The chief rivers are the Maypo, the Maypocha, and the Poanque.
The chief town is Melipilla, or St. Josef de Logrono, in 33° 28' south latitude, and 70° 7' west longitude, not far from the Rio Maypo, in a beautiful situation and fertile territory, but thinly inhabited, owing to its vicinity to the metropolis. It contains a parish church, two convents, and a college founded by the Jesuits.
St. Francisco de Monte, in which is a convent of Franciscans, and the port of St. Antonio, at the mouth of the Maypo, both of which are inconsiderable places, are the only other towns of any note in this province.
THE PROVINCE OF SANTIAGO
Is bounded by Aconcagua on the north, the Andes on the east, Melipilla on the west, and the Rio Maypo on the south.
It is twenty-one leagues long and twenty-six wide. The gold mines of this district are chiefly in the mountains, and can be only worked during the summer; but they are said to amount to 234, besides five lavaderos, or washing places, in the mountain of Guindo, and some other veins near Tiltil. Santiago also possesses many silver, several copper and tin, and one lead mine. The most celebrated of the first are those of Lampa. Jasper has been lately found in the settlement of Montenegro, of which the people make vases, jars, pitchers and other articles.
Santiago is watered by the Mapocho, Colina, and Lampa rivers, besides many beautiful rivulets. It also contains Lake Pudaguel, which is about three leagues in length.
No part of Chili surpasses this district in fertility. It produces immense quantities of corn, wine, and fruits; the peaches are particularly fine, and of a very large size.
The whole mass of the Andes, on its eastern borders, seems filled with metallic substances, which are washed down by the rivers, the sands of many containing gold.