it is now of little importance except as a
military station. Valdivia, the capital, in lat. 39 deg. 48' S. long. 73 deg.
24' W. is situated at the bottom of a beautiful and safe bay, the
entrance to which is protected by the island of Manzera. As this is a
naval station of much importance for protecting the western coast of
South America, it is strongly fortified, and is always commanded by a
military officer of reputation sent directly from Spain, though under
the direction of the president of Chili. He has always a considerable
body of troops, which are officered by the five commanders of the five
castles which protect the city, with a sergeant-major, commissary,
inspector, and several captains.

From the foregoing short abstract of the geographical circumstances of
Chili Proper, or that part of the kingdom which is possessed by the
Spaniards, it appears to extend from the lat. 24 deg. to 37 deg. both south, or
about 900 English miles in length by about 180 miles in medium breadth,
containing about 162,000 square miles of territory or nearly 104
millions of statute acres, mostly of fertile soil, in a temperate and
salubrious climate, abounding in all the necessaries of life, and richly
productive in gold and other metals. Hence this country is calculated to
support a most extensive population, in all the comforts and enjoyments
of civilized society, and if once settled under a regular government,
will probably become at no great distance of time an exceedingly
populous and commercial nation. The islands belonging to Chili consist
principally of the Archipelago of Chiloe, with that of the Chones, which
is dependent upon the former. The largest of these islands, named
likewise Chiloe, is about 120 miles in extent from north to south, and
about 60 miles from east to west. Between it and the main-land is a vast
gulf or bay, which extends from lat. 41 deg. 32' to 44 deg. 50' both S. and lies
between the longitudes of 72 deg. 44' and 74 deg. 20' both W. This is called the
gulf of Chiloe, Guaiteca, or Elancud; and besides the great island of
Chiloe, contains eighty-two smaller islands, thinly inhabited by Indians
and a few Spaniards. The land in Chiloe, as in all the smaller islands,
is mountainous, and covered by almost impenetrable thickets. The rains
are here excessive and almost continual, so that the inhabitants seldom
have more than fifteen or twenty days of fair weather in autumn, and
hardly do eight days pass at any