Artifice, as is affirm’d by the Authors already cited ; and on their Heads they put a kind of Garland, not of Flowers, but of Wooll, dyed of feveral beautiful Colours, to which they hang fine little Birds, which they elteem, and on each fide they have a Panache of high Feathers, either White, Red, or Blue, and about half a yard high. f hdr Their way of Dancing is with little Dancing. Jumps, and a Step or two, not rifing much from Ground, and without any Capers, fuch as the Spaniards ufe; they Dance all together in a Ring, round a Maypole or Standard, which one df them holds in the middle as an Enfign ; and near it are all the Bottles of their Wine, of which they take now and then a (up while they Dance, drinking to one another; for it is a Cultom among them never to drink alone any thing that is given them ; he that begins takes a fup, and then hs that he drinks to, pledges him, and gives the Cup to another, and ivV”, fo to a Fourth, till it be empty ; and vet Ovalle. one has not more than the other; for \ 64b; what this Mari does for that, that Man does for this, and fo at laft they come to be fo equally ffiar’d, that at the end of the Entertainment, they are all alike Drunk, and laid down ; for they drink as long as they can Hand ; but this is not eafily brought to pals, for befides what they drink in the day time, they will often pals all night at it, without leaving off, Singing and Daricing to their Drums and Flutes. The Women, as more balhful, do not The w«~ enter into thele Dances, except fome orie men; Be- or two. When the Wiile haS got into their baviour Heads, and then too they do nor enter f - 3eir into the Ring with the Men, but Dance by themfelves ; few of them gee Drunk fo as to Idle their Judgment ; fo they Their Care are upon their guard more, to mind that cf. their the Men do not Quarrel, and hurt one hiudandr. another in their Drink. Their Flutes, Their mbd which they Play tipori in thefe Dances, In I irK ‘ are made of the Bones of the Spaniards , > and other Enemies whom they have over- hfr come in War; This they do by way of mks mntf. Triumph and Glory for their Victory ; They make them likewife of Bones of other Animals; but the Indians of War Dance only to thefe of their Enemies. Their way of Singing, is, all together, railing their Voices upon the fame Note* without any difference of Parts or Mea- fure; and at the end df every Song, they Play on their Flutes, and a fort of Trum¬ pets, juft as we do on our Guittars in the Pajj'acalles 5 This they repeat fo often and fo lowd, that one may hear them at s great diftance, for in thefe Feafts they are very numerous; Thole who are not engag’d in Dancing, fit together in fe¬ veral Companies, talking together upon paft Occurrences, and ftill warming themfelves with their Wine * and then they begin to recollect the injuries they have receiv’d from one another, and lb refrefhing the Ademory of old Cornells and Enmities not reveng’d » and this makes them break out into new Aninio- ficies, and fometimes kill one another upori little Provocation. The Women as well as the Aleri have He their Arms naked, but no other part ^ensbrefi. about them ; for though they go bare- foot, yet their Cloaths, which are very long. Cover them froril Head to Foot; though in fome Places they wear them fhorter: This is a plain fort of Mantle, dole to their Bodies, Without any Linnets underneath; this they let fall tothsir Feet* and having fattened it on their Shoulders, 74 Of the 'Nature and Properties of the Book HI. gather it in Pleirs, and fwath themfelves Ovtille. from their Wafte to the Brealts, with 1664. feme fine colour’d Wooll Scarf, of about v/YNJ four Fingers broad, and lo long, that it takes io many turns about their Wafte, as to keep their bodies as (freight as any: This is all their Drefs within Doors. The Indian Women of the better fort, that live in Towns among the Spaniards, have learn’d the ufe of Smocks and Waft- coars under their Mantles, but of no o- ihe Women ther thing ; and one cannot Affront an hate Head- Indian Woman more, then to offer to put Dre u es > her on Headcloaths, or Necklaces, or Sleeves, or Gloves, or any of thofe Orna¬ ments which the Spanijlj Women ufe ; and much more if they oblige them to And Paint, put any Paint upon their Faces; nothing of this kind could ever prevail upon them, though born and bred among the Spanijh Women ; and to talk to them of it, even to thofe among them who love to be Fine, would be like giving them a cut over the Face; fo great a horrour they have for any thing that is fo very contrary to their ancient Cuftoms. They wear nothing on their Heads, but their Hair plated be¬ hind their Shoulders, and divided hand- lomely upon their Forehead over their Eye-brows, and have Locks, which cover part of their Cheeks: fo their Face is hanafomely and fimply adorn’d, without any artifice. When they go abroad, they put upon their Shoulders another half Mantle,. fquare, and faffened before with a Bodkin or Crochet, which anfwers the Two others on the Shoulders; and thus they go abroad with their Eyes fix’d upon the Ground ; for they are naturally very Modeff, Iioneft Women. This manner of Cioathing themfelves, with fo much Simplicity and Plainnefs, as well in the Women as the Men, with Few Arti- fo little Pride and Vanity in their Houfes, fieer-s; ail does not much encourage Artificers, who Stldters - have little to do; and by that means there are the more Men of War, which is the thing in which thefe Men place their Ho- nour and Felicity, as other Nations do in the Sumptuoufhefs of Palaces and Furniture, or in other Riches and Eminencies either of Arts or Learning ; of all which thefe •Indians never had any Notion; and yet they learn them eafily, when they are taught them,, and to a great Perfection. They can neither Read nor Write among themfelves, but as to their way of re- membring and keeping Account, they Their way have their Quipoes , which is a fort of of keeping Strings of different bignefs, in which Account. t h e y ma ke £ nots p evera , co j ours ^ by which they remember, and can give an Account of the Things committed to their Charge. With thefe they will give an Account of a great Flock, and tell which have died of Sicknefs or other Ac¬ cidents; and which have been fpent in the Family, and for the Shepherds ; and they will tell every Particular that hap¬ pened in fuch and fuch Occafions, and of what they did and laid. When they go to Confefs, thefe Quipoes ferve them to re¬ member their Sins, and tell them with dF ftin&ion and clearnefs; They have be- fides excellent Memories of their own, and do remember things of very ancient date, juft as if they had happened but a little while before; and when they begin to talk them over, (which happens gene¬ rally when they drink, and begin to b« warm’d with Wine) ’ds wonderful how they will repeat things paft, with all their Circumftances, and particularly Affronts and Injuries that have been done them, or their Anceftors, refrelhing the Me¬ mory of things that Teem’d to be quite forgotten. For Proof of the Care they take to keep the Memory of remarkable Paffages, I muft relate here what I learn’d from Father Diego Torres Bollo , a very Extraordinary Man, both for Holinefs of Life, and Skill in Government. This Great Man returning from Rowe (whither he had been fent as Procurator of the Province of Peru) to found the Province of Quito, he faw in a place a singular where Four Ways met, an Indian , who, wayefRt- to the Sound of a Drum, was Singing a effing great many Things all alone in his own Event( ' Tongue: The Father call’d one in his Com¬ pany, who underftood it, and ask’d him what that Indian meant by that A&ion, who told the Father, that that Indian was as it were the Regifter of that Country, who, to keep up the Memory of what had pafs’d in it from the Deluge to that time, was bound every Holiday to repeat it by the Sound of a Drum, and Singing, as he was then doing : He was moreover oblig’d to InftruCt others in the fame way, that there might be a Succeffion of Men to do the fame thing after he was gone ; and that which he at this time is Singing, is, That in fuch a year there had been there a White Man call’d 7 ho. An Addi. mas, who did great Wonders, Preaching tion °f a new Law, which in time was loft and Inter P reter < forgotten, &c. and thus we may fee the manner by which the Indians fepply the want of Books and Writings. The Women of Chile are fo Bold and Manly in their Courage, that when it is neceffary, and that there is want of Men, they take Arms, and behave themfelves as Chap. V. Kingdom of CHILE. 75 as if they were Men. They Play like- wile at a very A&ive Game call’d La Cbueca , wherein the Men fhew their greateft Agility and Nimblenefs, each fide {Wiving to get a Ball from the other, and carry it to the Mark with crooked Bandy Sticks ; They are about Forty or Fifty on a fide, who place themfelves in different Poffs, io as to be ufeful one to another, and drive away the Ball from the other Party; and when it happens that Two of diffe¬ rent Sides are at it together, ’tis a plea- fure to fee them run, the one to forward it with another Stroke, and the other to get before him and hinder him from ftrik- ing it, that he may drive it back to his own Side. This is a Sport much to be feen ; and generally it has many Spe&ators to fee the end of the Play, which often lofts a whole Evening, and lometimes is forc’d to he put off to another day, fuch Con¬ tention there is to win thefe Prizes they Play for. Tke hard The Strength and Boldnefs of the Wo* Education nien comes from the little Tendernefs ef the 1*0- are g rec j w j t ^ f or t h e y avoid neither Heat nor Cold ; and in the Coldeft Win¬ ters, when Birds are kill’d with Cold, they Wafh their Heads in Cold Water, and never dry their Hair, but let ic re main wet and dry it felf in the Air; and as for their Children, they walh them in the Rivers when they are yet very young j &nd when xhey are brought to Bed, in a very little time they are about the Houfe, as if it were not they, but fome other Woman that had Lain in. If the Women behave themfeives thus, what may we expect from the Men > ’Tis a wonderful thing how little they fear Weather, though in the midft of Winter ; and to fee an Indian , with that fimple Habit we have defcrib’d, his Head bare. without Hat or any other Covering. I have feen them in this Condition endure Ovalle . mighty Showers, which wet them all 1646. over, and came out at their Breeches, and yet Laugh, and not value that, which to others would have been fnfupport- ff able. gainft JVet 1 remember, upon this Occafion, what and Cold, was laid by a Spanijh Gentleman of a Merry Humour, to one newly come from Europe , who, with Great Charity, was pittying thefe Poor Indians for their Suf¬ ferings in Winter, which in that Country is very fevere. The Gentleman ask’d the good Father, what he had to keep his Face from the Cold ? To which he ad- fwerd, Nothing, becaufe every Body’s Face was us’d to the Weather: To which the Gentleman replied, Thefe Indians are all Face , for from their Infancy they have .no Defence a gain ft the Cold ; Who is it that pieties a Trout or other Fifh, for be¬ ing in the Water, becaufe they are bred in that Element ? The fame may be faid of thefe Indium, who are like Fifties, and are bred to all that Hlrdfhip, and fo we need not wonder at it. By thefe Means Bear their they are fo hardened, that a Wound which the Braveft Spaniard would take ^Spa-** his Bed for, does give them fo little trouble, n iards. that I have feen them go about without minding it. I have known them have a broken Head by accident at Play, and a 1 they do is to walh it in Cold Water, never leaving their Employment or Bufi- nefs ; and with this, and the application of their own Herbs, which, indeed, are of great Vertue, they are foon well *, but the Excellency of their own Conftitution helps not a little to their Cure iri Wounds, as well as all other Diftempers, out of which they get well wirh a great deal lefs Time and Care than the Spaniards. CHAP. V. Of other Qualities, proper to the Natives of Chile, The People T^om this ftrong Gonftitutibn, comes 0/Chile JL the admirable Patience of their Minds, very pa~ and the litde Senfe they fhow of that which tient, amongft us Europeans would be a great Mor¬ tification. That which happened between an Indian and Father Lewis oi’ Valdivia is admirable upon this Subject. The Indian came to confefs to the Father; who to make him enter into a Penance for his a god Sins, order’d him to wear a Cilice or Hair- Sttr y- Cloth upon his Skin ; it was a very hard one, and fuch as would have punch’d one of usfevereiy : The Indian put it on, and about a year after, there was a ProceiTioh of the Holy Sacrament , at which he danc’d, and feeing his Confeflor in the ^ Church, he left his Dancing, and came to him, faying, Lbok here how I have pre- Spain to fervd what thou gave(l me a year ago, and Dance at fhewed it him upon his Naked Skin: The 'Pncej/ms. Father was aftonifh’d to fee, that what he gave him to Mortifie him, was turn’d to an Ornament; and asking him, how long he had worn it, was anfwer’d by him, 1 3L 2 hav© Of the Nature and ‘Properties of the Book III. (xA^ have never left it off one Minute fines Ovalle. thou gaveft it me ; and lo return’d to his t64.6. Dancing, fhewing his Companions the 1Prefent the Father had made him, as pleas’d with it, as if it had been a Gold or Silver Brocard \ and fo far he was from taking it for Mortification, or feel¬ ing its Roughnefs, that he wore it for a Favour given him by his Father Con- feffor. The Cow- Thefe Indians of Chile are the fairelt flexion of Complexioned, and Whiteft of all Ame- ^ Chlle ‘ rica ; and thofe of the Coldeft.Countreys m3nSk are the Whiteft, as we fee in Europe ; but the very Antipodes of Flanders , never come to be fo White as the Flemmings •, and among all the Chilenians , I do not re- No Red member a Red Hair’d one j for they all, both Men and Women, have Black Hair, and that very rough, and hard, and thick, in fo much that the Meftito’s or Mungrel Breed of a Spanijh Man and Indian Wo¬ man, are known and diftinguifh’d by that from the Children of a Spanijh Man and Spanijh Woman ; and this will laft to the Second and Third Generation before it fofeens. There is little difference in any thing elfe, either of Shape, Feature, or Difpofition, nor in the manner of Speak¬ ing, or Sound of the Voice; and as for the Language, not only the Mejlito's, but the Indians bred among the Spaniards, are as ready at the Phrafe and Turn of the Spanijh Tongue, as any Spaniard. I have made Experience of this often in Con- They fpeak feffing them ; for the Confeflionary is fo Spanifh turn’d, as the Father Confelfor cannot peifettly. £ e t | ie Woman that enters to Confefs ; it happened to me often to have an Indian Woman come in after a Spanijh Woman ; and I could not find any difference, till fhe her felf, finding I us’d her with that Diftin&ion and Civility due to Spanijh Ladies, would humbly tell me fhe was but an Indian. The Conftitution of thefe People, is the caufe, that time does not make fo They bear ft r0 ng an Impreflion on them as onus; their years they b ear t ] ie i r years mighty Well, very m . turn ; n g g re y ver y i ate? at Threefcore or thereabouts, and till then they look like young Men : When they are over White, or have any Baldnefs, you may guefs Livelong, them at about a Hundred : They all live long, and particularly the Women; and when by Age they lofe their Judgment, they feldom falter in their Memory, which lafts them to their dying day, even to re¬ member all the Particulars of their young Good Teeth, days from their Infancy. Their Teeth and Eyes are fo good, that they feldom lofe either ; and, in Ihort, all the Infir¬ mities of old Men, which are the fore¬ runners of death, come to them later then to other Nations; But yet, if they happen to go out of their own Country, they lofe all their Vigour, as we expe¬ rience daily in our Prifoners of War; cannot en. who being fold to Peru, as foon as they ciwe t0 feel the Heat of the Tropick, they fall Sick, and raoft of them dye ; and this is 01m * no more than what happens to the Spa. niards , when they come from their own Climate to Porto Bello, or Panama ; nay, the Spaniards born in Chile , venture their Lives, that go to thofe Countreys that are between theTropicks. From this Experience the Indians have of the Hoc Countreys, comes the great Relu&ancy they fhew to go out of their own ; and the Refentment they exprefs againft thofe who carry or fend them a- broad ; and *tis not to be imagin'd the ftrange and rafh Contrivances they have to make their Efcapes from Lima ; for though they have above joo Leagues to go to their own home from Peru, yet they undertake it, and molt commonly com- pafs it, through a vaft number of Dan¬ gers and Inconveniencies : For, Firft, they are forced to go all along by the Sea fide, by which one may guefs how much they go about, fince they fetch the compafs of all the Bays and Nooks, and double ail the Capes. The next Inconvenience, which they meet with, is want of Food; for they dare not enter any Town, or Inhabited place $ fo they are reduced to feed on Cockles and other Shellfifh on the Seafide, which is no very good Nourifhment. The Third Difficulty is the pafling of fb many, and fuch fwift Rivers. The Fourth Inconvenience is the want of Water to drink; for ’tis not poffible, that in fo great a Journey, they fhould not fometimes mils of freffi Water to quench their thirft. All thefe Difficulties, and many others, which are obvious to Travellors, are overcome by thefe Indians by length of time and Patience j and they get at laft to their own Country, and are out of Slavery, not by the Means of Gold or Silver, but by the Bravery of their Minds. The Boldnefs of forne other Indians was The Bold- yet more remarkable; Thefe were car- ,te f s ried in a Ship to be fold as Slaves at Lima Chilcni ~ by z Portuguese Gentleman of the Habi ™.?£ of Chrift, who was going about things very belonging to War at the time that I went the fame Voyage : This Navigation is made commonly in fight of the Goaft, more or lefs according as the Winds ferve, but Kingdom c/CHILE. 78 Chap. V. but Bill they keep a good way out at Sea for fear of the Rocks. Thele Indians refoivM among themfelvCs to throw themfelyes into the Sea, to avoid this Siavery and one day, when they found the Ship in a, proportionable diBance to the Shore, fo as they durB venture to trufr to their Swimming, they got loofe Very dexteroufly from their Fetters, and Aid, without being perceiv’d, down by the Ships fide into the Sea, and when they mifs’d them they were out of fight, and s* r ° dd 16 it was in vain to follow them Among thefe Prifoners there was an old Man, who either becaufe he was not trufted by the others, or becaufe they had not the opportunity of acquainting him with the Defign, he not being fhut up with them, but having the liberty of the Ship as an Old Man, remain’d behind after they were gone. This Indiart began to think of the thing, and to weigh with himfelf how his Companions had under¬ taken and perform’d an extraordinary Action » he reflected how they had ar¬ rived at their own Land, and among their Friends, who perhaps were En¬ quiring about him, and that every Body defpis’d him as a Coward, and a Man of little Spirit, fince he had not been able to overcome the Adverle Fortune which the others had conquer’d, but had fub- mitted to it; He reprefented to himfelf the Wellcomes and Joys which their Friends exprefs’d, and the FeaBs and Entertainments made for their Return, and the Embraces and Careffes which they receiv’d from their Relations: All this, I fay, made fuch an Impreflion in bis Mind, and rais’d fuch an Emulation, , that he could not bear the Reproaches he made himfelf, particularly feeing himfelf without a Remedy ; at laB, after much Thought and Penfivenefs, he came to a Refolution, which was, to do fomething which fhould be bolder than what his Companions had perform’d, and that in the manner of doing it, for he refolv’d to do it by day, in the fight of all the Spaniards-, and for a beginning, he de- fign’d to kill his Maher, not in the night, A Defpt- and without WitnefTcs, as he might eafily rate old h ave done, but upon the Deck in the fight Indian, 0 f a jj t | 10 £ j n t h e Ship, to get himfelf a greater Name of Brave ; To this end, he took one day, a great Knife in his Hand, and fell upon the Captain, and having wounded him in feveral places, with as much precipitation as he could, leap’d over-board with 16 much fuddennefs, that he flip’d away from thofe who endea¬ vour'd to feize him. ’Tis to be imagin’d they were all wonderfully fur priz’d att^JCp the Refolutenefs of. the Ail ion; They Ovatic immediately brought the Ship too, and 1646, put out the Boat in all the hafte that could be to follow the Indian , who Swim- ming like a Fifh, was already aimoft out of fight; but they overtook him, and bid him yield himfelf Prifoner, fince he could not feape; and finding him ffiil endeavour to get away, they Bruek at him with their Launces,but he dexteroufly avoided all their Strokes with great Pre¬ fence of Mind, diving and appearing again where they leaft expected him ; upon this they fir’d upon him, and wounded him in feveral places; but neither then did he yield, nor would ever had a thought of it, but the lofs of Blood taking away his Strength, had made him unable to get away, fo they brought him aimoft expiring to the Snip, having more valued Death with the Re¬ putation of a Brave Man, then Life with the Infamy of a Coward, and the lofs of Reputation among his own People. This Fad does not only fhew the Bravery of the Nation, but likewife their great Aver- fion to go out of their own Country, and how heavy a Yoke they think Sub¬ jection to be; and we fhall fee hereafter how much they have done to defend their beloved Liberty. Now let us fpeak of fome other Cu* Boms, thefe Indians have. They Soiem- Their Mah nize their Marriages their own way, and riaget. in a very contrary manner to that of the Europeans : For as to the Portion, the Wo¬ man does not provide it, but the Man ; and neither of them enjoy it, butit paffes to the propriety and ufe of the Father of the young Woman; fo that the Husband has a charge upon him of maintaining his Wife without any help, nay, rather with lefs Ability, for he parts with feme of his Daughter: SubBance to purghafe her ; fo that in a J^ this Country ’tis no Charge at all to have ^ther many Daughters; but rather a Part of Riches to * their Eftate and SubBance. Father. They take many Wives; and the grea- teB ObBacle they have to be converted to our Religion, is this Vice of Voligamy , which they embrace with great Senfualky, though ’tis chargeable, becaufe at the fame time ’tis a Figure of Power and Riches. The FirB Wife has fome Preemi Hm they nence over the others, and has the order- Manage ing of them ; yet they all look upon them- felves as lawful Wives, and their Children as Legitimate •, yet the Son of the FirB in¬ herits the EBate and the Honour of Caci¬ que, and has a Power over ids other Bro¬ thers. Book III. 78 Of the Nature and 'Properties of the rvyv/'i The Subjedts obey their Lord with great Oval/e, Pun&uality, Love and Refped; and for 1646. this reafon they have no Prilons nor ftrong Places to hold them in; for their Natural natural Love and Refped they bear their obedience Cacique , is a Law Inviolable in their ciquc* *" Hearts, and a Reward of their Obedience, which they (how in all Regards that may pleafe him. When a Cacique has a Mind to make War, he need not make Provifion of Money for Pay, without which amongft us Men will not Fight even for their King; he need only give out his Orders,and they ail come with Arms and Horfes, bearing their own Charges during the Enter- prize; and this is the Reafon that they can aflemble fo powerful an Army in lo little Their Wars time, they all looking upon the Com- Voluntary , mon Caufoas their own : and as they make without t j ie g C10c j 0 f Country the Motive ajf ' of their Arms, every one thinks himfolf fufficiently rewarded if they can de¬ fend that from their Enemies. The Sound of the Drum and Trumpet is only to iliow them the neceflity of their meet¬ ing in Arms; at which they imme¬ diately leave Wife and Children, and all that is dear to them, with the hazard of never feeing them more, as it often hap¬ pens. In the Diflribution of the Booty and Slaves taken in War, there is no other Method, than that every one has what he can get, fo that the braveft and mod di¬ ligent, are the bed provided, without any Obligation of giving any Part of it to their Captains or General, for in this they are all equal; and Valour alone makes Pery brave. the Diftindion, which they (hew in an eminent degree, being very defirous to re¬ cover fbme of our Arms, fiich as Guns, Swords, Lances; for they have no Iron Want iron. of their own. When they return from War; and find what Men they have lod, 5 tis incredible what Lamentations Cries, and Tears, proceed from the Widows and Children of thofo who are Dead; and though this be a common Sentiment of Humanity, pradifod amongd all Nati¬ ons who value Society and Proximity of Blood, which are the Foundation of Friend (hip, yet the Indian Women foem to furpals all others; for they do not cry in focret, but fee up their Notes, fo that when any one hears them at a didance, it provokes more ro laughter than moves to Compaffion. When a Man dies at Llome, the manner of their exprefTmg ^ ^ their Sorrow is more remarkable ; for mins JJA the Women all get about the dead Body, »er of and the Elded beginning, the others fob mourning low all in the fame Tone; and thus they continue a great while, fo that they never give over, as long as they can ho’d out ; and this Gudom they preforve, even after they are Baptiz’d, and live among Chri- ftians; but not that which they had of opening the dead Bodies, to know of what Difoafo they died, and to put Meat, and Drink, and Clothes in their Graves with them, as alfo Jewels and things of Value ; neither do they cover their Graves with Pyramides of Stones, nor ufe other Ceremonies pradifod by the Gentiles of thofe Parts. CHAP. VI. Of the Chilenian Indians, who Inhabit the Blands of Chile. t/t 7 E divided the Kingdom of Chile V V into three Parts, and the Iflands made one : Thefoare very well Peopled; thofo who live in the Fertile Iflands, which are capable of producing Corn , and Feeding Flocks, pals their Lives as the In. dians of Terra firma do, eating Flefh and foveral Fruits, the Produd of their Iflands. Thofo who Inhabit the Barren or lefs Fer¬ tile Iflands , eat Fifii of the Sea, and Shell* Filh, as alfo Potatoes ; and fome,who can¬ not have any Wool, Cloath themfolves Their with the Barks of Trees. Some go Bark- charting, naked, though their Climate is mighty Cold, and by Cuftom do not feel the Hardnefs of the Weather overmuch. Others have a IIrange way of Cloath- r*ry fa&i* ing themfolves, which is to gather a cer- //?r - tain Earth with Roots about it, to give it a Confifiency ; and others Cloath them- felves with Feathers, as Brother Gregory of Leon Reports in his Map. They are all tall Men; and infome Places there are Giants, as the Dutch relate, who lay, they found Skuls that would contain with in them fome of their Heads; for they us’d to put them on like Helmets: They found Giants, alfo Dead Mens Bones of Ten and Ele¬ ven Foot long, whofe Bodies by confe- quence muft have been Thirty Foot High, which is a Prodigious thing. Thofo whom they law alive,were generally taller by the Head and Shoulders than the Dutch , Chap. VI. Kingdom of CHILE. Dutch. This appears by the Relation of Ge¬ neral Schewten j and from that of George Spilberg , we learn, that when they were in the Streights of Magellan , they came to an JJland which they call’d the JJland of Patagoons , orGyants, becaufe of (onie they faw there, and on the Tien a del Fuego. Among the reft, they faw one who was upon a Rock, to fee the Ships go by, and they fay of him that he was Immanis ad~ modum, '& horrcndre Longitudinis. Likewife we know, from the Fleet com¬ manded by Don Fray Gareia Jofre de Loaifa, a Knight of St. John's Order, that at the Cape of the Eleven Thoufand Vir¬ gins they found the Footfteps of Men, • of a large Stature, and met two Canoos of Savages, whom becaufe of their Strength and Stature, they call’d Giants; they came Good Row- near the Ships, and feem’d to threaten them, but thole of the Ship endeavouring to follow them, they could not come up with them, for they Rowed fofwiftly, they Canoo’s leem’d to fly ; ’tis probable thele Canoos cf Whale- were made of the Ribs of Whales, which are there in abundance, and they found one before with the Sides and Stceridge of Whalebone. In another Voyage, made by Thomas Candijhy an Englifh Gentleman,they found ilia Port (in a very Inacceffible Place) a Company of Indians , very lufty Men, who notwithstanding the Prodigious Cold of that Country, lived in the Woods like Satyrs, and (hewed lo much Strength, that they would throw Stones of Three or Four Pound Weight a great way. We read likewife in the Relation of the Voyage of Magellan , that as he winter’d in the Bay and River of St. John, there came to the Ship Six Indians , lo tall, that the loweft of them was taller than the talleft Spaniard Aboard ; that having made a great Kettle of the Sweepings of the Bif cuit for them, enough for twenty Men, thole fix Eat it up entirely, without leaving a crum of it. Magellan gave them a lore of Coats ofRed Wool, with which they were much pleas’d, never having leen any before; their ordinary wear being Dear Skins. They learn’t from them, that in the Summer tiiey us’d to come down to the Sea- fide to live, but in the Winter they with¬ drew more into the Heart of the Country. We know likewife by thele lame Authors, that the number of the Indians that inhabit thofe Goafts, is confiderable, particularly in the Port call’d the Port of Shell-fip, where as fooon as they landed great num¬ bers of Indians , with their Wives and Children, came to them, and exchanged with them great quantities of Pearl ready wrought in Points, like Diamonds, very artfuliy, for Cizars, Knives, and other Ovalle . Baubles; as alfo for Spanijh Wine, which 1 <5 ±6, pleas’d them extreamly; but they came no more, for they were frighted with lee- ing the Spaniards Shoot fome Game. I he Fleet of George Spilberg found al(b great numbers of Inhabitants in the Land on the other fide the Streight; and when the Captains, call’d the Nodales, were by the Kings Order to view the Streight of St. Vincent , they found, upon a Point of Land of that Streight, great Store of Peo¬ ple. The lame is laid by the Saballa's and others, who went from Peru to learch the Terra del Fuego ; and all thofe who have pals’d the Streights, have conftandy leen Men and Inhabitants on the Shores in fe- veral Places; and at one Place fome cf Spilberg s Men Landing to pnrfue lome Birds of a very fine Colour, which they law on Shore, had fcarce begun to Shoot them, but they were environ’d with In- dians , who attack’d them lo furioufly with Clubs, that happy was he that could make his elcape to the Ship ; and many of them were knocked on the Head. The Nodales likewife law, in the Bay of St. Gregory, great numbers of Inhabitants, with whom the Sea-men drove a Trade by exchanging fome Spanijh Trifles for Gold. By all which ’tis apparent how well j^Iflands peopled ail that Coaft and the IJlands are; and yet we do not know what fort of People streights inhabit the Fourlcore IJlands } dilcovered are wel1 by Pedro Sarmiento , for no Body Landed out of that Fleet *, but we know that the IJlatsders of Mocha are a Peaceable Civil Nation, feveral Ships having touch’d there and at Santta Maria . As for the Nation call’d the Cbond's , they are a poor People, but good natur’d, as has been leen by the Cbiloenians , in whom the Spaniards have found great Docility and a good Under- ftanding. In the IJlands dilcovered by Francis Drake 9 in about Five and fifty Degrees, of which we have already made mention, they met with Canoos of Men and Women ftark Nake(ipe °- naked, which is the more remarkable, be-^*"" w “ caufe of the exceffive Gold of thole parts, Country where there was no Day with them, though the Sun with us was in the Tropick of Cancer , and by coflfequence made our Summer. And now lately; in the Year Forty three, the Dutch having fent a Fleet under the Command of Anthony Brun , which pafs'd the Streights with a defign to fettle at Valdivia , as they endeavour’d ; they fail’d afterwards into Seventy Degrees a where they dilcover’d an JJland , which they So Of the Nature and ‘Properties of the Book HI, they called Burnevdt , in which they faw Ovwe* the Foeth eps of Men of large Stature, i 6a.6. and obferv’d great Snioaks; this Place was fo Cold that the Dutch could not en¬ dure the Rigor of the Weather, which was nothing but Froft and Snow, though it was our June, or July. ’Tis a wonder how thofe JJlanders pals their time in fo much Cold and Darknefs, without any thing to co¬ yer their Nakednefs ; for wanting Com¬ merce with Chile , or other Parts in Europe , they have neither Sheep, nor Goats, nor any dung that Produces Wool fit to make Mankind them Garments. It muft be own’d that naturally Men are quite other Creatures than the hardy. nice Imagination of fome Effeminate Na¬ tions takes them to be; and Humane Na¬ ture by Cufiom accomodates it felf to this Place where ’tis bred, fo that very often Men will not leave that Place for any other more full of Conveniency. ’Tis for this that thefe Indians fhow fuch an Averfion to leave their Country where they were born and bred • and though it be amiferable one, and thofe they-go-ta, more delicious, yet there is nofweetnefsin anyone like that of their own Country. A Report There is a Report likewife, that in the ^/Pigmies. Streights of Magellane there are Pigmies, but I know not upon what it is foun¬ ded ; for all the Authors that relate the Voyages made into thofe Parts, fpeak al¬ ways of Gyants, or Men of a Gigantick Form, who exceed us in Strength and Stature ; and ’tis laid in one of thefe Re¬ lations that the Ships Men, in a certain Place, beginning to Fight with thefe In. dians , they pull’d up great Trees by the Roots, to ufe them as a Retrenchment 's we may fee in a Pi&ure in Theodore , and Jean de Brie ; but I cannot imagine how this report of Pigmies was Invented, and it feems to me a Jeft or Irony, or perhaps among thefe Gyants there are fome Dwarfs. That which was feen by the Vice-Ad¬ miral of George Spilberg^s Fleet, was a Bo¬ dy of about Two Foot and a Half high, which was buried with another of an Or¬ dinary Stature, in a Grave of very little Depth, and cover’d after the Indian way with a Pyratnide of Stones, in an IJland call’d the great IJland, about the Second Mouth of the Streights i and from hence, perhaps, or from having feen lome of that iittlenefs alive, this report of Pigmies took its Rife. This is all the Account I can give, of the Inhabitants of the Streights, and IJlands a- bout it .* Time will perhaps enable us to be more particular, when by Commerce we are better acquainted with them; and then without doubt there will not be wan¬ ting Authors to Write about them. CHAP. VII. Of the Indians of Cuyo, who are on the other tide of the Cordillera, to the Eaji of Chile. T He Indians of the Province of Cuyo , though in many things they are like the Inhabitants of Chile , yet in many o- The indi- thers they are notfo : For Firft, they are °f not fo White, but more Copper colour’d. Copper c®- which may be attributed to the great lour'd. Heat they endure in Summer. Secondly, they are not fo cleanly, nor do not build fuch neat Houfes to live in \ but their Ha¬ bitations are wretched, nay, fome who live in the Marches, make themfelves Holes in the Sand, into which they go like wild Beafts. Thirdly, they are not fo laborious to Cultivate their Land, and lb have not fuch variety of Produtft as thole of Chile. ' Fourthly, they are nor lb brave nor Warlike as the Indians of Chile . Their Language is li kewife different, and lb diffe¬ rent, that I do not know one Word of the one, that is in the other; but yet the Lan¬ guage of Chile, being fo Univerfal that it is the fame all over the Kingdom, to the Foot of the Cordillera, thofe of Cuyo I earn’d it too, and that very perfectly; but I ne¬ ver obferv’d that a Chile Indian fpoke the Language of Cuyo , which fheWs the Ad¬ vantage that the Language of Chile has over the other. In return of thefe Advantages which the Cbilenians have, thofe at Cuyo have fome over them. And the firft is in the Stature, which is Taller, but not fo Strong and well fee as the Cbilenians , but rather raw Bon’d without Flefh: Ido not remember I ever faw a Fat Cuian among fo many as I have feen. They are likewife better Work'Men in fome things which require Patience and length of time, fuch as Baf- basket ket-Work of feveral Figures, all of Straw Work that and yet fo dole work’d that they will 'will hold hold Water* fo which reafbn they make*^' their Drinking Veftels of them; and as they cannot break by a fall upon the Ground, they are very lafting, and the Guriofities of Chap. VII. Kingdom of of this kind which they make., very much valued for their Work and Colours. Likewife they prepare feverai Furs of Animals which they hunt; and they are very foft and warm for Winter : They hunt and catch Oftriches likewife, and make many Works of their Feathers, with which they adorn themfelves on their Feftivals, mingled with the Feathers of other Birds. They likewife hunt the wild Goats and Deer, and are the Matters of all the Bez,oar Stones, which they lell to the Spaniards fo dear, that any one who ihould buy them to get by them, would make but a (mall Profit in Europe . The Cuyi- Theft Cuyians are alfo more Hairy, and ans more | ia ve more Beard than the Chile mans, Hmrythen t h 0U gh t h e y p U n their Hair as the others nians 1 e " do, but with more trouble; and they ne¬ ver look fo Smooth as thole ot Chile. They are all well fhap’d and nimble, and have a good Air •, they have alfo good TheWomen Underftandings. The Women are Tall and Paint their 5} enc j er ^ anc j i do not know that I ever faw Oygeti. Taller. They Paint their Faces Green, which is lb well fettled in their Skin, that there is no getting it out; moft commonly they Paint only their Noftrils; lome their whole Faces, and-the Men their Beards and Lips. Their Habit is decent in both Sexes; the Women let their Hair grow as long as they can, but the Men only be¬ low their Ears. In all other things are like rhe Chilenians. They are very nimble and good Tra¬ vellers without, tiring. I havefeen them run up the ftiffeft and ttreightett Hills of the great Cordillera , like' fo many Goats; and this the Women will do as well as the Men,nay, the little Children too: The Women will run-with their Children in a Cradle, fattned to their Backs, by a Strap that comes over their Forehead, and with all this Weight they follow their Husbands, with fo much eale and agility, that tis won¬ derful. A Proof of For a Proof of the Admirable difpofiti- their Agi- on 0 f thefe People, in walking, and run- %• ning, a Corrigidoi and Captain General of that Province told me a Story about their Hunting their Venifon, which is ve¬ ry lingular: He told me, That as foon as they find their Game out, they draw near them, and follow them upon a half trot, keeping them Bill in fight, without lea¬ ving them fo much as to eat; and in a Day or two they begin to tire them lo as they can come up with them, and kill them , and return home I.oaded with them, where they Featt upon them, with their Families, fill they have made an end: For thefe Indians are iuch Gluttons natu¬ CHILE. S i rally, that a few of them will eat up a Calf or a young Heifer in a Meeting: OvaUe. But they are as good at fitting, when they 1646. have nothing to eat; for they will pals fe- veral days with a little Maize and feme Roots which grow Wild. They are alfo very Dexterous Archers, and often kill with their Arrows the Game they fee. I fhall not omit a particular Favour be- flowed on thefe Indians by God Almighty; which is a fingular Inttinitt of Tracing finding kfl and following any loft Thing. Of which things. I fhall give two Examples which hapned in the City of St. Jago. Our College had a Cart belonging to it, which flood at the Gate of a Garden, to which our Seminaries did ufe to go to refrefh themfelves ; it was Stole one Night, and being mitt in the Morning by one of our Lay Brothers, he imme¬ diately went to find out a Guarpe , ( for that is the Name they give thofe finding Indians) ; he preftndy fell upon the Scene or Pifte, and followed it, taking with him the Lay Brother, till he came to a River, where it fail’d him, but he loft not the Hopes of finding it ; he crofs’d the River, and recrofs’d it again, once and twice, by fo many different Fords; (the Man that Stole it, as he fince confels’d, had crofs’d fo many times to break the Pifte to the fol¬ lower) after this he went four Leagues outright, and there he found, it when the Man that had it believ’d himfelf moft fafe from being difeover'd. Another time, a certain Perfon having loft a Parcel of Oranges, he employed a Guarpe , who having led him through many Streets and turnings, brought him at laft to a Houle, where finding the Door fihuc, he bid him, Knock and go in, for there, faid he, are thy Oranges; he did fo, and found them. There are every Day Expe¬ riments of this kind made by them to ad¬ miration. They are likewife flout Work¬ ers, very fliong, and lafling in Labour. Next to theft Indians of Cup, are the Indians Pampas, call’d fb becauft they In¬ habit thofe vaft Plains, which are extended for about 400 Leagues to the Eaft, and reach to the North Sea. Thofe of the Point of Los Venados are the neareftthe Kingdom of Chile , and are much of the fame kind. Thefe Pampas though have no Houfts, in which they differ from alliMan- kind ; for the firft thing Men generally do, is to cover themfelves from the Incle¬ mency of the Air, and this is the thing which thefe Pampa's do the leall care for; Buildw perhaps they are of opinion, that ’tis an in Hou J es • jury to the Author of Mankind, to look for more Shelter than he afforded Men U as $z of the Nature and Properties of the Book lit at firft, which is the Earth with the Hea- QvaUe. vens for Vault or Cover* and that to de- I 6 a 6 . fend themfeives from Rain, it was enough t/Y>J to make any little Cover, which might ea- Ulybe taken away and let up in another Place. ,, , This they obferve, and look upon it as afort of Prifon or Captivity, to be tyed to one Place ; for this Reafon they will nei¬ ther have Houfe, nor Gardens, nor Plan¬ tations, or Pofleffions, which are like Chains to hinder their Removal to other Places. For they judge that the greateft Love Indtm of all Earthly felicities is to have the abfo- pndency . lute, entire and independent ule ot their own Free-will ^ co live today in one Place, to morrow in another: Sometimes, fay they, l have a Mind to enjoy the Frelhnefs of a River fide; and being weary of that, I pals to another: Otherwhile I have a mind to live in Woods and Solitudes, and when I am weary of their Shades, I go to the open Air of Plains and Medows: In one Place I hunt, in another I fifh; here, I enjoy the Fruits of one Territory, and when they fail, I feek out another, where they are beginning to ripen; in Ihort, I go where I will, without leaving be¬ hind me any thing 1 Regret or delire; which ufes to be the torment of thole who are fixed. 1 fear no ill News; for I forfake nothing I canlole; and with the Company of my Wife and Children, whieh I always have, I want for nothing. This is the Account that thele People give of themfeives; and thus they pals a Life without Cares; here to day, to morrow in another place; making in an Inlfant, with four little Polls, a Hut cover’d with Boughs, or loine Hide of a Beall. Their Incomes are their Bow and Arrows, with which they provide them with Flefh, with which they drink Water; only lometimes they make their drink call’d Chichea , of Fruits of the Trees, as they do in Chile. Their Cloaths are fome Leaves for decency, ^nd a Skin which is like a Cloak to cover them in other Parts. They make Holes in their Lips, and put fome Glafs or Brals Pendants in them, and lometimes Silver ones. The Men let their Hair grow to their Shoulders; and the Women, as long as it will. There leems to be one thing wanting to this Nation, which all other Indian Nations have, which is the Bread they make of Maiz, or Wheat, and lome of Rice; but yet they do not want a Supply of this kind ; for becaufe they have not thefe Grains, they make Bread of the Cods of a Tree, which we gfeadtf in Spain call Mgaroba^ and becaufe that locufif. does not lafl long, they have invented a ftrange fort of Bread made of Lo- cufts, (nay I have heard of Mofyuhos ;) but the Loculls ule to be in fuch vail quan¬ tities in thole great Plains call’d the Pampa s , that as I travei’d over them, I often law the Sun intercepted, and the Air darkned with Flights of them. The Indians obfcrve where they light to reft; and thofe Plains being here and there full of Thickets, they reft in them, and choofe the higheft for Shelter; this the Indians know, and approching loftly in the Night, they fet Fire to the Thicket, which with the high Winds that reign in thole Plains, is foon reduc’d to Ames, and the Locufts with them: Of thefe they make great Heaps; and as they are re^dy roalted , they have no¬ thing more to do, but to grind them to Powder; of the Flower of which, they make a fort of Bread, which maintains them. To the fame end they ufe an Tk Herb Herb call’d Cibil, which either by Pad Cibifiw with the Devil, or by natural Vertue , Virtm - affords them a Suftenance for leveral Days, only by keeping it in their Mouths, where it makes a White Foam, which appears upon their Lips; it is a very di£ agreeable fight, and made me very lick to fee it. Though thele People are not fo War¬ like as the Chile Indians , yet they are Couragious, and have Ihewed it upon leveral accafions. They are very Dex¬ terous at their Bows and Arrows, with which they make incredible Shots. But befides thele, they have a very ex¬ traordinary fort of Weapon of a n qw 4jfratigt kind* which is made up of two Bowls * fort of the one Bigger, and is a Stone per-**^ 0 * fedly well rounded about the bignefs of an ordinary Orange; the other is of a Bladder or hard Leather, which they fill with fome Matter of iels weight than the Stone: Thefe two Balls are tied ftrongly to each end of a Strong Whip¬ cord, which they twift of a Bulls Pizel; The Indian Handing on a high Ground, takes the ieffer Ball in his Hand, and lets the other fiy, holding it like a Sling over his Head to take aim, and hit his Ad- verfary with the heavy Ball, which they di- re Oy/, &c. of which they had no Idea before the Spaniards came among them *, yet this is nothing in companion with the Advantages they re¬ ceive by the Light of the G6fpel, which by the Means of the fame Spaniards , was and is communicated to them'. Upon this Confideration, we may well Excufe fome Military Exceifes of Cov'etoufhefs in fome of the hrft Difcoverers, and their Soldiers; who as fuch, and Men who are bred in Diforder and Confufion, and us’d to Imbrew their Hands in Blood where they find refiftance, had lefs re¬ gard to the ftrid Rules of Juftice towards the Indians ; but this was againft all the Orders of their Catholick Majefties, who from the beginning recommended moil ltri&ly the Prefervation of the Privileges of thofe Poor People, charging all their Governors, Captains, Conquerors, and Royal Minifters, That they ihould always have before their Eyes, in the Conqueft of this New World, not fb much the Di¬ latation of their Royal Power and Mo¬ narchy, as the Propagation of the Gof- pel, and the Kind Ufage of the Indians• X heir Converfion being the principal Mo¬ tive ol the Undertaking, as we fhall fee in its proper place. But how is it poffible, Morally fpeak- ing, that Humane Actions, though never fo well defign d upon high Motives, fhould not have a mixture of the Inconvenien- cies which Paflion, not overcome by Reafon, Chap. II. 85 Quito Temperate, though un¬ der the Line. Kingdom of CHILE. Reafon, produces? And lo’tis no wonder, that in the beginning of thole Dilcove- ries, fome Diforders Ihould happen, though they never were fo Exorbitant as fome Authors make them *, and parties larly in Chile they were much lels, becaufe the Inhabitants of thole Parts made the Spaniards feel their Valour at their very firft entrance, where they found their Progrefs oppos’d with greater Vigour than they imagin’d. But fince this Kingdom is one of the Confiderable Parts of America, it will be necelfary firft to fay lomething of the Dilcovery of the New World for this being the remoteft part of it towards the South, it was necelfary to pafs all the Ovalle reft before it could be dilcover’d ■, and 1646, therefore, though I have not a defign to make any Relation but of the Kingdom of Chile, I lhall neverthelefs touch upon the other Dilcoveries, and follow the Steps of the Conquerors in order, as the Hiftories of them do relate; lb the Sub. jed of this Book will be better under- ftood, by opening the manner of the find- ing them, and the Order of Time in which this Progrefs was made, and lb place each Kingdom according to its An¬ tiquity. CHAP. II. Of America in General, and what Light may be found of it among the Ancient Philofophers. A Merica , call’d otherwile the New World, becaufe ot its late Difco- very, is now as well known as it was for¬ merly hid for lb many pals’d Ages; not only to the Vulgar, but to thofe piercing Wits among the Pagans, ArifiotU, Par¬ menides, Pliny • and among the Chriftian Philofophers, to St. Aufiin , Lattantius, and others, who judged all that Climate to be Inhabitable, that lay between the Tropicks, founding their Opinion upon a Point of their Philofophy, which was, That the Prefervation of the Animal de¬ manded by its Temper the juft propor¬ tion of the Firft Four Qualities, which they luppos'd could not be found under the Torrid Zone, for fo they call’d it, becaufe of the force of the Sun upon it, it being all the year almoft perpendicu¬ lar to ir; and having oblerv’d its EfFetfts on this fide the Tropicks, how it dries the Earth in Summer, confumes the Fountains, thinking that if it did not with¬ draw to the other Tropick, it would have entirely fir’d the Earth, though re- frelh’d by the nights; ’Tis no wonder, if they were perfuaded, that where its Beams were continual, there could be no Habitation for Man. But Experience, which is the Touch- ftone of all Philofophical Difcourles, has dilcover’d, That not only there is a plain Palfage,though tt oublefome, from one Pole to the other, but alfo, that thofe Regions contain’d under the Zodiack , have been, and are Inhabited by innumerable Nati¬ ons ; and that there are even under the Ecjuinoffial Line, lome Places, as that of Quito, fo Temperate and Healthful, that they are manifeftly preferrable to leveral in the Temperate Zone. This New World has, by common Confent, been call’d America , unjuftly enough, as Herrera Com¬ plains in the Firft Book of his Fifth De¬ cade, by the Crafty Ufurpation of this Dilcovery, appropriated to America Vef- pujio, inftead of Columbus , who by this Means is depriv’d of his true Glory. It is not eafis to make out what Know¬ ledge the Ancients have had of this New World ; Marinco Stculo pretends in his Spanijh Chronicles, that the Romans had known it, and made fome Conquefts in it; and his Foundation is, That in one of the Gold Mines of America , there was found a Meddal or Ancient Coin, with the Figure of Augufius Cefar • which, he fays, was lent to the Pope by Joannes Rufo, Archbilhop of Cozenfa ; but this is refuted as ridiculous by Pedro Bercio in his Geography j and ’tis not very probable, that that Coin alone, and no other, Ihould have been found in all this length of time fince the Mines are Woikingin the Wejt-Indias • But, befides, if the Ro¬ mans had been once in pofTeftion of thofe Parts, it would not have been eafie to have loft all Commerce with them, con- fidering the great Riches that Communi¬ cation produces j for the Nations would have call’d in one another, as we fee they have done fince the Difcovery made by their Catholick Majefties, and their polfefling' of thole Parts, to which there goes every year fo much People from Europe. As to the Roman Coin, ’tis probable, that fome who pafs’d from Europe with the %6 Of the Nature and the Firft Conquerors of the Indias, and Oval/e. out of a Humour of fpreading Novelties, l6±6 (which though little worth, are generally applauded by the VulgarJ feign d he had found it in the Mines; or it might fall from him, and be found by another, who carried it as a Rarity to the Biffiop, who is faid to have fent it to the Pope. I am not ignorant that there are many Arguments and Conjectures, and thofe not Contemptible, of fome Knowledge that the Ancients had of this fo principal a part of our Globe, which are related by Abraham Ortelius Gorofio ; Father Acojla of our Company, in his Firft Book of the ‘Properties of the Book IV. Hiftory of the Indias, the nth, 12th, and 13th Chapters; Thomas Bofitts, Book the 20th, Chapt. the 3d ; Malvenda ; Frier Gregory Garcia , in the Firft Book of the • Origine of the Indians taking their Hints from Plato, Seneca , Lucian, Arrian, Cle . mens , Romanus , Origen, St. Jerom, and others, who feem to have had fome know¬ ledge of this New World, There may be feen in Father Pineda of our Society, in the 4th Book about Solomon's Court, Chapt. the i< 5 th, the Words of Abraham Ortelius , which make very much to this purpofe. CHAP. III. What Light may be had from Scripture about this New Region, Here is another Queftion which teems to be better founded than the firft, and that is, what Light may be had from Scripture about thefe remote Regions ? be- caule there are many Authors, who from thete Words of the Second of Chronicles, Chapt. the 4th, The Servants of Hiram brought 'with the Servants of Solomon Gold from Ophir, infer, that the Scripture here fpeaks of the Wcjfb Indias , and Inter¬ pret Ophir to be Peru or all America ; and as the moft famous Chriftopher Columbus was the firft who difeover’d it, fo he feems to have been the firft that us’d that Ex- preflion; for they lay, that when he was in the lfiand of Hifpaniola , he often faid, that at laft he was come to the defir’d Land of Ophir, as is related by Peter Mar - tir, in his Firft Book of the Decade of the Ocean. But he who firft tet out this Opi- Ophir nion in form, was Francis Vatable , who faid to he upon the Third Book of Kings, in the 9th Htfpamo- Chapter, and fo on, makes Ophir to be the Ifland of Hifpaniola, and the Continents of Peru and Mexico : He was Seconded in his Opinion by Pofel Goropio , Arias Mon¬ tano, Antonio Pojfevino, Rodrigo Tepes, Bo - fus, Manuel de Sa, and other Authors, reported by Pineda in his Treaty De Rebus Solomonis ; which makes Father Martin del Rio, of the Company of Jefus, fay, that this Opinion is not without good grounds; but he who defends it moft vigoroufly, is, Father Gregory Garcia of the Order of St. Dominick , in his Book De Indorum Oc- cidentdium Origine , where he drives migh¬ tily to clear this Opinion from" all Ob¬ jections and Oppofition. The things /aid by thefe Authors are not of fmall weight, though thote who would make an Inference from the Word Peru’s having a nearnels to Pharvim , which is us’d by the Septuagint in the 2d of Chro¬ nicles, the 3d, where Ipeaking of the Gold with which Solomon adorn'd his Temple, they fay, that it was of Gold of Pharvim , which in the Vulgate is Tran- flated*-^m« Probatifimum, or moft pure Gold ; have againft them a powerful Ad- verfary, to wit, Garcilaffo de la Vega, who p eru j& SJS affirms, that the Name Peru is not the Nam'd. Name of the Land, but that the Spaniards endeavouring to inform themfelves of the Country, took an Indian vvhote Name was Peru, and that asking him what Country they were in, and he imagining they ask’d him his Name, he anlwer'd Bern > and the Spaniards thought he had laid Peru, and that that was the Name of the Coun¬ try, which ever after was call’d fo. That which in my Opinion confirms moft the belief of Ophir , is, that which Solomon fays of himtelf in the Book of Wifdom, That he knew the difpofition of the Earth ; with which it feems that Ignorance was Incom¬ patible, and that he could not but be in¬ form’d of that Great and Principal part of the World ; fo that we may conclude he knew how to fend his Fleets thither, and bring home the Riches of thote Parts ; and this may be more probable, if we confider the great defire he had of gather- ing together all the Precious Things from teveral Parts oi the Earth, and the pureft Gold for the Ornament of the Temple and Houte of God j for the Gold of Val¬ divia and Carabay being the pureft in the World •, and the Precious Woods of O- dours that are in thole Kingdoms, and Paraguay, and Brafl , the fineft; it appears hard Chap. IV. Kingdom of C H I L E. 87 hard he Ihould not ufe all diligence to have them, they making lo much to his end which was to gather Treafure and Precious Things. Reafiits That he could do it, there feems no for Solo- Rfafon to doubt, fince we know he had nion’r a g feat anc j Powerful Fleet •, and if this ikiT^d Fieec *P ent always Three years from the ef Ame- tittle of its fetting out in the Red Sea , to rica. the time of its return, as the Interpreters of the Saipture all fay, in what could they fpend id much time, but in going to th* 3 utmoft bounds of the Faff and Welt ? and, ’tis poflible, went round the World, as the Ship ViSlory did fince, in the lame time *, in which, the Great Cap¬ tain Magellan difcover’d and pafs’d the Streights of his Name; and fince we know, that the Fleets of the Catholick Kings, do, in our days, penetrate to the utmoft Parts of the Eaft and Welt in lels than a years time s Why could not the fame be done by thole of fo Powerful and fo Wife a King as Solomon , who may be fuppos’d to have underftood himfejf, and lnftru&ed his Captains and Pilots in the Art of Navigation ? Neither is it im¬ probable, but he might know the ule of the Loadfione, and the Sea Compals, as fome Authors do affirm he did. This is yet more Confirm’d by what we have ob- lerv’d already about the Knowledge and Conje&ures which the Ancients had of this New World, of which he likewile could not be Ignorant, but rather have a more particular Infight into them, being bimfelf lo perfect in the Sciences of Cof- mography and Geography, as well as Hy¬ drography ; all which he had by Infufion from God Almighty, that he might lee into the Errors of thole who believed there were no Antipodes, nor that the Torrid Zone could be Inhabited, denying the roundnefs of the Earth, and other fuch Miftakes. TheCourfe Laftly, we know, that his Fleets came of Solo- t o Syria, Phoenicia , Africa , and Ear op a j # and to come to thofe Coalls, ’tis certain, that if they let out at the Red Sea , it was necefiary for them to fail Southward to Double the Cape of Good Hope , and then North, and pals the Equinottial Line a lecond time, as the Portuguefes do now in their Voyages from India to Portugal. This being fuppos’d, and that Solomon had the Knowledge of America , ’tis probable he was not unacquainted with the Com¬ munication of the North and South Seas by the Streights of AdageUan and St. Vin¬ cent ^ for Solomon being fo powerful, both by Sea and Land, and fo well Inftru&ed in all Things * ’tis probable he caus’d thole Shores to be fearch’d to find the Communication of both Seas, as it was Ovme. fince done by Men much Inferior to him 164^. in every thing, which were Magellan , and Jacob Le M.iite • Or, it might be difco¬ ver’d by fome Ships diiven by Storms into thole Parts, as fome fay it befel the Firft Difcoverers of America. This once fuppos’d, thole who under- ftand any thing of Navigation, and the Art of the Sea, cannot but know how much more eafiiy a Fleet being placed ac the Cape of Good Hope in 36, may fail South to the f4th Degree, where the Streights of Magellan lie, than to fail to the North above 72 Degrees, which it mull do from the Cape to Europe • from whence may be Jnferr’d what I fty, that if it was true that his Fleet came to Africa and Europe, and enter’d the Mediterranean Sea, it was much eafier to go to Chile and Peru ; for from the Streights it might run before Wind all along that Coaft, and having taken in the Gold, Precious Woods, Silver, and other Commodities, it might return by the fame Streights, as Pedro Sar- miento, and others, have done to the North Sea, and fo to the Cape of Good Hope , and the Red Sea ; Or, the Fleet being in the South Sea, might fail Well to the Philippine 1 Hands, and from thence, Coafting along thole Parts we call the Ea(l-Indias , it might take in all the Ealfern Commodities, and Co having gone round the World, return loaden with all the Riches of Eaft and Weft, with Pearls, Diamonds, Rubies, and o- ther Fine Stones, as allb Musk, Amber^ Ivory, and other Valuable Eaftern Com¬ modities ; and from the Weft, with Gold, Silver, Odoriferous Woods, Pearls, E- meralds, Fine Dyes, Rich and Fine Woolls, Amber, and other Riches, which were wanting to make up the Opulency of Solomon. Neither ought this to be thought im¬ practicable, fince ’tis made out already in thele Books, how eafie the Navigation would be from Chile to the Philippine Illands in Two or Three Months: The Conveniences of which Navigation have b p en let out in the Fouith Chapter of the Second Book , and we do-know how the Ship Vtttory d'd return that way, and fo have many others fince : By all which the Poflibi’ity of Solomon's Navigation is made ou*, and that within the Compafi of the Three years, in which they us’d to return to their Port in the Red Sea ; and if it did not do this, it can hardly be ima¬ gin’d, how it could employ fuch a fpace of time. Fox 88 Of the Nature and r-A.^ For thefe and many more Realbns of Ovalle. this Nature, our molt Learned Pimda 1664. retracts the contrary Opinion, which he had Publi fil’d in his Commentaries upon Job; becaufe, when he writ them, he had not fo well Examin’d the grounds of the laft Opinion, nor weigh’d all the Authority and Strength of Conpftures that attend it ; and, indeed, fo far every Prudent Man would go, as not to de- fpile and contemn an Opinion of which he believ’d the contrary, if it were main¬ tain'd with Probability, and by Perlons worthy to be hearkened to. Though, Reajom a- to lay truth, if I muft fpeak what I gainjl So- think, that one Reafon which I gave lomon s againft the Romans having had difcoverd Knowledge of thofe Parts, (which is, America, that it appears incredible, that having once made the Difcovery, and enjoy’d thole Mines, not only the Communi¬ cation with them, but the very Memory of them, fhould be loll) feems, in my O- pinion, to be as Itrong an Argument a- gainll Solomon's Fleet; for if that did once overcome all the Difficulties of that Navigation, what Caufe could interrupt that Commerce, in fuch a manner, as that the total Remembrance of it Ihould be abolifh’d. ’Tis true, that as to the Jews, they were a People who did not care to live in Forreign Parts, nor fettle among other Nations, nor Inhabit the Sea Coalfs; for God Almighty was un¬ willing , that by the Communication with the Gentiles, they Ihould Contract any of their Cuftoms; and therefore we do not know, that of all the Race of their Kings, any more than Three went about any fuch thing ; which were So- demon, who compafs’d it, and Jofophat and Ochcftas , whole Undertakings had no Succefs: By which it may be Inferr’d, That when Solomon died, and the Temple was fnilh’d, this Navigation was neg- 1 Properties of the Book ill. le&ed, till at laft it was quite forgot *, befides, that it appears from the Chro¬ nicles, and other Places of Scripture, that in thole times Silver and Gold were but little valued, the Covetoufnels of Man¬ kind not being arriv’d to the heighth it is at now a days; They did not think it worth leaving their Floufes, to endure Labour in the fearch of them, and run all thole Hazards which the Voyagers to thofe Parts do undergo. This there¬ fore might take off the Edge and Defire which we lee in the Europeans, of con¬ tinuing thole Voyages: neither would they defire to fettle in thofe Parts; or if they did, the Memory of them might be loft. See Padre Pineda, particularly in the Fifth Seftion of the Sixteenth Chapter, where he anfwers the Argu¬ ments of the Negative Opinion; to which he gives very handlome Solutions, and in particular, to thofe who lay, that Solomon's Fleet could bring nothing but Gold and Silver, as if this were nothing, or like Ballaft ; and that this were not Motive enough for him to lend his Fleets, for a thing of which it appears he made fuch ufe, both for the Temple and his own Palaces» lb that it does not feem poffible he could have it all from the Eaft, but muft have recourfe to the Weft, where there was fuch a Mals of it; as is made out by what we have faid of the Mines of Chile, and thofe of the Inga , with thofe Trees, Fruits, and Plants of Maffy Gold, and Statutes of the feme Mettal in his Gardens; befides what they call Guafca's , where to this day they keep conceal’d a vaft Store of thofe Riches ga¬ ther’d together for the Liberty of the Inga , when the Spaniards had him Pri- loner; all which may be feen in what has been faid already in feveral Chap¬ ters. CHAP. Chap. V. Kingdom of CHILE. Bj? CHAP. V. Of the Difcovery of America : And by what Means it was perform'd* Ovalle „ 1646. A Mong the hidden and wonderful Se¬ crets of Nature, we may reckon the lingular Vertue of the Loadftone, which has produced fuch wonderful Effects, as they teem more the Objs< 5 V of our Eyes than of our Faith as Men; for who, if they did not fee it, could believe the Experi¬ ments made every Day, which furpafs all Imagination ? See the curious and Ela¬ borate Treadle of Father Athanajius ) Kir. ker, of our Company, De Arte Magnetica ; for there the molt Afpiring Mind after Curiofities, will find all he can wifh about this matter, as well what is Antient, as what is Modern, the whole Treated with fo much Erudition and Clearnefs, that the Study of it is not lefs delightful than pro¬ fitable. The fame Subjed is alfo Treated of excellently by Father Nicholas Cabeo , of our Company, in his Book of Magneti - cal Philofophy. Among all the Virtues of this rare Stone, I think that its quality of taking up Iron, is not fo admirable as that which it has had of drawing Gold and Silver to Europe from India ; the Mafs of which has been fo great, that fome curious Perfons having made a Calculation in this matter, which they underftood very well, and reckoning the Millions brought by the The Maps Gallions, and Flota’s , from the Difcovery of silver of the Indias to their time, and having al- brought fo computed the difiance between Europe frmKxot - anc j t h 0 fo Parts, have found that there rjc * might have been made from the one to the other, of Bars of Silver, a Bridge of a Yard and a half Wide ; fo that if all that Metal could be found now a Days in any one Place, it would make a Moun¬ tain like that of Potoli , from which the greateft quantity has been fetched, and for that reafon it appears Hollow, and bored through in fo many Places. We may therefore fay of the Load-Stone, That Gold has given it a Vertue like that of Faith, to Tranfport Mountains, not only from one Place to another, but from one World to another, through thofe Immenfe Seas which feparate them. Who the firft Man was that applied this Vertue to Facilitate Navigation, it is hard to prove by Authors; for though we know that*this Stone was known to the Jews and to the Egyptians; yet who firft made ufe of the Sea Needle andcompafs,is very hard to find out. Some fay it came from China to Europe : others, that it was found by the Inhabitants of the Cape of gio-l Hope \ and that Vafco de Gama met with fome of their Veflels, when he made the Difcovery of the Cape, who us’d this Inftrument. Others give the Glory of it to the Spaniards and jheinven* Portuguejes ; others, to a Man of the King- tor of the dom of Naples call’d John Goyas , of Needle a* the City of Amalfi , who was rather the Se * Man that peifeded this Invenfion, being himfelf an experienced Sea Man. But let every one have his Opinion, it is not my bufinefs to decide), I only fay. That to this admirable Vertue ot the Load Scone we owe the Difcovery of America. For though fome Authors fay that Solomon's Fleet Sail’d by the Obfetvation of the Stars, the Winds, the Fiight of Birds, and other Signs, with which they Sup¬ plied the want of this ufeful Invention, not then known according to the common Opinion ; (though the contrary is not altogether Improbable ) yet it muft be own’d that the ufe of this Sea Needle has been the thing that has Facilitated the Navigation, fo as the firft Difcoverers trufting to this, durft venture into vaft Seas, and pafs the Gulph which leads to that Remote and unknown. World fo as to Land in it; which was a Perfor¬ mance worthy of Immortal Memory to the Man who undertook and Executed it. This Man was the moft Famous Cap¬ tain Don Chrijhfer Columbus , a Gonoueje , whom the Spaniards in their Language call Colon ; who though he were not, as he was nobly depended, might have gi¬ ven by himfelf Nobility and Fame to his Dependents, and to his Noble and Illuftri- 011s Country; for if this Commonwealth had had only this Son, it might draw Fame enough from him alone, fince his Generous and bold Mind was Capable of overcoming all the Ejifficulties which he met with in the Projed and Execution of thisEnterprize, the more to be effeem’d by the great Advantages, procur’d by it to both Worlds; to this, by that vaft en- create of Riches, of which a great deal is Confecrated upon the Altars in Churches, befides what is employed in the Furni¬ ture of Princes and great Men » and to the other World, the benefit of the Light of the Gofpel, by which it is fb much N more 9° Of the Nature -and "Properties of the Book IV. more polifh’d and meliorated in all Senles. Ovalle. Neither does that which GareilaJJ'o de 1646. Lavega and otheis do relate, any ways affed the Glory of this great Man, when they (ay, That he undertook this Defign up¬ on the Knowledge communicated to him by a Man whom he entertained, and who died in his Houfe as his Gueft: For we muft own that his chief Praile does not come from what he knew of this new World before he undertook to find and conquer it, but from his Generous Mind and Conftancy in purfuing his Enterprize; and this is all his own, which puts juftly the Laurels upon his Head, and makes his Memory immortal in fpite of Time and Envy, though one would think no body (hould have any for the common Benefactor ©f two Worlds That which thele Au¬ thors relate about this Hiftoi y, is, That a Pilot, an Inhabitant and Native of the Town ofGucha, in the County of Niebla , in Andalufia, call’d Alonfo Sanches de Hualva, or as others lay, Buxula, us’d to trade with a Email Vefiel to the Canaries ; and that one time, in his Return to Spain, he met with a mighty ftrong Levant, which was to powerful, that in twenty Days he found himlelf in one of the IJlands of the Weft- Indies , one of thole which we call the IJlands of Barlovento , or the Windward IJlands , and ’tis judg’d it was Hifpantola ; from whence, fearing to Perilh for want of Provifion, he return’d to the IJland of Madera , having endur’d fo much, that al- moft all his Company died, and himfelf came in fuch a condition, that though Co¬ lumbus who lov’d Sea faring Men , and for that realon had chofen that IJland to live in, receiv’d him, into his Houfe and took great care of him, yet he Died; but The story before he Died, being willing to make ef the pi- lotne Return for the Kindnefs receiv’d, he lot mho di- call’d Columbus to him, and left him as an ed in the Inheritance the Journal he had made with CoiuX the Rumbsof Wind both going and coming, bus. Um ~ and all other bis Obfervations in the Voy¬ age, and about the Place where he Lan¬ ded. This is thus Related, by GareilaJJo de la Vega and Father Jofeph Z>’ Acofta, who fays he does not know the Name of this Pilot, who left this Legacy to Caktmbus: And this he attributes to the particular Providence of God, who would not have the>Honour of this Dilcovery be owing to any humane Indulfry, but immediately and entirely to the Divine Majefty, to whole Difpofition we ought to attribute fo much as appears Contingent and calual in this Ships milcarriage, from its courfe and all the other Accidents attending that Storm, till the Pilot was brought to Die in the Houfe of him whom God had cho¬ fen for a Second Caule and chief Inftru- ment of this Enterprize; who being of himlelf a great Philolbpher, and Colmo- grapher, compar'd thele Notions which he had from his dying Gueft, with his own Speculations which he had long had upon the lame Subject; and this made him refolve to undertake what he afterwards accomplillied. In Order to this, he be- Colum gan to confider of thofe who were like- bus otfm lieft to aflift him; and fir ft of all he of- his Difa. fer’d it to his own Country, who took it ve V ta for a Dream ; after this, to the Kinps of p enoua Portugal France, and England ; and at°laftpJSrf he addrefs’d this Rich offer to their Catho- and Eng' lick Majefties, for whom it was defign’d land, from the beginning by him who had re- * n rt N e folv’d in his Providence to amplify their n ' Monarchy by the addition of fo many rich and powerful Kingdoms, as they have acquir’d in this new World. Ferdinand and Ifabella , who are worthy r erc r oflmmortal Glory, having examin'd thenand’w Grounds Columbus went upon, and the Ifabella Honour might be done to the Crols oi acce P iL Chrift, and to the Preaching of his Gofpel if this Enterprize Ihould take Effeft ; ha¬ ving ferioufly confider’d of it for Eight Years together, they commanded all ne- celfary Provifions to be made, without (paring any Charge, or minding the Con¬ tingency of a Defign lo new, 16 difficult and fo much without Example. CHAP. VI. Don Chriftopher Columbus Sails from Spain in Search of the New World. I N the Year of the Birth of our Savi¬ our 1492. upon the Third of Auguft , about half an Hour before Sun Rife ( the happieft Day that ever Shined upon our Antipodes , as being the beginning of their greateft Felicities ) Don chriftopher Co. Jumbus ^ the moft famous Genoueje that ever was, fail d from Spain , with the Title, which he had receiv’d from ‘Ferdinand and Ifabella, of Admiral of the Seas of all thofe Countries he ffiould Difcover and Conquer; fo leaving behind him the Fa¬ mous Cmp. V. Kingdom of C H I L E. pi mous Herculean Streights, as difclaining their Non plus ultra, and laughing at their Pil¬ lars., he Launch’d into the Vaft Ocean, and begun his Navigation with no lefs Confidence, than Admiration of thofe who favv him leave the Shore and Steer a Courfe never before attempted, by new Rhumbs of Winds. Having touch’d at the JJland of Gran Canaria , he again Sayl’d Colum- from thence the Firft of September , with bus had Ninety in Company and Provifions for but ninety a Year. After feme Days of Navigation t}1 h tro ° he began to find himfelf near the Tropick of Cancer, and under the Torrid Zone ; whereupon his Men who had been bred in the temperate Climates of Europe, being impatient of Heats, which they never before had experienced and wearied with feeing nothing but a Vaft Ocean without Land, began to enter into diftruft of difcovering any. At Firft they murmured only between their Teeth: But at laft fpeaking out boldly, they came to their Captain Columbus , and endeavour’d by all means to^Diffuade him from purfuing his Difcovery, as Vain and without Hopes of Succefs, and that it would be much better to return back to Spain ; but he with a generous Mind being Deaf to all their Perfwafions, purfued ills Voyage with Conftancy. His Men perceiving ftill how he went further from Spain, and that they had almoft worn out their Eyes with looking out from the Topmaft- Head of the Ship, without finding any appearance of Land; renewed their In- ftances and Reafbns, and that the more earneftly, by how much they perceived, every Day the Confiimption of their Wa¬ ter and Provifions; calling now that Te¬ merity which before they faid might be Conftancy. For they alledg’d that the time was encreafed, their Provifions lef- fen’d, the Winds fcarce and Calms to be fear’d ; no Land in view, its diftance not to be known nor guefs d at; that the Dan¬ ger was certain, and no avoiding to pe- iifh, if they ftay’d any longer; therefore, fay’d they, let us fecure our Lives, except we intend to be a Fable and Laughing- ftock to all Mankind, and look’d upon as our own Murderers. To fay Truth, it cannot be denied, but this was an urgent Danger and greater perhaps than can be imagin’d by thofe who never were in the like Tryals; for when no lefs then Life is at Stake, all Dangers appear great, and particularly at Sea: Befides thefe Allegations were of themfelves of great Confide ration , and capable of fhaking the greateft con¬ ftancy and Valouryet the Courage of the Great Columbus was fuch, and lo fin- gular his Prudence, that fometimes dif- 0valle. lembling, and fometimes taking no no- 1646. tice of what he heard, but talking to this Man and the other in Private, and then Comforting them all up in General, and giving them fome Account of his well grounded Speculations, he fo fed them with hopes and Expectations, ( he him- felffhowing no diftiu’t of Succefs ) That he brought at laft his Project to a happy Iffue. They we?e following their Voyage thus, through all the Inconveniences of Heat ready to ftifle them, when on a fud- den a Voice was heard crying Land Lands they all flew to the Prow and Sides of the Ship, and fixed their Eyes on theHor- rizon like fo many Argufes , to fin'd out the Land which feem’d to appear like a Cloud upon the Sea. The defire of getting to it made fome doubt, if it were Land or Clouds; but others were more confident:': fome allure it to be Low Land, others think they fee Pvocksand a large xtended Shore; and all was but guefsoccafion’d by the great diftance they were at Sea from any Land, for in Truth it was not Land but Clouds; and this was an Invention aiColumbus, their Admiral, who feeing them almoft ready to Mutiny, made ufe of this Artifice to pre¬ vent the ill Eflfeds of their dilpair ; cau- fing this Voice to be heard to give them a fhort Joy and amuze them. This fucceeded well for that time *, he Steer’d his courfe towards this pretended Land till Night, and when they were a fleep he let his Prow to the Weft, in fearch of the true Land : But in the Mor- ningwhen it was Day, feeing thofe Clouds, which they took for Land, vanifh’d, as ft often happens in long Navigations, they began to Afflict themfelves anew and Re monftrate to the Admiral boldly to his Face, which I do not wonder at; for befides the danger of perilhing with hun¬ ger, they found themfelves in a Climate fo Scorching and Fiery, that in the Third Voyage that the Admiral made, they be¬ ing becalm’d Eight Days, about the fame Place, were afraid the Sun would have iet Fire to their Ships; for all his Casks flew under Decks, the Hoops Smoaking as if they had been fet on Fire, and the Wheat was all in a Ferment, and the Salt Flefn was as it were Boil’d again, and Stunk fo that to avoid Infection they were forced to throw it Overboard. The Admiral was thus purfuing his Voy¬ age, in which Patience was his moft ne- ceftary Habit to endure the terrible Perfe- cution of his own People; when on the nth. Day of October of the fame Year, N 2 ic (j % Of the Nature and it pleas’d God to Crown all his Invinci- Ovalle * ble Sufferings and the Confidence he had 1664. in him, Firft by manifeft Signs of Land, which in fuch occafions do generally put signs of a hop to all Complaints and Afflictions, tend. and are the beginning of Joy and. Con¬ tent, which is followed with forgetting all paft Sufferings. The firft thing they law was a Bough of a Tree new cut with its Fruit on it, which though a kind of Thorn, was a Branch of Olive to the Inhabitants of this new Ark ; another had feen Green Fifhand fome Pieces of Wood Floating, all which were clear Marks of Land, not far off; as to the Navigators from India are the quantity of Sea-Weeds which meet them about Ten Leagues from the Coaft of Spain . The Joys which Sailors and Paftengers fhow generally at the Signs of Land, the Capers they cut, and Embraces they make each other, with their Congratulations to the Pilot, their Thanks to Heaven, nay, the Tears they fhed, and devout Prayers they make to God and the Virgin-Mary , in Acknow¬ ledgment of their Protection, all thefe are not fo much matter for my Pen as for Sight and Senfe. All this happened to the Admiral’s Company, which not only forgot their Sufferings and the Hatred they bore to the Author of them, but they run and threw themfelves at his Feet, as admiring and congratulating, his Con- ftancy, and begging his Pardon for fo many hard Thoughts, and as hard Words, they had entertain’d, and let fly againft him ,* he receiv’d them all with Embra¬ ces and Marks of Benignity, afluring them that by the end of that Day they fliould be within Sight of Land, and ha¬ ving faid this he went upon the Higheft Part of the Ships Stein, as being defirous to be theFrft, that ftiould give them the good News of Difcovering Land. There was a Rent of Ten thoufand Maravedis a Year for the Firft Difcove- rer ; which mad® them all look out with great Attention, fome on one fide, and some on the other fide of the Ship, fix¬ ing their Eyes where they thought it was moft Probable to find Land-, but it was about two Hours before Midnight, when Admiral Columbus Difcover’d a Light, and Calling to two Officers, fhewed it them, and prefently he perceiv’d that the Light chang’d Place , for it was a Light carried from one Houle to another, as was known afterwards when they Landed ; they layl’d on towards that Light, and about two Hours after Midnight they Difcover’d Land, which was at the fame time made by the other Ships in company ; where- ‘Properties of the Book IV. upon there were many Claims for the Albrkias , but at laft they agreed that the Albricias belong’d to the Admiral, becaufe he firft difcover’d the Light; this was con¬ firm’d by Ferdinand and Ifabella , King and Queen of Spain , and fettled upon the Sham- bies of Sevill as the beft Fund for the Admiral. Herrera the Cbronolegif makes his Re¬ flections upon this Light, and Moralifes upon it, That it fignified the Spiritual Light, which thole Nations wanted, and which was now brought to them from Europe by thefe Difcoverers 5 as a proof like wile of the Piety of the Catholick Kings, who having made War upon the Moors for Three hundred and twenty Years, had haidly finifti’d it, but they put their Shou'ders to this new Conqueft, tolpread by their fVeans the Glory of theGolpel, and make the Voice of it to be heard to the utmoft limits of the Earth j making out by this manifeft Proof, how firm Sup¬ ports they were to the Faith, fince they were conftantly employed in Propagating of it. Thus far Herrera ; to which I may add. That the Light Columbm faw in the middle ol the Night, was the tacit Work¬ ing ol Realon, which being Buried in pro¬ found Errours, did yet throw out fome Sparks from under thole Allies, and cry to Heaven for the Enlivening Spirit, to de¬ liver it, and by the Means of Chrift re¬ vive it, fo as to Enlighten chat Gencilifm, fo long overwhelm’d in Darknels, and for lb many Ages paft buried as it were in the ihadow of death. Thus it was and as loon as day broke they Landed: the Admiral carryed with Colflm- him the Royal Standard Ipread, the other bus Lands Captains having in theirs the Banners o f and J* ktl this Conqueft, which were prepared, and Po » e “ m ' had in them a Green Crofs Crown’d, and round about the Names of Fernando and Ifabella ) to fignifie the Hopes that thole Princes had entertain’d to make fubjeCt and lay at the Feet of the Crucified Jefus, the Crowns and Scepters of thofe Power¬ ful Monarchs of that New World; they themfelves having firft fubmitted their own, that there might be no Crown, Command nor Lordlhip, but that of the Exaltation of the Crols. To this end, as loon as the Admiral Landed, kneeling down with all his Com¬ pany, he kifted it once, and twice; and lifting up his Eyes to Heaven, all in Tears, he ador’d our Lord God of all things, who had brought him thither; thanking him for his Favour, and doing Homage to him in the Name of thole People, who were to be brought to his Knowledge ; in fign of all which, and the Pofleifionbe then took, he call’d 93 Chap. VI. Kingdom of CHI L E One of the call’d that Ifland Saint Salvador. He rai- (H/Td S fed alfo a moil beautiful Crofs, which was juaid. a declaring War to Hell, to make it Re¬ nounce the Pofleffionof that Land, which for fo many Ages it had Tyrannis’d over. The Admiral being’rofe up, they all approach’d, and not only embrac’d him, but carried him upon their Shoulders in Triumph, as having perform’d the greateft Work that ever Man attempted , or brought to pafs. Immediately after this, the Admiral, in Prefence of a Notary, took Poffeflion of that Land, in the Name of their Cacholick Majefties ; and caus’d him- felf to be own’d as Vice-Roy, and as Ovaue B fuch they began to own him and oljcy^ 1646’c him in all things. This Ifland, which we fhall call Saint Salvador , was about fifteen Leagues in length, very Woody, and having good Water, with a Lake of frefti Water in the middle of it, and well Inhabited by the Indians , who call’d it in their Tongue Guanaani ; and it is one of thofe which fince have been call’d the Lucaicks. It is Nine hundred and fifty Leagues from the Canaries. CHAP. VI. W Hen the Indians faw fuch great Bulks in the Sea, with great Sails, and the whole unlike their Canoo’s, and they were drawn near the Shore, they re¬ main’d aftonifh’d and befide themfelves; becaufe though by their motion they guefs’d them to be living things, yet for their bignefs they took them for fome ftrange Sea-Monfters, never feen before on thofe Coafts. The Ships came to an Anchor clofe by the Shore, and the Ad¬ miration of the Indtans encreafed Bill fo much the more, feeing White Men come out of them with Beards and Clothes; yet they did not run away , but drew near without Fear, the rather when they law that the Spaniards began to prefent them with Bells, Needles, and other things of Europe , which pleas’d them extremely as being new to them ; in re¬ turn they gave the Spaniards Gold, Provt. fions and other things of their Country. They came, fome in their Canoo’s, and fome Swimming to the Ships, where it was wondeiful to fee how they valued every thing, even to the bits of glazed Dirties, or broken Earthen Ware, that lay about the Ships, which they gather’d up as Jewels, which they had never feen: And to fay truth, moft things borrow their Value from their Rarity; and for this reafon they had as little Value for Gold and Pearls, which were things very common a- mongthem, they exchanging whole Strings of Pearls, and fome of them as big as Peafe and Small Nuts 5 for Needles and Bells, as happened in the IJlands of the Margarita ; fo great is the Difference in the Eftimation of things common or rare ones. The Admiral having here got an account of fome other IJlands , went out to Difco- ver them; and the Second he found he nam’d Santa Maria de la Concept ion. Dedica¬ ting it to the Queen of Heaven. The Third he call’d Eemandina , ot the King Don Fernando , The Fourth he nam’d Ifabella , in confederation of his Miff reft Queen Ifabella. Of all thefe he took Pofl feflion in the name of their Majefties, by fetting up their Royal Standard before a Publick Notary, with the fame Solemnity and Ceremonies obferv’d in the taking Poffeflion of the Firft Ifland. On a Saturday the 29th. of Otlober, Cuba Dif they Difcover’d the Famous Ifland oiCuba y nvtrti. where the Havana is: There the IndU ans 3 frighted to fee the Spaniards , whom they thought defeended from Heaven , went tothem kiflingtheir Hands and Feet. The Admiral’s laft Difcovery was of the Ifland call d Hifpaniola 3 where he met with a great deal of Gold, and fome Birds, and Fifhes, like thofe of CafHlle . Here the Capick Guacanagari received him with much humanity; and in his Land he made the firft Colony , or Settlement of Spaniards , which he nam’d the City of the Nativity. The Spaniards generally were receiv’d in thefe and other the Barlovento Jflands ? and on the Coafts of Terra Firnta, with much love and kindnefs; very few of the Indians offering torefiftthem: On the contrary, they all were pleafd with their coming upon their Lands, furnifhing them with all that the Country afforded, and prefenting them with Gold, Pearls, Parrots; contenting themfelves with a Re¬ turn of a very fin ail value. Of the European things thofe they Teem'd moft to mind, were Needles, and at firft they could not imagine Of the Nature dud £ Properties of the Book IV, f\A^, imagine what they were good for; butbe^ Oval/e. ing cold they were to fow, they anfwered 1646. they had nothing to low, but yet they kept them, becaufe they had never leen The ji?npU- thing of Iron or Steel. They were city cf the muc h ftrprized at the ufe of Swords, and Indians - particularly when they had experienc’d their Sharpnefs 5 tor at firft they us’d to take hold of them by the edge with great fimplicity. r . r The Admiral, as Vice-Roy of thole new Kingdoms, began to Govern, as he Difcover’d them; and that he might re¬ gulate them the better, by confulting their Majelfies in his Doubts and Difficulties, he made two Voyages, backwards and forwards to Spain, hill making in his Re¬ turns Difcovery of fome new JJlands , and amplifying the Monarchy as Hiftorians do Relate at large, to whom I refer my felf, not to engage in Matters which are for from my Subject; but I cannot but make fome Refleftion upon what hap¬ pen’d to this great Man.. Who would not have thought, confidering the Happi- neis with which he had executed all that he defjgn’d, in the mod difficult Subjed in the World, that he was Eternizing his Felicity, and putting Fortune under his Feet ? But that no one may ftrive to do it, but that all may know Wow conftant is her Volubility, and how perpetual the Motion of her Wheel, and that there is no Humane Power, nor Star, can fix it, I will Relate here briefly what befel him. Let him who Governs be undeceiv’d once for all, and know, That to fit upon a Throne, and take PofTeflion of Power, is to be a Mark for the Cenfure of the Good and Bad to aim at; ’tis juft putting himfelf into the Hands of Anatomifts, to be taken in Pieces and examin’d to the very Bones; and very often Envy oppref- fes Innocence by feigned Accufations. This is not the Place to examine that of the Admiral: I only know that there were lo many Complaints, and fuch Appear¬ ances of Mifdemeanors alledg’d at Court againft him, as. That he did not Advance the Converfion of the Indians , but make them work to get Gold, defiring more to make them Slaves than Chriftians, and taking no care to maintain them, and fuch other Imputations, as mov’d their Ca- tholick Majefties to fend the Commander ■De Bobxdilla to Examine the Truth of what was alledg’d, and to do Juftice in re- quifite Cafes ; writing at the lame time a kind Letter to the Admiral, That he fhould let the Commander Execute their Or¬ ders. But he exceeding his Commiffion, and the Intention of their Majefties, took all the Informations againft the Admiral, and -his Brothers, and without hearing .them, made himfelf be own’d for Judge and Governor, giving Rewards, and pub- lifhing that he came to relieve the Op- , preffed, and to pay their Sallaries, and put all things in good Order: This drew iover to him all thole who had any Grudge to the Admiral, and moft of the common fort flded with him; fo he entred into the Houfes of the Admiral and his Bro¬ ther, Seized their Goods and their Papers; all which he might fafely do without any Refiftance, for the Admiral was avyay; he fenttofeizehim andhis.Brothers, putting Irons upon their Feet, and fo Shipping them into a Veffel, call’d a Ca. ravel , he fent them away for Spain } to give an account of themfolves. When they came to put Irons upon the Admiral, there was none fo bold as to do it, out oftheRefped: that all had for him; Colum- and if he had not had in his Family a bus in Rogue of a Cook , who was Villain Inns enough to do it, they had not found any one to Execute fo Barbarous a Command. When Columbus' law himfelf putin Chains by his own Servant, ’tis laid, that fhaking his Head, he pronounced thefe Words, full of Refentment for his Ufage, [ Thus the World rewards thofe who ferve it; this is the Recompence that Men give to thofe who truft in them : Have the utmoft His fmgu- Endeavours of my Services ended in this > Iar * x f r 'f Have all my Dangers and Sufferings de - m f or it: ferv’d no more. Let me be Buried with thefe Irons, to fhow that God alone knows how to reward and beftow Fa¬ vours, of which he does never repent; for the World pays in Words and Promifes and at laft deceives and lies. ] Having faid this, the Ship fet Sail; and as foon as he came to Spain, their Majefties, when as they were inform’d of the Pri- fon of the Admiral, were much con¬ cern’d ; for by no means, had that been their Intention. They fent for him to come before them ; but his Tears and Sighs were fuch, that in a great while he could not fpeak; at laft he faid, alluring their Majefties of his great Zeal for their Royal. Service, . which had always been his Guide, That if he had fail’d in any thing, it was not out of Malice, nor on purpofe 7 butbecaufehe knew no better. Their Majefties comforted him , and particularly the Queen, who Favour’d him moft ^ and after fome time, in which the Truth of the Matter was made our, they Order’d, That all that the Commander BcbadilU 95 Chap. VII. Kingdom of CHILL Bob ad ill a had Conflfcated of the Eftate of the Admiral and and his Brothers, fhould be reftor’d to them ; as alio, that the Ca¬ pitulation with them, lhould be obferv’d, as to their Privileges and Exemptions. After this, the Admiral return'd a Fourth, time to the Indias, in an Honourable Way; and Employing himlelf in new Dilcoveries, he arriv’d upon the Coaft of the Terra Pinna of America , the 2d of November 1 ^02. and Coafting along by Cubija, arriv’d at the Port; which, be- caule it appear’d lb good a one, and the Country fo beautiful, well Cultivated, and full of Houles, that it look'd like a UvaIIl* Garden, he Call’d Puerto Bello', or the-fine j 646. Port; having difcover’d other Iflands the way, and endur’d very bad Storms. At laft returning back by fome of thofe Colurn- Places which he had difcover’d, taking, as it were, his Leave of them* and re- au " turning to Spain, to order there a better Settlement of Affairs, he died at Valla. Mid, where the Cotirt was, making a very Chriffian end, and giving great Sighs df his Predeftination. lid CHAR VII. After the \Death of Columbus, the Caftillians purfue the Difcovery/ and Con - quefl of the New World . A Mong thofe who accompanied the Admiral in his fir ft Difcovery, there was one Vincent Tunes Pinzon, who being a Rich Man, fet out Four Veflelsathis own Charge : He, at his Return to Spain, let fail from the fame Port of Balos upon new Difcoveries; he fir ft came to the I {land of St. Jago> which is one of the Cape Verd Iflands; he fet fail from thence the 13th of January , in the year ijoo. and was the firft who pafs’d the Eejuinottial Line by the North Sea, and difcover’d Cape St. Auguflin, which he call’d the Cape of Conflation, taking Pofteflion of it for the Crown of Cafiille ; from thence he found the River Mar anon, which is Thirty Leagues over, and fome fay more at its entrance, the frefh Water running Fony Leagues into the Sea; Then Coafting towards Paria, he found another River very large, though not fo broad as Ma- ragnon ; they took up frefh Water out of it Twenty Leagues at Sea: He difcover’d in all a Coaft of Six hundred Leagues to Paria , and loft Two Ships in a terrible Storm that he endui’d. We have feen alfo in the laft Chapter, that Columbus had difcover’d the Ifland of Cuba, though he could never fail round it, being hun¬ dred by the Storms and ill Weather •, fo he died without knowing whether it was an Ifland or no, for he judged it to be rather a Point of fome Continent; but it is a very large Ifland, with many fair Ports, and Mountains full of Precious Odoriferous Woods, of Cedar, Ebony, and many others ; and there are in it fe- The Hava- veral Cities of Spaniards, and among the na, reft the ftrong Fortrefs of the Havana , which is a Scala or Rendezvous for the Gallions and Flow’s loaded with Silver From the Weft Indias : This is one of the beft Fortifications the King of Spain has in all his Dominions. But, in my Opi¬ nion, that which makes this Ifland moft valuable, is, the good Nature and Docility of thofe who are born in it ; which was a Product of that Soil before ever the Spaniards trod it, as they fhewed to Cc*> lumbus, and thofe who came after him, receiving th#m with all Kindnefs and Hu¬ manity. To further what the Admiral Columbus had begun,God railed an Inftrumentin the Perfon of Vafco Nunnes de Balboa , one of the. firft Difcoverers of this New World ; a Man of a good Underftanding, as he fhewed upon the Occafion which I fhall now relate. He was, with others, upon the Difcovery with General Encifo, the Governor; They came to a Place call’d Vraba , and as they enter’d the Port, by negligence of the Steerfman, the Gover¬ nor’s Ship ftruck upon a Sand, and was loft, nothing being laved out of her but the Lives of the Men, who got into the Boats, but naked and in danger of pe- rifhing for want of Provifon. Vafco de Nunnes faid, That he remembred there was not far off a River, the Banks of which were Inhabited by much People ; he guided them thither; and the thing being lound to be as he had faid, he gain’d great Reputation among them all; They came thither, and found the Indians in Arms againft the Caftillians , whole Name was already become odious to thofe Na¬ tions: They made a Vow to our Lady, to Dedicate to her the firft Settlement and Church to the Honour of her Image, un¬ der the Tittle of Sand a Maria la Antigua , or the Ancient St* Mary, which to this day 9* Of the Nature and day is venerated in Seville ; and to fend Ovalle . her many rich Gifts of Gold and Silver*, 164.6. which one of them, as a Pilgrim,.fhould carry in the Name of the reft. Being en¬ courag’d by this Vow, they fell upon the Indians , and obtain’d the Vi&ory. Prefently they made a Settlement, and built a Town Dedicated to the Virgin, Calling it Santla Maria, El Antigua of Dai¬ ren , hecaufe that was the Name of that River. After this, to accomplifh their Vow, they fent the promis’d Prelems to the Devout Image of the Virgin. The good Opinion of Vafco de Nunnes encreafing thus daily, and having cun¬ ningly order’d it fo, that Encifo refign’d his Government, they chofe Vafco Nunnes in his room; at firft with an Affociate, but he found Means in time to be alone; as it was neceftary he ftiould, in Point of Command, being to overcome fiich Diffi¬ culties as were to be met with at every turn ; and, indeed, he knew how to make himfelf be both fear’d and belov’d, having a very good Spirit of Government. In the new Difcoveries he undertook, he came firft to the Lands of the Cacique Ponea , and not finding him at home, hedeftroy’d them : He pafs'd on to the Lands of the Cacique Careta , who not caring to enter into War, receiv’d him Peacefully, and Treated him as a Friend. This Cacique Careta had a Kinfman, who was a Lord, that liv’d further in the Country, and his Name was Suran ; who perfuaded ano¬ ther Neighbouring Prince call’d Comagre 3 to make a Friendfhip with the Cafiiilans . This Prince had a very fine Palace, which aftonifh’d them ; and, particularly, when they faw, in a kind of Chapel or Oratory, fome dead Bodies lying cover’d with rich Mantles, and many jewels of Gold and Pearls; and being ask’d whole Bodies thofe were, they anfwer’d, of their Pre- deceffors, and that to preferve them from Corruption, they had dried them with Fire. The King Carefs'd the Cajhllans , and gave them great Prefents: He had Seven Sons, and one of them, more Li¬ beral, gave the Spaniards a Regalo of near Four thoufand Pefo's of fine Gold, and fome Pieces of rare Workmanfhip: They weigh’d it, and taking the King’s Fifths, they began to divide the remainder: In the Divifion, Two Soldiers fell out about J Noble their Share; the Cacique's Son, who had Reproof of made the Prefent, hearing the Noife, /^Spam- cou ] c j not fear j t<) b ut com i n g to them vttoufnefs. ft ruc k t}i e Ballance where the Gold was ; ' weighing,, and threw it all upon the Ground, faying, 1 Is it poflible you fhould < value fb much a thing that fo little de* ‘Properties of the Book IV. ‘ferves your efteem ? and,That you fhould f leave the Repofe of your Houles, and ( pafs fo many Seas, expos’d to fuch Dan¬ gers, to trouble thofe who live quiet in ( their own Country ? Have fome Shame, ‘ Chriftians, and do not value thefe things; 1 but if you are refolv’d to fearch Gold, c I’ie (hew you a Country where you may * fatisfie your felves. And pointing with his Finger to the South, he told them they fhould fee there another Sea, when they had pafs’d over certain high Mountains, where they fhould fee other People who could go with Sails and Oars as they did; and that palling that Sea, they fhould meet with vaft quantities of Gold, where* of the Natives made all their Utenfils > and that he would be their Guide, and Conduct them with his Father’s Valfals, but that it would be requifite they fhould be qiore in number, becaufe there were rkeM Powerful Kings, who could hinder their Notueif Paffage; giving them by this the firft no- the south tice of Peru and its Riches. Sea end > This was the firft Knowledge and ftiR,cha Light which the Spaniards gor of the South Sea, and of the Gold and Riches of its Coafts, which gave them all great Joy; fo that they were Impatient to fee the hour of breaking thorough all Obftacles, to fee that Sea never before heard of, and enjoy the Riches of it. Vafco Nunnes im- mediately difpofed all things, and went out of Dairen in the beginning of Septem¬ ber 3 in the year 15T3. and going along the Sea-fide to the Habitation of the Fiiendiy Cacique Careta , he went towards the Mountains, by the Lands of the Cacique Ponea ; who, though at firft, he endeavour’d to oppofe their Paffage, yet being advis’d by the Indians of Careta 3 who accompanied the CaJHliians y he pre¬ fenced them with Gold and Provifions, and gave them Guides; they, in return, giving him Looking-glaffes, Needles, Knives, and other Baubles, which they valued very much. Then they began to mount the Mountain, through the Coun¬ try of a Cacique call’d Quareca , who ap¬ pear’d in Arms, and attack’d the Spa- niards: He had a long Robe of Cotton, but all his Men were Naked ; They be¬ gan to Skirmifh, and threaten by their Actions to hinder the Paffage; but no fooner did they hear the Noife, and feel theEffeAsot the Muskets, and find fome to fall, but they turn’d their Backs, flying like a Herd of Deer, frighted to fee the Fire, and hear the Sound of the Volleys, which appear'd Thunder to them, and thought the Spaniards had Thunderbolts at their Command *, fo they left the Paffage 97 Chap. IX. Kingdom of CHILE. free for them, 'the Indians of Careca had faid, that from their Country to the top of the higheft Mountain, there was the time of Six Suns; for by that they meant lb many days Journey ; but the Ways were fo bad, that they employed five and twenty days to get to the top. A little before they were at the higheft, Vafco Idannes de Balboa caus’d a Halt to be made, defiring to have the Glory of ha¬ ving himfelf been the firft Man that ever faw the South Sea •, and fo it was: He goes alone, dilcovers that vaft Ocean, and Vafco t he large Bays of the South Sea call’d Fa - Xiinnes . and U p 0n his Knees, with Tears in fektofthe hi* Eyes, Hfts up his Eyes to Heaven, gi- ■SeutbSea. ving Thanks to the great Creator of all things for having brought him from luch remote Parts to Contemplate that which none of his Anceftors had ever feen: He made a Sign after this to his Companions to come up, and lo they all run in hafte, pulhing one another on ; and when they were on the top, where there is a full profpeft of the Sea, ’tis not to be ima¬ gin’d the Content they all receiv’d in ad¬ miring that vaft and fmooth Liquid Chry- ftal, which not being animated, did not on its fide, give leaps of Joy, nor go out of its Bed, to the tops of the Mountains, to welcome thofe who came to deliver it from the Tyranny the Devil Exerciz’d over it, by infefting it with Storms and Tempefts, and infe&ing the Air with the Breath of Idolatry; which was breath’d in all thofe Parts, both Eaft, Weft, North and South. Oh ! If all the Creatures of that World could have come one by one to lee the good that was coming to them by means of the Gofpel, which dawned in thofe Mountains; Or, if the Predefti- Oval/e . naced of that new World could ha Ve viewed 1646. from their Cottages, and Poor Habira- tions, or rather from the deep Night of their Errors and Sins, the Sun that was beginning to Enlighten them from that high Mountain, and the Virtue and Effi¬ cacy of Grace, which then began to ap¬ pear to reconcile them with God, and the Blood of Chrift, which like a great River was falling through thofe Precipices, till it fhould bath the utmoft Parts of the Earth, and give life to thofe, who being fallen and cover’d with the dark Shadow, did not only not hope for Life, but not fo much as know it •, How vould the Children have leap’d out of their Cradles, who to go into Paradife eXpefted nothing but Baptifin, as has happened to great numbers, who juft expired when they were made an end of Baptizing ; and the Old Men, who wanted only the know¬ ledge of the Gofpel, to fhut their Eyes^ and being reconciled to God, fly into his Glory ; how they would open them, and lying upon the Ground, fly, at leaft with their Spirit, if they could not with their Body, to receive the Preachers of the Gofpel, who brought Peace and a general Pardon for their Sins ? All the other Pre- deftinated, every one according to his State, who have by this means been faved, (which are infinite) how they would melt and cry with Joy, to hear this News, which is as welcome to them, as that of the coming of Chrift to the Holy Fathers in Limbo, who were expecting it with fuch languifhing defires ? C H A Bafco Nunnes de Balboa purfues the B Jfco Nunnes de Balboa , having per¬ form’d his Devotion^ and Thanked our Lord, with all his Companions, for fo great a Favour done them, as to bring them to that place, and for the Favour he was about to fhew to that new World by the means of the Preachers of the Gof pel, to whom he thus opened a way to publifh it; he then bethought himfelf of his Second Obligation, which was to his King; in conformity to which, he took pofieffion, in his Majefty’s Name, for the Crowns of Cafiille and Leon , of the Place where he was, and of the Sea which he difeover’d from thence ; cutting for this purpofe many Trees, and making great P. IX. Difcomry of the South Sea , and Dies , Crofles, which he fee up, and writ upon them the Names of their Majefties. After this, they began to go down from the Mountain, marching always prepar’d for any Encounter that they might have with the Caciques in their way ; fb, though the Cacique Cbiapes oppos’d them with nis People, who were Stout and many, yet by fetting the Dogs at them, and begin¬ ning to fire their Muskets, they were foon routed. This made the Cacique offer Terms of Peace, and receive and make much of the CajUllians , prefenting them with Gold; and he prov’d fo good a Friend, that he pacified many other C<**> ciques who were in Arms to hinder the Q Paf- 9 8 Of the Nature and ‘Properties of the Book IV. Paffage, who like wife made their Prefents Oval/e. of Gold. 1646. From the Town of Chiapes, Bafco ’^'Y'nJ Nunncs fent out to difcover the Coafts of the South Sea the Captains Francifco Pi- z,arro 3 Juan tie Efcara , and Alonfo Martin , each to a different Place ; This laft found Two Canoo’s dry on the Shore, and the Sea below them above half a League; he wonder’d to fee them fo far from the Sea, and as he was confides ing it, he per¬ ceiv’d the Sea corning very faff in, and did not ftay long before it fet the Canoo’s on float i he enter’d into one of them, and took Witnefs that he was the firft Eu¬ ropean that had ever been upon that Sea. The Tides The Tides on that Coaft Ebb and Flow 'varyrapid. ever y f ix hours, fo as great Ships win be left on shore, the Water retiring fo faff, that it gives great admiration when it re¬ turns, to fee fo great a Space cover’d fo faft, that it appears an Innundation. Bafco Names having advice of this, came down alfo to the Coaft : and going into the Sea up to the Mid-Leg, with a Naked Sword in his Hand, faid, That he took Pofifeftion of it, and all the Coafts and Bays of it, for the Crowns of CafHlle and Leon , and that he was ready with that Sword, as often as it fhould be neceffary, to make good that Claim, againft all that fhould oppofe him. The Indians were in great amaze at this new Ceremony ; and they were more furpriz’d, when they faw him, againft their advice, and that of the Caciques, venture to crofs the Gulph of Pearls , to difcover the Riches of it in that Commodity ; though it had like to have coft him dear, for he was near perifhing in crofting that Arm of the Sea. Now let us fee (in order to undeceive thofe who fhall read this) how little this Cou¬ rage and Boldnefs avail’d this Generous Conqueror of the New World, and the great Things his Invincible Mind had brought to pafs. All his Military Prudence and Cunning, by which he made himfelf be refpe&ed by unknown Nations, avail’d him little ^ for this fo fortunate a great Captain had a Tragical end : He loft his Life in Dairen at his return, finding there the Governor Vedrarias, who came to fucceed him. The King in fending this Man had Recommended to him the Per- ion of Bafco Nunnes de Balboa , and order’d him to make ufe of his Council, as of one who had Honour’d him by his Bold Un- The barb,. dertakings, and to whom for a Reward he °f the order’d the Governments of Panama and Spaniards Coiba, and the Admiralfhip of the South m% Sea, which he had difcover’d, and on which he had already built Four Ships, and got together Three Hundred Men to go upon the Difcovery of Peru. But the faid Pedrarias commanded him on Shore, and there feizing him, caus’d him to he Vafto Beheaded publickly as a Traytor : The Nunnes Cryer went before him, crying, as is beaded. Cuftomary, that he was a Traytor •, which when Nafco Nunnes heard, he faid it was a Lye, and that no Man had ferv’d the King with more Zeal, nor more Fi¬ delity, than he, nor more defir’d to ex¬ tend his Monarchy ; but’; all his Com¬ plaints were like Voices in the Dcfart, which were of no force againft Envy and Emulation, which had prevail’d in his Enemies, and which can never fail againft thofe who govern. His Death was much refented, and appear’d very unjuft in Spain ; becaufe, indeed, the King loft one of his Braveft Capcains, and one who would have difeover'd Peru with more fa¬ cility, and without all thofe Tumults, which fince happened ; for his Prudence, Valour, and Zeal, were above the ordi¬ nary fize. It cannot be denied, but that the Sen¬ tence may be juftified according to the Depofitions of Witneffes; but yet it was a great Argument of his Innocency, that which he himfelf faid to the Governor Pedrarias , which was, That if he had in his Heart to make himfelf Mafter and Independent, as they accus’d him, he would not have obey’d his Call as he did, and leave his Ship without any difficulty ; for he had then Three Hundred Men all at his Devotion, and Four Veffels, with which he might have been fafe, and gone upon new Difcoveries, if his Confidence had accus’d him. They add here. That an Aftrologer had told him, that that year he fhould fee fomething extraordinary in the Heavens, he fhould be in guard a- gainft fome great Misfortune that threat¬ ened him, and that if he fcap’d from if, he fhould be the moft Powerful and Hap¬ py Man in the whole India’s ; and that ac¬ cordingly he did fee this Sign, but laugh’d at it, as thinking himfelf in fo high a State. / CHAP* Chap, X. 99 Kingdom of CHILE. CHAP. X. The Difcoveiy of the South-Sei, its Pores oncl Iflands, is continued. Qval!e 0 J 64.60 I T is a Common Paffton in thofe who govern, either to oppofe the Deligns of their Predeceffors, or at leaft not to exe¬ cute them by their Means, nor by their Creatures; that their Affiftance may not lelTen the Glory* which they pretend by making themfelves the Authors of the En- terprizes. As we have already Laid, Pe. dr arias fucceeded Vafco Nunnes de Balboa , in the Government, juft as he had made the Diicovery of the South Sea ; and though the King had i^commepded thePer- fon of Names to him, yet he could not be brought to grant him Leave to follow his Diicovery, though the Bifhop of Dairen adviz'd it very carneftly v but he had re- lolv’d to give this good Morfel to a Crea¬ ture of his, call’d Captain Gafpar Morales , to whom he added,as Companion Captain Franc ifco Piz,arro , becaufe of the Experi¬ ence he had, having been already employ¬ ed in the Difcovery. They let out from Darien , and got to the South Sea, and Embarking there in Canoos, they came to the Ijle of Pearls, which the Indians call’d Tarargui, Thefe by this time began to endeavour to hin¬ der the Spaniards from fettling in their Lands; but they were not able to do it, their Forces being fo much Inferior to thofe of the Cafillans , who pafling from one Ifland to another, came at laft to the largeil, where was the King of almoft all thofe Nations, who took Arms againft the Spaniards , having a brave number of Men, and well chofen ;but they not being us’d to Fire-Arms, they foon yielded and came to Compolidon: To which they were brought alfo by the fear of a Famous Dog, that was in the Chriftian Camp, Jfamous who us’d to fall upon them like a Lyon; tog frights and they having never feen an Animal In&iZs of t! ? at r ° rt ’ did . flee him as a Devil, be¬ caufe of the mifchiefhe did amongft them ; for they being naked, he could fallen any where without danger. The Chiapefes , our Friends, prefentiy interpos’d, and telling the King what dangerous Enemies the Spaniards were, and of what Importance their Friendlhip was, they being Invin¬ cible , he at laft was prevail’d upon to grant them Peace. They came to his Pa¬ lace, which was very Sumptuous, and as they judg’d better than any they had feen yet. The King receiv’d them with Marks of Fdendfhig, and as a Token of it, caus’d a Basket of Rufhes full of Pearls, which Pearls of a weigh’d fi e Marks, to be given them; podigiw amongft which, there was one which had bigne ^' but few Fellows in the World, ( for it weigh’d fix and twenty Carats, and was as big as a fmall Walnut) and another as big as a Mufcat-Peare, perfect and Oriental, and of a fine Colour, weighing ten half Scru¬ ples. The firft came from Hand to Hand, till it was in the Empreffes, who valued it as it deferv’d, as is told by Antonio de Herrera and others. They prefented the King, in return, with the ufual Prefents of Pins and Needles, Bells, Knives, and other Baubles of Europe , which the Indians valued much. The Spaniards not being able to forbear laughing, to fee the Value they put upon them, the King Hid to them, what do you laugh at P And having heard what it was, he laid, 1 We might more juftly Av)i r e d e 1 laugh at you, for valuing things fo much, p e 7ul of f which are ofnoufein Life,-and for which*Ind&ri ‘ you pafs fo many Seas : As for thefe Kin &' e Knives, and Hatchets you, give us, they ‘ are very ufeful Inftrumentsto Men. This was not the only Return the King had for his Pearls; for he had the pretious Pearl of Faith by their means: For grow¬ ing very fond of them, and being by them Inftrutfted^ he and all his Family receiv’d the Chriftian Religion, which was the Principal End to which the Cdpllans di¬ rected all their Enterprifes. They made a Solemn Chriftening; and the King, to treat his Spiritual Fathers, who had Engen- dred him in the Gofpel, carried them to fee the Pearl Fiftiing which was in this manner. The Indians Div’d to the hot- T ^ e Pe * r i tom, having about their Necks a Bag full of Stones, that they might fink the fafter; and it ferv’d them for a Ballaft co keep them fteddy while they gather’d the Differs, that the Water might not Buoy them up. The greateft Oifters are about Ten Fathom deep; for when they do not go to feed, they keep as low as they can, and ftick lb faff to the Rocks, and to one another, that it is very hard to loofen them ; nay, it happens fometimes, that while they fpend too much time in doing it, their Breath fails them, and they are drown’d. But generally fpeaking, they are not in danger, becaufe as they gather the Oifters, they put them in their Bag, and Lighten it of the Stones, and before their Breath fails* they come up again with O % their IOO Of the Nature and r- their FHh They open the Oyfters, and Ovalle . take out the Pearls, which ufe to be many 1646. if they are fmall, and few if they are Vz-y-Nj large They fay that among thole they <, prefented the C Lilians at this time, were feveral of the bignefs of large Peafe, and Properties of the Book IV. HazleNuts \ with which they return’d very well pleas’d to have made a Difcovery of fo rich aTreafure, as well as of the rich one they had given in Exchange to the King and hisPeople, by making them Chriftians. CHAP, XL Of the Difcovery of the River as not yet well recover’d of a Diftemper he lay under, to ft ay at Home and mind his Health, and in the mean time that another Squa¬ dron Ihould be got ready, in which Falero ihould follow, The I ox Book IV. Of the Nature and The Firft Squadron being ready, his 'Qvalle. Majefty Commanded the Affiftant of \6 jl6 , Seville that lie fhould deliver the Royal Standard to Magellan, in the great Church of Santa Maria of Vi&ory of Triana , ta¬ king at the fame time from him an Oath of Fidelity, or Hommage, according to the Cuftorn of Cafiille, that he Ihould per¬ form the Voyage with all Fidelity, as a Good and Loyal Valfal of his Majefty. The Captains took likewife an Oath to obey Magellan in all things. He after ma¬ ny Vows, having recommended himfelf and his Voyage to our Lord, went on Board the Ship call’d the Trinity , and the Treafurer-General in the Vittory (fo o ,, famous for being the Firft that went round fits sail World. ) The other Ships were the for his Dif- Conception, St. Jago, and St. Antony, covery. They fee Sail the ioth. of Augufi , in the Year 15” 19. They took the Hie of Tenerif, then made the Coaft of Guinny , and ar¬ riv'd at Rio Genneiro, from whence they fail’d on St. Steven 's day , and having had a great Storm, they entred into the River of Plata: Here they ftayed eight days; and then following their Voyage, they had another terrible Tempeft, which car¬ ried away their Forecaftle, and forced them to cutaway their Poop. They made Vows to our Lady of Guadalupe and Monferrat , and to St. Jago ot Gallicta: It pleas’d God to hear them , and they took Shelter in the Ri¬ ver of St. Julian , but not all, for one of their Ships Was loft; the Men got on Shore, but endur’d fo much by Land to Port St. Ju¬ lian, by Hunger, that they leem’d Skele¬ tons when they came to their Companions. Magel- While they were Wintering in this Ri- JanV Men ver, either Idlenefs, or the great Sufferings Mutiny. they had undergone, and thole which they fear’d, made them Mutiny againft Ferdinarid Magellan. There were fome of his Ships that Revoked ; but he with great Bold- nefs, and no lefs Art, made himfelf Ma¬ iler of them ; punifhing fome of the Guil¬ ty, and pardoning others; and for Juan Setsfime de Carthagena , and his Companion in Mutineers Rebellion, he let them afhore when he fet on shore Sail, leaving them a good Provifion of Tetdfs™ Bread and Wine * Ic wa . s never known than*. whether this were lufficient to fuftain them, till they fhould meet with fome of thofe Gyants, which had been with the Ships, and had been treated by Magellan , who perhaps receiv’d them. Paps the Magellan feeing the Winter over, as he streight of thought, let Sail the 7th. of November, hs name w hj c h ; s w h en t j ie Summer begi n g S i n thofe ™ 20 ^‘Parts, and having by Land obferv’d what he could of the Streight, they palled with great good Fortune in twenty Days, and Properties of the then Steering North, they coalfed along Chile , which they left lomething at large, as having no knowledge of that Land, Peru being not yet Difcovered. After this, they came to the Philippine IJlands, in one of which this mofr couragious Captain Magellan and famous Portuguefe , Magellan , died by killed. the Hands of the Natives, or to fay better, by his own rafhnels and overbo'dnefs. Some Years after which, was that 1*34. of, IJ34. Simon of Alcazova a Portuguefe Gentleman of the Habit of St. Jago , and Gentleman of the Chamber of the King, a great Colmographer and one very expert in Navigation , having been employed many Years for the Crown of Caflille , made an Agreement with the King to Dif- cover and People 200 Leagues from the Place where Almagro' sGovernment fhould end, which was in Chile. He fail’d from St. Lucar on the 21ft. of September, if34. with five good Ships, and two hundred and fifty Men, and without feeing Land from the Gomera to the Streight of Magel¬ lan • only having touch’d at Cape Abre Ojos and the Rio de Gallegos, about 25. Leagues from the Streights Mouth. Hs enter’d them on the the 17th. of January , 1 f 3 f. having endured fo much Third, that the Cats and Dogs were come to drink Wine, and the People were ready to perifh. They found a great Crofs ere&ed by Magellan, and the wreck of the Ship which he loft there. There appear’d about 20 Indians, who gave Signs of much joy to fee the Spaniards :They followed their Croufe,keep¬ ing ftill the right Hand, asthefafeft ; but yet they had fo furious a Storm, that it car¬ ried away half their Sails; it blew fo> that they thought the Ships would have been carried, away through the Air. They took Shelter into a Port; and becaufe the Sea- Ion was fo far advanced, they perfwaded their General Alcazova to go out of the Streights, which he did, and return to the Port of Lions, or of Wolves, which was a very good one. While they were Wintering in thole Parts, they relolv’d to enter further into the Country , and make Dilcovery of thole Riches which the Indians told them were there; fo having Celebrated Mali, they blefled the Banners, and the Cap¬ tains took a new Oath of Fidelity and Obedience, and with this they fet out about 22f . Men, having fifty Arcabufes, fe- venty Crofs-Bows , four Charges of Powder and Ball, which every one carried with his Bread, which was about 2 6 Pound Weight. Thus they march’d about 14 Leagues; and there Alcazova, being a heavy Man, could go no further, which was his ruine; Chap. XII. Kingdom of C H I L E. J 103 he nam’d a Lieutenant, againft whom the Men Mutinied for having gone ninety Leagues, and their Provifion failing, they refotv’d to go back, as they did, though they had met with a River full of Fifh, and that their Guides told them that a little fur¬ ther they Ihould come to a great Town, where there was a great deal of Gold, for the Inhabitants wore Plates of it in their Ears, and upon their Arms: But nothing could move them; and as one mifchief fel- dom comes alone, they refolv’d to make themfelves Matters of the Ships at their re turn, and to kill all that fhould oppofe them •, Ovme «. and fo they Executed it: But God Almigft- 1646. ty punifil’d them immediately » for as they were going out of Port, they loft their Ad¬ miral, and then having but one Ship, dtu ft not venture for Spain , but put in at Hifparhla where Do&or Saravia, of the Audience of St. Domingo chaftiz’d the mod guilty. And thus the Difcovery of Chile , for that time, and that way, was disappointed ■, for God referved that Ho'nour for another. CHAP. XII. Of the Difcovery of other Parts of America, before that Chile. W Hile the Ships are making ready to go to the Difcovery of Peru , it will not be amifs to touch upon the Dif- covery of (bme other Paits of An e tea, by the by, that atleaft the Order of time, with which the Difcoveries proceeded each other, may be underftood j and what we are to fay afterwards, about Chile , will be made plainer, that being our chief defign. It has been laid already in its proper Place, how the Admiral Columbus difco- yefd the Terra firma , or Continent of America in his 4th. Voyage from Spain to the India's, and found the Port of Puerto r$02. Bello the fecond of November, 1502. We have alio faid how Vafco Nunnes de Balboa having founded Santta Maria la Antigua of Dairen , difcover’d the South-Sea, and took Poffeflion of it, iri the Month of Sep- H 1 ?* tember , or October , in the Year if 13. as •HS* as alfo that in the Year 1515". Juan Dias de Solis difcover’d the River of Plata firft of all Difcoverers. Now we will add what is known about the Difcovery of other Lands amongft the which, one of the firft was that of Tuca- tan, which was undertaken by Captain Bran- i f 1 7 * cifco , Hernandes de Cordoua , in the Year 1517. and the Adelantado of it is at this day Don Chrifioval Soares de Solis , a Gentleman of an Antient and Noble Family i wSalamanca. This fame year other Caflillians difcover'd the Land of Campeche , where in a Chappel of the Indians full oftheir Idols, they found Painted Croffes, of which they were not lefs aftonifh’d, than rejoyced,feeing Light in Darknefs, and the Trophies of Chrift p by the fide of Belial • which at laft, by founded in ^ ie Spaniards Arrival in thofe Pat ts, were the year , better known to thole Barbarous People. In 1518- the Year i5 , i8.theLieentiadoE//’rw/^who was nam’d Deputy to the Governor Pe- drarias, founded the City of Panama , which is the Canal, by which all the Treafure of Peru pafles to Spain> in the Gallions. This City has not encreafed fo much as ma¬ ny others of the India's, becaufe being fi- tuated near the Equinoctial Line, it’s Tem¬ perature does not agree with thofe born in Europe ; but yet there are many Conftitu- tions that do very well there, becaufe of the great Riches that are eafily acquir’d there ; and thofe whofeek them, think no Air bad. There are a great many People of Quality \ for there is a Bilhoprick, a Royal Audiencia , or Court of Judicature, a Tribunal of Royal Officers, and a Chap¬ ter of Canons Seculars and Regulars. But chat which in my judgment is mod corh- mendable in it, is the Piety, Mercy, ana Liberality of its Inhabitants. I have this Year receiv’d advice, that by the negli¬ gence of a female Slave, the greateft part of the City was burnt j for the Houles be¬ ing of Wood, if one take Fire, ’tishard to flop the Flames; There was loft in this a great Mafs of Riches, a great part of the lofs falling on the Cathedral j and a little after, there being a Gathering made * though this Misfoitune had concern’d al- moft every body, who for that reafcii were lefs in a Condition to contribute by way of Alms, which fome of them wan¬ ted ; yet they give above 20 Thoufand Pieces of Eight, and went on contributing; This was an extraordinary Mark of their Charity •, but the ordinary ones, in which they conftantly fhow their Generoficy, are to Strangers and PafTengers, who pafs from Spain to the IndL's,* who mod of them are at a lofs till they meet with fome Pa¬ tron, or Friend, or Countryman, to af filt 104 Of the Nature and Tropertiet of the Book IV. lift them ? and they would often, be re- Ovalli, duced to great Extremity, if this were 1664. not, as it is, a common Inn forallthofe People ; for in the Colledge of our Com¬ pany alone, though it is not yet founded, but lives upon Alms, I faw, when I was there, a Cloth laid at the Porters Cham¬ bers, where every day they provided for and fed about jo or 60 Paffengers with Bread and Flefh in abundance: The fame is done by other Convents; and the Se¬ culars, I law, gave them Money and o- ther Neceflaries. This, as to the City of Panama, founded in the year ip 3 . In Which year the Religious Friers of St. Do¬ minick and St .Francis pafs’d from the Bland of Hifpaniola, and began to found Con¬ vents in Terra Firma , and the Pearl Coaft ; from whence thefe Two Holy Orders purfued their Million through all the Land, enlightening it with their Do&rine and Holy Examples; by which they have made fuch a Progrefs among the Indians, that the prefent flourifhing of the Faith is owing to them, to the great faving of the Indians Souls. The year 1519. Ferdinand Magellan made the Dicovery of the Coaft Hernan- of Chile ; and the fame year Hernando do Cortes Cortes went from the Point of St. Anton goes ttdif- ne \ a u avana t 0 Corocha , which is the firft Mexico P°* nt Yucatan, Eaft, to begin the Con- queft of the Great Empire of Mexico ; of which, and the Noble Adions of that Great Man, ’tis better to be filent, than to touch upon them, only by the by, as we fhould be forc’d to do; this being not a place to explain the State and Grandeur of that Mighty Monarch Montefuma , who was Sovereignly obeyed in lb many and fuch great Provinces. Who can ex- prefs in few Words all this, and the Feli¬ city that accompanied Cortes in all his Un¬ dertakings, which were fuch as they ap¬ pear’d poflible only after they were done, feeming otherwife fo high and difficult, as to be inacceflible to the extreameft Bold- nefs ? Indeed it cannot be denied, but that he was affifted by Heaven, whofe Inftrument he was in planting the Chri- ftian Faith among thole Gentils, and fhew- ing fuch Reverence to the Preachers of it, ns might fer ve the Indians for an Example; a Quality which will always give Reputa¬ tion to Princes, both before God and Men. Buenos In the year 1728. the King fent a Co- Aires lony to the Rio de la Plata , having agreed founded in with the Merchants of Seville for that iy28, purpofe: The City they founded was that of Buenos Aires , which is on the fide of that River, in that part of it where it grows narrow from its large entrance at Sea ; and the River there is not above Nine Leagues over. In the year 1532. Cedro de Heredia of Madrid fail’d from Spain, and founded the City of Cartha. gena, which is the firft Scala which the Carthage- Spanijh Galleons make coming from Spain m founded for the India’s to fetch Silver : It was fb*” 1 1 V- call’d becaufe its Port was like that of Car - thagena in Spain ; for the old Name of the Indians was Calamari: He had at firft an Engagement with the Indians, and though they fhewed themfeives very Brave, yet he beat them, and founded the City, which is at prefent one of the beft of the India’s, being Wall’d with Stone, and fb ftrong, that we may name it as an Impregnable Fortrefs. It is fituated in an Ifland, divided from TheSitua. the Continent by a fmall Arm of the Sea, which ebbs and flows, and comes to Cartlw the Cienejra of Canapote. There is a Bridge or Cauleway there that goes to the Tara Firma : The Port is very fafe, and good Ships go into it by Two Mouths or En¬ trances, a greater and a lefs; the great is Sandy; and the year that I was there, they told me it was almoft fhut up by the Sand which a River cafts up againft it ; and now they write me word, that it is quite fill’d up, fb that there is no going in, but by the leflfer Entrance, which makes it fo much the ftronger; and it is defended by a good Caftle ; befides which, the City is well garnifhed with Artillary, fo as not to fear an Invalion. The Plot of the City is very beautiful, all the Streets Built being handfbmely difpos’d, the Houfes of Free Stone, high and noble; fo are the Churches and Convents, particularly that of the Jefuits, which makes a beautiful Profpeft to the Sea. Here is a Cuftom- Houfe for the King, and a Houfc call’d of the Rigimiento, with other Publick Buildings; it is very Populous, and of a great Trade by reafon of the coming of the Galleons; and from them they have Wine and Oyl: Corn they have in their own Territory; There refides a Bifhop, and there is a Tribunal of the Holy In' quifition. The Governor hath both the Civil and Military Command ; Itencreafes every day in Riches, being fb fituated, that it fhares all the Riches of Peru, Mexico, and Spain. In the year 1540. Captain Francifco de Tie Rmr Orellana difeover’d the great River of the ^* * nc ‘ Amazones, which is call’d alfo Orellana, 2 field'd and by a common Mi flake Marannon, by captain and went from it to Spain ; where, upon Orellana the Relation he gave of its greatnefs, the ?WI ^°- Emperor Charles the Fifth order’d him Three Ships, with People, and all things Neceflary Chap. XII. 105 Kingdom of C H I L E. Neceffary to make a Settlement: but this had no effedt, becaule having loft half his Men at the Canaries and Cape Vert, he was too weak when he got thither ,* yec he attempted to go up the River in Two large Boats, to which his Fleet was re¬ duc’d j but finding his Wants of every thing, he came out again, and went by the Coaft of Caracos to the Mar. garita, where he and his People are faid to have died. About Twenty years after, the Viceroy of Peru fent a good Fleet un¬ der Pedro de Orfua, but this Mifcarried alfo becaufe he was kill’d treacheroufly by Lopes de Aguirre, who rehell’d with the Fleet; but having mifs’d the entrance of the River, he landed on the Continent, near the Ifland of Trinidado , where he was Excuted by Order from Court. Some years after this the Sergeant General Vincente dc los Reyes Villalobos , Alonfo de Miranda the General Joftpb de Villa Mayor Maldonado, undertook the fame Defign, but with the fame Fortune, Death taking them away; fo that they gave over at that time all At¬ tempts on Peru and Quito fide. But ftill the Fame of this River continuing, Benito Maciel, General of Para, and fince that Governor of Maranhon, and Francifco Co. ello de Caravallo, Governor likewife of Ma. ranhon and Para , attempted its Difcovery up the River; and though they were back’d by the King’s Royal Commands, yet there were many crols Accidents as to hinder the Execution of their Enterprize. hi the year The Fathers of our Company of Jefus attempted likewife this Difcovery, by the Motive of faving fo many Souls; but be¬ ginning with a Nation call’d the Cofanes, their progrefs was flopp’d by the cruel Death given to Father Raphael Fernandes, who was Preaching the Faith to them. Thirty years after, which was 1^37. fome Friers of the Order of St. Francis , mov’d by the Zeal of amplifying the Glory of the Gofpel, and by Order of their Supe¬ riors, went from Quito in Company of Captain Juan de Palacios , and fome Sol¬ diers ; they began to fail down this River, and came to the Encabellado"*s, or People with long Hair; but not finding the Har- ■ veft ready, they return'd to Quito, except only Two of their Lay Brethren, which were Domingo de Bricva, and Frier Andres do Toledo, who with Six Soldiers more fail'd down as far as the City of Para, a Settlement of the Portuguefs, about Forty leagues from the Sea. They pafs’d by the City of St. Luis de Maranhon , where the Governor Jacomo Reymondo de Moronna, by the Information he had from thefe Friers, caus’d Seven and forty Canoes to be got ready, and embark’d upon them Seventy Spaniards with 1200 Indians, fome Ovalle. of War, and fome to help to Row, under 1646; the Command of Captain Pedro Texcira, who having fpent a whole year in his ^be River Voyage, came at laft to the City off 0 ]? 1- . i.::g he had never leen; for the Horfes beginning to Corvet, fome of his Indians run sway, whom he piefently caus’d to be put to death for having ftiowed Cowar¬ dice in his Royal Prefence He anfwer’d the Ambaffadors couiteoufly, Blowing the plealiire he ihouid have to fee and hear their General, and fet a day for it •, telling theni,That they fhoulanot bedifturb’d nor afraid to find him and his People in Arms, for it was his culfom to ufe them to it. Atagualpa The day came; and Atagunlpa marching defigns to in Order with his Army to the Place furprifeand where the Spaniards were drawn up, he defray the difeover’d to his Captains the Mind he Spaniards, tQ ma j^ e an en d with thole Stran¬ gers, who had been lo bold as to enter into his Country, and come fb near him, without having any Relpeft to his Royal Power : But he order’d them not to kill them, but to take them a- live, becaufe he would ufe them as his Slaves •, and as for the Dogs and Horles, he refolv’d to offer thetn in Sacrifice to his Gods. The Cafiillans , who were not to¬ tally ignorant of this falfe appearance of Peace and Friendftiip, though they were fb few that the Indians were Four hundred to one, yet they did not lofe Courage but with Confidence in God expe&ed the Encounter, taking their Polls and pre- Uvwe,, paring every thing for it, though fecretly, 1 that they might not be thought the Ag. grejjors. Therefore he drawing near, the Addantado flay’d for him with only fifteen Men, the reft being retir’d and hid, and fent him an Embaffy by a Fryer, who AtagUaipa carried the Gofpel, and told him, That in thofe Booh were contained the Faith , by which ? a r ^ r ' he and his People might be faved , and they brought it him from God Almighty. The King heard the Fryer, and took the Mafs Book out of his Hands, looking earnellly upon it: But not knowing how to read it, and taking it all for a Jell and a FiAion, he threw the Book up into the Air, making a Sign at the fame time to his People to fall on, which they did % And then the Adelantado lifting up a Hand* kerchief, which was the Signal to our Men, they play’d upon them with their Muf- kets on one hand, and the Dogs and Horfemen attack’d them on the other , fb that the Vidtory foon appear’d for the Cafiillans • God Almighty having refolv’d to dellroy that Monarchy of the Saga’s, and to remove that Obftacle to the Pro¬ pagating of the Faith, and to put that Land into Hands that ftiouid encreafe it, as their Catholick Majefty’s have done. They took the Kipg Atagualpa Prifoner, He is taken but treated him with all Refpe&due to his Pr finer. Royal Perfon , as the Hiltorians relate more at large. While this happen’d, which was on a Fry day £ day dedicated to the Crols in the Month of May, in the year 1535 the Army which Atagualpa had lent againft 5 his Brother Guafcar , near Cufto i overcame him, and took him Prifoner, and were bj ingihg him to Atagualpa^ without knowing any thing of what had happened between him and the Cafiillans ; but on the way Guafcar learn’d that his Enemy was a Pri- foner too, and Atagualpa was at the fame time inform’d of the Victory he had ob¬ tain’d j he hearing it, ftiook his Head, and cried, Oh Fortune! What is this } that / am this day a Conqueror , and conquered ? Guafcar , moderated his Grief with the Guafcar News of his Enemy’s, Misfortune, chink f^nPri- ingchat tire Cafiillans wou’d revenge him^”^^" on the Tyrant, who pretended to take from him his lawful Inheritance. Atagualpa, though a Pi ifoner, began to make Reflections in this manner. If caufe my Brother to be put to Death, how do I know how the Cafiillans will take it, and whether they will not put me to Death for this, and remain Lords of the Land. If I let him come on, and he fpeaks with them, the Juftiee of his Caufe will 0 I I 0 Of the Nature and ‘Properties of the Book IV, will fpeakfor him, and Irriliftperifli; fori Ovallt. cannot expert Mercy from any. What 1646. Remedy ? He found it cunningly as he Ix'~y'nJ thought; he feignfed a great Sadneft, with a defign that the Pifafrd's, vVho vilited him every day, fhould ask him what was the matter. They did accordingly, and fee¬ ing him fo Afflicted, defned to know the caufe of that extraordinary Grief: He an- fwered deceitfully, That having receiv'd the News that his Generals had put to Death his Brother Guafcar , it gave him an exceeding Grief, of which he was not to be comforted ; becaufe though they were Enemies, vet he wars his Brother, and he could not but be much concern’d at his Death. All this was feign’d, to fee how the Spaniards would take it; and finding they did not (eem offended ac the thing, he lent Orders immediately to his Generals, Guafcar who were coming on with his Brother, T utt9 drat they fhould put him to Death pre- fheOrler f entl Y b Y the way ; which they did, by c/Ata- drowning of him in a River, which a- gualpa. mongft them is an Infamous Death: His Cries to Heaven, to revenge his unjufl Death, were ufelefs at that time. But let no Man give it to another to fave his own Life, for there is not a fhor- ter, nor a more certain way for him to lofe it; let him not drive by Politick Maxims, which an u^juft and ambitious Paffion Suggefts; for though that may be an appearance of Stability, yet divine Juftice breaks thorough it all like Cob¬ webs and at length leaves no Crime without its Chadifement. Atagualpa pro¬ ved himfelf a great Example of this Truth ; all his Artifices lervingonly to af- a Prodigi- ford his Enemies a Pretext to take away °r^ RaH ‘ his Life: He had promis’d to fill the Room where they kept him Prifbner, which was a very large one, with Gold and Silver, befides Ten thoufand Bars of Gold, and fome heaps of Jewels, as an Earned , for his Ranfom: And though this was accepted, and that he perform’d it according to his Promife, yet he did not obtain what he pretended ; for in- dead of his Liberty they pronounced to him a Sentence of Death , whish he had judly deferved for having- put hisr Brother The Sp*. to it, and tyranniz’d over that which ni ^ ds was none of his own ; and becaufe of the Advice the Spaniards had every day andp'erf. of the Army that was gathering together, dioujtj put which if it were true, and Atagualpa at Atagu, liberty at the head of them, there would a, P a t0 have been good Reafbn to fear from his Death Subtilty great and irremediable Inconve¬ niences, which they thought they could no ways avoid fo well as by taking his Life, tho’ with fome Hopes of his Exchanging it for a better and eternal one, if it be true that before he died he was inflrudted, and receiv’d Baptifm, as fome fay he did. About this time, which was in the year if 35. Don Diego D' Almagro being made Marfbal came from Panama to Tom. bez, with 3 good Body of Men and Arms, and from thence he went on to help his good Friend, the Adelantado Pifarro in his Conquefis j not letting his Men do any Injury to his Indians as he went. There were a Hundred thouland Pieces of Eight given them upon their Arrival > for though they were not at the Battel, yet their Pre¬ fence confirm’d the Victory, and help'd to keep Atagualpa Priforjer. The Remain¬ der of the Treafure, which was above a Million, was divided among Pifarro’ s Men; and they being few, were all made Rich, and in a Condition to make Difco- veries of their own. The Adelantado lent his Brother Hernando Pifarro to Cafiille , with the News of this happy Progrefs of their Difcoveries, and of the Props gating the Chriftian Faith in the Conver¬ sion of the Indians ; and he alfo carried with him the Claim of Don Diego d y Al??ta. gro to 200 Leagues of Land beyond his Brothers, of which he was likewife to be Adelantado : All this he Negotiated very much to the content of all; and in the jm 4 , year 1534.. there was granted in Toledo, to Don Diego Almagro, the Government of that which they call’d the new King¬ dom of Toledo, whch began at a Place call’d Las Chinchas, where the Territory of Pifarro ended, and extended it lelf to the Streights of Magellan. C A AR Chap. XV. Kingdom of C H I L E. 111 CHAP. XV. COCO Ovatte 164 6 , The News of the Government of Don Diego de Almagro is brought to him 5 and he goes upon the DiJcoverj/ of that of Chile. D ON Francifco Pifarro had given Com- tniflion to Don Diego d* Almagro, to take Poffeftion of Cufco, when the News came of the Government of Two hundred Leagues given him by his Majefty, to be¬ gin from the Chmchas: This caus’d great Difturbance; for ic was believ’d that Cufco would fall into this Divifion; and the Friends of Don Francifco pifarro, judging this of great Prejudice to Pifarro , that the Marihal, even by his Gommiflion, Almagro jhould find himlelf in poffeflion of Cufco, * nd Pl : they advis’d him immediately to revoke iuo jail powers he had given, which he did ; and this was the firft Caufe of the Diftur¬ bance in Peru , which made afterwards (o great a noife, and for which they both loft their Lives. But l being to write the Hiflory of Chile , and not of Peru , (hall leave the Reader to thole Hiftorians who Treat of it at large. This News being known in Truxillc , one Diego de Agmro let out to carry it to Almagro, who was upon his march to take Pofteffion of . Cufco ; he overtook him at the Bridge of Acamhay ; and he having receiv’d ic with great moderation, (hewed himlelf above the greatnefs of his Fortune, and gave him as an Alhricias or Prelent for his good News, Seven thoufand CajHllans ; which are near Twenty thoufand Ducats; and by this News he was mov'd to change his Defign of Conquering a People call’d the Chirigueenacs y and Treated of that of Chile ; for he fuppos^ it would fall into the Government he was to have ; and (as Herrera fays) mov’d by the Informations he had of the great Riches of Chile. To prepare himfelf for this Enterprize, which was like to be very chargeable, he caus’d a great deal of Silver to be melted in Cuzco, to draw out the Kings Fifths. Amongft other things, there was a Man’s Burden of Gold Rings to be melted down; and one Juan de Lepe being by, and taking a fancy for one of them, begg’d it of MarJhal Almagro ; who (hewed himlelf lo much a Gentleman, and lo Liberal, that he faid prelently, that he (hould not only take that Ring, but that he Ihould open both his Hands, and take as many as could lie in them ; and hearing he was Married, he order’d him befides 400 Crowns as a Prelent for his Wife. He Ihewed another Piece of Liberality to one BarMomy Peres, for having prefented him with a Shield ; which was, to order him likewife Four hundred Pieces of Eight, and a Sil¬ ver Pot weighing Forty Marks of Silver, and had for Handies Two Lyons of Gold which weighed Three hundred and forty Pieces of Eight: And to one Montenegro , who prefented him with the firft Spanijh f m Cat that ever came to the India s, he or- der’d him Six hundred Pieces of Eight. There are a great many Stories more of his Liberality and Charity too, he being very generous and noble minded. Having difpos’d all for his Enterprize of Chile, he caus’d Proclamation to be made, That all thole who had not lome particular Em¬ ployment to ftay them at Cuzco, fhould make themfelves ready to go along with him : They were all overjoyed at this, lie being extremely belov’d for his Liberality, and Courtefy ; and that they might furni/h themlelves with Arms and Horfes, he caus’d One hundred and eighty Load of The raft Silver to be brought out of his Houfe, (in Riches °f thofe days a Load of Silver was as much the fi r fi as a Man could carry) and Twenty more Cm f l f ors of Gold ; This he diftributed among them” aUj ’ all: Thofe who were willing, gave him Bonds to pay him out of what they Ihould Conquer in the Land they were to dico¬ ver ; for this was the way of thefe Con¬ querors in gaining to his Majefty this New World, having no other Pay but what they could purcnale. The Inga Mango , who was Brother to Guafcar and Atagualpa, had fucceeded them in the Government as the Son of Guayanapa , who had alio many others. This Inga had taken a great Kindnels for Marihal Almagro ; lo he gave him as a Companion in his Enterprize, a Brother of his call’d the Inga Paullo Tvpo , and the High Prieft Villacttmu ; the Spaniards call him Villaoma or Vilehekna , that they might by their Authority not only keep all his Vaftals from falling upon them in the way, but rather (hould receive him, and make him Prelents. The Marfhal de- (ir’d the(e Two Perfons to go before, in Company with Three Caftillians, and make a Settlement or Habitation at the end of 200 Leagues: The other People, and Juan de Savcdra , went by another way ; and when they had gone One hundred and thirty Leagues from Cazco, they foundecj 1 IZ Of the Nature and f\A/i founded the Town of Pavia. Here the Ovalle. Marital! overtook them : And he was 1664. likewife allur’d of the Title of Adelarrtado , granted him by his Majefty, with the Go¬ vernment of the new Kingdom of Toledo, which was to begin from the Borders of Nnv C a ft illc ; for fo they call’d Pi farm's Government. His Friends adviz’d him to return immediately, wherever this Ex* prefs overtook him, becaule there was one come to the City ol Los Reyes , with a Commiflion from the King to Regulate Limits of both Governments to each of the Adelartado's : But Almagro was fo pof- fels’d with the Ambition of Conquering fo great and rich a Kingdom as that of Chile, that he did not value the Land he had d if cover’d, in comparifon of what he was to difeover; out of which he de- lign’d to Reward his Friends, and the many Gentlemen that accompanied him; fo he purfued his Journey ; where it will not be amifs to leave him engaged with the Snows, and ill Faffages of the Cordil¬ lera, while we give a Viiit to the great City of Lima , call’d other wile De ks Reyes , becaule it being the Head of thole Kingdom, we cannot well pals it by. Lima This City was founded by the Adelan- founded tado Don I'ranafco Pifarro , in the year be Fran; in a very plealant Plain, about farro/w" r ^ wo leagues from die Sea, upon a fine ihe°year T diet River ; which being deriv’d by 2555. Drains and Cuts all over the Plain, ferti¬ lize it lb copioufly, that it is all cover'd with leveral forts of Produ&s ; as Vine¬ ry Sttua- yards, Sugar-Works, Flax, Garden Pro- tion. dueft, and other Delightful Plants: And if there be any thing they want from a- bioad, ’tis brought them lo pun&ually, that all their Markets are lupplied with all manner of Delicacies that can be wilh’d for. j Delid- For this and many other Delights of ous place, this City, it happens to molt People who live there, that they cannot endure to think of leaving it for any other place; lo that it leems an Enchanted place, where the entrance is ealie, and the getting out difficult. I my lelf heard the Spanijh Merchants, who, the year I was there, had lold their Goods themlelnes at Lima, whereas they us’d to fell them at Puerto Bello, lo enamour'd of it, though they Bay’d but a iittle while there, that during our whole Navigation, they could talk of nothing die ; and to lay truth, it deferves their Praiies ; lor, though it cannot be denied, that forne Cities I have leen in Europe, do outdo it in lome things, yet few come near k, take it all together. For fi?ft, lor Riches, it is the Fountain Properties of the Book IV. from whence ali the reft of the World its Magni - drinks •, its Bravery in Clothes, and Mag nificency of the Court, outdoes all o- thersj ’Tis extraordinary Populous,- for a Father of our Company, who had the Care of Catechifing the Negroes, told me, they were at leaft Sixty thouland, and more, that came to Confefiion ; They have Sumptuous Buildings, though outwardly they make no fhew, having no Tiles, for it never Rains all the year -it never round : All the Furniture, as Pi&ures, »t Beds, &c. are mighty rich; There are Lima> great numbers of Coaches, and abundance of Gentry ; all the Inhabitants very rich. Merchants of great Stocks, Tradefmen and Handycraftfmen of all Profeffions. But that which is to me mod conliderable, is, what belongs to the Worlhip of God, and Cult of Religion ; for the Cathedral Church, and all the Parilh Churches, are very Sumptuous, and provided of admi¬ rable Learned Men, which come out of that Univerfity ; of which thofe of the Country are not the leaft to be valued, having furnifh’d lo many Preachers and other Subjects for all other Dignities, even to rhe higheft Government. What Ihall I lay of the Orders of Friers and Nuns? 1 (carce know one Order that has not Two or Three Convents in the City, Beautiful Cioifters, great Buildings, and yet greater Churches ; forne alter the old Falhion ; all With Burniflfd Gold from top to bottom ; as are thofe of S t An- guflin and St. Dominick • others after the Modern way, with curious well wrought Ceilings, as is that of the Jefnits , and of our Lady ol Mercedes , which are of a very line Architecture, There are Eight Nun¬ neries, lome of which have above Two hundred Nuns in them ; There are be- fides many Oratories, Confraternities, Holpitals, and Congregations; In our Convent alone of the Jefaits, I remember there were Eight Foundations of leveral Kinds, and for People of as many diffe rent Ranks and Eftates in the World. The Great Congregation lias few in the World equal to it; the Chappel of it is very large, and of a very rich Material, cover’d with Silk and Gold, and rare Pictures, with other rich Ornaments be¬ longing to it. There is here great fre- quentation of the Sacraments by Monthly Communions; The Body of Chrilt is expos’d, and the Church fo adorn’d with Mufick and Sweet Smells, that it is a Paradile upon Earth. And amongft other Pieces of Devotion, perform'd by this Congregation, there is a great Entertain¬ ment or Treat given once a year, at an Hofpital, Chap. XVI. Kingdom of CHILE. 113 Hofpita!, which is fo Magnificent, that it is worth feeing ; The fanie is done in proportion by the other Congregati¬ ons. This City is the Seat of a Viceroy, who indeed is a King in Greatnefs and Authority, difpofing of a vaft number of Places, Commands, and Potts of Honour and Profit. There is likewife a rich Arch- bifhoprick of great Authority \ Three Courts or Royal Audiencia’s ; a Merchant Court,which decides all Matters of Trade; a famous Univerfity, in which are Pro- fefifors very Learned in their Profeflions; Three Colleges or Schools for Youth, under the Care of the Fathers of our Company of Jefus, in which are about 1 50 Profeftors or Matters; There are every day new Foundations for Orphans, Widows, and to retire Women from Lewdnefs ; There is the famous Hofpital of St. Andrew for the Spaniards, and St. Ann for the Indians j ail which would require a Relation by thertifelves. Uvalle. This is what I could not avoid faying * 64^* about this great Capital of Peru ; and if it continues encreafing as it has done for this Fii tt Age, it will not have irs Fellow in the World. The fame may be laid of Thebef Cufco, Arecjuipa , Chuauizaga, and the great < f ttes 7Tt ■ Town of Potcfi, which encreafe fb, that he who is ablent a few years, does not know them when he lees diem again •, and the realon is, that the Veins and Mines of Gold and Silver, which like a Loadttone, have drawn lb many People thither, are lo far from lefifening, that new ones are dlfcovered every day, and thofe richer than the old ones • for which realon there comes yearly more People, and among them much Gentry, as well as Tradelinen of all Arts and Profeflions, who molt of them fettle and encreafe there. CHAP. XVI; The Adclantado Almagro enters into Chile, having fiffered extremely by the , Way. W E left the Adclantado Don Diego de Almagro, in a Place call’d Paria • from whence he was to purfue his Journey to Chile; as he did in the beginning x ^5. of the year 1557. He himfelf going before, oider’d Juan de Savedra to follow with 12 Horfe by the Royal High Way, thorough the Province of Las Chichas • the Chief Place of which was Topifa, where lie found the Inga Paulo , and the Priett Vil. laemu , who prefented him with Ninety thoufand Pefo’s of very fine Gold ; it being the Tribute they us’d to fend the Inga from Chile ; and which they were now fending, without being inform’d of the Tragical Accidents that had befallen the Family ; and there he fent back a great many Caciques of the Countreys he left behind him, and who had waited upon him thither. The Three Spaniards whom he had fent with the Inga Paulo, and Two more who joined themfelves to them, being defirous of making new Difcoveries, and acquiring Honour, and withall making their Court to the Marlhal, went before till they came to a Place call’d Jujuy ; which is a Place or Country where the People are very Warlike, and eat Humane Flefh, and who kept the Inga's always in great awe. This Bo’dnefs coft Three of the Spaniards their Lives, though they fold them dear. The Adelantado being refolv’d to revenge their Deaths, fenc Captain Salfedo with Sixty Horfe and Foot, to chaftife thofe Indians , but they, being allarm’d, had call’d together their Friends, and made a Fort to defend rhem- felves in, and many Pits with fharp Stakes in them, that the Horfes might fall into them; with which, and many Sacrifices and Invocations made to their Gods, they had refolv’d to expebfc their Enemies. Captain Salfedo found them thus fortified, and being himfelf inferior in Strength, fent to the Adelantado for Relief, who fent it him under the Command of-Don Francifco de Chares j but the Indians then avpided Engaging, and refolv’d to aban¬ don their Fort ; though, not to lofe all their Pains, they refblv'd fir ft to attack Don Francifco de Chares , where they kill’d a great many, and particularly of the In , dians Tanacona's , and carrying off the Spoils, they made a iafe Retreat: The Spaniards return’d back to their chief Body* Since we mention’d the Tanacona's , it will not be amifs to explain the Signification of that Word, for the better underhand* ing of what follows. The Tanacona's were, among the In uloat the dians, & People fubjebt to perpetual Sla-Yanaco- very ; and to be known, were bound to na ’ S7t ’ ere ’ wear a fort of Habit different from the Q reft. I I q. Of the Nature and \Properties of the Book IV, reft. Thefe feeing the Bravery of the QvaUe . Spaniards, and how much they made 1646. themfelves be fear’d and refpetfed, began to rile againft their Mafters, and adhered to the Spaniards, hoping thereby to fliake off the Yoke of Slavery ; and became cruel Enemies to the other Indians . That which this Word Tanacona now fignifies in Chile, is, thofe Indians who do not be¬ long to any particular Lord for as to Freedom, there is no difference, the King having made them all free alike. From Jujuy the Adelantado march’d with the Vanguard, purfuing his Journey, lea¬ ving the Rear to the Care and Command of Nogaral de XJlloa. He came to a Place call’d Chaquana, where he found the In¬ dians in Arms ; for though at firft they were frighted with the fwiftnefs of the Horfes, yet atlaft they grew fo little afraid Vat Refo- of them, that they took a Solemn Oath lution of by the Great Sun, either to die or kill the Indi- them all. The Adelantado attack’d them, and was in great danger, for they kill'd e ' his Horfe under him in the Engagement \ but he continuing ft.ill to fight them, they refolv’d at laft to retire. Then he pur- fued his journey with his whole Army ; which was of Two hundred Horfe, and fomething above Three hundred Foot • with a great many Indians, as well Tana¬ cona s , as others, who affifted the Inga Paulo. The Army being thus numerous, they began to wantProvifions; and which was worfe, they were without hopes of finding any, there being no place there¬ abouts that could afford it, the Country being a Delart, which lafted feven days, all barren Ground, and full of Salt Niter; and for their Comfort, as they defcended a Hill or Precipice, after which they hop’d for fome Relief, they met with the Snows of the Cordillera , which was a fight able to freeze the Boldeft Undertaker, confn dering the Dangers and Sufferings they were threatened with. Herrera , when he comes to this Paffage, fays, fpeaking of the Bravery of the Spaniards , and their Patience in differing a great deal; which I fhall not relate, that I may not be thought to Praife my own Countrymen with Af¬ fectation ; but 1 cannot omit fome part of it: He fays then, That to overcome fuch difficulties, none could have attempt¬ ed it, but fuch as were us’d to endure Hunger and Thirft, and to enter into a Countrey without Guides, through For- refts, and over great Torrents, fighting at the fame time with their Enemies and the The hard- Elements, and fhewing Invincible Minds; foips the marching both day and night, enduring Spai.ards Co : d and He at, loaded with their Artm and Provifion ; being all of them ready to put a Hand to all things, even the tnoft Noble among them being the firft, when a Bridge or any thing was to be made, to turn Pioneers and Carpenters, and cut down. Trees, by which they were fit for the greateft Enterprizes. The Adelantado feeing the new, and, ia all appearance, the infuperable difficulty that attended this Journey, did not lofe Courage, but made a bold Exhortation to his Men, telling them, That thefe were Accidents that us’d to befall Sol¬ diers, without which no great Honour could be gain’d, nor any of thofe Riches which they fought after; That they fhould put their truft in God, who would not fail to aflift them, fince the Planting of his Faith depended upon their Prelerva- tion. They all anfwer’d chearfully, that they were ready to follow him to death; and becaufe Example is the beft Rheto- 1 ick, he firft began to enter into the Cor¬ dillera or Snowy Mountains, with a De¬ tachment of Horfe, going before, that if he found any Provifions, he might fend a Share to the Army •, which began to faint for want of it j but the more he ad- Panic*. vanc’d, he met with nothing but vaft De- Iar b ;n farts, with a Wind fo cold, that it ftruck them through ; and the Paffage grew fo?* 1 “ (freighter and (freighter, till at laft, it pleas’d God, that from a high Hill, they difeover’d the Valley of Copiapo, where the Kingdom of Chile begins, where they were receiv’d very kindly by the Indians , out of the refpe p Valdivia that had come to the India's , having born undertakes Arms " m Italy and Peru, and given a very cLue^of §°°d Account of all that he had under- Ch tie in ta ^en, chofe him for this Enterprize in the year y the Year 1539. giving him a Years time 1 539- to prepare all things, that he might fet out, i 54 °* as he did in the Year i^o. 1 do not fay any thing of the Particulars of his Journey, nor of the People he carried with him, becaufe I am not where I can have a diftinft Information; only that in which all agree, is. That he got together a good Body of Men, both Spaniards and Indian <■; for thefe laft relating what Riches the In¬ gas us’d to draw from People who own’d his Empire in thofe Parts, animated every Body to this Enterprize ; and Valdivia feconding with Addrefs thefe Impreflions, made a good Army, with which he fee out from Peru. They had almoft perilh’d with Cold, Hunger, and other Inconveniences; yet at laft they arriv’d, and advanced at firft with little Difficulty ; but as they went, en¬ gaging further in the Country, ftill they found more Oppofition: They firft came 4Torquotfe to the Valley of Copiapo , which fignifies Rock in the ^ Seed of Turquoifes , for there is a Rock VaUey of 0 f f 0 g reat a quantity, that they °P ia P°- are g rown lefs valuable upon it , as Her¬ rera lays : It is a blue Stone which makes a very good Ihow; and fince now we enter this Kingdom with more Advantage, and upon a fteady foot of Settlement, it will not be amis to deferibe the Valleys and Places where the Cities were firft foun¬ ded,and the other Settlements, that we may not be oblig’d to look back with an ulclels Repetition. Defcription The Valley of Copiapo is the firft of the of the rally Inhabited V alleys of Chile , though the Deft o/Copiapo p ar t of the People are Indians , with a few Spaniards , out of which one is the Ccrrigi- dor } who is nam’d by the Governor of Ovalle . Chile. The Land is ofitfeifvery fruit- 1646. full, and is made more lo by a pleafant River, which runs about twenty Leagues in it before it empties its felf into the Sea, in a Bay which makes its Harbour. He;e grow all forts of the natural Fruits and Grains of the Country, and of Europe ; the Maiz yields above Three hundred for one, and the Ears of it are almoft half a Yard long, as Herrera and other Authors relate. Though lam not inform’d as to the particular of Valdivias Reception, hereby the Indians, yet I fuppole it was without much Contradiction, becaufe thefe People were already accuftom’d to the Forreign Yoke of the Inga’s, and had already feen and receiv’d Spaniards out of relpect to the Inga Paulo , who accompanied Almagro , who gave them their lawful Cacique, or Prince, as we have feen. They had the fame Facility in the Valleys of Gudfco , which is about Five and twenty or Thirty Leagues from Copiapo , and that of Coquimbo Liman, and as far as Quillota. Here the Indians cook Arms, and oppos’d thQCafiillansv\gorou(\y ; Engaging them aimoft daily, as People that came to conquer and fubdue their Country. The Governor Valdivia penetra¬ ted as far as the Valley of Mapocho, though with the Lofsof many of his Men.FIe found Mapocho this Valley exrreamly well Peopled,becaufe arhhvaily ofit’s Breadth, Fertility, and Pleafantnefs, roell Peo- being throughly water’d by the River of I leei - that Name ; which after having run loine Leagues, finks under Ground, does not lofe it lelf entirely, but appears more no¬ bly, and comes out with a more powerful Stream two or three Leagues further, being much bettered in its Waters, which from muddy are turn’d dear as Chyftal, CHAP. II. The Foundation of the City of St. Jago, in Mapocho. The Defcription of its Situation. T Owards the Eaft, the Great Cordillera , or Snowy Mountain, is a Wall to this Valley of Mapocho \ and is in Winter all over White, but in Summer by Spots here and there; to the Weft it has the Ragged Rocks o fPuangue, Carcn and Lampa , whole Foot we may fay is lliod with Gold ( for that The Vally which is found in its Mines is lo fine that a great deal was got out of them. ) Nei- led C CrU c ^ cr ’ s c ^ s uncover’d on thefides; for to the North and South it is environ’d by other Mountains, which though they do not approach the Cordillera in height, yet are high enough to make a Circle about this Valley, which in feveral of its Rocks produces Gold : It is, in its Diameter from die Cordillera to the Hills of Pouangue and Carcn t Five or Six good Leagues; and from North to South, which is from the River Colima to that of Maypo , Seven or Eight Leaguesmore; fb that its Circumference is between 26 and 28 Leagues, or more, if we go down as far as Francifco del monte, which is a place of moft plealant fhady Woods, I 20 Book V. Of the Nature and 'Properties of the Woods, where all the Timber is cut for (jvdllc . t p s b u iS(ji n g of the Houfes. 1646* In this Valley, two Leagues from the Great Cordillera , by the Side of the River Mapocho, God has planted a Mountain of a beautiful Afpe£t and Proportion, which is like a Watch-tower, upon which the whole Plain is difcovered at once, with the variety of its Culture in Arable and Meddow ; and in other Places Woods, of a fort of Oak upon the Hills, which af¬ ford all the Fewel neceffary for the ufes of Inhabited Life. At the foot of this Mountain, which b f 8 ° tlo ° a ~ may be Two Miles about, the Cafillant J :n Indi* f- ounc j man y Habitations of the Indians, to the number of Eighty thcufand, as Au¬ thors report; which Pedro de Valdivia ob- ferving, and gueffing from thence, that it wa9 the belt part of the whole Valley, he re- jbefcription folv’d to found here the City of St. Jago, of the si- which he began the 24th of February in tuation of t J- ie Year 1641. It Hands in 34 Degrees ft ho ^' c ^ u{ ^ s ’ anc ^ Longitude 77. diflanc Capital of from the Meridian of Toledo 1980 Leagues. Chile. The Form and Ground-plot of this City 1641. yields to few others, and is Superior to mofi of the old Cities of Europe ; for it is regular, like a Chefs-board , and in that Shape, and that which we call the Squares for the Men, of Black and White, are in the City call’d Jfles, with this difference, that fbme of them are Trian¬ gular , fome Oval, forne Round; but the Square ones are all of the fame Make and Bignefs, and are perfe&ly fquare: From whence it follows, that wherefbe- ver a Man Hands at any Corner, he fees four Streets, according to the four parts of the Heavens. Thefe Squares at firfi were but of four large Houfes, which were diHributed to the firH Founders, but now, by Time and Succeflion of Inheri¬ tance, they have been divided into leffer, and are every day more and more divi¬ ded ; lo that in every Square there are many Houfes. Towards the North, the City is wa¬ ter’d by a pleafant River, till^it fwells fometimes in Winter, when it Rains Eight, nay Twelve and Fourteen Days together without ceafing; for then it overflows, and does great mifchief in the City, carrying away whole Houfes, of which the Ruines may be yet feen in fome Places; for this reafon, they have rais’d a ftrong Wall on that fide, againH which the River lofing it’s ftrength, is thrown on the other fide , and the City thereby freed from this Inundation. Theonvt- From this River . is drawn an Arm on niencesof the Eafl-fide, which being fubdivided the city, into as many Streams as there are Squares, enters into every one of them, and runs thorough all the tranfverfal Streets by a Conduit or Canal; and Bridges are every where, as neceflity requires, for the paffage of Carts: So that all the Houfes havb a Stream of Water, which cleanfes and carries with it all the Filth of the Ci¬ ty ; and from this difpofition of Water, *ds eafy to water or overflow all the Streets in the heat of Summer, without the trouble of Carts or other Conveni¬ ences, and that without any Charge. All thefe Rivolets empty themfelves to the Wefl, and are let into the Grounds without the City 5 to water the Gar¬ dens and Vineyards that are there: Which being done, ’tis let into other Fields, lowed with all forts of Grain, and then returns to the great River. The Inhabitants do not drink of this Water, though pretty good ; but ic ferves to wa¬ ter Horfes and other Animals j there¬ fore they fetch Water from the River for their own drinking, or draw it from Wells, which yield very good, and very cool: Thofe who are yet nicer, fend to the Springs and Fountains, of which there are many in the Neighbourhood* which yield moH excellent fweet Water. The Streets of this City are all of the fame bignefs and proportion, broad enough for Thr^: Coaches to go a BreaH eafily • they are pav’d on each fide near the Houfes, and the middle is unpav’d for the Paffage of Carts. There is one Street A noble that is of an extraordinary Breadth, and street, in it Fifteen or Sixteen Coaches may go abreaH; this is to the South , and runs EaH and Weft the whole length of the City: This is call’d laCannada ; and though at firH it did not extend beyond the City, yet now it does, and has many Buildings and Gardens, and there is the Church of St. Lazarus: But there are fe¬ deral Squares built further which enclole in again, and fo it is in a good Situation. This Cannada is the belt Situation of the whole Place, where there is always an Air Hirring, fo as the Inhabitants in the greatefl Heats of Summer can fit at their Doors,and enjoy the Cool; to which may be added the agreeable Profpe and the Day that the Bull is publifh’d, all the Orders of the Religious are bound to be at the Proceflion. Let us conclude this Chapter by faying fbmething of the Natives, who are born and bred in this City. They are gene- character rally Ingenious and of good Parts; and of the thofe whole Inclination is to learning, fuc - tiVtr ' ceed very well; but they naturally are more inclin’d to War, very few of them taking to other Employments, either of Trade or Bufinefs; and they who from their Chap. V. Kingdom of CHILE. i z? their Infancy, or by a ftrong Inclination, do not take to Learning, feldom fucceed, and eafily leave it) if put upon it, to fol¬ low the found of a Drum ora Trumpet, and never are quiet till they get to be Enroi’d as Soldiers, being much better pleas’d with the Liberty of a Soldier’s Life than with the Difcipline of the Schools. They are much addi&ed to Horfoman- foip ; and I have often foen, that to ftrengthen a Child that can hardly go, the beft way is to let him on Horfeback ; this makes them prove dexterous Horfemen, and bold ;.and ’tis a common Opinion, and a known Experience, that for Horfo, one of the Country is better then four TySf 1 from abroad; this has been fufficiently prov’d in the courfe of fo long a War, as 1646. that which has bufied that Kingdom. They are naturally libera! , good na- tur’dand f iendly, particularly if they are treated honourably, with due regard ; they are pretty ftubborn and wilful, to be led only by (air means, and then they are docile and traftable ; but if force is us'd, they do worfe and worfe. This we the Fathers of the Society do often Experi¬ ence in our Colleges: So we are oblig’d to lead them by Sweetnefs and Emulation, rather then by Rigour and Harfhnefs. CHAP. V. Of the Riches , Militia , Studies , and Encreaje of the City of St. jago. T His City, to which the King has given the Title of ( moft noble and Loy¬ al, ) is the capital City of Chile , and one of the beft in theJWa’/, next to thofe two Royal ones of Lima and Mexico , who do exceed it in fumptuous Edifices, in People and.Trade, becaufothey are more Anti- ent and nearer Spain , and of a greater Paftage for the People that come from Europe , and free from the Tumults of War, which is a Canker that eats deepeft into great Cities and Kingdoms; and ’tis no foiall Proof of their Force, to be able to maintain fo long a War. foundation This City was founded One hundred of the City. aiK j f our Years ago, and it has all that while fuftain’d the heavy Load of a long and ftubborn War, which the Native Indiam have made upon the Spaniards without any Intermiffion; in which its Inhabitants have either always been in Arms, or fending many Horfos and Pro- vifion to the Camp ; a Calamity which, far from letting it grow to what it is, ought to have kept it down from the be¬ ginning : Nor is it ofa fmall Confederation for the growth of other Cities in the Inda's, to reflect, that they being in the Way, and as it were upon the Paftage of other Places, many Newcomers have fettled there, who perhaps at firft were bound for other Countries, or at leaft were in¬ different where they flayed, and took up with them. ’Tis otherwife with the City of St. J«go> becaufo the Kingdom of Chile being fo remote, and the laft of all the Spanijh Dominions, it is the non plus ultra of the World, fo that no body goes thither by chance, but on purpofe, and upon fome Defign or particular Intereft; for which reafon the number of Strangers is little. But the City is fo good and convenient The Riches. to pafs away Life wich eafe, that notwith- ftanding thefe Difadvantages, it is fo en- creas’d, that it aftonifhes all who foe it; few Cities of the Indicts out-doing it in Finery, particularly as to the Women; (it were to be wifli’d it were not to that excels) for all things coming from Europe , are there prodigious dear; and this cau- fos many Families to run behind hand. Who fhould foe the Place of St. Jago > and that of Madrid , could fee no diffe¬ rence as to this point: Nay, as to the Wo* men, the Finery exceeds that of Madrid * for the Spanijh Women, foorning to go to Service , are all Ladies, and love to ap¬ pear as fuch, as much as they can : and the Emulation between them about fine Cloaths, Jewels, and other Ornaments, for Themfelves and their Servants, is fuch, that let their Husbands be never fo rich, they want all they have, particularly if they are of the Nobility, to fatisfie the Pride of the Women. As to the Militia of the City; the Militia . firft part of it is the Company of Inhabi¬ tants, Encomenderd s and reform’d Cap¬ tains, who have no other Commander but the Governor himfolf or his Deputy; after that, there are two or three Troops of Horfe, and three or four Companies of Foot, all Spaniards. Thefe often Mu* fter on Holy-days, and are Exerciz’d in the ule ot their Arms; and fometimes there are General Mufters before the Oydores and Royal Officers, where their Arms are Examin’d, who alfo note them down to know what Strength they can raife upon occafion , punching fuch as do not keep their i id Of -the Nature- and ‘Properties of the Book V. r>their Arms and Borfes fit for Service. By Ovatte, this diiigence they are very ready at their 1646. Arms, and the exercifing of them proves an Entertainment for them and the whole City ; for very often in the publick Pro- ceflions, one or two of thefe Companies ufe to come out, and make a Salvo for them: And in the holy Week there al¬ ways attend a Troop of Horfe and a Company of Foot, who guard the Street where the Proceffions of the Whippers go to keen the Peace, becaufe of the In- (turns, who ufe to take that time to make fome Rifings, the Spaniards being wholly ta¬ ken up with their Devotions. The Day? in which this Militia makes the bell (now, are, when the Bilhops come to be receiv’d, becaufe they make a Lane from the Entrance of the City to the great Place of it, where they form their Battalion ; and the Concourfe of the Peo¬ ple ufes to be lb great, that though the Place is very large, there is fcarce room for them. The vaf And fince we are upon that Subjeft, Encreafe of WQ cannot omic to obierve that which the cuy. j s worc ^y 0 f Admiration, and that is, to fee how it is encreas’d in the number of Spaniards within thefe forty Years. ’Tis probable, the fame has hapned to the other Cities of the India's ; but this has had a continual drain, by fupplying Sol¬ diers for the War with the Indians , where many perilh and few return. I remem¬ ber that I have heard fay, that one of our Fathers newly come from Europe, and coming to our College, where he law but few People in the Street cried out, apparent rari Nantes in Gurgite Vafto. By which he meant to fignify, the Dif proportion of the Inhabitants to the big- nefs of the City i but now that very Street is fo full of People, that all hours of the Day, and fome of the Night, it is ex¬ tremely frequented; for there have been built many Houfes for Handicrafts-tnen and Shopkeepers on both fides of it, be¬ caufe Trade is confiderably encreas’d. I cannot my felf affirm, that I obferv’d as great an Alteration in a much lels time, as well in People as in Building; for having been abfent but eight Years, f confefs, that at my return, I fcarce knew the Place again; for I found feveral Ground fpots where there was not a Houfe Built upon, with very good Building; and thofe which I had left Built were alter’d to the better, with more and higher Apart¬ ments ; and the Courts which were very large were confiderably ftreightned by other Buildings; and yet the Plot of the City was larger too. So that being at firft built at the Foot of the Mountain we have fpoken of, to the Weft of it, I found it extended as much to the Eaft, and the fame proportionably to the South and North , and it encreafes daily towards the River and the Cannada. There was, when I left the place, about / >. f, a dozen Shops of good Retailers, and at Vi ;/: my return there were above fifty ; and the fame proportionably as to the Shops of Shoemakers, Taylors, Carpenters, Smiths, Gold-fmiths, and other Handy- crafts-inen, whom I found alfo more curi¬ ous and exaft in their Profeffions; and Emulation has produced very good Pieces of Workmanfhip in Gold and Silver, and Carvings in Wood, Guildings, Pain¬ tings, which have adorn’d the Churches, with thofe which have been brought from Europe, and the particular Houfes, fo, that in fome Houfes alone, there are more things of that kind now, than there were in all the City formerly : Some complain, that there are not now fiich rich and pow¬ erful . Men as there were at firft; and that is true : Put it does not follow, that the generallity is the worfe for that,-but rather otherwife. For the Lands and Houfes which belong now to ten Fami¬ lies were antiently in one; it being certain, that feveral of the Heirs of that Man have attain’d to as great Riches as he himfelf had; or at lead ’tis apparent, that the Bock of all thofe who have fhar’d the In¬ heritance, far exceeds what was left them; fo that fuppofing, that fome were formerly richer, yet the Riches are more in the Land: Which is alfo clear to any that foall confider the Houfes, Pofleflions, and other Improvements made fince that time. For now there is fcarce room for the Peo¬ ple, whereas before there was not half People for the room that was for them. Which is alfo vifible in the Country round about, where Farms that could hardly find Purchafers, and were little worth, are now fo rifen in their Value, that the (mailed cod great Summs, and this rage of Purchafing is fuch, that moll: of the Caufes in the Royal Audiencia are about Titles. For the Antients, who took poffeflion of the Land, thought, that if they had a little footing in a Valley, it was all theirs, but thofe who have come fince, have purchafed by vertue of new Titles, and taken new polTeflion, which makes fo many Law-foits. 1 here is not a form’d regular Univer¬ sity in this City, becaufe that of Lima ferv’d for all the Neighbouring Kingdoms and Chap. VI. Kingdom of CHILE. 127 and Provinces to take the Degrees; but, when in time the going to Lima was found fo chargeable, and the Journey, which is of Three or Four hundred Leagues fo troublelbme, there were Bulls The Popes obtain’d of the Pope, for the Orders of Bull's oh- Dominick and the Jefuits to have The Do t ^ ie °f conferring the Degrees minicans of Batchelor, Licentiate of Arts,asallb and jefu- Doctors in Divinity, in the Kingdoms of its to con - Chile, Granada , Ruito , Cbuquizaga, Tuctt- f er De ‘ man and Paraguay, greet. The £ff e( cj. has fhowed how neeeffary this Favour, and how important this Privilege has been ,* for this Incitement to Honour has caus’d a general Applica¬ tion to Learning *, for the Priefts and Curates are already great Proficients in Study, and fo more capable of taking upon them the Cure of Souls« and thole who betake themfelves to a Religious Life, are better qualified to ferve their Orders, and be an Honour to them, as many of them are ; and it does not a little contri¬ bute to the Value of them, to fee the great Solemnity us’d at the Reception of the feveral Graduates. And in this, as well as the reft, I think our City of St. Jago is not Inferior to any. For firft, all the Ads are held with great Concourfe of all the Learned, and very often the Bilhop honours them with his Prefence, and lo do the Prefident of the Aadieneia , and the chief of the Town government, to Ovalle. whom are Dedicated the Subjeds of the 1646. Extempory Readings, according to the Conttkucion of the Univerfity , which are given out with great Fidelity, divi¬ ding the Subjed into Three Parts for the Graduate to dilpute upon in prelence of a great Concourfe of People ^ and the fe- verity is Indifpenfable in this and all other Examinations, for the different Degrees which are given by the Bilhop, by vercue of an Approbation firft given him by the Father Redor, and the Profefifors, as the Bull direds; according to which there is no obligation of giving any Treat, but yet that the Dodors may affift with more Pleafure and Diligence, there has been in¬ troduc’d a Cuftom of giving lome mode¬ rate ones, befides Gloves, which were allowed inftead of it^ but lome out of Oftentation, give both Treat and Gloves. Befides this, there has been introduced a cuftom of inviting the Horle of the City to Honor the Proceflion, which makes the Solemnity the more confpicuous; and they very willingly accept of the Invitati¬ on ; for they are very ready to mount on Horleback to honour any, much more thofe who diftinguifli themlelves by the Exerciles of Virtue and Learning. CHAP. VI. Of the Worfhip of God and the Church Ceremonies in the City of St. Jago. Religious *| F we were to make a judgment of this fome diftance from it. The Proceflion Worfhipw- J[ City by the Worfhip of God, that is of the Firft and Eighth Day-, are upon the ry stately p er f orm ’cj j n it } and the Appearance of Account of the Chapter, as the Hanging of an expen- t h e Clergy* we Ihould judge it to be much the Streets , and ereding of Altars for bigger than it is ^ for the State and Ex- Repofitories, are at the Charge of the Inha- penfe with which the Holydays are kept, bitants where the Proceflion paiib. This in the Charge of Mufick, Perfumes, Wax, Proceflion is attended by ail the Corn and other Ornaments, are very great; let vents and all the Companies of Trades, us give fome particular Inftances, and be- with their Banners and Flags, fo that ic gin by the Cathedral. 1 cannot but com- reaches a great way : After this of the mend the Piety of thole Eminent Perlbns, Cathedral, come every Day new ones of the Bilhop, Prefident, and Councellors all the Convents ; fo that they laft a of the Royal Audiencia , who taking each Month, every one endeavouring to have of them a day during the Qftave of the theirs the beft ; by which means there are holy Sacrament, are at the whole Ex- great variety of Ornamental Inventions pence of that Day, and that is very con- and Machines. The Indians of the Neigh- iiderable * for all the Wax and Perfumes bourhood, that live in the Chagras , that are very dear, as coming from Europe : is little Cotcages, within lome Miles And the Holy Emulation that is between of the City, attend likewife with their them,encreafes the Splendour of the Day; Banners, and they choofe for this purpofe fo that during that Octave , the Church a Leader who makes the Expence, and is fo perfum’d, that its Fragrancy is fmelt treats thofe of his Company. Their Num* 128 Of the Nature and T roper ties of the Book V. As Numbers are fb great, and the Noife they Ovalk. make lb loud, with their Flutes, and their i'66fy Hollowing and Singing, that they are placed in the Front, or elfe there would be no hearing the Church Mufick, nor any means of underitanding one another about the Government of the Proceffion. The other Feafts and Holy-days in the Year, are proportionally folemniz’d with the fame Decency by all the Orders of Fiiars, who all of them have fbme devout Perfons who help to bear the Charge. But the Nuns exceed all the reft in Ornaments; and thefe Nunneries are fo populous, that in that of St. Aufiin alone, there are above Five hundred Perfons , whereof Three hundred are veiled Nuns, the reft are Lay-Sifters; and becaufe the Nunnery being full, there can be no more receiv d, but with great difficulty, the other Nunnery of Smtta Clara re¬ ceives fo many everyday, that in a little time it will equal the other in Number, as it does already in the Pomp and Orna¬ ment of its Church-Service; that which thefe Angels of Heaven ( for fo we may juftly call thofe, who with fo much Piety and Anxiety do ferve God continu¬ ally, and are as a Wall of defence to the City,) that which they do molt fhinein, can hardly be exprefs’d as to the Neatnefs, Curiofity, and Richnefs of their Altars, and the Church Ornaments: What fhall I lay of the Smells, artificial Flowers, Fruits, Chocolets, Paftillo’s, and Per¬ fuming-pots, which I have feen fometimes, of fo great a fize, that they ftruck me with Admiration, confidering the Matter they are made of, which is of a refin’d Sugar as white as Snow, lometimes in form of a Caftle, fometimes of a Can- dleftick or a Piramide, moft Exquifitely wrought. They are not content with this; for I have, fometimes feen the whole Grate of the Quire, and the joyners-work, and Beams of the Church, all cover’d with prefer v’d Citron, in form of Suns or Angels of Mezzo Relievo , and a thoufand other In ventions which I fhould never have done, if 1 fhould report them all: I muft only fay, that the Generofity of thofe Ladies is fuch, that though this Cofts very much, yet I have often feen them at the end of a Mafs diftribute all thofe things to thofe who happen to be in the Church, with¬ out keeping it for tbemfelves. They do not only do this within the Church; but the Altars which are fet up in their Cloy- fters, and Streets near them, for the Pro- ceflfons,are adorn’d after the fame manner with Fruits and Flowers of the fame A 4 a- terials, fo well imitated, that they appear new gather’d. The Monafteries of Men are not fo The Mona* well fill’d as thofe of the Nuns, though ft erits °f, fome have a hundred, others fixty of fe- ^ en ” tf i* venty Friars. The Secular Clergy is alfo very Numerous, very Virtuous and Lear* ries. ned. Since I came away, there has been founded another Nunnery of about Thirty Nuns, who will need no Portion, being provided for by a Gentleman who left all his Eftate to that Foundation; it was Cap¬ tain Alonfo del Campo Lantadilla i Algualil Mayor of that City, which will be of great Service to help the providing for poor Maids, who perhaps elfe would not finditeafie any other way. CHAP. VII. In which is Treated of the ProceJJions of the Holy-week^ in the City of St. Jago. L Et us conclude this matter of Religi¬ on and Pious Exercifes, with faying fomethingofthe moft remarkable Pra&ice of it in the Holy-week, by the Stateiinefs of the Proceffions at that time, which is fuch, that all Strangers confefs, that if they had not feen it. they fhould hardly The state- have believ’d it. Thefe Proceffions be Unefsofthe gin on the Tutfday in the Holy-week, to Proceffions. which the company of the Morenos^ which is founded in our College, give a be¬ ginning, ( of which we fhall fpeak more when we treat of its Employments, as alfo of the Brotherhood or Confrary of the Indians on the lylorning of Eafter- day ). The Proceffion that Follows next, is that which comes out of the Convent of St. Auftin^ in which is founded the com frary of the Mulatto's \ they go all cover’d with black Frocks, and have many Paf fages of the Paffion fung very devoutly, with the beft mufick of the Place, and many lighted Torches. The Wednesday , The Famous Proceffion of the Con- frary of the Nazareno's fets out, which is all of natural Spaniards of feveral Arts and Profeffions,and is founded in the Roy¬ al Convene of Nueftra Sennora de la Mer¬ ced, and it is one of the richeft and moft adorn’d Proceffions, This Proceffion is divided tHhap. VII. Kingdom of C H I L li. r. z p divided into three Troops, the fit ft of which carries La Veronica to the Cathedral, where • it (lays to meet the fecond, in which comes the Redeemer with his Crofs, io heavy that he is forced to knee! often When this fecond, which is the laigeft, comes to the Great Place, that which flay’d at the Cathedral goes to meet them * and at a certain diftance, in fight of a vaft Multitude of People, the Veronica comes, and kneeling down to the Image of Chi iff, which is a very large one, feemingly wipes his Face, and then Ihews the People the Reprefentation of it remaining in the Handkerchief; and then as they begin to march, there appears the Third Pio- ceflion, in which comes St.John, {hewing the Virgin Mary, that Dolorous Spectacle ; fo that by all thefe, there is form’d, a mighty Proceffion, with many lighted Torches,and all the Brothers areCloathed in their Red Frocks, marching with great Silence and Devotion. There is another Reprefentation of great Piety, which is perform’d in the Convent of St. Francis , and in this Convent *, which is the parting of Chrifl and his Mother ; which ufes to caufe great Paffion and many Tears, be- caufe of the naturalnefs with which it is ai Original The Chap. VIII. Kingdom of CHILE. The Auditory was much edified with the Piety of the good Father, but fmiled at his Propofal as impracticable, yet they all came at the hour, moft out of Curio- lity to fee the Event of this Novelty : They all took Olive Branches in their Hands, and began the Proceffion whille sfflrange our Fathers Sung the Stanza’s. It was Infpirati- wonderful that the fame Spirit which on, on the niov’d the Father to fuch an extraordinary M Invitation, mov’d alfo all the People to 'haiety, to Sing before the Image of our Lady, which singing, they carried thus to the Cathedral; out of which the Clergy coming to meet, and Singing the Church Hymns, the Noife of the others Singing was lo great that the Canons were forced to give over, and accompany the People in their Stanza’s, hinging altogether like fo many Children. They look’d one another in the Face, admiring at what they were do¬ ing, being Icarce able to believe ; and if 1 my fell had not feen it, knowing as I do the natural Gravity of that People, I ihould not have believ’d it neither; but the inward force of Devotion can do any thing, when the Lord of Hearts makes ule of it to exalt the Immaculate Purenefs of his Mother. A ^ery Ex- The Rejoycings and Entertainments fenfrve U p 0 n this Occafion lafted many days; Mafaue- ene 0 f them fell to the lot of the Con- rade ' gregation of Natural Spaniards founded in our College, who made a very Inge¬ nious and Coflly Mafcarade, reprelent- ing all the Nations ol the World, with their Kings and Princes, all Cloath’d after their own fafhion, with their Attendants, and laft of all the Pope, to whom each Nation came with its King to defire his Holinefs to favour this Myftery. The Liveries were very coftly, and there was a Triumphal Chariot, a great Macheen, in which was reprefented the Church; but that which was moft chargeable, was the Wax, which is very dear there; and this Entertainment was given by night. The other days were divided among the Negroes and Indians of all Arts and Profeflions, who having a Pious Emula¬ tion to each other, made many rare In¬ ventions, but the Merchants carried the Bell in a Tournament which they per¬ form’d in the great Place, each Adven¬ turer coming either out of a Sea or a Wood, or an Enchanted Caftle, with his Paper or Challenge, afting their Parts very well ^ they broke their LanCes, and receiv’d their Prizes, which were things of great value. The Gentlemen of the City Crown’d the Feaft with their ufual Diverfions of Bull-feafts, running at the Ring jtiego de Canvas, &c. There are generally sbout Twenty or Thirty Hoife- Ovdlle . men to attack the Bulls, and throw the 1646* Rejous or Lances at them befides him who ftrikes the Bail dead: ‘ The Illumina¬ tions of Torches, with which they ule to run about all night, are alfo of great Di- verfion, and upon this Occafion they did it with rich Liveries, and other chargeable Expences, for the greater Solemnity of the time. The Ordinary and Annual Rejoycings which are obferv’d on Midfummer, on St. John's Jay, St. James’ s, and the Nati¬ vity of our Lady, are alfo worth feeing, particularly on the day St. Jago, who is the Patron of the City j for then the Royal Enfign of the Crown brings out the great Standard of the Conqueft, with the Kings Arms, and is accompanied by all the Gentry, who are oblig'd to appear on that Occafion, which they do very glorioufly. There happen likewife forfle Marriages Marriages or Chriftenings of the People of beft fa chri ~ ftiion, in which they make as good a fhew leafed** as their Eftates will let them, and often „ ithgreat above their Abilities. In the Buli-Feafts, Pomp and thole who undertake them ufe to Treat the Expence, Royal Audimcia , and other Bodies Cor¬ porate ; but in Marriages they are Pro- iufe, for the Prelents to the Bride have been brought in falhion to be very rich, fuch as Slaves, Carpets, Scrutores fill’d with Gold and Jewels, and other Curiofi- ties of great value. There is not Ids fpent in Treats and Banquets, particularly of late years, that they have taken to coun¬ terfeiting Natural Fruits, and other Things, which ferve for the Sideboard ; lb that after a Man has given a Treat of all forts of Birds and Fifties, his Entertainment is not Gallant enough if he does not add a Delerc of Preferv’d Citrons in all Figures of Love Knots, &c. and the other Fruits imitated after Nature } Thefe they mingle on the Cloth with the Figures of Ewers, Saltfellers, Jars, Salvers, Diihes, Spoons, Forks, Knives, all made of Citron co¬ ver’d with Leaves of Gold and Silver; and the firft thing the Guefts do, when they fit down, is to Plunder the Table of thefe, for there are real ones of Gold and Silver for the Banquet. All this Cofts extrsamly, becaufe the Sugar comes from Pent, and the Manu¬ facture of all thefe Curiofities is very dear; many are the Guefts; and befides the Wedding Dinner, the Fathers give ano¬ ther the next day as fumptuous. This is what no Body of Fafhion can help doing. I have heard formerly, that at firft there $ 2, were i 32, Of the Nature and \Properties of the Book V. were Gentlemen, who upon any of thefe Ovalle. Publick Rejoycings, would do it ail at 1664. their own Charges, giving them all Li- veries of Velvet, at the running of the Ring for Example; and yet then Velvet was twice as dear as it is now. But at pre¬ lent that is lefc off, though they make Ex- pences equivalent in Collations, Bonfires, and other Contrivances of great Sbewj for upon thefe Occafions they all think themfelves rich enough, which is a great ruine to Families, every one (framing out of vanity to equal another, though the difference in Riches be very great. And now let us leave St. 7 ago, which has detain'd us more then ordinary, to facibfie the C.uriofity of thofe who are de- firous to know the Encreafe and Progrefs of the Cities and Colonies of that New World, and how the Chriftian Cuftoms and Government have begun to flourifh in it; and by this Effay a Judgment may be made of thofe Settlements. I pals on to the Particulars of the Conqueft of that Kingdom, that 1 may afterwards give an account of the Prog eels of the Chriftian Faith, and the great hopes there is of its greater Propagation. And becaule lorne Curious Perfons do defire to know (bme Particulars of the Colonics and Settlements of that New World ; and that it may be agreeable to the Reader to know the Form given by the firft Founders to their Cities, I have thought convenient to give here the Groundplot of the City of St. Jago , with all its Streets, Houfes, and Publick Place, with the Names of the Churches and Convents, and the Streets that anfwer them, they being the Princi¬ pal Buildings of a Chriftian Common- Wealth, by which it may be known how other Towns and Cities in thofe Parts are contriv’d » for they moft of them follow this Plot or Model ,• and becaufe fome Judgment may be made of the Buildings I have likewife given the City in per- fpeclive, as it looks to thofe who come from the Peru fide, and enter by the great Street call’d the Cannada ; though the Cupola of the Jefuits, and the Tower of the Convent of St. Francis, with other high Buildings, are difeern’d many Leagues CHAP. IX. The Governor Pedro de Valdivia pnrfues hk Conquejl. The Gold Mines are begun to be ■wrought. He fends Proofs of their Richnefs to Peru ^ from whence the General Juan Baptifte Paftene brings him the firfi Succours . T H E Governor Pedro de Valdivia having founded the City of St. Jago, began to think of fortifying himfelf in that Poft, to defend himfelf againft the fury of the Indians , with whom he was every day engag’d, and many Men were loft on both fides, fo that his Men be¬ gan to be uneafie, and talk of going back to Peru, as Almjzgro had done •, for though they law the richnefs of the Country, yet it appear’d to them dearly bought, fince they could not get any of it without running great hazards by the many En¬ gagements that they had with the Enemy, io that they gave their Lives for gone. The Governor Pedro de Valdivia was not Ignorant of the difficulty of his Enter- prize, but yet encourag’d by the hopes of fuccefs at laft, he refolv’d rather to die then give it over; and being an Ex¬ perienc’d Soldier, bred in the Wars of Europe, he refolv’d to raife a Fort for the defence of his Men, being convinc’d of the Bravery of the Enemy he had to do with; and though he was inform’d of a general Rifing which the Indians defign’d, he fent Seventy Men to make an Incur fion towards the River of Cacbapoai. The Indians taking the opportunity of the ab- fence ol thefe Men, attack’d the Fort, and had gain’d it if the Spaniards had not fhewed incredible Valour in the defence of it, till the other Men return’d, and by their Affiftance they repulfcd the Indians , and remain’d Conquerors. The Governor made good ufe of this advantage, both with the Indians and his own Men; fo that having quieted them, he began to w'ork upon the Mines of Quillota , which were of great fame: They prov’d fo rich, and yielded fuch a quan¬ tity of Gold, that he thought it advilable to make a Fort there for the Security of his Men ; but finding want of Hands by the Loffes he had had, he reiblv’d to lend to Peru for Relief; This he put in Execu¬ tion, giving at the lame time an account of the Richnefs and Fruitfulnefs of the Country, to incite People; and becaule Ocular Teftimony perluades more than what we only hear of, he trufted Six Men, whom he lent along with Thirty others, to Chap. IX. Kingdom of CHILE. A demon- to have a great deal of Gold with them, fi r auve cau fi n g befides the Stirrups of their Horfes, the Riches an ^ t ^ iat * s employed of Iron Work «f Chile about the Bridles and Saddles, to be made intended, of Mafly Gold ; making the Stirrups very great and large on purpofe: But all this The Dejign Defign was disappointed ; for thefe Men, mifcarries. who were thus guilded like Suns, were, when they came to the Valley of Copiapo , fallen upon by the Indians, and all perifh’d but Two, who were Pedro de Miranda , and Mon-Roy, Officers ; who got away by the ^elp of their Horfes \ but being purfued by the Indians through Mountai¬ nous Ways, and their Horfes tiring, they were taken by an Indian Captain call’d Cateo, who had a Company of Archers: They tied their Hands behind them, and carried them to their Cacique, who de¬ sign’d to put them to death. This Cacique, was Married to the Hti- refs of all this Valley, (for there Inheri¬ tances follow the Women, for greater Se- rity of the right Line) and when thefe Two were expe&ing nothing but the blow of death, it pleas’d God to infpire the Cacica or Cacique’s Lady with Com- A P a ffi° n > and fbe w ent her felf, and ful Prefer- with her own Hands untied theirs, com- vation. manding their Wounds to be drefs’d, and Treating them with fome of their Drinks, which fne her felf prefented to them, ha¬ ving drunk firft her felf according to their Culfom, and bid them take Courage, for they fhould not die: They feeing themfelves brought, as it were, from death to life, threw themfelves at her Feet, and dedicated themfelves to her as voluntary Slaves, fince by her favour they enjoyed a Life which they gave for loft. The Captain who had taken them fee¬ ing his Princefs and Soveraign fhew them io much favour, came to them, and bid them be confident of their Lives, for that their Lady having commanded they fhould not be kill’d, there was not any one bold enough to look awry upon them. They were kept Six Months in this Cap¬ tivity j and though it was fb gentle by the kind ufage they met with, yet the natural defire of Liberty, and the hopes of return¬ ing to their Friends, Bill work’d with them. Let no Man think himfelf fecure that has his Enemy within his own Doors, nor let him truft his Prifoner, though yielded up to his diferedon $ for let him be us’d as well as can be, yet there is no happi- nefs like being bis own Man, and enjoy¬ ing his Liberty. This Thought continually took up the Minds of thefe Two Cap¬ tains; fo they laid a Plot hpw to make their efcape. They had cbferv’d in the Cacique a Curiofity for Horfes , which Ovalk . were a Creature fb new in thofe Indians i 646. Countreys, they perfuaded him to learn to Ride and Manage a Horle. He lik’d the Propofal, and began to Exercize him¬ felf in this Gentile Amuzement, carrying with him neverthelefs always his Guard of Archers, with an Indian before with a Lance upon his Shoulder, and another behind with a naked Sword in his Eland* more out of Grandeur than Diftruftfor he had no Sufpicion of their Plot, which was, to take an an opportunity when he rid out to fall upon him, and kill him, as they did ; for Captain Alon-Roy, with an An extraordinary Intrepidity, without refleft- i rate f ui ing on the Guard that attended him, at- Return tack’d the Cacique, and Captain Miranda the reft, with fb much fuddennefs, that they made themfelves Matters of the Lance and Sword, and beftirring themfelves courageoufly, they wounded and difi mounted the Cacique ; fb that he died of his Wounds in fome Months. Having gain'd the Horfes, drey fav’d themfelves upon them \ and not being purfued in that diforder, they overcame all the ditti- culties of thofe Solitudes, and arriv’d at Peru fafe; where at that time they found the Government in dre Hands of tire Li. cenciado Faca de Caftro. Thefe Two Captains were Gentlemen of great Families i and to this day the Mirandas in Chile are of tire Flower of the Nobility of that Kingdom. As for the MonRoys, they are fb known in C aft Hie, particularly about Salamanca , that it is needlefs to fry more of them. They were very well receiv’d by his Excellency, for the good News they brought of that Dif- covery and Conquefi, of die Pleafantnefs of. the Country, and Richnefs of its Mines; and upon this Relation, as An* tonto de Herrera, and other Authors fay, it was refolv’d to further this Conquefi, which feem’d to be of fuch high impor¬ tance, and to choofe out fome fit Perfon, and accompany him with Soldiers, Arms, Ammunition, and Cloathing for the Sol¬ diers, who were almoft Naked. He chofe for this Employment Captain Pafiene John Baptifie Pajiene , a Gentleman of the W!t ^ moft Ancient and llluftrious Houle of Pa- the P'f flenes in Genoa ; which Family is at prefent SuC£m ' s ° extin& in that Republick, and remains only in its Records, where many of that Name are in the Books of the Nobility, and among the greateft Dignities of the State. This Gentleman engag’d in the Conquefi of the New World by the fame defir® of Glory which mov’d others, and i 34. Of the 'Nature and T roper ties of the Book V, n t0 of his bed Officers and Soldiers, to )o\n^! he and help the Kings Forces. He left in TmL Chile for his Lieutenant, Captain Francifco de Villagra , a Gentleman of great Cou¬ rage and good Parcs, chat he might go¬ vern Book V. i ]o Of the Nature and ‘Properties of the 0 ff vein and prelerve what we had already in {jvalle. t j iat Kingdom *, it being impoffible to do 1646. more, or make any farther Progrels, till the times ftou;d alter and lie provide more Forces. He got together what Gold he could, and went Aboard with his Cap- tains and Soldiers, on the fame Ship, under the Conduct of the lame General Paftenc. His Arrival at Peru gave great Cou¬ rage to the King’s Forces, byrealon of the Go d and Men which he brought; the Va¬ lor and Experience of which was Id great, that in the Battle they perform’d ex¬ traordinary things, being the chief caule of the Victory obtain’d over Pifarro, in the Valleys of Ouiraguana. He himfeif was taken, and chaftiz’d, with his guilty Affi- ftants, as his Folly deferv’d, and his Dif loyalty to his Prince. The Prefident of Peru, Gafca, always adviz’d with the Go vernor Valdivia in all his moft Important Affairs, whom he made of his Councel, with fix more, for the fecreteft Affairs and of moft Importance, making great efteem of his Prudence and Experience, as well as of the Valor of his Companions. This Vidlory being obtain’d the Cover- He is Vu nor return’d to Chile. , with a good Succour Horious, of Men and Arms, and the fame Officers “ nd re ~ and Soldiers who accompanied him to chile with Peru ; with which, and other Succours a Supply. which came afterwards, he was in a con¬ dition to purfue his Enterprize Vigoroufly, aswelhailfee hereafter; But all was lit- tie enough againft the Refiftance of the Indians , who not only kept them from ad¬ vancing but for fix Years together, that their ftubborn Oppofition lafted , they reduc’d the Spaniards to great Extremities of Nakednels and Plunger. So that they were forced to eat Herbs and Roots, and Rats and xViice, and fuch things; and if the Ffeart and Courage of the Governor Valdivia had not been Invincible, it would have been impoflibie to have made the Conqueft. CHAP. xr. What happened in Chile, during the Abfince of the Governor Valdivia, and after his Return 5 and of the new Succours he receiv'd. P Edro Sanches de Hoz, was a Soldier , to whom the King was pleas’d to grant a Patent for the Difcovery and Conqueft of certain Lands, to begin from the jurildidion of the Marquis Francis Pifarro ; and he pretending that Part of the Kingdom of Chile was in his Grant, oppos’d the Governor Valdivia , to whom Pifarro by a Royal Commiffion had gi¬ ven the Conqueft and Government of Chile. But the Marquis perfuaded him to defift, and go along with Valdivia to Chile , recommending his Perfon to the Governor, to ufe him with Regard, and give -him a Share in the beft part of his Conqueft. Valdivia did fo, beftowing on him the richeft Lands of the Indians. But the Ambition of Commanding, is always very contentious, and fubjeft to complain, till it gets the upper hand. This appear’d in Pedro Sanches de Hoz,, in the abfence of the Governor from Chile •, for being vex’d that he was not left with the Authority of Lieutenant in his room, he plotted to take away the Life of him who had it, which was Francifco de Villagra \ who having no¬ tice of his Defigns, leiz’d upon Pedro San - ches de Hoz ,, and cut off his Head, by which he affur’d his own; and Valdivia approv’d of the thing ss well done, when he was inform’d of it, became he was a Friend to Juftice, and becaufe a Compe¬ titor is never lorry to have his Competi¬ tor remov’d. About this time, the Indians of Capiapo , the Capi- who had begun to imbrew their Hands a P° Hdi- in the Blood of the Spaniards , in purlu- ans re ~ ance of the Revenge of their Prince’s Death, whom the Captains Miranda and their C.L Mon-Roy had kill’d, as we have related in cique. the 9th Chapter, lay in wait and lurpriz’d Juan Bon, with 40 Soldiers more of lome Companies which were coming from Peru, and marching through their Coun¬ try *, thele they put all to death. After their example the Cocjuimbefes attack’d the Soldiers and Inhabitants of the City of La Serena , whom they kill’d without (pa¬ ring one, and fet fire to the City, which they ruin’d utterly, not leaving one Stone upon another. All this being underftood by the Go- Are over.. vernor at his Return from Peru , he fent come by Captain Francis de Aguirre with a good ^ a V am Force, to follow them to their Retiring ?, ra " cis Place,^ where in leveral Rencounters, in g U ; rre the Valley of Copiapo , he overcame the In¬ dians. All which was as much owing to his great Valour as Conduct; without wEich, the force he had would have prov’d Inlufficient (as Herrera cbferves). He did the lame in the Valley ol Coqu'mh, and Chap. XL Kingdoni of and rebuild the Giry of La Serena , in the Place and Situation where it now ftands. For which realon, he was look’d upon as the true Founder oi it j and his Depen¬ dents, who are of the belt Nobility of the Kingdom, have preferv’d that Prero¬ gative, and are the ohiefeft in that Go¬ vernment, or rather the Matters of it ; for they are lb numerous and lb power ful, that they yield to none in Reputation, and are accordingly relpefted by all. Let us now treat of that which ’tis not realonahle to forget; which is, of thole Captains who in thole early times entree ' ink with Succours of Men, to help to co quer it; fince it is juft their Memo¬ ry ftiouid live for ever in thole who en¬ joy the bruits of their Labours, and are now Matters of what they gain’d with their ’ lood and Sweat, and the lols of many Lives, and danger of their own, whic! i they expos’d in fo many Battels and Encc antes s they had with the Enemy I am only lorry, that 1 cannot fpeak of them all and delcribe in particular their good Qualities and great Merits, becaufe lam in a place where 1 want Memoirs and Iniormatiohs forfuch A Work: bu; I will fay what lean of their noble Adio as I find them recorded in other Hiftooes: Though to lay truth, thac Which they iay about Chile, is lo little, thac it isalmoft next co nothing I am not Eirprizd at it; for it is a place much out of the way, and it’s Conquerors were bufier with their Swords than with their Pens. For their Enemies prels’d them continually with fb much Vigor , that they had but lit¬ tle of chat k-alure which Fiiftories and A Recital Relations require. We fhall begin with of thofe the Governor Pedro de Valdivia , who was Capi> r/is t j ie en tred the Kindom with InLumen- a F° ce > ab has been related: Then that uiin the which General Paftcne brought after- c onqueftof wards with Arms and Cloaths. The Suc- Chile. cours b ought hi C aptain Mon Roj prov’d ofgreat Importance; as Herrera favs, it was of Thieelccre Men, which in thole days was as much as Six hundred now* thefe he had hir’d in Peru , being much a t fiftec by the Viceroy , who upon the Rela¬ tion. of Mon-Roy and Miranda , was relolv’d to encourage the Enterprise. I am not certain, whether it was before this, or after, that arriv’d the Succours lo opportunely brought by Captain Chriftoval de Efcobar Villaroel’ for l do not find it men ion’d in any of the Hiftorians, which 1 have read here: Butin Chile the Memo¬ ry of it is very fielh, and wilhneverbe forgot; not only for his coming in a time when they extremely wanted Supplies, ' CHILE *37 but alfo for that Circumftanceof this noble "VA Captain’s having brought thele Succours Ovallei upon his own Charges, ,( and I think they were Seventy Men) and made his way by Land to Chile , either by the Wilder- nels of Arauma, or by the Cordillera , ei¬ ther of which mutt coft a great Sum of Money ; for it is. above Five hundred Leagues This Action alone was fufficient to ftiow the Noblenefs of this Gentleman, if that of his Family had not been lb we t known as it is in Spain ; but he continued to give Proofs of his Zeal for the King’s Service, by feiving in Perfon, and em¬ ploying alfo his Son Captain Alonfo de Ejcohar Vtllaroel , whom he had brought with him from Spain, that they might both give an Example to their Potterity, as they have; not yielding to any,,but have pro¬ duc’d many noble Perfons, both in Arms and other Civil Employments of the Go¬ vernment. When I reflect upon thole I have known of the Dependents of this famous Head and Conqueror, i find, That be¬ tween Sons, Graudlons, and Great Grand- Ions, they come up to Eighty (even; and il they had not been lo many, there was enough to Honour this Family in the Se¬ ven or Eight Sons ot the General Luis de las Cucuas , Giv.iidlons of this Gentleman, with whom he patented himleii to the Royal Army , all arm d Cap-a-Pie, in which they ferv’d many Years ac their own Charges; lor in thole Days the Inha¬ bitants that wen Gentlemen ,had no other Reward but their Loyalty, and the Glory oflerving their Prince. Antonio de H.rrtra makes mention of another Supply of Ong hundred and eighty Men, Conduced by Captain Francifco Villogra , who was after¬ wards Governor of Chile, and to whom that Kingdoni owes a great deal of its Being, tor the Hazards he ran, and the noble Actions he perform’d in its Con- queft, as we fhah lee hereafter, and may be read in the General Hiftory, to which I Appeal. The Nobility of his Family was always Notorious, and the Gentlemen of his Name have Ihowed themleives worthy of it, in the giear Services they have and do perform every day tor the Kmg , Worthy of all lorts oi Acknowledgment and Reward. Alter this, in the time of the Viceroy Don Antonio Hurtado de Mendoza, his Ex¬ cellency, as Herrera fays, lent Captain Don Martin de Avendane, by Land, with good Succours oi Men, and Three hundred and fifty Mares and Horfes, which were of .as much Importance lor the War as fo T many i 58 Of the Nature and Properties of the 'BookV. many Men. The Defcendents of this Oval/e * Gentleman are Bill carrying on the Luftre 164 6. of his Family, fo known in Salamanca and other Parts. I was acquainted with Two Brothers of that Name, who alone might preferve and encreafe the Reputation of their Family •, the one was Colonel Don Antonio de Avendano , who was Colonel of the Regiment of Arauco, who Signaliz’d himfelf at the Head of that Regiment in many Rencounters with* the Enemy, and particularly in one, where our Camp was Defeated; and where to preferve the Re¬ putation he had gain'd in fo many Noble A&ions and Eminent Dangers,, he chofe to die , being wounded in a great many Places, and almofl cut in Pieces, by the fu¬ rious Enemy. The other was Don Fran, cifco de Avendano , likewife Colonel, and who came to Spain, where his Majefly, in confideration of his own and his An- cefters Merit, honour'd him with the Ha¬ bit of St. Jago, and the Government of Tucuman , where he died. I do not mention thofe Companies, out of which, as they palled by Copiapo, Fourty were killed, with their Leader Juan Bon \ becaufe Herrera , who fpeaks of this, does not lay who was the Captain of them. Perhaps there were alfo other Comman¬ ders-, who in that Six Years time entred into Chile with Men, and I ftiould be glad to be where I might have particular In¬ formation of them, to do them at lead that fmall Honour of putting their Names in Print, and giving fome Glory to Actions, which perhaps deferv’d to be grav’d in Brafs. I do not likewife fet down here, that Famous Supply of Men brought by the Second Governor of Chile , Don Garcia Hurtado de Mendoca, Marquis of Cannite, for this fhall be fpoke of in its proper Place, after the Death of the Governor Pedro de Valdivia : And thuswe ftiall con elude thofe who entred by the way of Peru. For though, fince that time, there have been feveral Supplies, and are every day Bill more, yet they have not been remarkable enough, as not having come at firB, but after the Settlements were made; and befides, it would carry me too far to report them all. But I /hall add here thofe which have come from Spain, by the way of Buenos Ayres ; as well be* caufe they were the moB numerous, fome having been of *oo or a thoufand Men, as having come in dangerous Times, when the Kingdom was ready to be loB, the Enemy having as it were befieg'd it; and fo ’tis juB to preferve the memory of fuch famous Benefa&ors, who have been, as it were. Fathers of their Country. This we fhall perform at the end of this Book, in a Treatife by it felf, where we will likewife put the Pi&ures of all the Go¬ vernors of Chile , as well as may be, con fidei ing how long they have been dead, that their Defcendents may preferve the Memory of Men, who feem to deferve Eternity by their Heroieal Actions. CHAP. XII. The Governor Pedro de Valdivia purjues his Conquefl , and Peoples, the Ci¬ ty calld of the Conception ^ where he had like to have been dejlroyedin a Battel . Valdivia "TpHe Governor Pedro de Valdivia feeing purfues his §_ himfelf with a good Force, and the Conquefi. (3 reatne £ 0 f his Mind perfuading him that he had where withal to put an end to his Enterprize, Herrera fays he fent to the other fide of the Cordillera , from St.j fago. Captain Francifco Aquirre with a good number of Men, with which he pafs’d thofe terrible Mountains, and foun¬ ded the Diaguitas and Juries. Herrera fays no more ;nor do 1 know any thing of thofe individual Places and Ci¬ ties which he founded. The Governor Valdivia on his fide fet out of St. Jago with a powerful Army, and paffing the furious Rivers of Alaypo , Cachapoal , Tinguiritica , Peteroa,Teno and Mataquito , he Conquer’d the Promocaes, a Warlike, People, who had refilled Almagfo , and before that had re¬ puls'd an Army of 50 thoufand Men, which the Inga fent againB them when he endeavour’d, to conquer Chile ; but the good Fortune and Great Valor of Valdivia and his Men overcame chat which feem’d Invincible; though I am perfuaded that it was not without Blood: But I refer my felf to the General HiBory of Chile, which will have deferibd the par¬ ticular Encounters and Battels on both fides. The Army pafs’d the deep River of Maule , and the vyide It at a , and coining to that of Audalien , quarter’d by the Sea- fide; and for the coiiy eniency of Situation, cay he founded there the City of the Concep- 0 f the con. tlon in the Year 1 yyo. but the Natives c option aBonilh’d and enrag’d at this boldrjefs Strangers to enter thus, into the Heart pf,^**’* their 5 Chap. XII Kingdom of CHILE. i ip their Country , as if it were their own, call'd a General Aflembly, and with a numerous and brave Army prefen- ted them Battel fo furioufly , that our People began t killing with his own Hand Four of the Chiefs of the Indians. Our Army was encourag’d with his Valour, which he in¬ herited from that Noble Family fb Ipread in Andalusia : Fie was teconded by the Bernales Pant Ota’s, Alvarado 1 j, and many others, who perform’d Wonders in this Battle, which was long contefted, very Bloody, and in fufpence to the laft. The Enemy was much fuperior in Strength to our Forces, and therefore the Victory began to encline to their fide ; for though Villagran the General, and fome others, would rather have chofe to die there with Honour, than turn their Backs, yet the greateft part judging that there was no Honour loft in a vigorous Retreat, and that it would be ramnefs to perfift in fo defperate a Cate, they began to retire, fighting Chap. XX. Kingdom of C H I L E. 14.7 fighting and defending themfelves •, but the Enemy, elevated with this Succefs, followed clofe, and having knock’d Villa* gran off his Horfe, they had made an end of him, if he had not valiantly de¬ fended himfelf till Thirteen of his Men came to his relief. The Spani- Thefe famous Commanders did not ob- ards beaten i e p s Q or y j n this Retreat, then if time 71 th sy had gain’d a Victory ; for the Ene¬ my following them for fix Leagues toge¬ ther, being a Hundred to one, and having feis’d upon mod of the Paffes, and the numbers (till encreafing, yet the Spaniards made a noble defence, and kill’d many of them. Thole who fcap’d from this En¬ gagement came with the fad News of the ill Succefs to the City of the Conception, which fet all the Inhabitants in an uproar, mingled with Lamentations and Cries; every one being in tome meafure con- 1 cern’d in this Calamity; for between Spa- Ovalle. niards and Friendly Indians, there died in 164.6. this Engage mint Two thoufand five huh- dred. One would thought the day of Judgment had been come, to fee the Con- fufion that was in the City upon this News; one laments the Death of his Father.another of her Husband ; fome cry for their Sons, fome for their Brothers; the Women wring their Hands, puli off their Hair, fill the Air with lamentable Cries; the Children cling to their Parents, asking for their loll Fathers, which is more grievous to them than Daggers: in the midff of thefe Horrours Night came on,in which no one could lliut their Eyes, for the memory of their Misfortunes keep the Soul atten¬ tive without any Confolation. C H A P. XX. Lautaro SacHthe City of the Conception 5 and Caupolican befieges the City of fl5?lmperial, which k defended by the ^uecn of Heaven. M isfortunes feldom come alone; and lo it happened to this afflicted City, which, inftead of receiving Comfort from the approaching day, no looner did it appear, when the noile of Drums and Trumpets gave a warm Allarm of the Enemies being at hand. Here the Con- lufion encreas’d ; for now the Concern was not for the loli of others, but for every ones own fafety, the danger threa- . tening them fo immediately ; There was nothing but Dilorder, no Counfel nor Relolution being to be found in the Wifelt; They could not defend them¬ felves, becaufe they were fo overpower’d in numbers by the Enemy •, and the Re¬ treat, though necelfary, was difficult, be¬ caufe of the Approach of the Indians. In this hard Conffift, at laft the Refolution that prevail’d, was, to abandon the City, without pretending to fave any thing but j hey fly their Lives. They leave the City then, from the and all the Gold they had got together in Concep- ffleh quanties; they go out in long Files, non. t j ie Mothers helping their little Children along : The way that they undertook was to the City of St. Jago, a. long one, in which many Rivers were to be crofs’d, and hard Paffes to be gone thorough : This Labour was accompanied with the perpetual Fright of the Enemies purfoing them. Who can relate the Hardlhipsoi Hunger and other Sufferings through fo long a Trabt of Mountains, Defarts, and uninhabited Countreys? How the Wo¬ men, the Children, the Old Men, could bear this Fatigue, we mult leave to Imagi- notion, to reprelent the true Idea of thefe Misfortunes: Let us therefore return to the Indians . The Spaniards had hardly Lautaro made an end of abandoning the City, enters and when the Indians enter’d into it; and no [f ac f tt:e being able to execute their Rage upon the uy ‘ Inhabitants, they did ic upon the Houles, to which they fet fire, and confum’d them to the very Foundation, killing even the very Animals which the Spaniards left behind them. Thus was loft the City moll abounding in Geld, and fituated in the inoft Populous part of the Indian Coun¬ try ; for ’tis faid there were not lefs then a Hundred thoufand Indians , with their Families, who were all employed in ga¬ thering Gold for the Spaniard!, whom they enrich’d to that degree, that Pedro de Vah divia , if he had liv’d, would have had Fifty thoufand Crowns of Gold a year, and others Twenty and Thirty thoufand. This burning of the City being over, News was brought, that Caupolican had call’d a great Affembly in Arauco , which made Lautaro return with his People to be at it: When the Two Generals of the A' raucanos met, they greeted one another for the Victories obtain’d over the Spa¬ niards, and in Sign of Triumph, One hundred and thirty Caciques, all drefs’d themfelves in the Spamfh Drefs with the U 2 ' Clothes 14.8 Of the Nature and Properties of the Book V Clothes they took from the Spaniards Qvalle. kill’d in the Battle. The General had 1646. Valdivia's Cloches, which were, as ’tis reported, of green Velvet laced with Gold Lace, a Back and Breaft of well temper’d Steel, and a Helmet, with a great Eme¬ rald for Creft. All having leated them- felves in order by the General’s Com¬ mand, he propos’d to them the defign of Conquering back all that was gain’d from them by the Spaniards , who now were fo deje&ed with their Lois: They all agreed to his defire, every one delivering his Opinion with great Pride and Arrogance. ’Tis Laid, that the Old and Prudent Co- locolo, hearing them deliver their Opinions with ib much Infolence and Prefumption, that it look’d as if all the World was too weak to refift their Valour, humbled them a little, by putting them in mind. That if they had obtain’d Two Vi&ories, the Spaniards had gain’d many more over them, and had made them fcrve as Slaves; therefore that they ought to behave them- felves with Moderation and Temper, that they might expetft Succefs from their Aims i and added, That it was his Opi¬ nion, that they fhould divide their Forces into Three Parts, and at the fame time affault the City of the Imperial. Puchecalco , a famous Conjuring Cacique, fo’lowing the fame thought of humbling the Intolerable Haughtinefs of the AfTem- bly, told them,That they might give over their Prefumption, for he was to acquaint them, that having Confolted his Oracles, they had anfwered him, that though at prefen t they were fo Victorious, yet at la ft: they were to live under the Spanijh Yoke in perpetual Slavery. The Cacique Tu- captl could not bear to hear this, and rifing from his place, with his Mace of Arms gave him fuch a Blow as took away his Life The General was highly offend¬ ed at this Infolence, and being refolv’d to chaftize the Author of it, the whole Af- fembiy was diftuib’d, and though they all endeavour’d to lay hold on the Murderer, yet he defended himfelf fo well with his Mace of Arms, that it was not eafie to feize him : But Lautaro , who had great Power with the General, made up the whole Bufinefs; and the Refult of the Councel being to befiege the City of the Imperial^ they immediately put it in Exe- tion. Their Army took its Polls Three Caupoli- Leagues from the Imperial *, which City, c<1n dejigr.s though it had a good Garrifon of brave Men, was not nevertheless prepar’d nor fNdu'a provided for a Siege with Ammunition vnracu- and Victuals, becaufe the Enemies would Imfly pre -‘ have taken it if any had been fent to it j but the Queen of Heaven deliver’d them from this great danger. The Enemies drawing near the City, there arofe on a fudden a mighty Storm of Hail and Rain, with black Clowds ; and their Epunamon appear’d to them in form of a terrible Dragon, cafting out Fire at his Mouth, and his Tail curl’d up, Riding them make hafte, for the City vffs theirs, being un¬ provided ,♦ and that they fhould enter it, and put to the Sword all the Chriftians, and fo difappear’d : But as they were pur¬ filing their defign, animated by this Oracle, on a fudden the Heavens clear’d up, and a very beautiful Woman appear’d upon a bright Clowd, and fhewing them a Charming, but Majeftick and Severe Countenance, took from them the Pride and Haughtinefs infpir’d into them by their firft Vifion, commanding them to return to their own Homes, for God was re¬ folv’d to favour the Chriftians; and they obeyed immediately. To which, the Au¬ thor who reports this Story, adds, That the whole Camp faw the Apparition, which was on the 23d of Aprils and that all agree in this. CHAP. XXI. The City of the Conception is Rebuilt 3 and Lautaro having taken it a fe- cond time , marches to take tlx City of St. Jago, where he dies . The Con- HE Spaniards being in fafety, began ception to think of returning toth eConcep- r etui It. t * on ^ anc j re b u ildi n g of it. To this end they rais’d Men at St. Jago, and with great difficulty compafs’d their Intention, making a good Fortrefs within the City for their better Security. The Indians of the Neighbourhood, though they were in their Hearts as averfe as any others to be commanded by Strangers, and to let them build Cities in their Territories, dif- fembled neverthelefs at prefonr, but in due time gave advice to Arauco , defiring help to drive out thefe new Comers, or make an end of them at once. Lautaro Lautaro came to them prefently, with a good takes it a Army > and fome Companies of Spaniards which went out to encounter him, were time ' forced Chao. XXL Kingdom of Q HI L E* 149 forced to retire to the Fore they had made, in which they defended them/elves as long as they were able to withftand the Force of Lautaro ; but at laft being overpower’d, they were forced to retire a fecond time to the City of St. Jago. Many Spaniards were loft, and Lautaro followed the Purfirit, in which many brave Aftions were perform’d on both Tides: Among the reft, a famous Indian Captain call’d Rengo , following Three Spanijh Captains, who were retiring, call’d them Cowards, and faid a hundred Infolent things to them; which mov’d one of them to attack him at the Paftage of a River \ but he fecur’d himfelf by choof- ing a ftrong Poft ; fo the Spaniards went on to St. Jago , and Lautaro retreated to Arauco , where great Rejoicings were made for this new Vidfory. The Indians renewed their Meetings; and being much elevated with their Suc- cefs, they came to a Refolution of not troubling themfelves wich the letter Ci¬ ties, which they reckon’d as their own; but to attack the Capital of St. Jago. Lautaro Lautaro offer’d 4 %o unaertake this Enter- t0 prize; and choofing the mod Warlike SYJago amon S them, he marched with a Power¬ ful Army : He pafs’d the Rivers Biobio , It at a, Maule , and Mataejuito \ near this laft he rais’d a Fort, to fecure his Retreat, it need were, he being engag’d far from from his own Territories. When the News of this Refolution came to St. Jago, many look’d upon it as a Fable, not being capable of imagin¬ ing, that the Indians had boldnefs enough to march fo far to attack them ; but thofe who were come back from the City of the Conception undeceiv’d them, as knowing by Experience Laniards Courage; They therefore fortified the Place, and pro¬ vided it; They alfo fent out Parties to engage the Enemies, if the Occafion of¬ fer’d ; but Lautaro forc’d them to return in hafte to carry the News, and yet fome remain’d behind too. The Spa- Francifco de Villagran, the Lieutenant mards General, was Sick at this time, and fo meet him ^ enc ^is Coufin Pedro de Villagran , with all the Force he could make, to meet L.autaro \ They lodg’d within half an hour from the Fort which the Indians had rais’d upon the Rio Claro ; The next day they enter’d the Fort without any re* fiftance. for Lautaro had cunningly or¬ der’d his Men to feem to fly, that he might catch the Spaniards in the Fort» and fo, when he faw his time, he gave the Signal, and his Men fell on the Spa¬ niards like Lyons,; who had enough to do to make their Retreat, and fcape from their Hands: The Indians followed them Ovalle for a League, doing them much mil- i6s\6, chief, though they defended themfelves with great Valour. Lautaro feign’d a fe- cond time to fly, and our People being reinforc’d , engag’d him a-frefh ; they attack’d his .Fort, and gave Three Aft faults to it, where they were receiv’d with Showers of Arrows, Darts, and Stones, and at laft forc’d to retire to a Valley ; whence they deflgn’d to return, and try fheir Fortune again : But Lautaro faV’d them the Trouble; for refolving to make an end of them all at once, and, in order to it, feigning that he wanted Proviflons, he lent to our Camp to de¬ mand fome: His Proje broke, and but few left in a Fighting clofe to their Enemy, and revenge their 1664. Condition, yet they ran upon the Spa- death with his, or at lead dye in the at* niard\ s Lances, and with their Hands tempt. CHAP. XXII. Don Garcia Hurtado de Mendoca comes to the Government of Chile: What happened at his Arrival 3 and in the Engagement he had with the Araucanos. % Fter the death of Pedro de Valdivia , J \ there was application made from Chile to the Viceroy of Peru, who is to provide a Governor till the King can fend one, that is, both Prefident and Go¬ vernor Independent of Peru. The Vice¬ roy at this time was Don Antonio Hurtado de Mendoza , Marquis of Canete , who Go* vern’d with great Zeal, and a Prudent Severity, making Exemplary Punifhments where they were neceflary ; by which he fecur’d the Country : He had then with him his Son Don Garcia Hurtado de Men- dopa , who afterwards fucceeded him in his Viceroyfhip, with as much Applaufe and Efteem of the World. The Embaf- fadors from Chile defir’d him of his Excel¬ lency, the Father, for their Governor, w hich he granted. King Philip the Second had appointed the Adelantado Hyeronimo de Alderete , to fucceed the Governor Pedro de Valdivia , whofe death was known at Court; but the News came likewile that Alderete was dead in the Ifland of Tabcga near Panama. The Viceroy’s Son having rais’d a good Body of Horfe, fent fome of them by Land with the Horfes, and he embark’d with the reft s and after a hard Storm, in which they had like to have been all loft, he arriv’d in the Bay of the City of the Conception , and landed Don Gar- upon the Ifland of Quinquina, to inform cia, the himielf from thence of the State of the nevCover- Country. The People of the Ifland, Chile who were Fierce and Warlike, took Arms lands 'at when they faw the Ships draw near the Quiri- Harbour, and pretended to hinder the quina. Spaniards from Landing ; but having no Fire-Arms, as foon as the Cannon of the Ships began to fire, they gave way. As (bon as the Governor Landed, he pub- lilh’d the Defign of his coming, that the Indians might know it; which was, to fave their Souls by the Predication of the Gofpel, and reconcile them to God by the Means of Baptifm; and to confer that Sacrament, he had with him Reli¬ gious Men of the famous Orders of St. Francis and the Merced ; That if they would lubmit to that, he would Treat with them in the Name of the Emperor Charles the Fifth. This Declaration reach’d the Ears of the Araucanos , and there aflembled at Arauco Sixteen Caciques, and many other Captains, to Treat about what wasbeft for them to do in this Cafe; and though many Youthful and Arrogant Speeches were made, according to their ufiial Haughtinefs, which made them de- fpife all good Councel and Peace, yet the Old and Prudent Colocolo refti ain’d their Pride with Prudent Reafons, and perfua ded them to Treat with the Spani ard: fince they were by them invited to do it It cannot hurt us, faid he, to hear them ; we fliall have our Forces as ftrong ftill to maintain our Right, if they demand unjuft things. This Opinion was follow join¬ ed by the moft Prudent among them, dians and they fent for their Ambafiador th tf £nel an Cacique Milalan , a Man of great Rhe- torick and Eloquence among them, gi- Wlf y, him. ving him Order to Treat with the Spa - niards, and obferve well their Strength, and that he fliould fhew Inclinations to Peace, to draw them to Land on the Continent, and forfake the Ifland ; ho¬ ping that the defire of Gold, would tempt them to go further into the Country. Millalo came to the Governors Tent, and making a (mall but Civil Bow, Saluted him, and the other Spaniards that were with him; then with a Cheatful Counte¬ nance he deliver’d his Meflage. He faid. That his Countrymen admitted the Terms of Peace that were propoled, and fhould obferve thofe of Friendfhip; not out of any Terror or Apprehenfion caus’d in them, by the arrival of thefe new Forces; for no Power was great enough to terrifie them, having fufficiently experienc’d their Strength in the Succefs they had hitherto had; but what which mov'd them, was the Compaflion they had for fo many In¬ nocent People, fo many Women and Children, who upon occafion of this War, remain’d Widows and Oiphans; That upon fair Terms they wou.d own Kingdom of CHILE. I 51 C hap. XXII. the King of Spain, upon condition that he did not concern himfelfany ways with their Liberty or Rights: That if they had any thought of a&ing by Violence, and making them Slaves, they would fooner . eat their own Children, gnd kill chem- (elves, than Buffer it. The Governor anfwer’d him with all Aflurance of a good Treatment as they expe&ed ; and having made him fome Prefents, difpatch’d him back to give an Account of his Embafly. But this was not fufficient Security for either fide ; fo. they remain’d upon their Guard. The Indians, obferving the Caution of the Spaniards , to give them more Security , feign’d to difmifs their Forces, but fecretly gave them Orders to Band upon their Guard, and not lay down their Arms, but be rea¬ dy upon any occafion that might hap* pen: Yet the Spaniards for ail this, did not think fit to Land upon the Continent, but Bay’d two Months upon the IJland where they firft Landed, till the Winter He lands on entirely over. About the Spring, th« Conti- they let on Shore about One hundred and nent and thirty Men of the braveB among them, r ££ sa to raile a Fort, as they did upon the top of a Hill, which overlooks the City of Pence, ( otherwife call’d the City of the Conception. ) Under the Prote&ion of this Fortrefs , the reB of the Spaniards went out of the If and, hoping that in a little time, their Horfes, which were co¬ ming by Land, would arrive, having fome news of them ; in the mean time, they cut Wood and Fafcines to fortifie their Camp; the Governor and the Com¬ manders mowing an Example to the reB, in the Labour of retrenching themfelves, and cutting of Wood, as if they had ne¬ ver done any thing elfe all their Lite time. They brought it to perfection in a little time, and planted upon it Eight field'pieces, with all other neceflary Pro- vifions for their Defence. The Indi- The Araucanos , who were watching ins #tack all their motions, no fooner law them buly in their Fort, but without expecting any further proof of their Intentions, which they took to be for War, call’d immediately an ABembly, and with all their Strength came like Lions with a refo- lution to demolilh th£ New Fort. They took up their PoB at Talcaguano, about two miles from the Spaniard's Fort , and about break of Day they gave an Allarm; and having firB cha leig'd out many Spaniards to fingle Con bit, they at laB fell on in a Body with no more fear of the Cannon-Bullets, than if they had been of Cotton or Wool, knowing. that though they receiv’d at firB fome Damage, it could laB no longer than till UZW?. the Battalions were engaged. With this Re- 164^, lolution they fell on like Lyons; and fome of them got over the Fortifications; a~ niongB whom was Tucapcl , who did wonderful Actions. Neither were, the Spaniards unprepar'd for them , doing ex¬ traordinary Things, which it were coo long to deferibe in particular, though the A&ions were fuch as very well deferve it. The Spaniards, who were in the Ifland, and aboard the Ships, hearing of the danger ** en ■ of their Companions, came to their Af- fiflance ; and by the help of God, who aided them, joyn’d their Friends; and then, thus united, they began to p'evail over the Araucanos ; who finding rheqv Lives inferior, and having loB many of their braveB Men, began to retreat, all but Tuc. pel , whohaving Bay’d laB, and being fqrely wounded, yet made his efcape from the Spaniards , whom he left full qf admiration of his Valour and Refoiution. About this time, the HorLs which carqe The mp from St. J*go arriv’d, and with them a Coverturn Troop of good Horfernep from the hn* re2tl f orc ferial. The Enemies muBer’d all their Forces, and the Spaniards went to feek them out in the Valley of Arauco , where they had another very bloody Engage¬ ment: Ehe Araucanos fled, or rather re¬ tir’d ; and the Spaniards having taken one Prilbner, call’d Gualbarino, they, in order to terrifie the reB, cut of both his Hands; but the Araucanos were fo far from being terrified by it, that this enrag’d them the more ; for Gualbarino hinifelf being return’d to his Countrymen, went up and down begging them to revenge the Injury done to him, which they all look’d upon as their own. Caupolican their General , lent c > challenge the Governor Don Garcia with all his Strength, telling him, that he would Bay for him in his Camp, which he mov'd near the Spanijh Camp which was at Mil¬ lar apue. He came over, night, and the next He gives Day prefented them Battel, which was as Caupoh- well difputed as the reB ; both fides fight- can ing with Extreme Valor. The Indians preB the Spaniards (b hard, that Victory, ^ had declar’d for them, had not a Spanijh Battalion, in which alone remain’d all the Spaniards Hopes, charg’d to defperately among the Indians , that they were forc’d to retire, and leave the Field to tire Spa - niards ; but their Retreat was with great Honour and Reputation. ’Tis related , that in this Engagement, fome of the Neighbouring Indians were made Prifo- nsrs, and that though they were put cq a Book V Of the Nature and ‘Properties of the a raoft exquifite Torture, to force them Oval/e. to reveal fomething that the Spaniards 1646. wanted to know; yet they remain d conftant and true to their Country, as 11 they had been Inieniible of Pain. The Spaniards had here a conilderable advan¬ tage; for, befides many dead Enemies, whom they left upon the fpot, they took Twelve Prifoners of the chief among the Indians , whom they hang’d upon fo ma¬ ny Trees for an Example to the reft; and among them , that fame Gualbarino , who not only fliowed in dying an Intre- *' pid Mind, but encourag’d the others; and amongft the reft , a Cacique, who began to fear and beg his Life, to whom Gualbarino, fpoke before all, with fo much Haughtinefs, taxing his bafe Cowardice, as if he had been the Conqueror and not the Conquered, which ft ruck the Spans- ardswiiYi fuch Admiration, that they were befide themielves. He raifes From this place, our Camp march’d another to t k e y a \] e y where Valdivia was loft. Fort ' Flere the Spaniards raifed a good Fort,from whence they made their Excurfions upon the Enemy, endeavouring to advance their Conquefts, but not without danger of being often cut off; particularly the hazard they ran at a narrow Pafs, caus’d by the Mountains on the way to Purea , where they were attack’d by the Indians, and very hard fet by them, whom they might have deftroyed if they had not fal¬ len to plunder the Baggage; for a Com¬ pany of Spaniards obferving this Mifcar- Pd again j iage, feiz’d on a fpot on the top of a Beats the Hill, from whence with their finall /hot,J ftdians they lb gall’d the Indians below, that they fled in Confufion toavoy’d fuch a Tern peft, leaving the Spaniards Mafters of the Field, but much weatned: Having been forely handled in this Rencounter, they retir’d to their Camp, where they were receiv’d with great demonftration of joy. After this, leaving a good Garrifon in the Fort, well provided for two Months, the Governor went to vific the other Cities to ftrengthen them, and pro¬ vide them with Neceflaries againft all Attacks, which they had reafon to fear; for Caupolican enrag’d, that in three Months he had loft three Victories, had call’d a general Affembly, where it was refblv’d never to give over, but either Die or Conquer, that they might drive out the Spaniards , and reftore their Coun¬ try to its Liberty. CHAR XXIII. More Events of War. The Death and Converfton of Caupolican. C Aupolican followed his Defigns, but fortune feemed to be weary of afli- fting him; for in moft Rencounters, he came off either worfted, or entirely de¬ feated, and the Vi&ory lhatch’d out of of his Hands when he thought him felf fureofit; this made his People begin to grow weary of his Command; and the Vulgar began to cenfure his Conduct as too remifs, and that the Defire of prefer- ving his Power, and being General, made him negled Opportunities of putting an end to the War. Caupolican being inform’d of thele Suf pitions of his own People, call’d a new Affembly, in which he propos’d Methods of carrying on the War, fo as they might obtain an entire Liberty. This was una- nimoufly agreed too, with a firm Refolution of not giving it over till they either con¬ quer’d or died. This Refolution coming to the knowledge of the Governor Don Garcia Hurtado deMendopa , who was gone, as we have feen, to the City of the Impe¬ rial , to fortify it, he difpatch’d to the Fore Advice of what pafs’d and fent them 3 competent Relief. Amongft other Defigns pitch’d upon by Caupolican , the firft was to furprize the Spaniards in their Fortrefs by a Stratagem, before they were aware of him, and fo mafter the Place. The other Captains of Repute , Rengo, Orompello , and Tucapel , who were us’d to lead always the Van guard, did not approve of his Projed, and fo let him go by himfelf with his own Forces; they fcorning, as they faid, to obtain a Victory by Fraud or Surprize. Caupolican fet out then by himfelf, and be¬ ing come within three Leagues of the Spa- nifh Fortrefs, he fent out his Spies to ob- ferve their Difpofition , and how they might be eafilieft circumvented. He chofe out for this purpofe one of his beft Cap¬ tains, whofe name was Pran, a cunning Sagacious Man, and prudent, with a great deal of ready Wit. This Captain difguis’d himfelf; and putting on the Habit of an ordinary Indian , he went alone and without Arms, as a private Perfon," to the Fortrefs of the Spaniards. He En¬ ter’d the Fort without fufpicion, or being known by the other fiendly Indians , with whom 153 Chap. XXIII. Kingdom of C H I L E whom he foon grew acquainted \ and walking up and down, he obferved our Camp and Forces, and took particular notice of the time of Day that our Men us’d to be leap upon their Guard, which was generally at Noon, when they went to Sleeep, to repair their Strength which was wafted by their Night-watches. Pan, an There was in the Spanijh Fort a young Indian spy, p n( jian ( not like Lnutaro , in whom the Jign again ft 1 ° V( - of his Country prevail’d over his Du- th> spam- ty to his Mailer ; ) but of another tem- ards. per; his Name was Andres , Servant to a Spanijh Gentleman, and very much in- clind to all the Spanijls Nation. Pran had made a great Friendfhip with this Young Man ; and one Day, as they were going together in the Fields to feek out tome Pro- vilion, as they us’d to do, talking from one thing to another, Prau difcover’d himfelf entirely to his Friend Andres ; pcr- fuading him to help on the defignlae came about, ftnce upon its Succefs the Liberty of the whole Nation depended. Andres , who was not lets lagacious and prudent than Pran , promis’d him all he could de¬ fire; but diffembled all the while. This being fettled, they agreed, that each of them fhould return home to his Camp, and that the next Day Andres fhould come to a certain Poll they agreed on, and there Pran Ihould meet him, and carry him to Caupolican’ s Quarters, where he might fettle all Matters with him. Pran went back to the Indians Camp, overjoyed that he had fucceeded fo well, as he thought: He gave a particular account of all the bufinefs to Caupolican , while Andres did she fame to Captain Reynofo , who com¬ manded in the Spanijh Fort. If God Al¬ mighty had not by this way deliver’d the Spaniards out of this Eminent Danger, they rauft have perifh’d-, for naturally Andres ought to have been of the fide of his own Country-men. According to what had been agreed, between them, Andres came the next Day to the Aflignation, where he met his Friend Pran ; and they went together to Caupcli- can , who receiv’d him with all Demon- Prations of Joy and Confidence, fhowing him his Camp and all his Army ; the Re- fult was, that he fhould affault the Spans. But it ar ^ s the next Day about Noon. Andres turns to the went back to the Spaniards to inform them Rumeoftheol all that pafled ; and by that, Cap- Indutm. ra j n R e y„ 0 f 0 ]< new p (0W tQ difpQfe ever y thing to receive the Attack. Caupolican came at the time appointed with all his Indians ; the GreateP part of which were fuffer’d to enter, the Spaniards making as if they were afleep i but on a fudden, up¬ on a Sign given, they rofe up like Lyons, and making a furious Difcharge on thofe Ovalle. enter’d , the Iioife Sallied to engage 1646. thofe who had remain’d without , of^y^j whom they made a great Slaughter. The Surprize of die Indians was fo great, that few of them could make their Efcape; but ■ Caupolican, with Ten more, lav’d bim- fell by By paths, though he was hotly pur* fued; the Indians that were overtaken Pill denying they knew any thing of him, and neither Threats nor Gifts could o- bligethenuo reveal what they might know more. But it being very hard, there fhould Caupoli- not be one Tray tor among many Loyal- can betray- men, the Spaniards light at iaff upon one "f hy one c f of his Souldfers, who was difeontented h ^„° Wn that he had not been advanc’d according * to his Pretentions, who betrayed to them where he w JS ; this Man guided them by a fecret Path to a Place where they could not be difcover’d; and from "thence fhowed them a very thick Wood, about nine Miles from Ongclmo 3 where in a Thicket by a River fide, over a preci- pice, this brave Man had hid himfelf till he could get a new Army, and rally his Men. ' The Spaniards came upon him on a He is t(l _ fudden, and furpiifed him with the few kail^the that were with him; and though lie did Spaniards, j all that was in his power to defend him- felf, yet they matter’d him, His Wife fee¬ ing him a Prifoner, and his Hands tyed behind him, call’d him Coward, and us’d all the approbrious Language to him that was poflible. Caupolican was defervedly among the In - His c ha. dians the moP valued of their Generals; ™ Str - and accordingly , in an AfTembly of Six¬ teen Caciques , all Sovereign Lords, who met to raile an Army againft the Spani¬ ards, he had the chief Command given him. This was the Man who, with Four- fcore bold Fellows, fur prized the Cattle of Arauco, and overcame the Spaniards in a bloody Encounter without the City Walls. This was he who durp expedt the General Valdivia in open Field, and routed him and his whole Army, fo as there was not one Spaniard left alive. This was he who deProyed Puren, and lack’d Pcnco , not leaving one Stone upon another in it j the Spaniards having been all fright¬ ed away by the terror of his Name. This in fine was the Man who manag’d all the War with fuch Succefs, by his xMilitary Skill and Valour, that his Authority was every where refpe&ed. This great Man was now, by the means of a Traitor, de¬ liver’d up to his moit cruel Enemies. In X this 154- Of the Nature and Properties of the Book V. this Calamity, he (hewed no Bafenefs; Oval/e . for though he beg’d his Life, it was in a 1646. grave way; promifing in return to caufe all the Country to fubmit to the King of Spain, and to give way to introduce the Chriftian His speech- Religion. Confider, faid he to Captain Reynrfo , That what I promife, 1 am able' to perform, by the great Veneration that all my People have for me; and if thou doil not accept of this Proffer, ftiou vvil’t do nothing; fiqce for one Head taken away, there will rife up a hundred Caupo. licans to revenge my Death, that the true one will not be miffed; i defire not to be fet at Liberty, but to remain thy Prifoner til! 1 perform my Promife. All thefe R salons were of no ufe to Cau- polican ; for he was publickly Sentenfed to He is Sen- be empal’d alive, and fhot to death with teT! fa '■> Arrows, for a Terror to the Reft of the Indians ; though as time has fince fhewed, this had no other Effect than to light the Fire of War more and more, and make die Wound almoft incurable. Re heard this hard Sentence without any alteration in his Countenance; but he defil’d with Baptized, great concern to be baptiz’d The Pi L ’ are fenc for, and after a fhort Inducti¬ on he receives the Holy Ablution, and the Character of a Chriftian : After this Ext - the Sentence was Executed upon hint , cute<{ . which he endur’d with great Con- ftancy. The Conclufion. ''T** Hough Father Ovalle has continued I in tne remainder of his Treatife to give an Account of the Various Events of the War with the Araucano’s , in which Narrative he runs through the Commands and Actions of all the Governours of Chile, to the Peace made with that Nation; yet it being by him more a piece of Courtfhip to his Nation, and to thofe Families, than an Information InftruCtive to a Foreign Reader, it has been thought proper to take the Death of that Great General Cau - poliopn for the firft natural Period of that War. In the courfe of the remaining Narrative, there are fo many fuperlfitious Notions inculcated, fo many improbable Miracles given for the Foundation of Great Enterprifes, and fuch a Monkifh Spiric runs through the Work, that here in Engliand it would rather prejudice than recommend the Impreflion; and is there¬ fore omitted. A/-HA. 55006ioa\ \ ■ & s k