rendering it of little confequence, more effectual than all the efforts of negociation or violence. The logwood produced on the weit coaft of Yucatan, where the foil is drier, is in quality far fuperior to that which grows on the marshy grounds where the English are fettled. By encouraging the cutting of this, and permitting the importation of it into Spain without paying any duty, q) fuch vigour has been given to this branch of commerce, and the logwood which the Englifh bring to market has funk fo much in value, that their trade to the Bay of Honduras has gradually declined r) fince it obtained a legal fanction; and, it is probable, will foon be finally abandoned. In that event, Yucatan and Honduras will become poffeffions of confiderable importance to Spain.

Cofta Rica and Veragua.

Still farther east than Honduras lie the two provinces of Cofta Rica and Veragua, which likewife belong to the viceroyalty of New Spain; but both have been fo much neglected by the Spaniards, and are apparently of fuch small value, that they merit no particular attention.

Chili.

The most important province depending on the viceroyalty of Peru, is Chili. The Incas q) Real Cedula, Campomanes, iii. 145.

r) See NOTE XXXIX.

had eftablished their dominion in fome of its northern districts; but in the greater part of the country, its gallant and high-fpirited inhabitants maintained their independence. The Spaniards, allured by the fame of its opulence, early attempted the conqueft of it under Diego Almagro; and after his death, Pedro de Valdivia refumed the design. Both met with fierce oppofition. The former relinquifhed the enterprize in the manner which I have mentioned. s) The latter, after having given many displays, both of courage and military fkill, was cut off, together with a confiderable body of troops under his command. Francifco de Villagra, Valdivia's lieutenant, by his fpirited conduct, checked the natives in their career, and faved the remainder of the Spaniards from deftruction. By degrees, all the champaign country along the coaft was fubjected to the Spanish dominion. The mountainous country is ftill poffeffed by the Puelches, Araucos, and other tribes of its original inhabitants, formidable neighbours to the Spaniards; with whom, during the courfe of two centuries, they have been obliged to maintain almoft perpetual hoftility, fufpended only by a few intervals of infecure peace.

Excellence of its climate and foil.

That part of Chili then, which may properly be deemed a Spanish province, is a narrow

s) Book vi,

district, extending along the coast from the defert of Atacamas to the ifland of Chiloe, above nine hundred miles. Its climate is the most delicious in the New World, and is hardly equalled by that of any region on the face of the earth. Though bordering on the Torrid Zone, it never feels the extremity of heat, being screened on the east by the Andes, and refreshed from the weft by cooling feabreezes. The temperature of the air is fo mild and equable, that the Spaniards give it the preference to that of the fouthern provinces in their native country. The fertility of the foil correfponds with the benignity of the climate, and is wonderfully accommodated to European productions. The moft valuable of these, corn, wine, and oil, abound in Chili, as if they had been native to the country. All the fruits imported from Europe attain to full maturity there. The animals of our hemilphere not only multiply, but improve in this delightful region. The horned cattle are of larger fize than thofe of Spain. Its breed of horfes furpaffes, both in beauty and in spirit, the famous Andalufian race, from which they fprung. Nor has nature exhausted her bounty on the furface of the earth; fhe has ftored its bowels with riches, Valuable mines of gold, of filver, of copper, and of lead, have been difcovered in various parts of it.

Caufe of its being neglected by the Spaniards.

A country diftinguifhed by fo many bleffings, we may be apt to conclude, would early become a favourite ftation of the Spaniards, and muft have been cultivated with peculiar predilection and care. Infiead of this, a great part of it remains unoccupied. In all this extent of country, there are not above eighty thoufand white inhabitants, and about three times that number of negroes and people of a mixed race. The moft fertile foil in America lies uucultivated, and fome of its moft promifing mines remain unwrought. Strange as this neglect of the Spaniards to avail themselves of advantages, which feemed to court their acceptance, may appear, the causes of it can be traced. The only intercourfe of Spain with its colonies in the South Sea, was carried on during two centuries by the annual fleet to Porto bello. All the produce of thefe colonies were shipped in the ports of Callao, or Arica in Peru, for Panama, and carried from thence across the ifthmus. All the commodities which they received from the mother-country, were conveyed from Panama to the fame harbours. Thus both the exports and imports of Chili paffed through the hands of merchants fettled in Peru. These had of course a profit on each; and in both tranfactions the Chile fe felt their own fubordination; and having no direct intercourfe with the parent

fate, they depended upon another province for the difpofal of their productions, as well as for the fupply of their wants. Under fuch difcouragements, population could not increafe, and industry was deftitute of one chief incitement,

Profpect of its improvement.

The

But now that Spain, from motives which, I fhall mention hereafter, has adopted a new fyftem, and carries on her commerce with the colonies in the South Sea, by fhips which go round Cape Horn, a direct intercourfe is opened 'between Chili and the mother-country.. gold, the filver, and the other commodities of the province will be exchanged in its own harbours for the manufactures of Europe. Chili may speedily rife into that importance among the Spanish fettlements to which it is entitled by its natural advantages. It may become the granary of Peru, and the other provinces along the Pacifick Ocean;, it may fupply them with wine, with cattle, with horfes, with hemp and many other articles for which they now depend upon Europe. Though the new system has been established only a few years, thofe ef-, fects of it begin already to be observed. t). If it fhall be adhered to with any fteadiness for, half a century, one may venture to foretel,

t) Campomanes, ii. 157.

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