"It does not appear that sufficient study has yet been made of the geological structure of the Cordilleras that form so great a portion of Chili, to estimate fairly their mineral riches. There are, however, mines of silver and copper worked with advantage near the agricultural districts. The central chain is found to be composed of primitive formations mingled with vast rocks of volcanic origin. The declivities on the western side of the mountains abound in porphyritic rocks, and are steeper than those on the eastern side; and there are here narrower ravines and valleys than are met with where the descent is more gradual.

"A variety of organic remains is found at the highest altitudes below the volcanic peaks throughout the mountains; and among these there are numerous shells similar to those which abound everywhere near the coast. Even human skeletons have been discovered mixed with shells, and in a good state of preservation.

"On these Cordilleras there are many active volcanoes, the greater part of which are situated on the central ridge, and at too great a distance from the settlements to cause inconvenience to the inhabitants. There are, however, one or two in the district of Araucania which are nearer the cultivated parts of the country, and are always in a state of activity; and it is said they may be seen at the distance of one hundred and twenty miles.

“Very little appears to be known concerning the history of this portion of South America before the invasion of the Spaniards in the year 1535. It has, however, been gathered from the Peruvian annals, which extend to the middle of the previous century, that the country was invaded by Inca Yupanqui, and a considerable portion of it entirely subdued. The most extensive preparations appear to have been made for the prosecution of

this enterprise; and a road was constructed between the Cordilleras, a portion of which is to be distinctly traced to this day. But after passing the river Rapel, the invaders appear to have been met by a warlike race called the Promaucians, by whom they were driven back beyond the river, which afterwards formed the boundary of the Peruvian empire.

"The invasion first mentioned was by the Spanish and Peruvian armies united; and although the greater part of the men were lost by exposure to the cold in the mountains, the remainder were well received in the provinces that had formerly submitted to the Peruvians. But their further progress was arrested by the same warlike people that had formerly defeated the Peruvians, and they were forced to return,

"Five years after this, the Spaniards again invaded Chili, and commenced a war which continued for some time to desolate the country. At last, however, after conciliating the Promaucians, and being joined by this tribe, they proceeded towards the south, and in 1550 founded the city of Conception, on the banks of the river Biobia. New troubles, however, here met them. They were now attacked by Araucanians, with whom a war appears to have been carried on, with scarcely any intermission, for ninety years.

"In fine, the war with the Araucanians continued, with short intervals of repose, until the year 1773, when a permanent peace was concluded, which admitted the right of the Araucanians to have a resident minister at Santiago.

"The subsequent event in the history of this part of America are of too recent a date to render it necessary to do more than remind the reader, that the first movement in the revolution which led to the establishment of

the republic which now exists at Chili, broke out in 1810, and that the promulgation of the constitution, which has, however, since that period, undergone some changes, took place in the year 1818.

"The republic of Chili has made great advances in its commercial transactions since the independence of the country. While a colony of Spain, the whole commerce was confined to the mother country and her dependencies. Since the revolution, however, the ports of Chili have been open to all nations; and the settlement of many foreign merchants at Valparaiso and Conception has much facilitated commercial intercourse with Europe and North America, and greatly augmented the wealth of the country.

"About half of the population of the country, including nearly the whole of the independent classes, is composed of creoles of the Spanish blood; and they are generally an intelligent race, well made, and of as fair complexions as the Spaniards of the old country, with dark hair and dark eyes. But it has been remarked, that the inhabitants of the southern provinces are of finer forms and of better complexions generally than those of the northern, which is said to proceed more from the climate than from a less mixture with the Indians. The other half of the population is composed of Indians and of people of the mixed race.

"The costume of the country is generally similar to that which prevails in Spain. But the women of the higher classes, if they ride, put on bonnets, and are dressed quite in English or French fashion; and the men of every class when out of town wear the poncho, of a thickness adapted to the time of the year.

"The most remarkable of the Indian tribes within the bounds of Chili are the Araucanians, who struggled so

long for their independence. They are as distinct a race as the native Peruvians, though very inferior to that people in the degree of civilisation they have attained. They have now a little mixture of European blood among them, which is derived from the Spaniards that were driven within their territory or settled among them during the revolutionary war. They are generally considered a well-formed race, and have fine open countenances, with black quick eyes. Moreover, they are intelligent and firm in character, and their courage and patriotism have been well proved by their efforts in favour of liberty since the first invasion of their country. They live in fixed habitations, cultivate the soil, and subsist upon the fruits of their labours. Their social institutions have been considered well adapted to their state of advancement; but their intercourse with the European races has tended much to demoralise them, and to diminish their numbers. They are nevertheless still supposed to have a population amounting to about one hundred thousand.

"The rest of the Indians mingled with the Chilians, or bordering on the territory of the republic, are inferior to the Araucanians both in person and the degrees of advancement which they have attained.

"There are few countries where the Negro has been held in a state of bondage by the white inhabitants, that have been so long free from the abomination of slavery as the republic of Chili. There were never, indeed, any great number of Negroes in this part of America, either in a state of slavery or freedom; and nearly all that were at any time here, were employed in the domestic service of the inhabitants of the towns, and are said to have been treated with the humanity which is generally shown to slaves in that position. So long ago, however,

as 1811, a law was passed, declaring all the children of slaves born after that period absolutely free; and owing to this, and by the liberty allowed to the elder of them to purchase their freedom, the numbers in a few years were so much diminished that the legislature was able, in 1825, entirely to abolish this description of servitude throughout the republic, without any risk of the inconveniences which it cost us so much study to provide against in our West India Colonies."

Letter from Rev. W. Goodfellow,

AMERICAN PASTOR, BUENOS AYRES.

The subjoined letter, from the Rev. W. Goodfellow, Pastor of the Methodist Episcopal Church at Buenos Ayres, has just come to hand. There has been some delay in its delivery, which we cannot explain; but the tone of kindness, and sympathy with our Mission, pervading the letter, has lost nothing in consequence, and we are sure our friends will read it with interest.

We the more readily insert Mr. Goodfellow's letter because it gives us an opportunity of returning our very hearty thanks to Christians in Buenos Ayres, and in Monte Video, for the practical kindness, which they have shown to the widows of our late Catechist, and Captain. The money collected in the above places has not indeed passed through our hands, but gone direct to those for whose benefit it was raised. Yet we know that a deep interest in the work, with which our lamented brethren were connected, has inspired, and sustained to a large extent, the generous sympathy for their surviving relatives among our supporters in South America. A sum of £250 has been raised in Monte Video, and