SANTIAGO, the largest of the Cape Verd Islands, and in position one of the most southerly of the group, N. Lat. 14. 54., W. Long. 23. 40. Length 35 miles, breadth 12; area 360 square miles. In its general character it is mountainous, being traversed by a ridge which divides the two conselhos of Villa Praia and Santa Catarina, and attains near the centre, in a cone-shaped summit called Antonia, the height of 4,500 feet above the sea. There are, however, a number of fertile and well-watered valleys which stretch towards the coasts, and open out into wide plains and gentle slopes. The geological formation of the mountains is basaltic, with extensive layers of clay, and deposits of chalk and lava. The valleys are mostly occupied with gardens and plantations of coffee and sugar, separated by purqueira hedges. In the more level parts, the better land is planted with cotton, anise, and purqueira, whose oil forms an important article of export, while the inferior soil is used for pasture; but no trees can be grown on account of the violent hurricanes to which the island is liable. The average produce of the island is 542 pipes of brandy, 97,000 lbs. of sugar, 14,800 qrs. of maize, about as much of beans, and 22,200 qrs. of purqueira seed. Santiago has seven harbours for large vessels, the largest, deepest, and safest of which is Praia, on the south coast. It is divided into two conselhos and eleven parishes, and has a population of 31,103, of whom 28,137 are free and 2866 slaves.
Santiago de Chile. SANTIAGO DE CHILI, the capital of the republic of Chili, and of the province of the same name, on the Mapocho, an affluent of the Maypu, 90 miles E.S.E. of Valdivia, at an elevation of 1836 feet above the level of the sea, calculated from the marble fountain in the plaza. S. Lat. 33. 26. W. Long. 70. 38. The plain in which it stands is too lofty to exhibit much natural verdure or luxuriant vegetation, except along the banks of the rivers and artificial canals which water the soil. Still the situation of the city is exceedingly fine, and its scenery very beautiful; the majestic ridge of the Andes towers with its snowy summits to the east, while a lower ridge bounds the plain on the west. Careful irrigation has converted large portions of this plain into a very rich expanse, productive especially of wheat, which yields on an average twentyfold. The climate is salubrious, the thermometer ranging between 70° and 75°; and there is no rain and little wind. The rate of mortality fluctuates between 9 and 11 per cent. Among children, however, from 1 to 7 years old, the mortality is much greater, since of these it may be considered that 2590 die annually; while of adults from 25 to 35, the number of deaths is only about 148. This circumstance is to be ascribed to the abundance of unripe and unwholesome fruit, which is greedily devoured, especially by the poorer children. The annual number of births averages about 2300 males and 2690 females. Of the former rather more than half, and of the latter about the half, die. Santiago, like all other Spanish-American cities, is laid out in squares; the streets, which are broad, but not very well paved, crossing each other at right angles. A beautiful avenue, consisting of four rows of stately poplars, with streams of water between them, and a beautiful fountain at one end, divides the city into two parts. The private houses were for a long time low and mean-looking; but within the last ten years great and rapid improvements have been made in the style of house architecture. There are now many handsomely-built and equally well-furnished mansions, most of which have cost not less than £20,000 for their erection. Near the centre of the town is the great square or plaza, with a marble fountain in the middle. Round it stand some of the public buildings of the city. These have in general nothing remarkable about them. The most noteworthy are the mint, the Camara de Diputados, or hall of deputies, and the theatre, which accommodates 1500 persons. The churches are very plain; the best are the Compania, the cathedral, and Santo Domingo. Santiago possesses a national public library, containing 23,000 volumes, and a library of the tribunals with 1600 volumes; a museum; an observatory; a university; two hospitals; and a proportionate number of asylums, convents, nunneries, and schools of various descriptions. There are no manufactories worth noticing; a pottery has been lately established, and is now struggling into existence; and a coarse cloth factory has long existed in a very languishing condition. The city is lighted with gas; and an attempt has been made to introduce water in pipes, but this has been as yet only partially successful, and the inhabitants still receive their water in barrels brought on the backs of horses from the public fountains. Tolerable carriage-roads connect Santiago with the coast, and with the far-off northern and southern extremities of the wide-spread republic of which it is the capital; while at present a railroad to Valparaiso and another to Talca are in progress, the former connecting it with the vast Pacific, and the latter with a long series of agricultural provinces. There is a considerable trade carried on, chiefly through Valparaiso. Fruit, hides, salt beef, and the produce of the mines are exported; while sugar, cacao, and other articles are imported from Peru and Central America. Some commercial intercourse also subsists between Santiago and Mendoza, on the other side of the Andes, across which
there are here two passes, lofty but practicable, for mules. The city was founded by Pedro de Valdivia, on the 24th of February 1541, on property belonging to the Cacique Huelen-Guala, surrounding the little hill or rather rock of Huelen, now called Santa Lucia. This hill is now crowned with a fort, which is frequently visited by strangers for the sake of the fine view it commands. Valdivia portioned out the city into lots, in squares of 150 Spanish or 138 English feet, which he divided into fourths, called solares, or building sites. Each of his followers received one of these, on which he built his wooden, straw-thatched house. Each received likewise a piece of enclosed land, for the cultivation of wheat and vegetables. Thus the city rose, and soon became rich and populous. But many barriers were opposed to the advancement of its prosperity by the restrictive policy of Spain, as long as Chili remained subject to that country. When the colonies achieved their independence, Santiago sprang into new life and activity, and made such rapid progress in size, wealth, and civilization, that it may now be ranked among the most flourishing and important cities of South America. Besides natives, it is inhabited in a large proportion by foreigners. Of these the most numerous are the Germans; then Americans and English conjointly, who, till the railway and gas-works were commenced, were the scarcest; next to them, French and Italians. The population is 107,000, in the proportion of 1 unmarried man to 3 unmarried women; 14,420 married men to 14,570 married women.—The province of Santiago comprises the departments of Santiago, Victoria, Melipilla, and Rancagua, and is bounded on the north by the provinces of Aconcagua and Valparaiso, south by that of Colchagua, while the Argentine Republic lies to the east and the Pacific to the west. Its length is about 120, and its breadth 114 miles. Along its eastern border stretch the Andes from north to south; and in this part of the range stands their highest summit within the dominions of Chili, Tupungato, 22,015 feet high; for Aconcagua, which attains the height of 22,300 feet, belongs to the Argentine Republic. Between the mountains and the sea, this province contains some of the richest valleys in Chili. It is well watered, and enjoys a fine climate. Santiago is consequently almost exclusively an agricultural country, and its principal production is grain; but it also yields silver and copper to a considerable value. The great mass of the people are farm-labourers, of whom there are 24,000; then farmers, of whom there are 11,400; of sempstresses, there are 10,011; of washerwomen, 4585; of cooks (chiefly women), 4206; of spinners, 5493; of servants, 9618; of shopkeepers, 2501; shoemakers, 4204; weavers (chiefly women), 1777; miners, 1036; priests, 321; teachers, 170; doctors (M.D.), 39; advocates, 150; wet nurses, 350; dentists, 5; dressmakers, 22; tailors, 870; butchers, 80; bakers, 600; jewellers, 35. The whole population amounts to 280,000, of whom 16,000 males and 13,000 females are able to read and write.