a: on the east by the Andes,
which separate it from Patagonia; on the south by the archipelago of
Guaitecas; and on the west by the Pacific Ocean. The islands of this
archipelago amount to about eighty, and appear to have been produced by
earthquakes, owing to the great number of volcanoes, with which that
country formerly abounded. Every part of them exhibits the most
unquestionable marks of the operation of volcanic fire. Several
mountains in the great island of Chiloe, which gives name to the
archipelago, are composed of basaltic columns, which have been certainly
produced by volcanic fire, whatever may be alleged to the contrary. The
inhabited part of this province, extends from Maullin to Huilad,
comprising forty leagues from north to south, and eighteen or twenty
from east to west, and comprises twenty-five islands. There are Isla
Grande, Ancud, or Chiloe Proper; Achao, Lemui, Quegui, Chelin, Tanqui,
Linlin, Llignua, Quenai, Meulin, Caguach, Alau, Apeau, Chaulinec,
Vuta-Chauquis, Anigue, Chegniau, Caucague, Calbuco, Llaicha, Quenu,
Tabon, Abtau, Chiduapi, and Kaur.--Chiloe Ancud, or _Isla Grande_, being
the largest island as its name imports, is the most populous, and the
seat of government. Its capital, Castro, which is the only city in the
province, was founded in 1566 by Don Martin Ruiz de Gamboa, during the
viceroyalty of Lope Garcia de Castro in Peru, and was honoured with the
name of his family.

[Footnote 115: Or from long. 75 deg. to 74 deg. 20'W. from Greenwich.--E.]

[Footnote 116: Called Cunches and Huilliches by Molina. Several
circumstances in this account are interwoven from the text of Molina,
Vol. II. Book iv. ch. ii. This circumstance will account for occasional
repetitions, and perhaps some apparent contradictions, which may
appear.--E.]

The inhabitants of these islands are descended from the continental
aborigines of Chili, as is evident from their manners, appearance, and
language; yet are they very different in character, being of a pacific
and rather timid disposition. They accordingly made no opposition
against the handful of Spaniards who were sent to subjugate them under
Gamboa, though their population is said to have then exceeded seventy
thousand. Neither have they ever attempted to shake off the yoke, except
once at the beginning of last century, when a very unimportant
insurrection was speedily quelled. The number of inhabitants at present
amounts to upwards of eleven thousand, whi