America: Being the Latest, and Most Accurate Description of the Nevv VVorld / Containing the Original of the Inhabitants, and the Remarkable Voyages Thither. The Conquest of the Vast Empires of Mexico and Peru, and Other Large Provinces and Territories, with the Several European Plantations in Those Parts. Also Their Cities, Fortresses, Towns, Temples, Mountains, and Rivers. Their Habits, Customs, Manners, and Religions. Their Plants, Beasts, Birds, and Serpents. With an Appendix, Containing, Besides Several Other Considerable Additions, a Brief Survey of What Hath Been Discover'd of the Unknown South-land and the Arctick Region.

by John Ogilby

These three last mention’d Towns, viz. Baldivia, Imperiale, and Osorno, were in the Years 1596, 1699, and 1604, surpriz’d by the Araucanes, and other Salvages confederate with them, sack’d and burnt; and though the Spaniards be said to have recover’d and Garrison’d some of them with fresh Soldiers, yet how long they were able to hold them, or whether they be Masters of them at this day, we cannot say.

10. Castro, the most Southerly Town of the whole Province, built on a certain Island within the Bay of Chilue.

11. Mendoza; and 12. St. Juan de la Frontera, both which lie towards Paraguay and Rio de la Plata, but on the other side of the Andes, forty Leagues distant from any of those we have spoken of, and perhaps more, not above a hundred from Buenos Ayres, and the Atlantick Ocean.

Sect. III.
Magellanica.

Situation and Description of Magellanica.

Magellanica, the other part of this Province, is bounded Northward, with Sea-Port, Towns, Isles, and Straights. Chile abovesaid, and some parts of the Countrey De la Plata; on the South, with the narrow Sea call’d Magellans Straights; having Mare del Zur on the West, and on the East the Atlantick Ocean. It contains in length from the Borders of Chile to the Mouth of the Straights, a hundred Leagues, and in breadth from the North to the South Sea, somewhat more, viz. towards Chile and the North-West parts of it, for towards the South and South-West it straitens still more and more, insomuch that they who resemble the Southern part of America to the form of a Pyramid revers’d, make this part of the Countrey to be the Spire or top thereof. It beareth the Name from Ferdinand Magellan, a Portuguese, who first discover’d that narrow Sea, so famously known by the Name of Magellans Straights. It is a large Countrey, and suppos’d not to be altogether barren of Metals; but as yet no great Discovery hath been made of it, partly by reason of the excessive Cold to which ’tis thought to be subject, and partly perhaps by reason of the difficulty of the Enterprize, it being so far remote, and very hardly passable in many places, by reason of the huge Mountains the Andes, which bar it as it were against all Adventurers; but chiefly by reason of the stoutness and untameableness of the Araucanes and other Natives of Chile, through whose Countrey the March lieth, and who must first be conquer’d, so that very little can be said more of this Countrey, than onely to name the Ports and Places upon the Sea-Coasts, at which the Spaniards, and likewise some other Nations at several times have touched, the chief whereof upon the South Sea are, 1. Cabo de las Islas, a Promontory or Foreland, twenty six Leagues distant from that of St. Felix on the Confines of Chile.

2. Puerto de San Stephano, fifty Leagues from that, towards the South.

3. La Villa de Nuestra Sennora, or Our Ladies Dale, a large and secure Bay, eighteen Leagues Southward of St. Stephens.

4. La Punta Deglada; 5. Puerto de los Reyos; and 6. Ancona Sin Salida, all of them opening towards the Straights. There is also at the opening of the Straights, Cabo de la Vittoria, Cabo Desseado, and some others.

Upon the North Sea, and up towards Rio de la Plata, the chief Places observable, are 1. Rio de la Crux, and the Cape which they call De las Rameras, about thirty Leagues distant from the Straights Mouth.