or nine roads which lead from Chili towards the east, into the vast
plains which depend upon the viceroyalty of La Plata, all of which are
exceedingly difficult and even dangerous. The most frequented of these
roads is that which leads from the province of Aconcagua in Chili to
Cujo, running along the deep ravines of the rivers Chillan and Mendoza,
bordered on one side by deep precipices overhanging these rivers, and on
the other by lofty and almost perpendicular mountains. Both of these
rivers derive their origin from the Alpine vallies of the Andes, the
former running westwards to the Pacific; while the latter takes a much
longer course towards the Southern Atlantic. This road requires at least
eight days journey to get across the mountain range, and is so narrow
and incommodious, that travellers are obliged in many places to quit
their mules and proceed on foot, and every year some loaded mules are
precipitated from this road into the rivers below. In some places the
road passes over agreeable plains among the mountains, and in these the
travellers halt for rest and refreshment. In these vallies, when the
Incas conquered the northern provinces of Chili, before the coming of
the Spaniards, they caused some _tambos_ or stone houses to be
constructed for the accommodation of their officers. Some of these are
ruined but others remain entire, and the Spaniards have built some more
for the convenience of travellers.

On the west side Chili is bounded throughout its whole extent by the
shores of the Pacific Ocean; and on the south it joins with the southern
land usually called the Terra Magellanica, from the name of the
navigator, Magellan or Magelhaens, who first circumnavigated the
continent of South America, and opened the way by sea from the Atlantic
to the Pacific Ocean, through the Straits which are still known by his
name.