14. Valdivia. This province, or military station rather, is entirely separated from the other possessions of the Spaniards in Chili, being entirely surrounded by the territories of the Araucanians.  It lies on the sea-coast, on both sides of the river Valdivia or Callacallas, being reckoned 36 miles from east to west, and 18 miles from north to south.  It abounds in valuable timber, and affords the purest gold of any that is found in Chili, and produced great quantities of that precious metal to Valdivia the original conqueror.  But owing to many calamities in the wars with the Araucanians, 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,