What I saw on the west coast of South and North America, and at the Hawaiian Islands.: By H. Willis Baxley, M.D.

FERTILITY.
course being short, and quickly affected by thaws. The baggage
was removed to the top of the coach to be above the reach of
water, and our team of six horses being increased by the addi tion of two more, under the guidance of a postilion, they dashed
forward, and by dint of persevering effort under whip and spur,
and wild hurrahs, sometimes plunging and floundering, at others
swimming, and occasionally thrown down by the huge boulders swept along by the fierce current-the rumbling noise of
which could be heard as they rolled along the rocky floor of the
river-they finally succeeded in landing us safely on the opposite side of the ford. PRough as was the road over which we
passed for half a league beyond, and until we got fairly off of
the plain over which doubtless this river had from time to time
shifted its course, yet was it welcomed after escaping from the
furious TinguLiririca.
The country soon again presented a higher degree of cultivation, fields of wheat, barley, and alfalfa, covering the valley,
which, along this part of our route, has a width of from twelve
to fifteen miles. And here, too, as further north, the fruits
brought by the early emigrants from Europe thrive luxuriantly,
the mild and uniform climate producing almonds, olives, grapes,
pomegranates, and figs, as also quinces, apples, pears, plums,
cherries, and peaches. The dried peaches of Chile exceed in deliciousness any found in North America; and it may probably
be said with truth, that the Huasco raisins surpass any produced
in the Al[editerranean for delicacy and lusciousness; as much so,
perhaps, as the Ytngai coffee of Bolivia excels in richness of
aroma and flavor any of the world, not excepting the famed
berry of Iochia. The Yungai coffee crop is small, and very
costly. In the Valparaiso market it readily commands from
three-quarters to one dollar per pound.
Such was the genial temperature and general beauty of sursoundings of our morning drive, that we had no difficulty in appreciating the appropriateness of the name of the aborigines,
who at the time of the Spanish invasion occupied this district of
Chile: Prom2,ciians-more lately corrupted into Purumancians-signifying "people of delight," as we are informed by
the supplementary notes to the Abbe6 Don J. Ignatius Molina's
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