ess of provisions supplied by its territory. From
this last circumstance, several noble families from the cities of St
Jago and Conception, whose finances had become diminished, have retired
to this place, which has in consequence been called the bankrupt colony.
There are several other towns in this province, and many villages of the
native Chilese; among these Laro, near the mouth of the river Mataquito,
contains a numerous population of the Promaucian nation, and is governed
by an _Ulmen_ or native chief.

10. _Itata_, situated on the sea-coast, has Maule on the north, Chillan
on the east, Puchacay on the south, and the Pacific on the west. It
measures 60 miles from east to west, and about 33 from north to south,
and is intersected by the river Itata, from which it derives its name.
The best wine of Chili is made in this province, and being produced on
lands belonging to citizens of the city of Conception, is usually known
by the name of Conception wine. Its chief town named Coulemu, or Nombre
de Jesus, stands on the Rio Jesus, in lat. 35 deg. 58' S. long. 72 deg. 38' W.
and was founded in 1743..

11. _Chillan_, bounded on the north, by Maule, by the Andes on the east,
on the south by Huilquilemu, and by Itata on the west, is entirety an
inland province, about the same size with Itata. Its rivers are the
Nuble, Cato, Chillan, Diguillin, and Dannicalquin. Its territory
consists mostly of an elevated plain, particularly favourable for
rearing sheep, which produce wool of a very fine quality. Its capital,
Chillan or San Bartholomeo, in lat. 35 deg. 54' S. long. 71 deg. 30' W. was
founded in 1580. It has been several times destroyed by the Araucanians,
and was overthrown by an earthquake and inundation in 1751; since which
it has been rebuilt in a more convenient situation, out of danger from
the river.

12. _Puchacay_, is bounded on the north by Itata, on the east by
Huilquilemu, on the south by the river Biobio, and on the west by the
Pacific. It measures 24 miles from north to south, and 60 from east to
west. This province affords a great quantity of gold, and its
strawberries, both wild and cultivated, are the largest in all Chili.
Gualqui, or San Juan, founded in 1754 on the northern shore of the
Biobio, is the residence of the corregidor; but Conception, named Ponco
in the native language, is the principal city of the province, and the
second in the kingdom of Chili. It was founded by Pedro de Valdivia in a
plea