166 VISITING CHILI.

the nearer resemblance of the climate of Chili to
that of France, which rendered its vegetable pro-
ductions more likely to be of use there. He arrived
at La Conception in the beginning of 1782, where
his adventurous destiny had prepared for him far
other cares and pursuits than those of botany. The
town was afflicted with a pestilential fever, and he
was cautioned to avoid certain infected houses
where itraged. Instead of following this advice,
he devoted himself to the exercise of his medical
skill, and assisted the sufferers among the poorer
class with the most valuable charity of his advice,
as well as with food and with medicine, and even
with nurses, whom he supplied at his own charge.
This example did much to restore public confidence,
and his generous and self-denying conduct operated
so powerfully upon the grateful people, that they
strove to induce him to remain among them, pro-
mising him a handsome stipend as their physician.
It is intimated that other and more tempting attrac-
tions were not wanting to induce him to comply
with these wishes, and that one of the principal
dignitaries of the Church of La Conception endea-
voured to promote his union with a young lady of
great beauty and riches, on whom his merit had
made impressions as honourable to herself as to
him. From motives of mistaken patriotism he
tore himself away, to pursue the primary object of