ftrufture' has rather a magnificent appearance, and the diftribution o f
the cells and apartments it contains feems to have been made with confi-
derable judgment. The centre of the building is occupied by a grand
tower, in which is the city clock ; and the bell, which ftrikes the retreat
at nine o’clock ; after which, it becomes the duty of the watchmen to fe-
cure all perfons of fufpicious appearance, or fuch as are found in the
ftreets with unlawful weapons.
Befide thefe public buildings, about half a quadra from the principal
fquare is a houfe belonging to Sen'- Don Jofe Ramirez de Saldana, perpetual
regidor of St. Jago, and one of its moft opulent citizens. The
porch, which is in the centre of the principal front of this manfion, is
decorated with Doric columns, and many pillars o f the fame order are
with confiderable tafte arranged on each fide of it. This building is reputed
to be the only one in the city in which the rules of architecture
have been ftriftly obferved; and, on that account, it is highly efteem-
ed by thofe of the inhabitants who have1 any knowledge of the art, or tafte
for regular compofitions.
A very good houfe was erefting about fix quadras from the fquare before
mentioned, after a defign of Inigo Jones, as a country refidence for
Senr' Don Jofe Antonio Aldunate, the Provifor General of this bilhop-
rick, • who is juftly extolled for his pohfhed manners and literary abilities.
At the diftance of fourteen quadras from the lame fquare a chapel was
building, at the expence of the friars belonging to the order of St. Fran-
cifco. The Doric prevails in the external compofition of this edifice,
but within the pillars are of the Corinthian order. It contains ten
diftinft chapels, is dedicated to our Lady of Carmin, arid is called the
Little Convent.
Having given fome account of the moft confpicuous public and
other buildings, that were either finilhed or erefting, in St. Jago, I
fha.ll now proceed to ftate fuch information refpefting the population
and commerce of this city as I was enabled to procure.
• St. Jago, the capital of Chili, is ftated to have been founded on the
•12th of february, 1541. This city is the refidence of the Prefident, who is
Captain-
Captain-General of the whole kingdom, and Governor and prefiding Judge
of the audience chamber, or court of juftice. It is faid to contain thirty
thoufand five hundred inhabitants; and, i f my eftimation of its extent be
not very mcorreft, it muft be confidered as populous. The fubordinate
cities in this great kingdom are, Coquimbo, Chilian, Conception, and
Valdivia; and the principal towns are Valparaifo, Capiapo, Vallenar,
St. Francifco de Borja, St. Raphael de la Rofa, La Ligua, Quillota, Los
Andes, Melipilla, St. Jofeph, Aconcagua, St. Ferdinand, Curico, Talca,
Linares, Nueva, Bilboa, Caugeres, and others of lefs importance.
The kingdom of Chili is ftated to extend, in a northern and fouthern
direftion, from the uninhabited parts of Atacama, which divides it from
the vice-royalty of Peru, to the ftraits of Magellan ; 1 and, in a weftern
and eaftern direftion, from the ocean to the foot of the Cordilleras, which
divides it from the vice-royalty of Buenos Ayres ; but I cannot help being
o f opinion, that the kingdom of Chili does not extend further fouth than
the fouthern extremity of the ifles de Childe, as I . fliould conftder the
American coaft, to the fouthward of thofe iflands, to be that of Patagonia.
It is divided into two bilhopricks, or provinces, St. Jago and Conception,
each of which are under the immediate care and direftion of
an Intendant; Brigadier Don Francifco La Mata Linares has the charge
o f the latter ; and the further title of Chief Intendant of the province of
St. Jago is added to the reft of the polls of honor and places of emolument
enjoyed by the prefent Captain-General Don Ambrofio Higgins
de Vallenar ; the value of whofe appointments amount, annually, to thirty
thoufand dollars, whilft thofe of Don La Mata Linares do not exceed ten
thoufand dollars. Thefe provinces are each fubdivided into final! diftrifts,
which originally were known by the name of Corregimientos, but are now
called Subdelegaciones.
- There is about a million of fpecie coined at St. Jago every year, which
is the fund from whence the falaries of the ftate officers, the military
eftablilhment, and other incidental expences of the government, are
defrayed. The army confifts of a batallion of infantry in Conception;
two fquadrons of horfe, one company of dragoons, and two of artillery.
The cavalry of this country are all well mounted, and extremely
3 L 2 expert