When We Have Got About 500
Leagues Along The Coast From Peru Towards The South, Or In The Lat.
Of
about 30 deg.
S. rain is often met with, and the winds are no longer so
regular as nearer the line, but blow sometimes one way and sometimes
another, as in Spain and other countries of Europe. Chili is a tolerably
well peopled country, and resembles Peru in being divisible into two
districts, the plain and the mountain, and its coast is considerably more
indented by gulfs and bays than that of Peru[2]. It enjoys the
vicissitudes of summer and winter nearly as in Spain, but at opposite
times of the year, the winter of Chili being at the same time with the
Spanish summer, and vice versa. The pole seen from that country, which is
directly opposite our _Arctic_ or north pole, is only marked by a kind of
small white cloud or nebula, which is seen after sunset in that direction
in which astronomers have placed the antartic or south pole. There is
likewise seen a constellation of seven stars, four of them being in form
of a cross, followed by three others, resembling the lesser bear of the
astronomers which turns round the north polar star. These seven stars near
the south pole are situated somewhat like those of the _ursa minor_,
except that the four which form the cross are nearer each other than those
of the north pole which are seen in our hemisphere. Our north pole is lost
sight of somewhat less than 200 leagues to the south of Panama, under the
equator; from whence, or a little beyond, on either side of the line,
these two constellations may be seen when they rise a little above the
poles of the horizon. On the south side of the equinoctial line,
navigators are only able to see the four stars near the antarctic pole
which form the cross, until they reach the _thirtieth_ degree of south
latitude, after which they get sight of the other three stars which form
this constellation.
The change in the length of the days and nights in Chili is nearly the
same as in Spain, only the longest day in Chili is at that time of the
year when Spain has the day shortest. In Peru and Tierra firma and
generally in all places near the equinoctial line, the days and nights are
always equal or nearly so during the whole year. Even at Lima and other
places the difference is so small as hardly to be noticed. The natives of
Chili are clothed nearly in the same manner with the Peruvians, and use
the same kind of food. The inhabitants, both men and women, are tolerably
well looked. They are governed by great lords, who make war against each
other, and some of whom are able to bring 200,000 men into the field. One
of these lords at this time was named _Leuchengorma_, who possessed an
island about two leagues from the coast which was consecrated to his idols,
in which was a temple ministered to by two thousand priests.
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