its perpetual verdure furnishes a proof that its eruptions have never been very violent.

SECT. IX. Earthquakes.-The quantity of inflammable substances with which the soil of Chili abounds, rendered active by the electric fluid, may be considered as one of the principal causes of the earthquake, the only scourge that afflicts this favoured country. Another, however, not less capable, in my opinion, of producing this terrible phenomenon, is the elasticity of the air contained in the bowels of the earth, in consequence of the water which, insinuating itself by subterranean passages from the sea, becomes changed into vapour. This hypothesis will explain why the countries to the east of the Andes, at a distance from the sea, are so little incommoded by earthquakes. Two provinces however, Copiapo and Coquimbo, although near the sea, and as rich in minerals as the others, have never suffered from earthquakes; and while the other parts of the country have been violently shaken, these have not experienced the least shock, or been but slightly agitated. It is a general opinion that the earth in these provinces is intersected by large caverns. The noises heard in many places, and which appear to indicate the passage of waters or subterraneous winds, seem to confirm this opinion, and it is highly probable that by affording a free vent to the inflamed sub

stances, these caverns may serve to counteract the progress of those convulsions to which the neighbouring country is subject.

The inhabitants usually calculate three or four earthquakes at Chili annually, but they are very slight, and little attention is paid to them. The great earthquakes happen but rarely.* The

* In a period of 244 years, from the arrival of the Spaniards to the year 1782, five great earthquakes have occurred in Chili. The first, which was in the year 1520, destroyed some villages in the southern provinces; the second, on the 13th of May, in the year 1647, ruined many of the houses of St. Jago; the third, on the 15th of March, 1657, destroyed a great part of that capital; the fourth took place on the 18th of June, 1730, when the sea was driven against the city of Conception, and overthrew its walls; and the fifth on the 26th of May, 1751, completely destroyed that city, which was again inundated by the sea, and levelled with the ground allthe fortresses and villages situated between the 34th and 40th degrees of latitude. Its course was from south to north, and it was announced by some slight shocks on the preceding nights; more especially by one about a quarter of an hour before its commencement, accompanied by a ball of fire that precipitated itself from the Andes into the sea. The great shocks began about midnight, and continued four or five minutes each, but the earth was in a state of almost constant vibration until day-break. Just before the earthquake the sky was perfectly clear in every quarter, but immediately after its commencement it became covered with black clouds, which poured down a continual rain for the space of eight days, at the end of which there was a recurrence of slight tremblings that continued during a month, with short intervals between each, of fifteen or twenty minutes. It is not supposed that on

shocks were probably more violent before the inflammable materials found outlets by the means of volcanoes. At present they produce only horizontal or oscillatory motions. From a course of accurate observations it has been ascertained, that earthquakes never occur unexpectedly in this country, but are always announced by a hollow sound proceeding from a vibration of the air; and as the shocks do not succeed each other rapidly, the inhabitants have sufficient time to provide for their safety. They have, however, in order to secure themselves, at all events, built their cities in a very judicious manner; the streets are left so broad, that the inhabitants would be safe in the middle of them, should even the houses fall upon both sides.

In addition to this, all the houses have spacious courts and gardens, which would serve as places of refuge. Those who are wealthy, have usually in their gardens, several neat wooden barracks, where they pass the night whenever they are threatened with an earthquake. Under these circumstances, the Chilians live without apprehension, and consider themselves in perfect security; especially, as the earthquakes have never been hitherto attended with any considerable

this occasion a single person perished in the whole province, excepting seven invalids, who were drowned in the city of Conception; and the loss of lives, if any, was no greater in the preceding earthquakes.

sinking of the earth, or falling of buildings. This, in my opinion, is owing to subterranean passages communicating with the volcanoes of the Andes, which are so many vent-holes for the inflamed substances, and serve to counteract their effects. Were it not for the number of these volcanoes, Chili would, in all probability, be Fendered uninhabitable.

Some pretend that they can foretel an earthquake from certain changes in the atmosphere. Although this does not appear to me impossible, I must acknowledge that my own experience has furnished me with nothing to induce me to credit it. I was born and educated in Chili, and while in that country paid great attention to the state of the air during earthquakes: I have known them occur both in the rainy and dry seasons, during a storm as well as a calm,

SECT. X. Salubrity of Climate.-The inhabitants of Chili, notwithstanding the frequent occurrence of earthquakes, are very well satisfied with their country, and I am convinced would not readily be induced to quit it for any other exempt from this calamity.

This preference is not founded solely upon that natural attachment to country, which is common to all men, but is derived from some advantages peculiar to Chili; a soil naturally fertile, and well adapted to every useful and

valuable production, a mild and almost equable temperature of climate, and a remarkable salubrity, are the blessings enjoyed by this delightful country.* Before the arrival of the Spa

*If Chili is not populous, it cannot be attributed to the fault of its climate, which is one of the most salubrious of any known, the contiguity of the Cordilleras communicating to it a delightful temperature, which, from its latitude, it could not be expected to enjoy. Nor does Spain possess a province more pleasant and agreeable as a place of residence.-Philosophical History of the European Establishments, book viii. chap. 2.

There are two reasons which have impeded the population of Chili, and counterbalanced the advantages it has received from nature: The first, the almost continual wars between the Spaniards and the Araucanians from its first discovery, which have destroyed an infinite number of people: The second (and the principal) the commercial restrictions which were imposed upon that country, as for a century the Chilians had no direct communication with Europe, nor were they permitted to send any of their produce to any other place than Calcao, from whence it followed, that every species of exportation and importation was conducted by the merchants of Peru, who of course reaped all the profit of this trade. This pernicious system discouraged industry, and had a sensible effect upon the population; but of late, since a direct commerce has been carried on with European ships, which arrive every year in some of the ports of Chili, that delightful country begins to increase in numbers, and, in some measure, to raise itself to that important station which its natural advantages claim. In the year 1755, in the province of Maule alone, there were calculated to be 14,000 whites capable of bearing arms, and the population of the other provinces had increased in a degree proportionate to the extent of their limits. The esti