ApM: and inative way of life to which they have been too long accuftomed;
for if a fpirit of induftry were generally diffufed amongft them, and due
rewards held out for working the valuable, metals, the prefent habits of
indolence would probably be overcome; and as there does not exift any
phyfical impediment to exertion either from climate or any local cir-
cumftance, it is not poffible to afcertain what might be the fum of the
return from the produflive labour of this highly favored Country, when
fuch labour fhould be properly direfted to thefeveral fources of its latent
wealth. The influence of the ecclefiaftical orders over the minds of the
people, and the preference which is given by them, and the generality
of the inhabitants, to. an ufelefs unworthy life of lazinefs and begging,
will continue to operate againft any change; and it is much to be apprehended,
that nothing but a totally new modification of their prefent
■ fcheme of fociety, can infure to the individuals, and to the ftate under
which they are protefted, the advantages that a reform in their -politi-
, cal fyftem promifes in future to bellow.
Confidering that the time we had now been abfent from the velfels
had been of fufficient length to accomplifh the feveral fervices I had left
to be performed, preparations were made for our return to Valparaifo ;
and after expreffing our moll grateful acknowledgments for the weighty
obligations conferred upon us, by the unremitting attention to our prefent
comforts, and anxious concern for our future welfare, which on
every occafion had been exhibited by His Excellency the Prefident, and
making offer of our bell thanks for the friendly, hofpitable, and polite
entertainment we had received from other individuals during our flay in
the capital, we took our leave, and proceeded from St. Jago towards
Valparaifo. The fame mode of conveyance as that to which we had
before reforted, was now adopted for our journey back to the Tea coafl.
Neither the road we had to rfetrace, nor the country on either fide of it,
prefented any thing in the courfe of our travelling worthy o f remark^
that I have not fufficiently noticed on our journey to-St. Jago, excepting
.that the road, which from the loofenefs of the materials with which
. it is formed, had fuffered, as I fufpe&ed it would, very much by the defending
waters from the mountains, and in many places it was greatly
injured
injused by the rain that had fallen during our refidence at St. Jago; and
it is much to be feared, unlefs fome means can be adopted for its fecu-
ntys and to prevent the injurious effeHs of the defending torrents, that
this valuable defign projefted by Don Ambrofio will in a great meafure
be defeated.
On our arrival at Valparaifo I found moll of our bufinefs in a Hate of
forwardnefs ; the mainmaft had been repaired and was got on board, but
on our attempting to rig the mainyard, it was found to be rotten nearly Thur(dayi6.
half through in the middle of it, and in this Hate intirely unfit for fervice;
this was a mortification I did not expept to have met with, and as there
was no poffibility of procuring at this place a fpar of fufficient fize to
replace it, the only means we had of repairing the defefl was by making
a temporary yard out of a fpare maintopmaft, with the addition of the
yard arms o f the yard which was decayed, and which I was extremely
forry to obferve were by no means in a perfeaiy found condition.
Although a further detention at Valparaifo was now unavoidable, yet
that was not the only circumllance which produced me concern on this
occafion-; for this additional difaller was of fo fei ious a nature, that when
I came to reflect on the difabled condition of:our main-mall, and that our
main-yard would be in three pieces, I was. under the cruel neceffity o f
giving up all further thoughts of recommencing, our furvey of the coaft
to the fouthward of the iflands o f Chiloe, and to determine on making
the bell of our way from this port round cape Horn to St. Helena. I
could not, however, avoid having fome apprehenfion left our very crippled
ftate Ihould prove infuflicient to preferve the veflel amidft the boif-
terous feas we had to encounter in this palfage, notwithftanding that every
precaution within our power that could be devifed was reforted to, for the
purpofe of making the mall and yard as fecure as poffible.
; TIle regret 1 felt in being thus compelled to abandon the examination
of this almoft unknown, yet interefting part of the coaft, is not to
be defcribed ; becaufe I had anxioufly hoped that I Ihould have been
enabled by our re-equipment at Valparaifo, to have, carried into effeH
the whole of the commilfion which His Majefty.had been pleafed to in-
truft to my execution ; but under all the circumltances of both the velfels
condition»