appears[105]. In the year 1766, it was first introduced into the
province of Maule, where it proved exceedingly fatal. At this time, a
countryman who had recovered from this loathsome disease, conceived the
idea of curing those unhappy persons who were deemed in a desperate
situation, by means of cows milk, which he gave to his patients to
drink, or administered in clysters. By this simple remedy, he cured all
whom he attended; while the physicians saved very few by their
complicated prescriptions. I mention this circumstance, as it strongly
confirms the practice of M. Lassone, physician to the queen of France,
published in the Medical Transactions of Paris for 1779, who was
successful in curing the small-pox with cows milk, mixed with a
decoction of parsley roots. From these instances it would appear, that,
milk has the power of lessening the virulence of this terrible disease.

[Footnote 105: Several years ago, before that terrible French eruption
which now desolates Spain, the Spanish government communicated to all
her colonies, however distant, the inestimable benefit of vaccination.
It may be here mentioned that it has been long known among the
illiterate cow-herds in the mountains of Peru, all either native
Peruvians or Negroes, that a disease of the hands which they are liable
to be infected with on handling diseased cow udders, the _cow-pox_,
effectually arms all who have been subjected to it against the infection
of the _small-pox_.--E.]

The Creole inhabitants of Chili are in general generous and benevolent.
Contented with a comfortable subsistence, so easily acquired in that
country, they are rarely infected with the vice of avarice, and even
scarcely know what parsimony is. Their houses are universally open to
all travellers, whom they entertain with much hospitality, without any
idea of being paid; and this virtue is even exercised in the cities.
Hence, they have not hitherto attended to the erection of inns and
public lodging-houses, or hotels, which will become necessary when the
commerce of the interior becomes more active. The inhabitants of Chili
are very dexterous in using the _laqui_, which they constantly carry
with them on their excursions. It consists of a strap of leather several
fathoms in length, twisted like a cord, one end of which is fastened to
the girth under the horses belly, and the other end terminates in a
strong noose, which they throw over any animal they wish to catch with
so muc