It must be a very poor Indian who has not his four or five horses; and there are no better horsemen in the world than the Chileans, and that is not surprising, for they never chuse to go a hundred yards on foot.  They have always their laco fixed to their saddle:  the laco is a long thong of leather, at the end of which they make a sliding noose.  It is of more general use to them than any weapon whatever, for with this they are sure of catching either horse or wild bull, upon full gallop, by any foot they please.  Their horses are all trained to this, and the moment they find the thong straitened, as the other end is always made fast to the saddle, the horse immediately turns short, and throwing the beast thus caught, the huntsman wounds or secures him in what manner he thinks proper.  These people are so dexterous, that they will take from the ground a glove or handkerchief while their horse is upon full stretch; and I have seen them jump upon the back of the wildest bull, and all the efforts of the beast could not throw them.  This country produces all sorts of metals; it is famous for gold, silver, iron, tin, lead, and quicksilver; but some of these they do not understand working, especially quicksilver.  With copper they supply all Peru, and send likewise a great deal to Europe.

The climate of Chili is, I believe, the finest in the world.  What they call their winter does not last three months, and even that is very moderate, as may be imagined by their manner of building, for they have no chimneys in their houses.  All the rest of the year is delightful, for though, from ten or eleven in the morning till five in the afternoon, it is very hot, yet the evenings and mornings are very cool and pleasant; and in the hottest time of the year, it is from six in the evening till two or three in the morning that the people of this country meet to divert themselves with music and other entertainments, at which there is plenty of cooling liquors, as they are well supplied with ice from the neighbouring Cordilleras.  At these assemblies many intrigues are carried on:  for they think of nothing else throughout the year.

Their fandangoes are very agreeable; the women dance inimitably well, and very gracefully.  They are all born with an ear for music, and most of them have delightful voices, and all play upon the guitar and harp.  The latter, at first, appears a very awkward instrument for a woman, yet that prejudice is soon got over, and they far excel any other nation upon it.  They are extremely complaisant and polite; and when asked either to play, dance, or sing, they do it without a moment’s hesitation, and that with an exceeding good grace.  They have many figure-dances, but what they take most delight in, are more like our hornpipes than any thing else I can compare them to; and upon these occasions they shew surprising activity.  The women are remarkably handsome, and very extravagant in their dress.  Their hair, which is as thick as is possible to be