Above the southern limits of the arid zones are saline depressions in lieu of lakes, although in remote ages, before radical changes of cli matic conditions had occurred, the lake region embraced these northern districts. Lakes are still numerous in the south and are often found at imposing elevations. There are almost start ling variations of temperature between the hours of sunlight and those of darkness, both at high places among the mountains and in the northern zones generally. The severity of winter's cold is confined to the Far South and the high Andes, snow never falling on valley or foothill north of lat. 36° S. The difference occasioned in climatic conditions by the cold current from the south that flows northward along the west coast is noteworthy. The mean annual tem perature on the west coast, wherever the influ ence of this current (the so-called Humboldt current) is felt, is 6° to 7° F. lower than that of places in the same latitude on the east coast. The Humboldt current reaches Chitoe Island and thence flows northward to the equator. South of Chilok, therefore, or, more exactly, from Taytao Peninsula southward, we find other climatic influences and conditions; and this statement applies to the entire territory of Magellan (Territorio de Magallanes) which, embracing nearly one-fourth of the total area of the Republic, extends along the Pacific Coast from lat 47° S. to the southern extremity of South America. On the southeast it is, indeed, separated from the Atlantic Ocean by outlying portions of Argentina; nevertheless the most important eastern outlet is secured to it by Chilean control of both sides of the Straits of Magellan. It has thus practically an outlook upon both oceans. The main divisions of the territory are the islands and channels north of the Straits of Magellan, up to the Peninsula of Taytao; north continental section, central con tinental section — region of Ultima Esperanza; south continental section -.Chilean Patagonia peninsula of Brunswick; western islands and channels of Patagonia; islands and channels south of the Straits of Magellan; Tierra del Fuego (Chilean portion); and the islands and channels south and west of Tierra del Fuego. The total area of the Territorio de Magallanes (66,861 square miles, almost equally divided between the continental part and the islands) is much greater than that of Rumania and only a little less than that of Uruguay. The (Censo Jeneral del Territorio de Magallanes,' written by Lautaro Navarro Avaria, shows that the territory has received more Immigration during the last' few years than has been available for the development of other portions of Chile. A great majority of the immigrants were men who came to take part in sheep raising and various industries, or who • were at tracted by not wholly trustworthy reports to the discovery of gold. The population at the date of the last census was only 23,650, 80 per cent of which was in the city of Punta Arenas and the town of Porvenir, and 20 per cent in 'the rural districts devoted to stock-farming. The climatic conditions are unfavorable to, agricul ture in the widest sense of the but sheep thrive uncommonly well on the immense pas tures. The maritime traffic of Punta Arenas, despite its geographical remoteness, is very little inferior to that of Valparaiso, because ,its posi tion on the Straits of Magellan makes it the port at which a thousand vessels—warships, merchant steamers, sailing vessels—call each year, to renew provisions or effect repairs of engines, or to spend- a few hours waiting a favorable moment for passing the more or •less dangerous points; See JUAN FERNANDEZ ISLANDS.
Flora and Fauna.—The essential characteris tics of the Chilean flora were impressed upon it during the long ages of complete isolation, before the Argentine Pampas were lifted out of the waters that covered them. Even now the country is, on that eastern side, shut in by i the Andean Cordillera, and on the north it is cut off from the rest of the continent by the deserts; formerly its separateness was like that of a Pacific island; and so naturally it is dis tinguished botanically by the large number of indigenous species peculiarly its own. Among
these are two genera and five species of Francoaceos, the skylmithus, and several• species of cactaceat. The potato is said to have come originally from Chile. It is still found wild in Chdoe and the adjacent islands and mainland. The bean and peppers are also indigenous, and maize and quinoa were grown in the country before the Spanish conquest. The forests of the Juan Fernandez Islands, in so far as they have maintained their primitive character, may be classified with subtropical evergreens, be cause all their trees and shrubs, with the•single exception of the michai (Berberis corymbosa) which shed its leaves in July and August, re main green throughout the year, thus showing adaptation to a temperate and uniform climate. Even a tree by nature deciduous, namely, the peach-tree (Amygdallas persica), retains its leaves all winter long when naturalized iii Masatierra. Decidedly less noticeable in the fauna than in the flora are the insular or separate characteristics just referred to, al though the fauna also differs from that- of other South American countries to the extent of excluding jaguars (so common in regions just beyond. the Andes), venomous snakes, monkeys, lizards (save in the northern zones) and river turtles. There are 12 genera and 25 species of rodents. In this order are inclufled the beaver-like coypu and the chinchilla. Among carnivora we find the wildcat, puma and fox. Characteristic ruminants are the huemul deer and the small pudu (the latter peculiar to Chile), and those wild members of the llama f mily, the vicuña and guanaco or 13 I huanaco. 1 s, great and small, are the con, dor, the whit and and the black albatross, pelican, giantpetrel, penguin, rhea (South American ostrich), cormorant, the barking guid-guid, turco, tapacollo, gull, swan, duck, parrot and three species of humming-birds (one peculiar to Chile). Fish, comparatively rare in the rivers, abound in the ocean near the coast and in the channels of Magallanes Territory, and are taken in great numbers in the northern har bors. Chilean waters are also visited by whales and at least six species of seals.
Political Divisions and Cities.—The re public of Chile is divided into 23 provinces and the territory of Magallanes. In alphabetical order, with their areas and populations, capitals and populations, they are as follows: Population.— In 1907, the date of the last census, the population numbered 3,249,279, and in 1917 it was estimated as nearly 4,000,000. The great majority of the population is of European origin. The indigenous inhabitants are of three branches, the Fuegians, mostly nomads, living in the extreme south, the Araucanians (101,000), the ancient rulers of the country, who so long bravely resisted the white invaders, live in the valleys or on the western slopes of the Andes; the Changos, who inhabit the northern coast regions and perform most of the manual labor there. Immigration is small, but is encouraged by the government. The total number of immi grants between 1905 and 1914 was 25,544. Colo nies (agricultural settlements) are encouraged and their number and importance are increasing.
History.— The dominion of the Incas of Peru included the northern and central por tions of Chile—at least to lat. 37° S. In 1535 the Spanish conquerors of the Inca empire sent their first southward along the Pacific Coast; but the task of adding this terri tory to the Spanish possessions in Peru and Upper Peru (Bolivia) was not undertaken in earnest until 1541; nor was it brought to a successful conclusion without desperate fight ing in the second half of the 16th century. Pedro de Valdivia suffered defeat and death in 1553 at the hands of Lautaro, the young Indian leader, and not of the famous Caupoli can as many writers have asserted. Both Barros Arena and Frrazuriz deprive Caupolican of the glory that Ercilla first bestowed upon him. The Araucanians offered a stubborn resistance, and even as late as the 18th century they made good their prior claim to a large part of the country below lat. 37° S.