the latitudes of 24° and 37° south, and is divided into thirteen
provinces; of which the following is an enumeration, with a short
account of each, beginning on the north, at the desert of Atacama or
frontiers of Peru. In each of these a _corregidor_, or deputy-governor
resides, to whose command the civil and military officers of the
province are subordinate, and on whom the respective cabildos or
municipal magistracies are dependent.

1. _Copaipo_, is bounded on the north by the great desert of Atacama, on
the east by the Andes, on the south by Coquimbo, and on the west by the
Pacific. It is about 300 English miles long by 120 in breath. It
contains the rivers Salado, Juncal, Chineral, Copaipo, Castagno,
Totoral, Quebradaponda, Guasco, and Chollai. This province abounds in
gold, lapis lazuli, sulphur, and fossile salt, which last is found in
almost all the mountains of the Andes on its eastern frontiers. Copaipo
its capital is in lat. 27° 15´ S. and long. 70° 53´ W. The northern part
of this province, beyond the river Juncal is hardly inhabited, except by
hunters of the Vicugnas, which they catch by means of large palisaded
inclosures. Besides lead mines to the north of the river Copaipo, there
are several silver mines in this province, and some sugar is made in the
valley of the Totoral. This province has five ports, at Juncal,
Chineral, Caldera, Copaipo, and Huasca, or Guasco. The chief town,
Copaipo, situated on the river of the same name, contains a parish
church, a convent of the order of Mercy, and a college which formerly
belonged to the Jesuits. The town of San Francisco della Salva, stands
on the same river about sixty miles farther inland.

2. _Coquimbo_, which is divided from Copaipo by the river Huasca or
Guasco, is the next province towards the south. It is accordingly
bounded on the north by Copaipo, on the east by the Andes, on the