land to another,
where the sea is far from being pacific, the Chilotans are all excellent
sailors, and being active, docile, and industrious, they are very much
employed in navigating the shipping of the South Sea. Their native barks
or piraguas are formed of from three to five planks, sewed together, and
caulked with a species of moss which grows on a particular shrub. There
are vast numbers of these barks all through the archipelago, which they
manage very dexterously both with sails and oars, and the natives often
venture as far as Conception in these frail vessels. They are much
addicted to fishing, and procure vast quantities and many kinds of
excellent fish on the sea around their shores. Of these they dry large
quantities, which they export to Chili and Peru, and the other countries
on the Pacific Ocean. They likewise cure considerable quantities of
testaceous fishes, such as conchs, clams, and _piures_, in the following
manner. These shell fish are laid in a long trench, covered over with
the large leaves of the _panke tinctoria_, over which a layer of stones
is laid, on which a hot fire is kindled and kept up for several hours.
The roasted fish are then taken out of the shells, strung upon lines,
and hung up for some time in the smoke of wood fires. Cured in this
manner they keep well for a considerable time, and are carried for sale
to Cujo and other inland districts.

The Christian religion was very readily embraced by the Chilotans after
their subjugation, and they have ever since continued stedfast in its
observance. Their spiritual concerns are under the direction of the
bishop of Conception. Formerly the government was administered by a
lieutenant-governor appointed by the governor of Chili, but that officer
is now nominated by the viceroy of Peru. The whole external trade of
these islands is carried on by three or four ships which come there
annually from Peru and Chili, by which they receive wine, brandy,
tobacco, sugar, herb of Paraguay, salt, and European goods, for which
they give in exchange red cedar boards, timber of different kinds,
ponchos of various qualities, hams, pilchards, dried shell-fish,
white-cedar boxes, embroidered girdles, and a small quantity of
ambergris which is found on their shores.

The navigation in this archipelago is difficult and even dangerous owing
to the strength and number of the currents, and nothing can appear worse
adapted for so perilous a sea than the piraguas or