Vice-President, charged with the executive power in the absence of President Orbegoso, who at that time was travelling in the southern provinces. Gen. Orbegoso demanded the intervention and assistance of Gen. Santacruz, President of Bolivia, in order to sustain himself against Salaberry; Santacruz entered Peru with an army, and after a prolonged campaign, subdued and made Salaberry prisoner, in February, 1836. But he did not abandon Peru: he retained power, and exerted himself to form a confederation of Peru (already divided by him into two states) and Bolivia, and he governed under the title of "Protector of the Two Republics," declared a confederation of three states by his own decree.

This arrangement, which met with a powerful resistance, both in Peru and Bolivia, also brought him into collision with the Republic of Chilé, which terminated in his overthrow, the 20th January, 1829, and his exile from the country. After this, a Congress was convoked in Peru, which gave a new constitution in November, 1839, and nominated Gen. Gamarra, who already governed provisionally, President of the Republic. By the constitution of 1839, there is no vice-president, but the President of the Council of State is he who must take the place of the President of the Republic, in case of his absence, sickness or death.

In November, 1841, Gen. Gamarra died, and Seignor Menendez, President of the Council of State, entered into power, but he was deposed in the month of August, 1842, by Gen. Forico. A civil war ensued, and the government passed successively into the hands of Gen. Vidal, Seignor Figuerola and Gen. Vivanco. In 1844, the civil war was brought to an end by Gen. Castilla, and Menendez replaced in power: a Congress was called, in accordance with the provisions of the constitution, and the election of a new President took place. Gen. Don Ramon Castilla was elected to that office, and took possession of the government on the 1st of April, 1845. The term signalized by the constitution for the duration of a Presidency, is six years. President of the Council of State, who is similar to the Vice-President of the Republic, is nominated by Congress every two years: the present President of the Council is Gen. T. Rufino Echenique, who, on the disability or death of the President, would immediately enter into the exercise of power.

The

During the short period that Peru has existed as a separate independency, it has made five and rejected four several constitutions: those of 1822, '26, '27, '34 and '39. All these constitutions, however, were very similar in their provisions, and differed mainly in their dispositions relating to the execu tive to the method of nomination, to duration and attributes. By the last constitution, which is now in use, Congress is composed of two chambers: a Senate and Chamber of Deputies. Congress can only assemble every two years, and at every re-union, the Deputies are renewed by thirds-the outgoing Deputies are designated by lot.

THE REPUBLIC OF CHILE.

THE tract of country forming this republic extends along the west coast of South America, from the desert of Atacama, in 25° 20′, to the Gulf of Guayatecas, in 42° south latitude; some geographers, however, contend

that the country terminates in 54°, at the Straits of Magellan. Its length, according to the first description, would be about 1,200 miles; the latter about 2,000 miles. The breadth of the country is unequal, being bounded by the summit of the Andes, but, taking the average, it may be about 120 miles from those mountains to the Pacific Ocean. The southern boundary is a matter of indifference as yet, for the whole country south of the Rio Biobio, is still in the hands of the unsubdued Araucanian Indians, who maintain a species of independence, and have never been conquered. The area is about 144,000 square miles.

This country is indifferently called Chili, Chilé or, according to the Indian vocabulary, Tsheelee.

Chilé is a most picturesque country. The lofty chain of the Andes, which traverses the whole continent of South America, separates this fine country from the Argentine Republic, which forms its eastern boundary. The surface below is indented with vallies and beset with spurs from the main Cordilleras. There are generally, however, sufficient openings through these spurs to admit of mule travelling, by which means intercourse can alone be carried on by the inhabitants, from one district to another. To the traveller that wanders over these delightful vallies, the scenery is frequently grand and imposing. Passing from the north to the south, he never loses sight of the towering summits of the Andes, and by ascending to the summit of the cliffs, the expansive Pacific may be viewed in all its majesty. The highest summits in the range of these mountains are Maflos, in latitude 25° 45'; the Tupungato, in latitude 33° 24'; the Deseabecado, in 350; the Blanquillo, in 35° 4'; the Langavi, in 35° 24′; the Chillan, in 36; and the Coccabado, in 43°; some of these are about 23,000 feet above the level of the ocean. The general average height of the Andes is 15,000 feet. There are fourteen volcanoes in a constant state of eruption, and a large number which discharge only at intervals. The two principal passes in the Andes, which lie between the Argentine Republic and Chilé, are the Pass of Putamda and that of Palos; the first leads from the city of Mendoza, and is about 200 miles in length; the latter, leads from the city of San Juan, and is considerably longer. To the north, the Andes are broader, but are said to slope gently to the south, and facilitate greatly the construction of means of intercourse. Gen. San Martin, the Liberator of Chilé, crossed over these snow-clad summits with his army, in 1818.

The shores of Chilé are in general high and steep, but the waters are deep almost everywhere. Like Peru, Chilé has an extensive marine border on the Pacific, but is much more convenient for shipping, being indented with bays, which afford safe harbor and anchorage. The most considerable of these is the great Gulf of Guayatecas, in which is situated the Archipelago of Chiloe. Few countries are so well watered as Chilé. The melting of the snow on the Andes causes a perpetual flow of water down their slopes, and forms numerous rivers. They are more than 100 in number, and more than fifty disembogue into the ocean. The principal navigable rivers are the Huasco, Lospentos, Maypu, Maule, Chillan, Ilata, Biobio, Imperial and Valdivia. The greater number of the rivers are, however, very short, but tend to irrigate the land, and render the soil very fertile; and through a large portion of the country there is no valley, nor scarcely a field, which is not so situated that it may be regularly irrigated from some river or stream. There are some small lakes, both in the northern and southern provinces, but of no importance.

The islands of the Archipelago of Chiloe are forty-seven in number; of these, but thirty-two are inhabited, the others are sterile and unfit for cultivation. Chiloe, or El Ancud, as it is sometimes called, is by far the largest, and gives its name to the whole cluster. Chiloe forms one of the provinces of Chilé. The islands of San Juan Fernandez, situated 400 miles west, in the Pacific, are also an appendage to Chilé. Their chief importance is derived from their having been the residence of Alexander Selkirk, the Scottish sailor, from whose adventures the celebrated story of Robinson Crusoe was made up by Daniel De Foe. These are further described in a separate article.

The climate is equable and healthy; diseases of an epidemic nature are scarcely known. On the coast the heat, which is sometimes excessive in the interior, is much modified by the immense bulk of adjacent waters. In the interior the temperature in summer often rises to 90° Fahr., and, occasionally, to 95° and 100° in the shade, while on the coast it seldom attains a greater elevation than 85° in the day time, and sinks in the night to 70° or 75°. At Santiago, the capital, the mean temperature of summer, from December to March, is about 840 during the day, and 58° at night. Cool and pleasant breezes from the ocean set inland in the evening, and dispel the lassitude of the overheated inhabitants. The winter sets in with the month of June, but, unlike the northern winter, presents none of the horrors of a snow storm, nor the biting energies of a frost; on the upper regions and in the mountains, however, snow falls abundantly, and covers the summits from June to November. The rainy season commences in April and lasts till August, but this is only in the southern provinces. North of Santiago the rainy season is limited to a few occasional showers, and in the arid province of Coquimbo rain never falls, but the heavy dews of the night counterpoise the want of it.

The northern provinces being out of the range of the volcanic region of the Cordilleras-the eruptions of which seem to act as safety-valves—are especially subject to earthquakes. In some parts the earth is in a constant state of agitation, and experiences daily shocks, and the country is fre quently desolated for miles in extent. In 1819, the city of Copiapo was totally destroyed; and in 1835, Conception, and other towns on the coast in the middle provinces, were nearly ruined. Talcahuana suffered more than any other place during the earthquake of 1835; but one house was left standing. What added to the devastation, was the inundation of the place by three heavy seas, which swept all before them. The features of the harbor and the bay were materially altered; one cove was filled up, and became high land, and two small islets in the harbor were much increased in size, while a large one at the mouth of the bay sunk in part. Off the coast the effects were equally apparent; a portion of the Island of Juan Fernandez became sunken, and a rock was thrown up near the coast, and in what was heretofore considered a safe track for vessels, on which a short time after, a British sloop-of-war struck, and was foundered. The year 1847 was also a terrible time along the Pacific coast of South America, from the Isthmus of Darien to the southern extremity of the continent; numerous towns were desolated, and great tracts of the country laid waste.

The geological structure of Chilé presents many interesting peculiarities According to Schmidtmeyer, the higher chain of the Andes is chiefly com. posed of argillaceous schist, while the lower chains are of granite forma

other evergreens grow to such a size as to be highly useful for their timber Most European fruits flourish, but tropical plants seldom survive transplanting. Chilé produces many hard woods, which are used by the people instead of iron.

Wheat is the staple grain of the country, and is raised extensively for exportation it succeeds best at an elevation of 3,000 to 5,000 feet above the level of the ocean. The province of Aconcagua, which is the best cultivated of any in the country, sends considerable quantities of grain to Valparaiso. Rye is wholly unknown in Chilé, but barley is grown in the south, and Indian corn, buckwheat and oats are not altogether neglected The potatoe, which, from its being the universal diet of Irishmen, has obtained the soubriquet of "Irish," is a native of, and was originally brought from this country in this, its natural soil, it grows abundantly and to the greatest perfection. Kidney-beans are raised for exportation, and find a market in Brazil and Peru. Gourds are much cultivated, and are of fine flavor, and are as extensively used by the Chilese as the potatoe by the people in the United States. Watermelons are cultivated in all parts, and prove a grateful means of allaying the effects of heat and thirst. The grape, in great variety, furnishes the wines of the country.

The animals of Chilé are those common to the southern part of the continent the jaguar, llama, guanaco, numerous monkeys and other wild animals roam through the vast forests. A kind of beaver, the castor huidibrius, inhabits the margin of the rivers; and the chinchilla abounds in the desert country of the north: both are highly prized for their furs, which form a rich article for export. The great condor of the Andes, several species of vultures, pelicans and other water fowl, flocks of parrots, paroquets, &c., form a long catalogue of the birds of Chilé, and the whale, dolphin, cod, &c., are inhabitants of the adjacent seas. The skunk, which emits a nauseous odor when pursued, is a native of Chilé: otherwise the country enjoys a preeminent freedom from the presence of noxious and venomous animals, serpents, reptiles, insects, &c.

The soil and climate of Chilé are essentially proper for successful agriculture, and the facilities with which lands are irrigated, would argue much in favor of the development of all its agricultural resources. Chilé, however, does not contain a laboring population: ease and plenty are the only ambition of Indo-Spanish races. The implements of husbandry are essentially original and of the most barbarous construction. Iron is scarcely ever used, though in plenty-the harrow consists of a heap of bushes, tied together and pressed by a weight, which is dragged over the ground: the spade and hoe are almost unknown. Lands are cultivated until worn out, with the interval of a fallow every four or five years: no manure is used. The productiveness of the soil of Chilé, however, appears to have been formerly much overrated. Mr. Miers observes, that a piece of ground recently cleared may produce to the extent of from one hundred to two hundred fold during the first year; but such lands are now scarce in the cultivated parts of Chilé, and the average of the wheat fields may be from eight to twelve, or of the best crops twelve to twenty fold. Reaping is performed by means of a rough sickle, and the corn is thrashed out in a hard dry spot of ground, by being galloped over by horses. It is then left in the air for some months, and not housed until the approach of the rainy season.

Few farms are arable: such as are so, are situated in narrow vallies, and