city of Osorno, a
similar fable respecting a supposed white nation in the interior of
Chili, may be noticed in this place, the reflections on which, in the
paragraphs subjoined, give a clear explanation of the origin of several
of these tales.--E.]

"In the reign of the Emperor Charles V. the bishop of Placentia is said
to have sent four ships to the Moluccas. When they had advanced about
twenty leagues within the Straits of Magellan, three of them were
wrecked, and the fourth was driven back into the southern Atlantic. When
the storm abated, this fourth ship again attempted the passage, and
reached the place where the others were lost where they found the men
still on shore, who entreated to be taken on board; but as there was
neither room nor provision for so great a number, they were necessarily
left. An opinion long prevailed that they had penetrated into the
interior of Chili, where they settled and became a nation called the
_Cesares_, whose very ploughshares were said to be of gold. Adventurers
reported that they had been near enough to hear the sound of their
bells; and it was even said that men of a fair complexion had been made
prisoners, who were supposed to belong to this nation. The existence of
this city of the Cesares was long believed, and even about the year
1620, Don Geronimo Luis de Cabrera, then governor of Peru, made an
expedition in search of this _El Dorado_ of Chili. Even after Feyjo had
attempted to disprove its existence, the jesuit Mascardi went in search
of it with a large party of Puelches, but was killed by the Poy-yas on
his return from the fruitless quest[96]."

[Footnote 96: Dobrizhoffer, III. 407.]

"The groundwork of this and other similar fables is thus satisfactorily
explained by Falkner[97].--'I am satisfied that the reports concerning a
nation in the interior of South America descended from Europeans, or the
remains of shipwrecks, are entirely false and groundless, and occasioned
by misunderstanding the accounts given by the Indians. When asked in
Chili respecting any settlement of the Spaniards in the inland country,
they certainly give accounts of towns and white people, meaning Buenos
Ayres, and other places to the eastwards of the Andes. And _vice versa_,
on being asked in the east the same question, their answers refer to
Chili or Peru; not having the least idea that the inhabitants of these
distant countries are known to each other. Upon questioning some Indians
on this s