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 CHILI 425 at present merely nominal. The area, exclu- sive of Patagonia, is about 133,000 sq. m. ; including it about 250,000 sq. m. The surface is greatly diversified. Besides the Andes, which form its E. border, there are two other ranges, of less elevation, which traverse por- tions of the narrow strip between the Andes and the Pacific, commencing near the 33d par- allel! The more easterly of these is known as the central chain; it terminates on the Pacific, opposite the N. end of the island of Chiloe. The other, known as la cordillera de la costa, or the coast range, separating from the central near its origin, follows more nearly the line of the coast. It is of lower elevation than the central range, and is in some parts arable. Besides these mountain chains, there are multitudes of isolated hills. The princi- pal valley of the country is that between the central chain and the Andes. The mean ele- vation of the mountains of Chili is from 13,000 to 14,000 ft. The most of them are now, or have been at s*ome former time, volcanic. The highest peak, Aconcagua (22,422 ft., according to Pissis), shows no sign of modern igneous action ; but Llullaillaco (21,000), Villarica, San Jos6 (18,150), Peteroa, Llayma, Antuco, Ha- nahue, Chilian, Calbuco, Corcovado, Osomo, Yanteles, Minchinmadom, and several others, are, or have been within a late period, active volcanoes. Besides these, the following, which are not volcanoes, are remarkable for their elevation: Cerro del Mercedario (22,305 ft., Pissis), Tupungato (21,413, Pissis; 22,450, Gil- liss), Cerro de la Ramada (20,824, Pissis), Jon- cal (20,368, Gilliss), Cerro del Plomo (17,825), Maypu (17,664), Cruz de Piedra (17,126), San Francisco (16,998), Cordillera de la Laguna (15,575), and Descabezado (13,100). In the northern portion, the coast and central Cor- dilleras spread out into the elevated plateau known as the desert of Atacama, which rises rapidly from the coast to a height varying from 4,000 to 10,000 ft., and from the comparatively level surface of which shoot up mountain peaks of great elevation, and often volcanic. There are 10 passes across the Andes, from the Ar- gentine Republic : 1, from Antofagasta in Ca- tamarca, through the Portezuela de Come Cavallo, to Huasco and Copiap6, about 14,500 ft. above the sea ; 2, from San Juan, over the Portezuela de la Laguna, to Coquimbo, 15,575 ft. ; 3, pass of Los Patos, on the N. side of the Aconcagua; 4, the pass of La Cumbre, from Mendoza, by way of Uspallata to Santiago, 445 m., 12,530 ft., passable from November to May ; 5, the Dehesa pass, near Tupungato, seldom used ; 6, the Portillo pass, much used from the beginning of February to the end of April, from Mendoza to the valley of the Maypu river; 7, the pass of La Cruz de la Piedra, leading into the Portillo road on the western slope of the Andes; 8, the pass of Las Damas (highest point 11,600 ft.), 9, the Plan- chon pass, along the Claro and Teno rivers to Curico, 6,600 ft., which has been surveyed for a proposed railway across the mountains ; 10, the pass of Antuco, on the road from Con- cepcion. A new pass has recently been dis- covered by Germans travelling from Chili to Patagonia. Chili belongs to the basin of the Pacific, excepting the valley of Uspallata, the waters of which flow toward the Atlantic. The rivers are all of inconsiderable length, but when swollen by the melting of tlie snows they discharge large amounts of water, and of alluvium, into the Pacific ; and almost all of them have in consequence considerable bars at their mouths. The Biobio rises in an extinct volcano in the extreme E. of the Andes, lat. 38 15', and takes a general N. W. direction, and after a course of about 200 in. falls into the Pacific at Concepcion. It has a sand bar at its mouth, which prevents vessels of any consider- able draught of water from ascending it ; but it is navigable as far as Nacimiento, nearly 100 m. The Maule rises in the Andes, in lat. 85 10', and has a nearly due "W. course of about 150 m. ; it is navigable for small craft about 70 m. The Valdivia rises in Lake Guanegue, in lat. 39 45', and has a "W. S. W. course ; its length is about 100 m., and it is navigable for 50 m. The other considerable streams, few of which are navigable, are the Imperial, the Tolten, the Bueno, the Itata, the Maypu, the Rapel, the Aconcagua, the Mataquito, the Limari, the Coquimbo, the Huasco, and the Copiapo. The last is often dry in summer. Chili has numerous lakes, particularly in the southern provinces, but few of them are large. In some near the coast the water is brack- ish, but the most of them are bodies of fresh water, accumulated in the elevated valleys. They all abound in fish. The largest of the fresh lakes are Llanquihue, in the province of the same name, and Villarica, in the province of Valdivia, the former of which is 30 in. long and 22 in its greatest breadth. Villarica covers more than 100 sq. m. Todos los Santos or Es- meralda, and Rupanco, in the same plain, are respectively 18 and 24 m. long. In the prov- ince of Concepcion are Guilletue, with a sur- face of about 50 sq. m., and La Laja, celebrated for its picturesque scenery and the beautiful fall at its outlet. There are few good harbors. The best is that of Talcahuano, which is well protected, and with ample room and depth of water. Coquimbo is the next harbor in point of safety. The harbor of Valparaiso though expos- ed, is the most important on the Chilian coast in the extent of its commerce. The other principal harbors are Caldera, the port of Copiapo, lat. 27 S., from which the largest exports from the silver and copper mines are shipped ; Con- stitucion, within the mouth of the river Maule, Valdivia, an excellent harbor for small ves- sels ; and San Carlos, on the island of Chiloe lat. 41 51'. Of the numerous islands belong- ing to Chili, the most important are those of Chiloe and its archipelago, more than 60 in number, of which 80 are settled and have harbors. They abound in seals, otters, and