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| author | Roger Frank <rfrank@pglaf.org> | 2025-10-14 18:37:05 -0700 |
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| committer | Roger Frank <rfrank@pglaf.org> | 2025-10-14 18:37:05 -0700 |
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diff --git a/44193-h/44193-h.htm b/44193-h/44193-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..58bd455 --- /dev/null +++ b/44193-h/44193-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,5771 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" + "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd"> +<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en"> + <head> + + + <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html;charset=UTF-8" /> + <meta http-equiv="Content-Style-Type" content="text/css" /> + <title> + The Project Gutenberg eBook of Byron's Narrative of the Loss of the Wager, by Commodor Byron. + </title> + +<link rel="coverpage" href="images/titlepage.jpg"/> + + <style type="text/css"> + +body { + margin-left: 10%; + margin-right: 10%; +} +@media handheld{ +body { + margin-left: 0%; + margin-right: 0%; +} +} + +.break-before +{ + page-break-before: always; +} + + h1 { + text-align: center; + clear: both; +} + h2,h3,h4,h5,h6 { + text-align: center; + clear: both; +} + +h2 {padding-top: 2em;} + + +p { + margin-top: .51em; 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+ font-size: smaller; + color: black; + background: #eeeeee; + border: dashed 1px; +} + +.bb {border-bottom: solid 2px;} + +.bl {border-left: solid 2px;} + +.bt {border-top: solid 2px;} + +.br {border-right: solid 2px;} + +.bbox {border: solid 2px;} + +.center {text-align: center;} + +.right {text-align: right;} + +.smcap {font-variant: small-caps;} + +.u {text-decoration: underline;} + +.big {font-size:140%;} + +.biggest {font-size:200%; + font-weight:bold; + } + +.small {font-size:95%;} + +.smaller {font-size:75%;} + +.smallest {font-size:50%;} + +.bold {font-weight: bold; + text-align: center; + padding-top: 2em;} + + +.caption {font-weight: bold;} + +/* Images */ +.figcenter { + margin: auto; + text-align: center; +} + +.figleft { + float: left; + clear: left; + margin-left: 0; + margin-bottom: 1em; + margin-top: 1em; + margin-right: 1em; + padding: 0; + text-align: center; +} + +.figright { + float: right; + clear: right; + margin-left: 1em; + margin-bottom: + 1em; + margin-top: 1em; + margin-right: 0; + padding: 0; + text-align: center; +} + +/* Footnotes */ +.footnotes {border: dashed 1px;} + +.footnote {margin-left: 10%; margin-right: 10%; font-size: 0.9em;} + +.footnote .label {position: absolute; right: 84%; text-align: right;} + +.fnanchor { + vertical-align: super; + font-size: .8em; + text-decoration: + none; +} + +/* Poetry */ +.poem { + margin-left:10%; + margin-right:10%; + text-align: left; + font-size:90%; +} +.poem span.i2 { + display: block; + margin-left: 2em; + padding-left: 3em; + text-indent: -3em; +} + +.poem span.i9 { + display: block; + margin-left: 9em; + padding-left: 3em; + text-indent: -3em; +} + +.poem br {display: none;} + +.poem .stanza {margin: 1em 0em 1em 0em;} + +/* Transcriber's notes */ +.transnote {background-color: #E6E6FA; + color: black; + font-size:smaller; + padding:0.5em; + margin-bottom:5em; + font-family:sans-serif, serif; } + </style> + </head> +<body> +<div>*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 44193 ***</div> + +<h1 class="center"> +BYRON'S NARRATIVE<br /> +OF THE LOSS OF<br /> +THE WAGER</h1> + +<p class="subhead">WITH AN ACCOUNT OF THE GREAT<br /> +DISTRESSES SUFFERED BY HIMSELF AND HIS COMPANIONS<br /> +ON THE COAST OF PATAGONIA FROM THE YEAR 1740 TILL<br /> +THEIR ARRIVAL IN ENGLAND 1746</p> + +<p class="bold">LONDON</p> +<p class="center">HENRY LEGGATT & CO 85 CORNHILL</p> +<hr class="r15" /> +<p class="subhead">MDCCCXXXII</p> + +<p class="footer"> +LONDON:<br /> +PRINTED BY BRADBURY AND EVANS,<br /> +BOUVERIE STREET.<br /> +</p> + + +<h2>ADVERTISEMENT.</h2> + + +<p>At a time when every thing connected with +the name of Byron is regarded with such general +interest, it is a subject of surprise and regret +that no popular edition should exist of the +Narrative of Commodore Byron. Indeed, to +procure any copy at all of the work requires +some research and trouble. To supply this +deficiency is the object of the present publishers.</p> + +<p>To the admirers of the illustrious Poet, the +Narrative of the sufferings of his grandfather +will, on more than one account, be acceptable. +In the Poems, it is often, whether humorously +or pathetically, alluded to; for instance, in +the mournfully beautiful stanzas to his sister,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_iv" id="Page_iv">[iv]</a></span> +written soon after he left England for the last +time, he says,</p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i2">"A strange doom is thy father's son's, and past<br /></span> +<span class="i2">Recalling, as it lies beyond redress;<br /></span> +<span class="i2">Reversed for him <i>our grandsire's fate</i> of yore,<br /></span> +<span class="i2">Had <i>no rest at sea</i>, nor I on shore!"<br /></span> +<span><br /></span> +</div></div> + +<p>Again, in a different mood, in Don Juan, +after having carried his hero through the horrors +of a shipwreck, as disastrous and fatal in itself +and its consequences as his imagination could +conceive, he observes—</p> + + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i9">"——for none<br /></span> +<span class="i2">Had suffered more—his hardships were comparative<br /></span> +<span class="i2">To those related in my grand-dad's Narrative."<br /></span> +</div><div class="stanza"> +</div></div> + +<p>To which passage he appends the following +note:—"Admiral Byron was remarkable for +never making a voyage without a tempest. He +was known to the sailors by the facetious name +of 'foul-weather Jack.'" Indeed, to this narrative +the poet is indebted for many of the incidents +in that surpassing description of "the +dangers of the sea." The awful "whispering"<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_v" id="Page_v">[v]</a></span> +in which, according to the Admiral, the men +communicated their first horrid thoughts of putting +one of their number to death for the support +of the rest, is admirably preserved and amplified +in Don Juan:</p> + + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i2">"At length one whispered his companion, who<br /></span> +<span class="i2">Whispered another, and thus it went round,<br /></span> +<span class="i2">And then into a hoarser murmur grew,<br /></span> +<span class="i2">An ominous and wild, and desperate sound,<br /></span> +<span class="i2">And then his comrade's thought each sufferer knew,<br /></span> +<span class="i2">'Twas but his own, suppressed till now, he found:<br /></span> +<span class="i2">And out they spoke of lots for flesh and blood,<br /></span> +<span class="i2">And who should die to be his fellow's food."<br /></span> +</div></div> + + +<p>The germ of the conception of the cave-scenes, +so beautifully described in the poem, will also +be found here; the fondness of Juan for his +favourite dog, the voracity with which he devoured +the long-withheld food, and many other +incidents, were suggested by this Narrative.<a name="FNanchor_A_1" id="FNanchor_A_1"></a><a href="#Footnote_A_1" class="fnanchor">[1]</a></p> + +<p>To those who would study the character of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_vi" id="Page_vi">[vi]</a></span> +Lord Byron; discover what qualities of his +nature were derived from his ancestors, and +what were peculiarly his own; who would trace +the effect produced on his writings by early +tastes, habits, and associations, the narrative +will afford ample material for observation.</p> + +<p>Mr. Moore,—who, in paying to genius that +tribute which genius alone can fully pay, has +shewn how thoroughly he understood the character +of the poet (a character, perhaps, after +all to be <i>felt</i> rather than <i>explained</i>), how well +he appreciated his virtues and the peculiar circumstances +attendant on genius, which palliate, +if they do not excuse, his foibles,—remarks, that +Lord Byron "strikingly combined, in his own +nature, some of the best and perhaps worst +qualities that lie scattered through the various +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_vii" id="Page_vii">[vii]</a></span>characters of his predecessors; the generosity, +the love of enterprise, the high-mindedness of +some of the better spirits of his race, with the +irregular passions, the eccentricity, and daring +recklessness of the world's opinion, that so +much characterised others." In the character +then of the most famous of those "better +spirits," as exemplified in his own narrative of +his sufferings and adventures, we may discern +the source of many of the amiable qualities +which descended to and adorned the immortal +poet. We shall observe in both the same frankness, +generosity, affability, love of excitement, +the same mildness, and unassuming modesty. +But the contrasts of their characters we shall +find even more striking than the resemblances. +We shall see in the sailor the ease and contentedness +of spirit arising from its agreement with +the sphere it moves in—the soul harmonizing +with the situation—the man with the circumstances—the +Supply equivalent to the Demand. +We shall see in the poet the "high instincts of +a creature moving about in worlds not realized"—the +large expectancies, the high anticipations,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_viii" id="Page_viii">[viii]</a></span> +unfulfilled and unanswered; the discontent, +the jarring of a being not <i>at one</i> with the place +of its existence, panting for something above it, +aspiring "beyond the fitting medium of desire." +We shall see him inordinately yearning after +affection and happiness, yet enveloped, as it +were, in a nervous network of sensibility, feelingly +alive to every the faintest manifestation of +slight, neglect, unkindness,—to all that causes +sorrow and pain: we shall see the co-existence +of these qualities producing necessarily disappointment +and disgust; the very capability of enjoying +the good, unfitting him for the endurance +of the ill; the power of imagination heightening +the beauties of the ideal, the keenness of +perception aggravating the defects of the real; +the consequent struggles for existence in a +wounded spirit between "feelings unemployed," +affections unreturned, and the bitterness or +apathy they engender—between original benevolence +and acquired misanthropy. We shall +see the sailor habitually yielding himself to the +guidance and authority of others, unhesitatingly +acknowledging, and, as a matter of course,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_ix" id="Page_ix">[ix]</a></span> +complying with, the established relations, laws, +and customs of society; submitting without repining, +question, or surprise, to the vicissitudes +of fortune; patient of hardship, uncomplaining +of Circumstance. The poet, from the pride +of Mind, accustomed ever to decide for itself, to +act and reflect always, obstinately questioning +even Destiny and Fate; bidding haughty defiance +to their Ruler, or yielding with sullen indifference +or gloomy repining; if confessing the +necessity of compliance, hardly resigned. We +shall find the sailor sustaining his cheerfulness +in every situation; the poet, plunging, perhaps +from constitutional melancholy, into misery; +acted upon by that strong attraction, that irresistible +impulse towards the dark and the sad, +that capability, strikingly described by himself, +of "learning to love despair." We shall see +throughout the difference between the continual +presence and the comparative absence of consciousness, +that power by which Self, rising as +it were above itself, makes itself the subject of +microscopic observation. In the writings especially, +of each, we shall observe the operations<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_x" id="Page_x">[x]</a></span> +of these opposite properties. The sailor writes +on, unaware and thoughtless of the effect of +what he writes: the poet, in his letters particularly, +seems to know intuitively the effect on +others of every word he sets down; he reads +their thoughts, he hears their remarks as he +writes; and this knowledge, so immediate that +its effects on his style seem almost unintentional, +continually modifies his expressions, giving the +appearance of affectation to what is no more +than a natural result of his quick perception +and extreme sensitiveness. In every action, +too, of the poet, important or trivial, the +working of this principle, so hard to be discovered +in the sailor, is equally evident. He +looks always to the effect: nothing seems +done solely for itself: the love of admiration, +of being remarkable, of standing alone, however +disguised, may almost always be detected. Finally, +we shall not fail to observe throughout, +the contrast between the single and the "many-sided" +mind; between the ordinary and the extraordinary; +between the Mortal made immortal +by force of circumstances; the Immortal, in spite<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_xi" id="Page_xi">[xi]</a></span> +of circumstances, asserting and maintaining his +inborn immortality.</p> + +<p>Yet, enhanced as the interest attaching to +this narrative is, by the connection of its author +with one of the greatest of the master-minds of +these latter days, it is a work which of itself +may well demand and obtain our attention and +regard. The incidents it relates are peculiarly +of that complexion which has caused it to be +remarked (as Byron himself has somewhere) +that Fiction, however wonderful, must often +yield to Truth. It is a striking specimen of +the romance of real life. The spectacle of a +member of an old and noble family, accustomed +to the comforts and luxuries that attend high +birth, reduced to the necessity, at one time, of +beating his <i>shirt</i> in order to crush the vermin it +was useless to attempt to get rid of by washing; +and at another, of making a meal (eagerly, as +he himself confesses,) of the putrid remains of +a favourite dog, is as well calculated to excite +the curiosity of the observer of mankind as to +gratify the taste of the reader of romance. And +if the extraordinary nature of the incidents<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_xii" id="Page_xii">[xii]</a></span> +themselves arouse our wonder, the manner in +which they are related will insure and fix our +sympathy. The simple, unaffected style, slightly +tinged with the quaintness of old phraseology; +the total absence of any thing like striving after +effect; the apparent unconsciousness of the +narrator that he must be the object of admiration +or pity; the freedom from all attempts to +disguise some feelings, or to affect and assume +others; the modesty, the frankness, which characterize +this narration, while they give additional +interest to the work itself, afford indisputable +testimony to the amiableness of the author. To +have imitated so correctly this natural style, is +one of the highest triumphs of the genius of +Defoe, in his romance of Robinson Crusoe.</p> + +<p>Considered, then, either as an useful appendage +to the Works and Life of Byron; as an +aid in forming an estimate of his character; or +as an account of sufferings and adventures which +would appear suitable rather to a romance than +to a journal of events actually experienced; an +illustration of the strange vicissitudes human<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_xiii" id="Page_xiii">[xiii]</a></span> +life may undergo, of the extremities and hardships +human nature may bear; or, in short, as a +specimen of simple and beautiful writing, this +work can scarcely fail of affording delight and +gratification to the reader.</p> + +<hr class="r15" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_xvi" id="Page_xvi">[xvi]</a></span></p> +<p>JOHN BYRON, the second son of William, +the fourth Lord Byron, by his third wife, was +born at Newstead Abbey, November 8th, 1723, +and at an early age entered as a midshipman in +the British navy. He still held that rank in 1740, +when the expedition to the South Sea against +the Spaniards took place under the command of +Commodore Anson. The Wager, Captain Cheap, +to which Mr. Byron belonged, was separated +from the rest of the squadron, and wrecked on +a desert island to the southward of Chiloe (47° +south lat.) After encountering the most dreadful +sufferings from famine, a small number of the +crew, including the Captain and Mr. Byron, +reached the isle of Chiloe, and surrendered +themselves prisoners to the Spaniards. They +were afterwards removed to Chili, and detained +some time at Valparaiso and St. Jago; but were +at length allowed to return to England, where +they arrived after an absence of more than five +years. At a subsequent period, Mr. Byron +published his "Narrative." The young seaman +was not deterred by his misfortunes from +pursuing his naval career; he returned to the +service of his country, and commanded the +America, in Boscawen's action off Cape Lagos, +August 18, 1759. His skill and enterprising +spirit afterwards occasioned his appointment to +the command of an expedition fitted out to +make discoveries in the South Sea.<a name="FNanchor_A_2" id="FNanchor_A_2"></a><a href="#Footnote_A_2" class="fnanchor">[2]</a> He sailed +from England, June 21st, 1764, and having +circumnavigated the globe, returned home in +May, 1766. Several islands were explored in +this voyage, which were afterwards visited by +Bougainville and Cooke; and experiments were +also made to determine the accuracy of Harrison's +time-keeper, and its consequent value as +a means of ascertaining the longitude. This +officer subsequently was made an admiral, and +commanded in the West Indies during the +American war. Admiral Byron was much +beloved in the navy, more so, perhaps, than +any other officer except Nelson. He died in +1798, leaving one son, John, who dying before +his uncle, Lord Byron, the title of the latter +descended to his only son, George Gordon, the +poet.</p> + +<div class="break-before"> +<h2> +BYRON'S NARRATIVE<br /> +OF THE<br /> +Loss of the Wager. +</h2></div> + + +<p class ="p2">The equipment and destination of the squadron +fitted out in the year 1740, of which Commodore +Anson had the command, being sufficiently +known from the ample and well-penned relation +of it under his direction, I shall recite no particulars +that are to be found in that work. But +it may be necessary, for the better understanding +the disastrous fate of the Wager, the subject +of the following sheets, to repeat the remark, +that a strange infatuation seemed to prevail in +the whole conduct of this embarkation. For +though it was unaccountably detained till the +season for its sailing was past, no proper use<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_1" id="Page_1">[1]</a></span> +was made of that time, which should have been +employed in providing a suitable force of sailors +and soldiery; nor was there a due attention +given to other requisites for so peculiar and +extensive a destination.</p> + +<p>This neglect not only rendered the expedition +abortive in its principal object, but most +materially affected the condition of each particular +ship; and none so fatally as the Wager, +which being an old Indiaman brought into the +service on this occasion, was now fitted out as +a man of war; but being made to serve as a +store ship, was deeply laden with all kinds of +careening geer, military and other stores, for +the use of the other ships; and, what is more, +crowded with bale goods, and encumbered +with merchandise. A ship of this quality and +condition could not be expected to work with +that readiness and ease which was necessary +for her security and preservation in those heavy +seas with which she was to encounter. Her +crew consisted of men pressed from long voyages +to be sent upon a distant and hazardous<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_2" id="Page_2">[2]</a></span> +service: on the other hand, all her land-forces +were no more than a poor detachment of infirm +and decrepid invalids from Chelsea hospital, +desponding under the apprehensions of a long +voyage. It is not then to be wondered, that +Captain Kid, under whose command the ship +sailed out of the port, should in his last moments +presage her ill success, though nothing +very material happened during his command.</p> + +<p>At his death he was succeeded by Captain +Cheap, who still, without any accident, kept +company with the squadron till we had almost +gained the southernmost mouth of Straits Le +Maire; when, being the sternmost ship, we +were, by the sudden shifting of the wind to the +southward, and the turn of the tide, very near +being wrecked upon the rocks of Staten Land; +which, notwithstanding, having weathered, +contrary to the expectation of the rest of the +squadron, we endeavoured all in our power to +make up our lost way and regain our station. +This we effected, and proceeded on our voyage, +keeping company with the rest of the ships for<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_3" id="Page_3">[3]</a></span> +some time; when, by a great roll of a hollow +sea, we carried away our mizen mast, all the +chain plates to windward being broken. Soon +after, hard gales at west coming on with a +prodigious swell, there broke a heavy sea in +upon the ship, which stove our boats, and filled +us for some time.</p> + +<p>These accidents were the more disheartening, +as our carpenter was on board the Gloucester, +and detained there by the incessant tempestuous +weather, and sea impracticable for boats. In a +few days he returned, and supplied the loss of +the mizen-mast by a lower studding-sail boom; +but this expedient, together with the patching +up of our rigging, was a poor temporary relief +to us. We were soon obliged to cut away our +best bower anchor to ease the fore-mast, the +shrouds and chain plates of which were all +broken, and the ship in all parts in a most +crazy condition.</p> + +<p>Thus shattered and disabled, a single ship, +(for we had now lost sight of our squadron) +we had the additional mortification to find our<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_4" id="Page_4">[4]</a></span>selves +bearing for the land on a lee shore, +having thus far persevered in the course we held, +from an error in conjecture; for the weather +was unfavourable for observation, and there +are no charts of that part of the coast. When +those officers who first perceived their mistake, +endeavoured to persuade the captain to alter his +course, and bear away, for the greater surety, +to the westward, he persisted in making directly, +as he thought, for the island of Socoro; +and to such as dared from time to time to +deliver their doubts of being entangled with the +land stretching to the westward, he replied, +that he thought himself in no case at liberty to +deviate from his orders; and that the absence +of his ship from the first place of rendezvous, +would entirely frustrate the whole squadron in +the first object of their attack, and possibly +decide upon the fortune of the whole expedition. +For the better understanding the force +of his reasoning, it is necessary to explain, that +the island of Socoro is in the neighbourhood of +Baldivia, the capture of which place could not<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_5" id="Page_5">[5]</a></span> +be effected without the junction of that ship, +which carried the ordnance and military stores.</p> + +<p>The knowledge of the great importance of +giving so early and unexpected a blow to the +Spaniards, determined the captain to make the +shortest way to the point in view; and that +rigid adherence to orders from which he thought +himself in no case at liberty to depart, begot in +him a stubborn defiance of all difficulties, and +took away from him those apprehensions, which +so justly alarmed all such as, from an ignorance +of the orders, had nothing present to their +minds but the dangers of a lee shore.<a name="FNanchor_A_3" id="FNanchor_A_3"></a><a href="#Footnote_A_3" class="fnanchor">[3]</a></p> + +<p>We had for some time been sensible of our<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_6" id="Page_6">[6]</a></span> +approach to the land, from no other tokens than +those of weeds and birds, which are the usual +indications of nearing the coast; but at length +we had an imperfect view of an eminence, +which we conjectured to be one of the mountains +of the Cordilleras. This, however, was +not so distinctly seen but that many conceived +it to be the effect of imagination: but if the +captain was persuaded of the nearness of our +danger, it was now too late to remedy it; for +at this time the straps of the fore jeer blocks +breaking, the fore-yard came down; and the +greatest part of the men being disabled through +fatigue and sickness, it was some time before it +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_7" id="Page_7">[7]</a></span>could be got up again. The few hands who +were employed in this business now plainly +saw the land on the larboard beam, bearing +N.W., upon which the ship was driving bodily. +Orders were then given immediately by the +captain to sway the fore-yard up, and set the +fore-sail; which done, we wore ship with her +head to the southward, and endeavoured to +crowd her off from the land: but the weather, +from being exceedingly tempestuous, blowing +now a perfect hurricane, and right in upon the +shore, rendered our endeavours (for we were +now only twelve hands fit for duty) entirely +fruitless. The night came on, dreadful beyond +description, in which, attempting to throw out +our topsails to claw off the shore, they were +immediately blown from the yards.</p> + +<p>In the morning, about four o'clock, the ship +struck. The shock we received upon this occasion, +though very great, being not unlike the +blow of a heavy sea, such as in the series of +preceding storms we had often experienced, +was taken for the same; but we were soon<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_8" id="Page_8">[8]</a></span> +undeceived by her striking again more violently +than before, which laid her upon her beam +ends, the sea making a fair breach over her. +Every person that now could stir was presently +upon the quarter-deck; and many even of those +were alert upon this occasion, that had not +showed their faces upon deck for above two +months before: several poor wretches, who +were in the last stage of the scurvy, and who +could not get out of their hammocks, were +immediately drowned.</p> + +<p>In this dreadful situation she lay for some +little time, every soul on board looking upon +the present minute as his last; for there was +nothing; to be seen but breakers all around us. +However, a mountainous sea hove her off from +thence, but she presently struck again, and +broke her tiller. In this terrifying and critical +juncture, to have observed all the various modes +of horror operating according to the several +characters and complexions amongst us, it was +necessary that the observer himself should have +been free from all impressions of danger. In<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_9" id="Page_9">[9]</a></span>stances +there were, however, of behaviour so +very remarkable, they could not escape the +notice of any one who was not entirely bereaved +of his senses; for some were in this +condition to all intents and purposes; particularly +one, in the ravings of despair brought +upon him, was seen stalking about the deck, +flourishing a cutlass over his head and calling +himself king of the country, and striking every +body he came near, till his companions, seeing +no other security against his tyranny, knocked +him down. Some, reduced before by long sickness +and the scurvy, became on this occasion as +it were petrified and bereaved of all sense, like +inanimate logs, and were bandied to and fro by +the jerks and rolls of the ship, without exerting +any efforts to help themselves. So terrible was +the scene of foaming breakers around us, that +one of the bravest men we had could not help +expressing his dismay at it, saying it was too +shocking a sight to bear; and would have +thrown himself over the rails of the quarter-deck +into the sea, had he not been prevented:<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_10" id="Page_10">[10]</a></span> +but at the same time there were not wanting +those who preserved a presence of mind truly +heroic. The man at the helm, though both +rudder and tiller were gone, kept his station; +and being asked by one of the officers, if the +ship would steer or not, first took his time to +make trial by the wheel, and then answered +with as much respect and coolness as if the +ship had been in the greatest safety; and immediately +after applied himself with his usual +serenity to his duty, persuaded it did not become +him to desert it as long as the ship kept +together. Mr. Jones, mate, who now survives +not only this wreck, but that of the Litchfield +man of war upon the coast of Barbary, at the +time when the ship was in the most imminent +danger, not only shewed himself undaunted, +but endeavoured to inspire the same resolution +in the men; saying, "My friends, let us not +be discouraged: did you never see a ship +amongst breakers before? Let us try to push +her through them. Come, lend a hand; here +is a sheet, and here is a brace; lay hold; I<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_11" id="Page_11">[11]</a></span> +don't doubt but we may stick her yet near +enough to the land to save our lives." This +had so good an effect, that many who before +were half dead, seemed active again, and now +went to work in earnest. This Mr. Jones did +purely to keep up the spirits of the people as +long as possible; for he often said afterwards, +he thought there was not the least chance of a +single man being saved. We now ran in +between an opening of the breakers, steering +by the sheets and braces, when providentially +we stuck fast between two great rocks; that to +windward sheltering us in some measure from +the violence of the sea. We immediately cut +away the main and foremast; but the ship kept +beating in such a manner, that we imagined +she could hold together but a very little while. +The day now broke, and the weather, that had +been extremely thick, cleared away for a few +moments, and gave us a glimpse of the land +not far from us. We now thought of nothing +but saving our lives. To get the boats out, as +our masts were gone, was a work of some time;<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_12" id="Page_12">[12]</a></span> +which when accomplished, many were ready to +jump into the first, by which means they narrowly +escaped perishing before they reached +the shore. I now went to Captain Cheap (who +had the misfortune to dislocate his shoulder by +a fall the day before, as he was going forward +to get the fore-yard swayed up), and asked him +if he would not go on shore; but he told me, +as he had done before, that he would be the +last to leave the ship; and he ordered me to +assist in getting the men out as soon as possible. +I had been with him very often from +the time the ship first struck, as he desired I +would, to acquaint him with every thing that +passed; and I particularly remarked, that he +gave his orders at that time with as much coolness +as ever he had done during the former +part of the voyage.</p> + +<p>The scene was now greatly changed; for many +who but a few minutes before had shewn the +strongest signs of despair, and were on their +knees praying for mercy, imagining they were +now not in that immediate danger, grew very<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_13" id="Page_13">[13]</a></span> +riotous, broke open every chest and box that +was at hand, stove in the heads of casks of +brandy and wine as they were borne up to the +hatchways, and got so drunk, that several of +them were drowned on board, and lay floating +about the decks for some days after. Before I +left the ship, I went down to my chest, which +was at the bulkhead of the wardroom, in order +to save some little matters, if possible; but +whilst I was there the ship thumped with such +violence, and the water came in so fast, that I +was forced to get upon the quarter-deck again, +without saving a single rag but what was upon +my back. The boatswain and some of the people +would not leave the ship so long as there +was any liquor to be got at; upon which Captain +Cheap suffered himself to be helped out of his +bed, put into the boat, and carried on shore.</p> + +<p>It is natural to think, that to men thus upon +the point of perishing by shipwreck, the getting +to land was the highest attainment of their +wishes; undoubtedly it was a desirable event; +yet, all things considered, our condition was but<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_14" id="Page_14">[14]</a></span> +little mended by the change. Whichever way +we looked, a scene of horror presented itself: +on one side the wreck (in which was all that we +had in the world to support and subsist us), +together with a boisterous sea, presented us with +the most dreary prospect; on the other, the land +did not wear a much more favourable appearance: +desolate and barren, without sign of +culture, we could hope to receive little other +benefit from it than the preservation it afforded +us from the sea. It must be confessed this was +a great and merciful deliverance from immediate +destruction; but then we had wet, cold, +and hunger, to struggle with, and no visible +remedy against any of these evils. Exerting +ourselves, however, though faint, benumbed, +and almost helpless, to find some wretched +covert against the extreme inclemency of the +weather, we discovered an Indian hut, at a +small distance from the beach, within a wood, in +which as many as possible, without distinction, +crowded themselves, the night coming on exceedingly +tempestuous and rainy. But here our<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_15" id="Page_15">[15]</a></span> +situation was such as to exclude all rest and +refreshment by sleep from most of us; for besides +that we pressed upon one another extremely, +we were not without our alarms and +apprehensions of being attacked by the Indians, +from a discovery we made of some of their +lances and other arms in our hut; and our uncertainty +of their strength and disposition, gave +alarm to our imagination, and kept us in continual +anxiety.</p> + +<p>In this miserable hovel, one of our company, +a lieutenant of invalids, died this night; and of +those who for want of room took shelter under +a great tree, which stood them in very little +stead, two more perished by the severity of that +cold and rainy night. In the morning, the calls +of hunger, which had been hitherto suppressed +by our attention to more immediate dangers and +difficulties, were now become too importunate +to be resisted. We had most of us fasted eight +and forty hours, some more; it was time, therefore, +to make inquiry among ourselves what +store of sustenance had been brought from the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_16" id="Page_16">[16]</a></span> +wreck by the providence of some, and what +could be procured on the island by the industry +of others: but the produce of the one amounted +to no more than two or three pounds of biscuit +dust reserved in a bag; and all the success of +those who ventured abroad, the weather being +still exceedingly bad, was to kill one sea-gull, and +pick some wild cellery. These, therefore, were +immediately put into a pot, with the addition of +a large quantity of water, and made into a kind +of soup, of which each partook as far as it would +go; but we had no sooner thrown this down +than we were seized with the most painful sickness +at our stomachs, violent reachings, swoonings, +and other symptoms of being poisoned. +This was imputed to various causes, but in +general to the herbs we made use of, in the +nature and quality of which we fancied ourselves +mistaken; but a little further inquiry let +us into the real occasion of it, which was no +other than this: the biscuit dust was the sweepings +of the bread-room, but the bag in which +they were put had been a tobacco bag; the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_17" id="Page_17">[17]</a></span> +contents of which not being entirely taken out, +what remained mixed with the biscuit-dust, and +proved a strong emetic.</p> + +<p>We were in all about a hundred and forty +who had got to shore; but some few remained +still on board, detained either by drunkenness, +or a view of pillaging the wreck, among which +was the boatswain. These were visited by an +officer in the yawl, who was to endeavour to +prevail upon them to join the rest; but finding +them in the greatest disorder, and disposed to +mutiny, he was obliged to desist from his purpose +and return without them. Though we +were very desirous, and our necessities required +that we should take some survey of the land +we were upon; yet being strongly pre-possessed +that the savages were retired but some little +distance from us, and waited to see us divided, +our parties did not make this day, any great +excursions from the hut; but as far as we went, +we found it very morassy and unpromising. +The spot which we occupied was a bay formed +by hilly promontories, that to the north so<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_18" id="Page_18">[18]</a></span> +exceeding steep, that in order to ascend it (for +there was no going round, the bottom being +washed by the sea), we were at the labour of +cutting steps. This, which we called Mount +Misery, was of use to us in taking some observations +afterwards, when the weather would +permit: the southern promontory was not so +inaccessible. Beyond this, I, with some others, +having reached another bay, found driven +ashore some parts of the wreck, but no kind of +provision; nor did we meet with any shellfish, +which we were chiefly in search of. We +therefore returned to the rest, and for that day +made no other repast than what the wild cellery +afforded us. The ensuing night proved exceedingly +tempestuous; and, the sea running very +high, threatened those on board with immediate +destruction by the parting of the wreck. They +then were as solicitous to get ashore, as they +were before obstinate in refusing the assistance +we sent them; and when they found the boat +did not come to their relief at the instant they +expected it, without considering how impracti<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_19" id="Page_19">[19]</a></span>cable +a thing it was to send it them in such a +sea, they fired one of the quarter-deck guns at +the hut; the ball of which did but just pass over +the covering of it, and was plainly heard by +the captain and us who were within. Another +attempt, therefore, was made to bring these +madmen to land, which, however, by the violence +of the sea, and other impediments, occasioned +by the mast that lay alongside, proved +ineffectual. This unavoidable delay made the +people on board outrageous: they fell to beating +every thing to pieces that fell in the way; +and, carrying their intemperance to the greatest +excess, broke open chests and cabins for +plunder that could be of no use to them: and +so earnest were they in this wantonness of theft, +that one man had evidently been murdered on +account of some division of the spoil, or for the +sake of the share that fell to him, having all +the marks of a strangled corpse. One thing in +this outrage they seemed particularly attentive +to, which was, to provide themselves with arms +and ammunition, in order to support them in<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_20" id="Page_20">[20]</a></span> +putting their mutinous designs in execution, +and asserting their claim to a lawless exemption +from the authority of their officers, which they +pretended must cease with the loss of the ship. +But of these arms, which we stood in great +need of, they were soon bereaved, upon coming +ashore, by the resolution of Captain Cheap and +Lieutenant Hamilton of the marines. Among +these mutineers which had been left on board, +as I observed before, was the boatswain; who, +instead of exerting the authority he had over +the rest, to keep them within bounds as much +as possible, was himself a ringleader in their +riot: him, without respect to the figure he then +made, for he was in laced clothes, Captain +Cheap, by a blow well laid on with his cane, +felled to the ground. It was scarce possible to +refrain from laughter at the whimsical appearance +these fellows made, who, having rifled the +chests of the officers' best suits, had put them +on over their greasy trowsers and dirty checked +shirts. They were soon stripped of their finery, +as they had before been obliged to resign their +arms.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_21" id="Page_21">[21]</a></span></p> + +<p>The incessant rains, and exceeding cold weather +in this climate, rendered it impossible for +us to subsist long without shelter; and the hut +being much too little to receive us all, it was +necessary to fall upon some expedient, without +delay, which might serve our purpose: accordingly +the gunner, carpenter, and some more, +turning the cutter keel upwards, and fixing it +upon props, made no despicable habitation. +Having thus established some sort of settlement, +we had the more leisure to look about +us, and to make our researches with greater +accuracy than we had before, after such supplies +as the most desolate coasts are seldom +unfurnished with. Accordingly we soon provided +ourselves with some sea-fowl, and found +limpets, muscles, and other shell-fish in tolerable +abundance; but this rummaging of the +shore was now becoming extremely irksome to +those who had any feeling, by the bodies of +our drowned people thrown among the rocks, +some of which were hideous spectacles, from +the mangled condition they were in by the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_22" id="Page_22">[22]</a></span> +violent surf that drove in upon the coast. +These horrors were overcome by the distresses +of our people, who were even glad of the occasion +of killing the gallinazo (the carrion crow +of that country), while preying on these carcases, +in order to make a meal of them. But +a provision by no means proportionable to the +number of mouths to be fed, could, by our +utmost industry, be acquired from that part of +the island we had hitherto traversed: therefore, +till we were in a capacity of making more distant +excursions, the wreck was to be applied to +as often as possible, for such supplies as could +be got out of her. But as this was a very precarious +fund in its present situation, and at best +could not last us long; considering too that it +was very uncertain how long we might be +detained upon this island the stores and provision +we were so fortunate as to retrieve, were +not only to be dealt out with the most frugal +economy, but a sufficient quantity, if possible, +laid by to fit us out, whenever we could agree +upon any method of transporting ourselves<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_23" id="Page_23">[23]</a></span> +from this dreary spot. The difficulties we had +to encounter in these visits to the wreck, cannot +be easily described; for no part of it being +above water except the quarter-deck and part +of the fore-castle, we were usually obliged to +purchase such things as were within reach, by +means of large hooks fastened to poles, in which +business we were much incommoded by the +dead bodies floating between decks.</p> + +<p>In order to secure what we thus got, in a +manner to answer the ends and purposes above-mentioned, +Captain Cheap ordered a store tent +to be erected near his hut as a repository, from +which nothing was to be dealt out but in the +measure and proportion agreed upon by the +officers; and though it was very hard upon us +petty officers, who were fatigued with hunting +all day in quest of food, to defend this tent +from invasion by night, no other means could +be devised for this purpose so effectual as the +committing this charge to our care; and we +were accordingly ordered to divide the task +equally between us. Yet, notwithstanding our<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_24" id="Page_24">[24]</a></span> +utmost vigilance and care, frequent robberies +were committed upon our trust, the tent being +accessible in more than one place. And one +night, when I had the watch, hearing a stir +within, I came unawares upon the thief, and +presenting a pistol to his breast, obliged him to +submit to be tied up to a post till I had an +opportunity of securing him more effectually. +Depredations continued to be made on our reserved +stock, notwithstanding the great hazard +attending such attempts; for our common safety +made it necessary to punish them with the +utmost rigour. This will not be wondered at, +when it is known how little the allowance +which might consistently be dispensed from +thence, was proportionable to our common exigencies; +so that our daily and nightly task of +roving after food, was not in the least relaxed +thereby; and all put together was so far from +answering our necessities, that many at this +time perished with hunger. A boy, when no +other eatables could be found, having picked up +the liver of one of the drowned men (whose<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_25" id="Page_25">[25]</a></span> +carcase had been torn to pieces by the force +with which the sea drove it among the rocks), +was with difficulty withheld from making a +meal of it. The men were so assiduous in their +research after the few things which drove from +the wreck, that in order to have no sharers of +their good fortune, they examined the shore no +less by night than by day; so that many of +those who were less alert, or not so fortunate as +their neighbours, perished with hunger, or were +driven to the last extremity. It must be observed, +that on the 14th of May we were cast +away, and it was not till the 25th of this month +that provision was served regularly from the +store tent.</p> + +<p>The land we were now settled upon was +about 90 leagues to the northward of the +western mouth of the straits of Magellan, in +the latitude of between 47 and 48° south, from +whence we could plainly see the Cordilleras; +and by two Lagoons on the north and south of +us, stretching towards those mountains, we +conjectured it was an island. But as yet we<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_26" id="Page_26">[26]</a></span> +had no means of informing ourselves perfectly, +whether it was an island or the main; for +besides that the inland parts at a little distance +from us seemed impracticable from the exceeding +great thickness of the wood, we had hitherto +been in such confusion and want (each finding +full employment for his time, in scraping together +a wretched subsistence, and providing +shelter against the cold and rain), that no +party could be formed to go upon discoveries. +The climate and season too were utterly unfavourable +to adventurers, and the coast, as far +as our eye could stretch seaward, a scene of +such dismal breakers as would discourage the +most daring from making attempts in small +boats. Nor were we assisted in our enquiries +by any observation that could be made from +that eminence we called Mount Misery, toward +land, our prospect that way being intercepted by +still higher hills and lofty woods: we had therefore +no other expedient, by means of which to +come at this knowledge, but by fitting out one +of our ship's boats upon some discovery, to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_27" id="Page_27">[27]</a></span> +inform us of our situation. Our long-boat was +still on board the wreck; therefore a number of +hands were now dispatched to cut the gunwale +of the ship, in order to get her out. Whilst we +were employed in this business, there appeared +three canoes of Indians paddling towards us: +they had come round the point from the southern +Lagoons. It was some time before we could +prevail upon them to lay aside their fears and +approach us; which at length they were induced +to do by the signs of friendship we made +them, and by shewing some bale-goods, which +they accepted, and suffered themselves to be +conducted to the captain, who made them, +likewise, some presents. They were strangely +affected with the novelty thereof; but chiefly +when shewn the looking-glass, in which the +beholder could not conceive it to be his own +face that was represented, but that of some +other behind it, which he therefore went round +to the back of the glass to find out.</p> + +<p>These people were of a small stature, very +swarthy, having long, black, coarse hair, hang<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_28" id="Page_28">[28]</a></span>ing +over their faces. It was evident, from their +great surprise, and every part of their behaviour, +as well as their not having one thing in +their possession which could be derived from +white people, that they had never seen such. +Their clothing was nothing but a bit of some +beast's skin about their waists, and something +woven from feathers over the shoulders; and as +they uttered no word of any language we had +ever heard, nor had any method of making +themselves understood, we presumed they could +have had no intercourse with Europeans. These +savages, who upon their departure left us a few +muscles, returned in two days, and surprised us +by bringing three sheep. From whence they +could procure animals in a part of the world so +distant from any Spanish settlement, cut off +from all communication with the Spaniards by +an inaccessible coast and unprofitable country, +is difficult to conceive. Certain it is, that we +saw no such creatures, nor ever heard of any +such, from the Straits of Magellan, till we +got into the neighbourhood of Chiloe: it must<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_29" id="Page_29">[29]</a></span> +be by some strange accident that these creatures +came into their possession; but what that +was, we never could learn from them. At this +interview we bartered with them for a dog or +two, which we roasted and eat. In a few days +after, they made us another visit, and bringing +their wives with them, took up their abode +with us for some days; then again left us.</p> + +<p>Whenever the weather permitted, which was +now grown something drier, but exceeding cold, +we employed ourselves about the wreck, from +which we had, at sundry times, recovered several +articles of provision and liquor: these were deposited +in the store-tent. Ill-humour and discontent, +from the difficulties we laboured under +in procuring subsistence, and the little prospect +there was of any amendment in our condition, +was now breaking out apace. In some it shewed +itself by a separation of settlement and habitation; +in others, by a resolution of leaving the +captain entirely, and making a wild journey by +themselves, without determining upon any plan +whatever. For my own part, seeing it was the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_30" id="Page_30">[30]</a></span> +fashion, and liking none of their parties, I built +a little hut just big enough for myself and a +poor Indian dog I found in the woods, who +could shift for himself along shore, at low water, +by getting limpets. This creature grew so +fond of me, and faithful, that he would suffer +nobody to come near the hut without biting +them. Besides those seceders I mentioned, +some laid a scheme of deserting us entirely: +these were in number ten; the greatest part of +them a most desperate and abandoned crew, +who, to strike a notable stroke before they +went off, placed half a barrel of gunpowder +close to the captain's hut, laid a train to it, and +were just preparing to perpetrate their wicked +design of blowing up their commander, when +they were with difficulty dissuaded from it by +one who had some bowels and remorse of conscience +left in him. These wretches, after rambling +for some time in the woods, and finding +it impracticable to get off, for they were then +convinced that we were not upon the main, as +they had imagined when they first left us, but<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_31" id="Page_31">[31]</a></span> +upon an island within four or five leagues of it, +returned and settled about a league from us; +however, they were still determined, as soon as +they could procure craft fit for their purpose, +to get to the main. But before they could effect +this, we found means to prevail upon the armourer +and one of the carpenter's crew,—two +very useful men to us, who had imprudently +joined them,—to come over again to their duty. +The rest, (one or two excepted) having built a +punt, and converted the hull of one of the ship's +masts into a canoe, went away up one of the +Lagoons, and never were heard of more.</p> + +<p>These being a desperate and factious set, did +not distress us much by their departure, but +rather added to our future security: one in +particular, James Mitchell by name, we had all +the reason in the world to think had committed +no less than two murders since the loss of our +ship; one on the person found strangled on +board, another on the body of a man whom we +discovered among some bushes upon Mount +Misery, stabbed in several places, and shock<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_32" id="Page_32">[32]</a></span>ingly +mangled. This diminution of our numbers +was succeeded by an unfortunate accident much +more affecting in its consequences, I mean the +death of Mr. Cozens, midshipman; in relating +which with the necessary impartiality and exactness, +I think myself obliged to be more than +ordinarily particular. Having one day, among +other things, got a cask of peas out of the +wreck, about which I was almost constantly +employed, I brought it to shore in the yawl; +when having landed it, the captain came down +upon the beach, and bid me to go up to some +of the tents and order hands to come down and +roll it up; but finding none except Mr. Cozens, +I delivered him the orders, who immediately +came down to the captain, where I left them +when I returned to the wreck. Upon my coming +on shore again, I found that Mr. Cozens +was put under confinement by the captain, for +being drunk and giving him abusive language: +however, he was soon after released. A day or +two after, he had some dispute with the surgeon, +and came to blows: all these things incensed<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_33" id="Page_33">[33]</a></span> +the captain greatly against him. I believe this +unfortunate man was kept warm with liquor, +and set on by some ill-designing persons; for, +when sober, I never knew a better natured man, +or one more inoffensive. Some little time after, +at the hour of serving out provisions, Mr. +Cozens was at the store tent; and having, it +seems, lately had a quarrel with the purser, and +now some words arising between them, the +latter told him he was come to mutiny; and +without any further ceremony, fired a pistol at +his head, which narrowly missed him. The +captain, hearing the report of a pistol, and +perhaps the purser's words, that Cozens was +come to mutiny, ran out of his hut with a +cocked pistol in his hand, and, without asking +any questions, immediately shot him through +the head. I was at this time in my hut, as the +weather was extremely bad; but running out +upon the alarm of this firing, the first thing I +saw was Mr. Cozens on the ground, weltering +in his blood: he was sensible, and took me by +the hand, as he did several others, shaking his<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_34" id="Page_34">[34]</a></span> +head, as if he meant to take leave of us. If +Mr. Cozens' behaviour to his captain was indecent +and provoking, the captain's, on the other +hand, was rash and hasty: if the first was +wanting in that respect and observance which +is due from a petty officer to his commander, +the latter was still more unadvised in the method +he took for the enforcement of his authority; +of which, indeed, he was jealous to the +last degree, and which he saw daily declining, +and ready to be trampled upon. His mistaken +apprehension of a mutinous design in Mr. Cozens, +the sole motive of this rash action, was so +far from answering the end he proposed by it, +that the men, who before were much dissatisfied +and uneasy, were by this unfortunate +step thrown almost into open sedition and +revolt. It was evident that the people, who +ran out of their tents, alarmed by the report +of fire-arms, though they disguised their real +sentiments for the present, were extremely affected +at this catastrophe of Mr. Cozens (for +he was greatly beloved by them): their minds<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_35" id="Page_35">[35]</a></span> +were now exasperated, and it was to be apprehended, +that their resentment, which was +smothered for the present, would shortly +shew itself in some desperate enterprise. The +unhappy victim, who lay weltering in his blood +on the ground before them, seemed to absorb +their whole attention; the eyes of all were +fixed upon him; and visible marks of the +deepest concern appeared in the countenances +of the spectators. The persuasion the captain +was under, at the time he shot Mr. Cozens, +that his intentions were mutinous, together with +a jealousy of the diminution of his authority, +occasioned also his behaving with less compassion +and tenderness towards him afterwards +than was consistent with the unhappy condition +of the poor sufferer: for when it was +begged as a favour by his mess-mates, that +Mr. Cozens might be removed to their tent, +though a necessary thing in his dangerous situation, +yet it was not permitted; but the poor +wretch was suffered to languish on the ground +some days, with no other covering than a bit<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_36" id="Page_36">[36]</a></span> +of canvass thrown over some bushes, where he +died. But to return to our story: the Captain, +addressing himself to the people thus assembled, +told them, that it was his resolution to +maintain his command over them as usual, +which still remained in as much force as ever; +and then ordered them all to return to their respective +tents, with which order they instantly +complied. Now we had saved the long-boat from +the wreck, and got it in our possession, there +was nothing that seemed so necessary towards +the advancing our delivery from this desolate +place, as the new modelling this vessel so as to +have room for all those who were inclined to go +off in her, and to put her in a condition to bear +the stormy seas we must of course encounter. +We therefore hauled her up, and having placed +her upon blocks, sawed her in two, in order to +lengthen her about twelve feet by the keel. For +this purpose, all those who could be spared +from the more immediate task of procuring subsistence, +were employed in fitting and shaping +timber as the carpenter directed them; I say,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_37" id="Page_37">[37]</a></span> +in procuring subsistence, because the weather +lately having been very tempestuous, and the +wreck working much, had disgorged a great +part of her contents, which were every where +dispersed about the shore.</p> + +<p>We now sent frequent parties up the Lagoons, +which sometimes succeeded in getting +some sea-fowl for us. The Indians appearing +again in the offing we put off our yawl, in +order to frustrate any design they might have +of going up the Lagoon towards the deserters, +who would have availed themselves of some of +their canoes to have got upon the main. Having +conducted them in, we found that their intention +was to settle among us, for they had +brought their wives and children with them, +in all about fifty persons, who immediately +set about building themselves wigwams, and +seemed much reconciled to our company; and, +could we have entertained them as we ought, +they would have been of great assistance to us, +who were yet extremely put to it to subsist +ourselves, being a hundred in number; but the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_38" id="Page_38">[38]</a></span> +men, now subject to little or no control, endeavoured +to seduce their wives, which gave +the Indians such offence, that in a short time +they found means to depart, taking every thing +along with them; and we, being sensible of the +cause, never expected to see them return again. +The carpenter having made some progress in his +work upon the long-boat, in which he was enabled +to proceed tolerably, by the tools and other +articles of his business retrieved from the wreck, +the men began to think of the course they +should take to get home; or rather, having borrowed +Sir John Narborough's Voyage of Captain +Cheap, by the application of Mr. Bulkely, +which book he saw me reading one day in my +tent, they, immediately upon perusing it, concluded +upon making their voyage home by the +Straits of Magellan. This plan was proposed +to the captain, who by no means approved +of it, his design being to go northwards, +with a view of seizing a ship of the enemy's, +by which means he might join the Commodore: +at present, therefore, here it rested. But the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_39" id="Page_39">[39]</a></span> +men were in high spirits from the prospect +they had of getting off in the long-boat, overlooking +all the difficulties and hazards of a +voyage almost impracticable, and caressing the +carpenter, who indeed was an excellent workman, +and deserved all the encouragement they +could give him. The Indians having left us, +and the weather continuing tempestuous and +rainy, the distresses of the people for want +of food become insupportable. Our number, +which was at first one hundred and forty-five, +was now reduced to one hundred, and chiefly +by famine, which put the rest upon all shifts +and devices to support themselves. One day, +when I was at home in my hut with my Indian +dog, a party came to my door, and told me +their necessities were such, that they must eat +the creature or starve. Though their plea was +urgent, I could not help using some arguments +to endeavour to dissuade them from killing +him, as his faithful services and fondness deserved +it at my hands; but, without weighing +my arguments, they took him away by force<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_40" id="Page_40">[40]</a></span> +and killed him; upon which, thinking that I +had at least as good a right to a share as the +rest, I sat down with them, and partook of +their repast. Three weeks after that I was +glad to make a meal of his paws and skin, +which, upon recollecting the spot where they +had killed him, I found thrown aside and +rotten. The pressing calls of hunger drove our +men to their wit's end, and put them upon a +variety of devices to satisfy it. Among the +ingenious this way, one Phips, a boatswain's +mate, having got a water puncheon, scuttled +it; then lashing two logs, one on each side, set +out in quest of adventures in this extraordinary +and original piece of embarkation. By this +means he would frequently, when all the rest +were starving, provide himself with wild fowl; +and it must have been very bad weather indeed +which could deter him from putting out +to sea when his occasions required. Sometimes +he would venture far out in the offing, and be +absent the whole of the day: at last, it was his +misfortune, at a great distance from shore, to be<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_41" id="Page_41">[41]</a></span> +overset by a heavy sea; but being near a rock, +though no swimmer, he managed so as to +scramble to it, and with great difficulty ascended +it: there he remained two days with +very little hopes of any relief, for he was too +far off to be seen from shore; but fortunately a +boat, having put off and gone in quest of wild fowl +that way, discovered him making such +signals as he was able, and brought him back +to the island. But this accident did not so +discourage him but that soon after, having procured +an ox's hide, used on board for sifting +powder, and called a gunner's hide, by the +assistance of some hoops he formed something +like a canoe, in which he made several successful +voyages. When the weather would permit +us, we seldom failed of getting some wild fowl, +though never in any plenty, by putting +off with our boats; but this most inhospitable +climate is not only deprived of the sun for the +most part, by a thick, rainy atmosphere, but is +also visited by almost incessant tempests. It +must be confessed, we reaped some benefit<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_42" id="Page_42">[42]</a></span> +from these hard gales and overgrown seas, +which drove several things ashore; but there +was no dependence on such accidental relief; +and we were always alert to avail ourselves of +every interval of fair weather, though so little +to be depended on, that we were often unexpectedly +and to our peril overtaken by a sudden +change. In one of our excursions I, with two +more, in a wretched punt of our own making, +had no sooner landed at our station upon a +high rock, than the punt was driven loose by a +sudden squall; and had not one of the men, at +the risk of his life, jumped into the sea and +swam on board her, we must in all probability +have perished; for we were more than three +leagues from the island at the time. Among +the birds we generally shot, was the painted +goose, whose plumage is variegated with the +most lively colours; and a bird much larger +than a goose, which we called the race-horse, +from the velocity with which it moved upon the +surface of the water, in a sort of half flying, +half running motion. But we were not so suc<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_43" id="Page_43">[43]</a></span>cessful +in our endeavours by land; for though +we sometimes got pretty far into the woods, +we met with very few birds in all our walks. +We never saw but three woodcocks, two of +which were killed by Mr. Hamilton, and one +by myself. These, with some humming-birds, +and a large kind of robin redbreast, were the +only feathered inhabitants of this island, excepting +a small bird with two very long feathers +in his tail, which was generally seen +amongst the rocks, and was so tame, that I +have had them rest upon my shoulder whilst +I have been gathering shell-fish. Indeed, we +were visited by many birds of prey, some very +large; but these only occasionally, and, as we +imagined, allured by some dead whale in the +neighbourhood, which was once seen. However, +if we were so fortunate as to kill one of +them, we thought ourselves very well off. In +one of my walks, seeing a bird of this latter +kind upon an eminence, I endeavoured to come +upon it unperceived with my gun, by means +of the woods which lay at the back of that<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_44" id="Page_44">[44]</a></span> +eminence; but when I had proceeded so far in +the wood as to think I was in a line with it, I +heard a growling close by me, which made me +think it advisable to retire as soon as possible; +the woods were so gloomy I could see nothing; +but as I retired, this noise followed me close +till I had got out of them. Some of our men +did assure me, that they had seen a very large +beast in the woods; but their description of it +was too imperfect to be relied upon. The wood +here is chiefly of the aromatic kind; the iron +wood, a wood of a very deep red hue, and +another, of an exceeding bright yellow. All +the low spots are very swampy; but what we +thought strange, upon the summits of the +highest hills were found beds of shells, a foot +or two thick.</p> + +<p>The long-boat being near finished, some of +our company were selected to go out in the +barge, in order to reconnoitre the coast to the +southward, which might assist us in the navigation +we were going upon. This party consisted +of Mr. Bulkely, Mr. Jones, the purser,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_45" id="Page_45">[45]</a></span> +myself, and ten men. The first night, we put +into a good harbour, a few leagues to the southward +of Wager's Island; where finding a large +bitch big with puppies, we regaled upon them. +In this expedition we had our usual bad weather, +and breaking seas, which were grown to +such a height the third day, that we were +obliged, through distress, to push in at the +first inlet we saw at hand. This we had no +sooner entered, than we were presented with a +view of a fine bay, in which having secured the +barge, we went ashore; but the weather being +very rainy, and finding nothing to subsist upon, +we pitched a bell tent, which we had brought +with us, in the wood opposite to where the +barge lay. As this tent was not large enough to +contain us all, I proposed to four of the people +to go to the end of the bay, about two miles +distant from the bell tent, to occupy the skeleton +of an old Indian wigwam, which I had +discovered in a walk that way upon our first +landing. This we covered to windward with +sea-weed; and lighting a fire, laid ourselves<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_46" id="Page_46">[46]</a></span> +down, in hopes of finding a remedy for our +hunger in sleep; but we had not long composed +ourselves before one of our company was +disturbed by the blowing of some animal at his +face, and upon opening his eyes, was not a +little astonished to see, by the glimmering of +the fire, a large beast standing over him. He +had presence of mind enough to snatch a brand +from the fire, which was now very low, and +thrust it at the nose of the animal, who thereupon +made off: this done, the man awoke us, +and related, with horror in his countenance, the +narrow escape he had had of being devoured. +But though we were under no small apprehensions +of another visit from this animal, yet our +fatigue and heaviness was greater than our +fears; and we once more composed ourselves +to rest, and slept the remainder of the night +without any further disturbance. In the morning, +we were not a little anxious to know how +our companions had fared; and this anxiety +was increased upon tracing the footsteps of the +beast in the sand, in a direction towards the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_47" id="Page_47">[47]</a></span> +bell tent. The impression was deep and plain, +of a large round foot, well furnished with claws. +Upon our acquainting the people in the tent +with the circumstances of our story, we found +that they too had been visited by the same unwelcome +guest, which they had driven away by +much the same expedient. We now returned +from this cruise, with a strong gale, to Wager's +Island; having found it impracticable to make +farther discoveries in the barge, on so dangerous +a coast, and in such heavy seas. Here +we soon discovered, by the quarters of dogs +hanging up, that the Indians had brought a +fresh supply to our market. Upon enquiry, we +found that there had been six canoes of them, +who, among other methods of taking fish, had +taught their dogs to drive the fish into a corner +of some pond, or lake, from whence they +were easily taken out, by the skill and address +of these savages. The old cabal, during our +absence, had been frequently revived; the debates +of which generally ended in riot and +drunkenness. This cabal was chiefly held in<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_48" id="Page_48">[48]</a></span> +a large tent, which the people belonging to it +had taken some pains to make snug and convenient, +and lined with bales of broad cloth +driven from the wreck. Eighteen of the stoutest +fellows of the ship's company had possession +of this tent, from whence were dispatched committees +to the Captain, with the resolutions +they had taken with regard to their departure; +but oftener for liquor. Their determination was +to go in the long-boat to the southward, by the +straits of Magellan; and the point they were +labouring, was to prevail upon the Captain to +accompany them. But though he had fixed +upon a quite different plan, which was to go +to the northward, yet he thought it politic, at +present, seemingly to acquiesce with them, in +order to keep them quiet. When they began +to stipulate with him, that he should be under +some restrictions in point of command, and +should do nothing without consulting his officers, +he insisted upon the full exercise of his +authority as before. This broke all measures +between them, and they were from this time<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_49" id="Page_49">[49]</a></span> +determined he should go with them, whether +he would or no. A better pretence they could +not have for effecting this design, than the +unfortunate affair of Mr. Cozens; which they +therefore made use of for seizing his person, +and putting him under confinement, in order to +bring him to his trial in England. The long-boat +was now launched, and ready for sailing, +and all the men embarked, except Captain Pemberton, +with a party of marines, whom he had +drawn up upon the beach with the intention of +conducting Captain Cheap on board; but he +was at length persuaded to desist from this resolution +by Mr. Bulkely. The men too, finding they +were straitened for room, and that their stock +of provision would not admit of their taking +supernumeraries aboard, were now no less +strenuous for his enlargement, and being left +to his option of staying behind. Therefore, +after having distributed their share in the reserved +stock of provision, which was very +small, we departed, leaving Captain Cheap, +Mr. Hamilton of the marines, and the surgeon,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_50" id="Page_50">[50]</a></span> +upon the island. I had all along been in the +dark as to the turn this affair would take; and +not in the least suspecting but that it was determined +Captain Cheap should be taken with +us, readily embarked under that persuasion; +but when I found that this design, which was +so seriously carried on to the last, was suddenly +dropped, I was determined, upon the +first opportunity, to leave them; which was at +this instant impossible for me to do, the long-boat +lying some distance off shore, at anchor. +We were in all eighty-one, when we left the +island, distributed into the long-boat, cutter, +and barge; fifty-nine on board the first, twelve +in the second, in the last, ten. It was our purpose +to put into some harbour, if possible, +every evening, as we were in no condition to +keep those terrible seas long; for without other +assistance, our stock of provisions was no more +than might have been consumed in a few days; +our water was chiefly contained in a few powder-barrels; +our flour was to be lengthened out +by a mixture of sea-weed; and our other<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_51" id="Page_51">[51]</a></span> +supplies depended upon the success of our +guns, and industry among the rocks. Captain +Pemberton having brought on board his men, +we weighed; but a sudden squall of wind +having split our foresail, we with difficulty +cleared the rocks, by means of our boats, +bore away for a sandy bay, on the south side +of the Lagoon, and anchored in ten fathom. +The next morning we got under way; but +it blowing hard at W. by N. with a great +swell, we put into a small bay again, well sheltered +by a ledge of rocks without us. At this +time, it was thought necessary to send the +barge away back to Cheap's bay, for some +spare canvass, which was imagined would be +soon wanted. I thought this a good opportunity +of returning, and therefore made one with +those who went upon this business in the barge. +We were no sooner clear of the long-boat, than +all those in the boat with me declared they had +the same intention. When we arrived at the +island, we were extremely welcome to Captain +Cheap. The next day, I asked him leave to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_52" id="Page_52">[52]</a></span> +try if I could prevail upon those in the long-boat +to give us our share of provision: this he +granted; but said if we went in the barge, +they would certainly take her from us. I +told him my design was to walk it, and only +desired the boat might land me upon the main, +and wait for me till I came back. I had the +most dreadful journey of it imaginable, through +thick woods and swamps all the way; but I +might as well have spared myself that trouble, +as it was to no manner of purpose; for they +would not give me, nor any one of us that left +them, a single ounce of provisions of any kind. +I therefore returned, and after that made a +second attempt; but all in vain. They even +threatened, if we did not return with the barge, +they would fetch her by force. It is impossible +to conceive the distressed situation we were +now in, at the time of the long-boat's departure. +I do not mention this event as the occasion +of it; by which, if we who were left on +the island experienced any alteration at all, it +was for the better; and which, in all proba<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_53" id="Page_53">[53]</a></span>bility, +had it been deferred, might have been +fatal to the greatest part of us; but at this +time, the subsistence on which we had hitherto +chiefly depended, which was the shell-fish, +were every where along shore eat up; and +as to stock saved from the wreck, it may be +guessed what the amount of that might be, +when the share allotted to the Captain, Lieutenant +Hamilton, and the surgeon, was no +more than six pieces of beef, as many of pork, +and ninety pounds of flour. As to myself, and +those that left the long-boat, it was the least +revenge they thought they could take of us to +withhold our provision from us, though at the +same time it was hard and unjust. For a +day or two after our return, there was some +little pittance dealt out to us, yet it was upon +the foot of favour; and we were soon left to +our usual industry for a farther supply. This +was now exerted to very little purpose, for the +reason before assigned; to which may be +added, the wreck was now blown up, all her +upper works gone, and no hopes of any<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_54" id="Page_54">[54]</a></span> +valuable driftage from her for the future. A +weed called slaugh, fried in the tallow of some +candles we had saved, and wild cellery, were +our only fare; by which our strength was so +much impaired, that we could scarcely crawl. +It was my misfortune too, to labour under a +severe flux, by which I was reduced to a very +feeble state; so that in attempting to traverse +the rocks in search of shell-fish, I fell from +one into very deep water, and with difficulty +saved my life by swimming. As the Captain +was now freed, by the departure of the long-boat, +from the riotous applications, menaces, +and disturbance of an unruly crew, and left +at liberty to follow the plan he had resolved +upon, of going northward, he began to think +seriously of putting it in execution; in order to +which, a message was sent to the deserters, +who had seated themselves on the other side +of the neighbouring Lagoon, to sound them, +whether they were inclined to join the Captain +in his undertaking; and if they were, to bring +them over to him. For this set, the party<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_55" id="Page_55">[55]</a></span> +gone off in the long-boat had left an half +allowance proportion of the common stock of +provision. These men, upon the proposal, +readily agreed to join their commander; and +being conducted to him, increased our number +to twenty. The boats which remained in our +possession to carry off all these people, were +only the barge and yawl, two very crazy +bottoms; the broadside of the last was entirely +out, and the first had suffered much in the variety +of bad weather she had gone through, and was +sadly out of repair. And now our carpenter +was gone from us, we had no remedy for these +misfortunes, but the little skill we had gained +from him. However, we made tolerable shift +to patch up the boats for our purpose. In the +height of our distresses, when hunger, which +seems to include and absorb all others, was +most prevailing, we were cheered with the +appearance, once more, of our friendly Indians, +as we thought, from whom we hoped +for some relief; but as the consideration was +wanting, for which alone they would part with<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_56" id="Page_56">[56]</a></span> +their commodities, we were not at all benefitted +by their stay, which was very short. The little +reserve too of flour made by the Captain for our +sea-stock when we should leave the island, was +now diminished by theft: the thieves, who were +three of our men, were however soon discovered, +and two of them apprehended; but the third +made his escape to the woods. Considering +the pressing state of our necessities, this theft +was looked upon as a most heinous crime, and +therefore required an extraordinary punishment: +accordingly the Captain ordered these delinquents +to be severely whipped, and then to be +banished to an island at some distance from us; +but before this latter part of the sentence could +be put in execution, one of them fled; but the +other was put alone upon a barren island, which +afforded not the least shelter; however, we, in +compassion, and contrary to order, patched him +up a bit of a hut, and kindled him a fire, and +then left the poor wretch to shift for himself. +In two or three days after, going to the island +in our boat with some little refreshment, such<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_57" id="Page_57">[57]</a></span> +as our miserable circumstances would admit of, +and with an intent of bringing him back, we +found him dead and stiff. I was now reduced +to the lowest condition by my illness, which +was increased by the vile stuff I eat, when we +were favoured by a fair day, a thing very extraordinary +in this climate. We instantly took +the advantage of it, and once more visited the +last remains of the wreck,—her bottom. Here +our pains were repaid with the great good fortune +of hooking up three casks of beef, which +were brought safe to shore. This providential +supply could not have happened at a more +seasonable time than now, when we were afflicted +with the greatest dearth we had ever +experienced, and the little strength we had remaining +was to be exerted in our endeavours to +leave the island. Accordingly we soon found a +remedy for our sickness, which was nothing but +the effects of famine, and were greatly restored +by food. The provision was equally distributed +among us all, and served us for the remainder +of our stay here.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_58" id="Page_58">[58]</a></span></p> + +<p>We began to grow extremely impatient to +leave the island, as the days were now nearly +at their longest, and about midsummer in these +parts; but as to the weather, there seems to +be little difference in a difference of seasons. +Accordingly, on the 15th of December, the day +being tolerable, we told Captain Cheap we +thought it a fine opportunity to run across the +bay. But he first desired two or three of us to +accompany him to our place of observation, the +top of Mount Misery; when looking through +his perspective, he observed to us that the sea +ran very high without. However, this had no +weight with the people, who were desirous, at +all events, to be gone. I should here observe, +that Captain Cheap's plan was, if possible, to +get to the island of Chiloe; and if we found any +vessel there, to board her immediately, and cut +her out. This he might certainly have done +with ease, had it been his good fortune to get +round with the boats. We now launched both +boats, and got every thing on board of them as +quick as possible. Captain Cheap, the surgeon,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_59" id="Page_59">[59]</a></span> +and myself, were in the barge with nine men; +and Lieutenant Hamilton and Mr. Campbell in +the yawl with six. I steered the barge, and Mr. +Campbell the yawl; but we had not been two +hours at sea before the wind shifted more to +the westward, and began to blow very hard, and +the sea ran extremely high; so that we could +no longer keep our heads towards the cape or +headland we had designed for. This cape we +had had a view of in one of the intervals of fair +weather, during our abode on the island, from +Mount Misery; and it seemed to be distant +between twenty and thirty leagues from us. We +were now obliged to bear away right before the +wind. Though the yawl was not far from us, +we could see nothing of her, except now and +then, upon the top of a mountainous sea. In +both the boats, the men were obliged to sit as +close as possible, to receive the seas on their +backs, to prevent their filling us, which was +what we every moment expected. We were +obliged to throw everything overboard, to lighten +the boats, all our beef, and even the grapnel, to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_60" id="Page_60">[60]</a></span> +prevent sinking. Night was coming on, and +we were running on a lee-shore fast, where the +sea broke in a frightful manner. Not one +amongst us imagined it possible for boats to +live in such a sea. In this situation, as we +neared the shore, expecting to be beat to pieces +by the first breaker, we perceived a small +opening between the rocks, which we stood for, +and found a very narrow passage between them, +which brought us into a harbour for the boats +as calm and smooth as a mill-pond. The yawl +had got in before us, and our joy was great at +meeting again after so unexpected a deliverance. +Here we secured the boats, and ascended a rock. +It rained excessively hard all the first part of +the night, and was extremely cold; and though +we had not a dry thread about us, and no wood +could be found for firing, we were obliged to pass +the night in that uncomfortable situation, without +any covering, shivering in our wet clothes. +The frost coming on with the morning, it was +impossible for any of us to get a moment's sleep; +and having flung overboard our provision the day<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_61" id="Page_61">[61]</a></span> +before, there being no prospect of finding anything +to eat on this coast, in the morning we pulled +out of the cove; but found so great a sea without, +that we could make but little of it. After +tugging all day, towards night we put in among +some small islands, landed upon one of them, +and found it a mere swamp. As the weather +was the same, we passed this night much as we +had done the preceding; sea-tangle was all we +could get to eat at first, but the next day we +had better luck; the surgeon shot a goose, and +we found materials for a good fire. We were +confined here three or four days, the weather +all that time proving so bad that we could not +put out. As soon as it grew moderate, we left +this place, and shaped our course to the northward; +and perceiving a large opening between +very high land and a low point, we steered for +it; and when got that length, found a large bay, +down which we rowed, flattering ourselves there +might be a passage that way; but towards night +we came to the bottom of the bay, and finding +no outlet, we were obliged to return the same<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_62" id="Page_62">[62]</a></span> +way we came, having met with nothing the +whole day to alleviate our hunger.</p> + +<p>Next night we put into a little cove, which, +from the great quantity of red-wood found there, +we called Redwood Cove. Leaving this place +in the morning, we had the wind southerly, +blowing fresh, by which we made much way +that day, to the northward. Towards evening +we were in with a pretty large island. Putting +ashore on it, we found it clothed with the finest +trees we had ever seen, their stems running up +to a prodigious height, without knot or branch, +and as straight as cedars: the leaf of these +trees resemble the myrtle leaf, only somewhat +larger. I have seen trees larger than these in +circumference, on the coast of Guinea, and there +only; but for a length of stem, which gradually +tapering, I have no where met with any to compare +to them. The wood was of a hard substance, +and, if not too heavy, would have made +good masts; the dimensions of some of these +trees being equal to a main-mast of a first rate +man-of-war. The shore was covered with drift<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_63" id="Page_63">[63]</a></span>wood +of a very large size; most of it cedar, +which makes a brisk fire; but is so subject to +snap and fly, that when we awoke in the morning, +after a sound sleep, we found our clothes +singed in many places with the sparks, and +covered with splinters.</p> + +<p>The next morning being calm, we rowed out; +but as soon as clear of the island, we found a +great swell from the westward; we rowed to the +bottom of a very large bay, which was to the +northward of us, the land very low, and we were +in hopes of finding some inlet through, but did +not; so kept along shore to the westward. This +part, which I take to be above fifty leagues +from Wager Island, is the very bottom of the +large bay it lies in. Here was the only passage +to be found, which (if we could by any means +have got information of it) would have saved us +much fruitless labour. Of this passage I shall +have occasion to say more hereafter.</p> + +<p>Having at this time an off-shore wind, we +kept the land close on board, till we came to a +head-land: it was near night before we got<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_64" id="Page_64">[64]</a></span> +abreast of the headland, and opening it discovered +a very large bay to the northward, and +another headland to the westward, at a great +distance. We endeavoured to cut short our +passage to it by crossing, which is very seldom +to be effected, in these overgrown seas, by +boats: and this we experienced now; for the +wind springing up, and beginning to blow fresh, +we were obliged to put back towards the first +headland, into a small cove, just big enough +to shelter the two boats. Here an accident +happened that alarmed us much. After securing +our boats, we climbed up a rock scarcely large +enough to contain our numbers: having nothing +to eat, we betook ourselves to our usual receipt +for hunger, which was going to sleep. We +accordingly made a fire, and stowed ourselves +round it as well as we could; but two of our +men being incommoded for want of room, went +a little way from us, into a small nook, over +which a great cliff hung, and served them for a +canopy. In the middle of the night we were +awakened with a terrible rumbling, which we<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_65" id="Page_65">[65]</a></span> +apprehended to be nothing less than the shock +of an earthquake, which we had before experienced +in these parts; and this conjecture we +had reason to think not ill founded, upon hearing +hollow groans and cries as of men half +swallowed up. We immediately got up, and +ran to the place from whence the cries came, +and then we were put out of all doubt as to the +opinion we had formed of this accident; for +here we found the two men almost buried +under loose stones and earth: but upon a little +farther enquiry we were undeceived as to the +cause we had imputed this noise to, which we +found to be occasioned by the sudden giving +way of the impending cliff, which fell a little +beyond our people, carrying trees and rocks +with it, and loose earth; the latter of which +fell in part on our men, whom we with some +pains rescued from their uneasy situation, from +which they escaped with some bruises. The +next morning we got out early, and the wind +being westerly, rowed the whole day for the +headland we had seen the night before; but when<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_66" id="Page_66">[66]</a></span> +we had got that length could find no harbour, +but were obliged to go into a sandy bay, and +lay the whole night upon our oars; and a +most dreadful one it proved, blowing and raining +very hard. Here we were so pinched with +hunger, that we eat the shoes off our feet, +which consisted of raw seal skin. In the morning +we got out of the bay; but the incessant +foul weather had overcome us, and we began to +be indifferent as to what befel us; and the +boats, in the night, making into a bay, we +nearly lost the yawl, a breaker having filled +her, and driven her ashore upon the beach. +This, by some of our accounts, was Christmas-day; +but our accounts had so often been interrupted +by our distresses, that there was no +depending upon them. Upon seeing the yawl +in this imminent danger, the barge stood off, +and went into another bay to the northward of +it, where it was smoother lying; but there was +no possibility of getting on shore. In the night +the yawl joined us again. The next day was +so bad, that we despaired reaching the head<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_67" id="Page_67">[67]</a></span>land, +so rowed down the bay in hopes of getting +some seal, as that animal had been seen +the day before, but met with no success; so +returned to the same bay we had been in the +night before, where the surf having abated +somewhat, we went ashore, and picked up a +few shell-fish. In the morning, we got on +board early, and ran along shore to the westward, +for about three leagues, in order to get +round a cape, which was the westernmost land +we could see. It blew very hard, and there +ran such a sea, that we heartily wished ourselves +back again, and accordingly made the +best of our way for that bay which we had left +in the morning; but before we could reach it +night came on, and we passed a most dismal +one, lying upon our oars.</p> + +<p>The weather continuing very bad, we put in +for the shore in the morning, where we found +nothing but tangle and sea-weed. We now +passed some days roving about for provisions, +as the weather was too bad to make another +attempt to get round the cape as yet. We<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_68" id="Page_68">[68]</a></span> +found some fine Lagoons towards the head of +the bay; and in them killed some seal, and got +a good quantity of shell-fish, which was a great +relief to us. We now made a second attempt +to double the cape; but when we got the length +of it, and passed the first headland, for it consists +of three of an equal height, we got into +a sea that was horrid; for it ran all in heaps, +like the Race of Portland, but much worse. +We were happy to put back again to the old +place, with little hopes of ever getting round this +cape.</p> + +<p>Next day, the weather proving very bad, all +hands went ashore to procure some sustenance, +except two in each boat, which were left as +boat-keepers; this office we took by turns; and +it was now my lot to be upon this duty with +another man. The yawl lay within us at a +grapnel; in the night it blew very hard, and a +great sea tumbled in upon the shore; but being +extremely fatigued, we in the boats went to +sleep, notwithstanding, however, I was at last +awakened by the uncommon motion of the boat,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_69" id="Page_69">[69]</a></span> +and the roaring of the breakers every where +about us. At the same time I heard a shrieking, +like to that of persons in distress; I looked +out, and saw the yawl canted bottom upwards +by a sea, and soon afterwards disappeared. One +of our men, whose name was William Rose, a +quarter-master, was drowned; the other was +thrown ashore by the surf, with his head buried +in the sand; but by the immediate assistance +of the people on shore, was saved. As for us +in the barge, we expected the same fate every +moment; for the sea broke a long way without +us. However we got her head to it, and hove +up our grapnel, or should rather say kellick, +which we had made to serve in the room of our +grapnel, hove overboard some time before, to +lighten the boat. By this means we used our +utmost efforts to pull her without the breakers +some way, and then let go our kellick again. +Here we lay all the next day, in a great sea, +not knowing what would be our fate. To add +to our mortification, we could see our companions +in tolerable plight ashore, eating seal,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_70" id="Page_70">[70]</a></span> +while we were starving with hunger and cold. +For this month past, we had not known what +it was to have a dry thread about us.</p> + +<p>The next day being something more moderate, +we ventured in with the barge, as near as we +could to the shore, and our companions threw +us some seal's liver; which having eat greedily, +we were seized with excessive sickness, which +affected us so much, that our skin peeled off +from head to foot.</p> + +<p>Whilst the people were on shore here, Mr. +Hamilton met with a large seal, or sea-lion, and +fired a brace of balls into him, upon which the +animal turned upon him open-mouthed; but +presently fixing his bayonet, he thrust it down +its throat, with a good part of the barrel of the +gun, which the creature bit in two seemingly +with as much ease as if it had been a twig. +Notwithstanding the wounds it received, it +eluded all farther efforts to kill it, and got +clear off.</p> + +<p>I call this animal a large seal, or sea-lion, +because it resembles a seal in many particulars;<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_71" id="Page_71">[71]</a></span> +but then it exceeds it so much in size, as to be +sufficiently determined, by that distinction only, +to be of another species. Mr. Walter, in Lord +Anson's Voyage, has given a particular description +of those which are seen about Juan Fernandes; +but they have in other climates, different +appearances as well as different qualities, as we +had occasion to observe in this, and a late voyage +I made. However, as so much already has +been said of the sea-lion, I shall only mention +two peculiarities; one relative to its appearance, +and the other to its properties of action, which +distinguish it from those described by him. +Those I saw, were without that snout, or trunk, +hanging below the end of the upper jaw; but +then the males were furnished with a large +shaggy mane, which gave them a most formidable +appearance. And, whereas, he says, those +he saw were unwieldy, and easily destroyed: we +found some, on the contrary, that lay at a mile's +distance from the water, which came down upon +us, when disturbed, with such impetuosity, that +it was as much as we could do to get out of their<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_72" id="Page_72">[72]</a></span> +way; and when attacked, would turn upon us +with great agility.</p> + +<p>Having lost the yawl, and being too many for +the barge to carry off, we were compelled to leave +four of our men behind. They were all marines, +who seemed to have no objection to the determination +made with regard to them, so exceedingly +disheartened and worn out were they with +the distresses and dangers they had already gone +through. And, indeed, I believe it would have +been a matter of indifference to the greatest part +of the rest, whether they should embark, or take +their chance. The captain distributed to these +poor fellows arms and ammunition, and some +other necessaries. When we parted, they stood +upon the beach, giving us three cheers, and +called out, God bless the king. We saw them +a little after, setting out upon their forlorn hope, +and helping one another over a hideous tract of +rocks; but considering the difficulties attending +this only way of travelling left them—for the +woods are impracticable, from their thickness, +and the deep swamp everywhere to be met in<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_73" id="Page_73">[73]</a></span> +them—considering too, that the coast here is +rendered so inhospitable, by the heavy seas that +are constantly tumbling upon it, as not to afford +even a little shell-fish, it is probable that all met +with a miserable end.</p> + +<p>We rowed along shore to the westward, in +order to make one more attempt to double the +cape: when abreast of the first headland there +ran such a sea, that we expected, every instant, +the boat would go down. But as the preservation +of life had now, in a great measure, lost its +actuating principle upon us, we still kept pushing +through it, till we opened a bay to the northward. +In all my life, I never saw so dreadful +a sea as drove in here; it began to break at +more than half a mile from the shore. Perceiving +now that it was impossible for any boat +to get round, the men lay upon their oars till +the boat was very near the breakers, the mountainous +swell that then ran, heaving her in at a +great rate. I thought it was their intention to +put an end to their lives and misery at once; but +nobody spoke for some time. At last, Captain<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_74" id="Page_74">[74]</a></span> +Cheap told them, they must either perish immediately, +or pull stoutly for it to get off the shore; +but they might do as they pleased. They chose, +however, to exert themselves a little, and after +infinite difficulty, got round the headland again, +giving up all thoughts of making any further +attempt to double the cape. It was night before +we could get back to the bay, where we were +compelled to leave four of our men, in order to +save, if possible, the remainder; for we must all +have certainly perished, if more than sixteen had +been crowded into so small a boat. This bay +we named Marine Bay. When we had returned +to this bay, we found the surf ran so high, that +we were obliged to lay upon our oars all night; +and it was now resolved to go back to Wager's +Island, there to linger out a miserable life, as +we had not the least prospect of returning home.</p> + +<p>But before we set out, in consequence of this +resolution, it was necessary, if possible, to get +some little stock of seal to support us in a passage, +upon which, wherever we might put in, +we were not likely to meet with any supply.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_75" id="Page_75">[75]</a></span> +Accordingly, it was determined to go up that +Lagoon in which we had before got some seal, +to provide ourselves with some more; but we did +not leave the bay till we had made some search +after the unhappy marines we had left on shore. +Could we have found them, we had now agreed +to take them on board again, though it would +have been the certain destruction of us all. +This, at another time, would have been mere +madness; but we were now resigned to our fate, +which we none of us thought far off; however, +there was nothing to be seen of them, and no +traces but a musket on the beach.</p> + +<p>Upon returning up the Lagoon, we were so +fortunate as to kill some seal, which we boiled, +and laid in the boat for sea-stock. While we +were ranging along shore in detached parties +in quest of this, and whatever other eatable +might come in our way, our surgeon, who was +then by himself, discovered a pretty large hole, +which seemed to lead to some den, or repository, +within the rocks. It was not so rude, or +natural, but that there were some signs of its<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_76" id="Page_76">[76]</a></span> +having been cleared, and made more accessible +by industry. The surgeon for some time hesitated +whether he should venture in, from his +uncertainty as to the reception he might meet +with from any inhabitant; but his curiosity +getting the better of his fears, he determined +to go in; which he did upon his hands and +knees, as the passage was too low for him to +enter otherwise. After having proceeded a +considerable way thus, he arrived at a spacious +chamber; but whether hollowed out by hands, +or natural, he could not be positive. The +light into this chamber was conveyed through +a hole at the top; in the midst was a kind of +bier, made of sticks laid crossways, supported +by props of about five foot in height. Upon +this bier, five or six bodies were extended; +which, in appearance, had been deposited there +a long time, but had suffered no decay or diminution. +They were without covering, and +the flesh of these bodies was become perfectly +dry and hard; which, whether done by any +art, or secret, the savages may be possessed of,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_77" id="Page_77">[77]</a></span> +or occasioned by any drying virtue in the air +of the cave, could not be guessed. Indeed, the +surgeon, finding nothing there to eat, which +was the chief inducement for his creeping into +this hole, did not amuse himself with long disquisitions, +or make that accurate examination +which he would have done at another time; but +crawling out as he came in, he went and told +the first he met of what he had seen. Some +had the curiosity to go in likewise. I had forgot +to mention that there was another range of +bodies, deposited in the same manner, upon +another platform under the bier. Probably +this was the burial place of their great men, +called caciques; but from whence they could +be brought we were utterly at a loss to conceive, +there being no traces of any Indian settlement +hereabout. We had seen no savage +since we left the island, or observed any marks +in the coves, or bays to the northward, where +we had touched,—such as of fire-places, or old +wigwams, which they never fail of leaving behind +them; and it is very probable, from the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_78" id="Page_78">[78]</a></span> +violent seas that are always beating upon this +coast, its deformed aspect, and the very swampy +soil that every where borders upon it, that it is +little frequented.</p> + +<p>We now crossed the first bay for the headland +we left on Christmas-day, much dejected; +for under our former sufferings, we were in +some measure supported with the hopes that, +as we advanced, however little, they were so +much the nearer the termination; but now +our prospect was dismal and dispiriting, indeed, +as we had the same difficulties and dangers +to encounter, not only without any flattering +views to lessen them, but under the +aggravating circumstance of their leading to +an inevitable and miserable death; for we +could not possibly conceive that the fate of +starving could be avoided by any human +means, upon that desolate island we were +returning to. The shell-fish, which was the +only subsistence that island had hitherto afforded +in any measure, was exhausted; and +the Indians had shewn themselves so little<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_79" id="Page_79">[79]</a></span> +affected by the common incitements of compassion, +that we had no hopes to build upon +any impressions of that sort in them. They +had already refused to barter their dogs with +us, for want of a valuable commodity on our +side; so that it is wonderful we did not give +ourselves up to despondency, and lay aside all +farther attempts; but we were supported by +that invisible power, who can make the most +untoward circumstances subservient to his gracious +purposes.</p> + +<p>At this time, our usual bad weather attended +us; the night too set in long before we could +reach the cove we before had taken shelter in; +so that we were obliged to keep the boat's +head to the sea all night, the sea every where +a-stern of us, running over hideous breakers. +In the morning, we designed standing over for +that island in which we had observed those +straight and lofty trees before mentioned, and +which Captain Cheap named Montrose Island; +but as soon as we opened the headland to the +westward of us, a sudden squall took the boat,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_80" id="Page_80">[80]</a></span> +and very near overset her. We were instantly +full of water; but by baling with our hats and +hands, and any thing that would hold water, +we with difficulty freed her. Under this +alarming circumstance, we found it advisable +to return back and put into the cove, which +the night before we were prevented getting +into. We were detained here two or three +days, by exceeding bad weather; so that, had +we not fortunately provided ourselves with +some seal, we must have starved, for this place +afforded us nothing.</p> + +<p>At length we reached Montrose Island. +This is by much the best and pleasantest spot +we had seen in this part of the world; though +it has nothing on it eatable but some berries, +which resembled gooseberries in flavour: they +are of a black hue, and grow in swampy ground; +and the bush or tree that bears them is much +taller than that of our gooseberries. We remained +here some time, living upon these +berries, and the remainder of our seal, which +was now grown quite rotten. Our two or three<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_81" id="Page_81">[81]</a></span> +first attempts to put out from this island were +without success, the tempestuous weather +obliging us so often to put back again. One +of our people was much inclined to remain +here, thinking it as least as good a place as +Wager's Island to end his days upon; but he +was obliged to go off with them. We had not +been long out before it began to blow a storm +of wind; and the mist came on so thick, that +we could not see the land, and were at a loss +which way to steer; but we heard the sea, +which ran exceedingly high, breaking near us; +upon which we immediately hauled aft the sheet, +and hardly weathered the breakers by a boat's +length. At the same time we shipped a sea +that nearly filled us: it struck us with that +violence, as to throw me, and one or two more, +down into the bottom of the boat, where we +were half drowned before we could get up +again. This was one of the most extraordinary +escapes we had in the course of this expedition; +for Captain Cheap, and every one else, had +entirely given themselves up for lost. However,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_82" id="Page_82">[82]</a></span> +it pleased God that we got that evening into +Redwood Cove, where the weather continued +so bad all night, we could keep no fire in to +dry ourselves with; but there being no other +alternative for us, but to stay here and starve, +or put to sea again, we chose the latter, and put +out in the morning again, though the weather +was very little mended. In three or four days +after, we arrived at our old station, Wager's +Island; but in such a miserable plight, that +though we thought our condition upon setting +out would not admit of any additional circumstance +of misery, yet it was to be envied in +comparison of what we now suffered, so worn +and reduced were we by fatigue and hunger; +having eat nothing for some days but sea-weed +and tangle. Upon this expedition, we had +been out, by our account, just two months; in +which we had rounded, backwards and forwards, +the great bay formed to the northward +by that high land we had observed from Mount +Misery.</p> + +<p>The first thing we did upon our arrival, was<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_83" id="Page_83">[83]</a></span> +to secure the barge, as this was our sole dependence +for any relief that might offer by +sea; which done, we repaired to our huts, +which formed a kind of village or street, consisting +of several irregular habitations; some of +which being covered by a kind of brush-wood +thatch, afforded tolerable shelter against the +inclemency of the weather. Among these, +there was one which we observed with some +surprise to be nailed up. We broke it open, +and found some iron work, picked out with +much pains from those pieces of the wreck +which were driven ashore. We concluded +from hence, that the Indians who had been +here in our absence, were not of that tribe with +which we had some commerce before, who +seemed to set no value upon iron, but from +some other quarter; and must have had communication +with the Spaniards, from whom +they had learned the value and use of that +commodity. Thieving from strangers is a commendable +talent among savages in general, and +bespeaks an address which they much admire;<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_84" id="Page_84">[84]</a></span> +though the strictest honesty, with regard to +the property of each other, is observed among +them. There is no doubt but they ransacked +all our houses; but the men had taken care, +before they went off in the long-boat, to strip +them of their most valuable furniture; that is, +the bales of cloth used for lining, and converted +them into trowsers and watch-coats. Upon +farther search, we found, thrown aside in the +bushes, at the back of one of the huts, some +pieces of seal, in a very putrid condition; +which, however, our stomachs were far from +loathing. The next business, which the people +set about very seriously, was to proceed to +Mount Misery, and bury the corpse of the +murdered person, mentioned to have been discovered +there some little time after our being +cast away; for to the neglect of this necessary +tribute to that unfortunate person, the men +assigned all their ill-success upon the late expedition.</p> + +<p>That common people in general are addicted +to superstitious conceits, is an observation<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_85" id="Page_85">[85]</a></span> +founded on experience; and the reason is evident: +but I cannot allow that common seamen +are more so than others of the lower class. In +the most enlightened ages of antiquity, we find +it to have been the popular opinion, that the +spirits of the dead were not at rest till their +bodies were interred; and that they did not cease +to haunt and trouble those who had neglected +this duty to the departed. This is still believed +by the vulgar, in most countries; and in our +men, this persuasion was much heightened by +the melancholy condition they were reduced to; +and was farther confirmed by an occurrence +which happened some little time before we +went upon our last expedition. One night we +were alarmed with a strange cry, which resembled +that of a man drowning. Many of us +ran out of our huts towards the place from +whence the noise proceeded, which was not far +off shore; where we could perceive, but not +distinctly (for it was then moonlight), an appearance +like that of a man swimming half out +of water. The noise that this creature uttered<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_86" id="Page_86">[86]</a></span> +was so unlike that of any animal they had +heard before, that it made a great impression +upon the men; and they frequently recalled +this apparition at the time of their distresses, +with reflections on the neglect of the office +they were now fulfilling.</p> + +<p>We were soon driven again to the greatest +straits for want of something to subsist upon, +by the extreme bad weather that now set in +upon us. Wild celery was all we could procure, +which raked our stomachs instead of assuaging +our hunger. That dreadful and last resource +of men, in not much worse circumstances than +ours, of consigning one man to death for the +support of the rest, began to be mentioned in +whispers; and indeed there were some among +us who, by eating what they found raw, were +become little better than cannibals. But fortunately +for us, and opportunely to prevent this +horrid proceeding, Mr. Hamilton, at this time, +found some rotten pieces of beef, cast up by the +sea at some miles distance from the huts, which +he, though a temptation which few would have<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_87" id="Page_87">[87]</a></span> +resisted in parallel circumstances, scorned to +conceal from the rest; but generously distributed +among us.</p> + +<p>A few days after, the mystery of the nailing +up of the hut, and what had been doing by the +Indians upon the island in our absence, was +partly explained to us; for about the fifteenth day +after our return, there came a party of Indians +to the island in two canoes, who were not a +little surprised to find us here again. Among +these, was an Indian of the tribe of the Chonos, +who live in the neighbourhood of Chiloe.<a name="FNanchor_A_4" id="FNanchor_A_4"></a><a href="#Footnote_A_4" class="fnanchor">[4]</a> +He talked the Spanish language, but with that +savage accent which renders it almost unintelligible +to any but those who are adepts in that +language. He was likewise a cacique, or +leading man of his tribe; which authority was +confirmed to him by the Spaniards; for he +carried the usual badge and mark of distinction +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_88" id="Page_88">[88]</a></span>by which the Spaniards, and their dependents, +hold their military and civil employments, +which is a stick with a silver head. These +badges, of which the Indians are very vain, at +once serve to retain the cacique in the strongest +attachment to the Spanish government, and +give him greater weight with his own dependents: +yet, withal, he is the merest slave, and +has not one thing he can call his own. This +report of our shipwreck (as we supposed) +having reached the Chonos, by means of the +intermediate tribes, which handed it to one +another, from those Indians who first visited +us; this cacique was either sent to learn the +truth of the rumour, or having first got the +intelligence, set out with a view of making +some advantage of the wreck, and appropriating +such iron-work as he could gather from it to his +own use: for that metal is become very valuable +to those savages, since their commerce with +the Spaniards has taught them to apply it to +several purposes. But as the secreting any +thing from a rapacious Spanish rey, or governor<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_89" id="Page_89">[89]</a></span> +(even an old rusty nail), by any of their Indian +dependents, is a very dangerous offence, he was +careful to conceal the little prize he had made, +till he could conveniently carry it away; for in +order to make friends of these savages, we had +left their hoard untouched.</p> + +<p>Our surgeon, Mr. Elliot, being master of a +few Spanish words, made himself so far understood +by the cacique as to let him know, that +our intention was to reach some of the Spanish +settlements, if we could; that we were unacquainted +with the best and safest way, and +what tract was most likely to afford us subsistence +in our journey; promising, if he would +undertake to conduct us in the barge, he should +have it, and every thing in it, for his trouble, +as soon as it had served our present occasions. +To these conditions the cacique, after much +persuasion, at length agreed. Accordingly, +having made the best preparation we could, we +embarked on board the barge to the number of +fifteen, including the cacique, whose name was +Martin, and his servant Emanuel. We were,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_90" id="Page_90">[90]</a></span> +indeed, sixteen, when we returned from our +last fruitless attempt to get off the island; but +we had buried two since that, who perished +with hunger; and a marine, having committed +theft, run away to avoid the punishment his +crime deserved, and hid himself in the woods; +since which he was never heard of. We now +put off, accompanied with the two Indian +canoes; in one of which was a savage, with his +two wives, who had an air of dignity superior +to the rest, and was handsome in his person. +He had his hut, during his stay with us, +separate from the other Indians, who seemed to +pay him extraordinary respect; but in two or +three nights, these Indians, being independent +of the Spaniards, and living somewhere to the +southward of our Chono guide, left us to proceed +on our journey by ourselves.</p> + +<p>The first night we lay at an island destitute +of all refreshment; where having found some +shelter for our boat, and made ourselves a fire, +we slept by it. The next night we were more +unfortunate, though our wants were increasing;<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_91" id="Page_91">[91]</a></span> +for having run to the westward of Montross +island, we found no shelter for the barge; but +were under the necessity of lying upon our oars, +suffering the most extreme pangs of hunger. +The next day brought us to the bottom of a +great bay, where the Indian guide had left his +family, a wife and two children, in a hut. Here +we staid two or three days, during which we +were constantly employed in ranging along +shore in quest of shell-fish.</p> + +<p>We now again proceeded on our voyage, +having received on board the family of our +guide, who conducted us to a river, the stream +of which was so rapid, that after our utmost +efforts from morning to evening, we gained +little upon the current, and at last were obliged +to desist from our attempt and return. I had +hitherto steered the boat; but one of our men +sinking under the fatigue, expired soon after, +which obliged me to take the oar in his room, +and row against this heart-breaking stream. +Whilst I was thus employed, one of our men +whose name was John Bosman, though hitherto<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_92" id="Page_92">[92]</a></span> +the stoutest man among us, fell from his seat +under the thwarts, complaining that his strength +was quite exhausted for want of food, and that +he should die very shortly. As he lay in this +condition, he would every now and then break +out in the most pathetic wishes for some little +sustenance; that two or three mouthfuls might +be the means of saving his life. The Captain, +at this time, had a large piece of boiled seal by +him, and was the only one that was provided +with any thing like a meal; but we were become +so hardened against the impressions of +others' sufferings by our own; so familiarized +to scenes of this, and every other kind of misery; +that the poor man's dying entreaties were vain. +I sat next to him when he dropped, and having +a few dried shell-fish (about five or six) in my +pocket, from time to time put one in his mouth, +which served only to prolong his pains; from +which, however, soon after my little supply +failed, he was released by death. For this, and +another man I mentioned a little before to have +expired under the like circumstances, when we<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_93" id="Page_93">[93]</a></span> +returned from this unsuccessful enterprise, we +made a grave in the sands.</p> + +<p>It would have redounded greatly to the tenderness +and humanity of Captain Cheap, if at +this time he had remitted somewhat of that +attention he shewed to self-preservation; which +is hardly allowable but where the consequence +of relieving others must be immediately and +manifestly fatal to ourselves; but I would venture +to affirm, that in these last affecting exigencies, +as well as some others, a sparing +perhaps adequate to the emergency, might have +been admitted consistently with a due regard +to his own necessities. The Captain had better +opportunities for recruiting his stock than any +of us; for his rank was considered by the +Indian as a reason for supplying him when he +would not find a bit for us. Upon the evening +of the day in which these disasters happened, +the Captain producing a large piece of boiled +seal, suffered no one to partake with him but +the surgeon, who was the only man in favour at +this time. We did not expect, indeed, any<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_94" id="Page_94">[94]</a></span> +relief from him in our present condition; for +we had a few small muscles and herbs to eat; +but the men could not help expressing the +greatest indignation at his neglect of the deceased; +saying that he deserved to be deserted +by the rest for his savage behaviour.</p> + +<p>The endeavouring to pass up this river was +for us, who had so long struggled with hunger, +a most unseasonable attempt; by which we +were harassed to a degree that threatened to +be fatal to more of us; but our guide, without +any respect to the condition our hardships had +reduced us to, was very solicitous for us to go +that way, which possibly he had gone before in +light canoes; but for such a boat as ours was +impracticable. We conceived, therefore, at +that time, that this was some short cut, which +was to bring us forward in our voyage; but +we had reason to think afterwards, that the +greater probability there was of his getting the +barge, which was the wages of his undertaking, +safe to his settlement by this, rather than +another course, was his motive for preferring it<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_95" id="Page_95">[95]</a></span> +to the way we took afterwards, where there +was a carrying place of considerable length, +over which it would have been impossible to +have carried our boat.</p> + +<p>The country hereabouts wears the most uncouth, +desolate, and rugged aspect imaginable; +it is so circumstanced, as to discourage the +most sanguine adventurers from attempts to +settle it: were it for no other reason than the +constant heavy rains, or rather torrents, which +pour down here, and the vast sea and surf +which the prevailing westerly winds impel +upon this coast, it must be rendered inhospitable. +All entrance into the woods is not +only extremely difficult, but hazardous; not +from any assaults you are likely to meet with +from wild beasts; for even these could hardly +find convenient harbour here; but from the +deep swamp, which is the reigning soil of this +country, and in which the woods may be said +rather to float than grow; so that, except upon +a range of deformed broken rocks which form +the sea-coast, the traveller cannot find sound<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_96" id="Page_96">[96]</a></span> +footing any where. With this unpromising +scene before us we were now setting out in +search of food, which nothing but the most +pressing instances of hunger could induce us to +do: we had, indeed, the young Indian servant +to our cacique for our conductor, who was left +by him to shew us where the shell-fish was +most plenty. The cacique was gone with the +rest of his family, in the canoe, with a view of +getting some seal, upon a trip which would +detain him from us three or four days.</p> + +<p>After searching the coast some time with +very little success, we began to think of returning +to the barge; but six of the men, with the +Indian, having advanced some few paces before +the officers, got into the boat first; which they +had no sooner done than they put off, and left +us, to return no more. And now all the difficulties +we had hitherto endured, seemed light +in comparison of what we expected to suffer +from this treachery of our men, who, with the +boat, had taken away every thing that might +be the means of preserving our lives. The<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_97" id="Page_97">[97]</a></span> +little clothes we had saved from the wreck, our +muskets and ammunition were gone, except a +little powder, which must be preserved for +kindling fires, and one gun, which I had, and +was now become useless for want of ammunition; +and all these wants were now come upon +us at a time when we could not be worse situated +for supplying them. Yet under these +dismal and forlorn appearances was our delivery +now preparing; and from these hopeless circumstances +were we to draw hereafter an instance +scarce to be paralleled, of the unsearchable +ways of Providence. It was at that time +little suspected by us, that the barge, in which +we founded all our hopes of escaping from this +savage coast, would certainly have proved the +fatal cause of detaining us till we were consumed +by the labour and hardships requisite to row +her round the capes and great headlands; for +it was impossible to carry her by land, as we +did the boats of the Indians. At present, no +condition could be worse that we thought ours +to be: there ran at this time a very high sea,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_98" id="Page_98">[98]</a></span> +which breaking with great fury upon this +coast, made it very improbable that sustenance +in any proportion to our wants could be found +upon it; yet, unpromising as this prospect was, +and though little succour could be expected +from this quarter, I could not help, as I strolled +along shore from the rest, casting my eyes +towards the sea. Continuing thus to look out, +I thought I saw something now and then upon +the top of a sea that looked black, which upon +observing still more intently, I imagined at last +to be a canoe; but reflecting afterwards how +unusual it was for Indians to venture out in so +mountainous a sea, and at such a distance from +the land, I concluded myself to be deceived. +However, its nearer approach convinced me, +beyond all doubt, of its being a canoe; but +that it could not put in any where hereabouts, +but intended for some other part of the coast. +I ran back as fast as I could to my companions, +and acquainted them with what I had seen. +The despondency they were in would not allow +them to give credit to it at first; but afterwards,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_99" id="Page_99">[99]</a></span> +being convinced that it was as I reported it, we +were all in the greatest hurry to strip off some +of our rags to make a signal withal, which we +fixed upon a long pole. This had the desired +effect: the people in the canoe seeing the signal, +made towards the land at about two mile distance +from us; for no boat could approach the +land where we were: there they put into a +small cove, sheltered by a large ledge of rocks +without, which broke the violence of the sea. +Captain Cheap and I walked along shore, and +got to the cove about the time they landed. +Here we found the persons arrived in this canoe, +to be our Indian guide and his wife, who had +left us some days before. He would have asked +us many questions; but neither Captain Cheap +nor I understanding Spanish at that time, we +took him along with us to the surgeon, whom +we had left so ill that he could hardly raise +himself from the ground. When the Indian +began to confer with the surgeon, the first +question was, What was become of the barge +and his companion? and as he could give him<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_100" id="Page_100">[100]</a></span> +no satisfactory answer to this question, the +Indian took it for granted that Emanuel was +murdered by us, and that he and his family +ran the same risk; upon which he was preparing +to provide for his security, by leaving +us directly. The surgeon seeing this, did all +in his power to pacify him, and convince him +of the unreasonableness of his apprehensions; +which he at length found means to do, by +assuring him that the Indian would come to no +harm, but that he would soon see him return +safe; which providentially, and beyond our +expectation, happened accordingly; for in a +few days after, Emanuel having contrived to +make his escape from the people in the barge, +returned by ways that were impassable to any +creature but an Indian. All that we could learn +from Emanuel relative to his escape was, that +he took the first opportunity of leaving them; +which was upon their putting into a bay somewhere +to the westward.</p> + +<p>We had but one gun among us, and that +was a small fowling-piece of mine; no ammu<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_101" id="Page_101">[101]</a></span>nition +but a few charges of powder I had about +me; and as the Indian was very desirous of +returning to the place where he had left his wife +and canoe, Captain Cheap desired I would go +with him and watch over him all night, to prevent +his getting away. Accordingly I set out +with him; and when he and his family betook +themselves to rest in the little wigwam they +had made for that purpose, I kept my station +as centinel over them all night.</p> + +<p>The next morning Captain Cheap, Mr. Hamilton, +and the surgeon, joined us: the latter, +by illness, being reduced to the most feeble +condition, was supported by Mr. Hamilton and +Mr. Campbell. After holding some little consultation +together, as to the best manner of +proceeding in our journey, it was agreed, that +the Indian should haul his canoe, with our +assistance, over land, quite across the island we +were then upon, and put her into a bay on the +other side, from whence he was to go in quest +of some other Indians, by whom he expected to +be joined; but as his canoe was too small to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_102" id="Page_102">[102]</a></span> +carry more than three or four persons, he +thought it advisable to take only Captain +Cheap and myself with him, and to leave his +wife and children as pledges with our companions +till his return.</p> + +<p>As it was matter of uncertainty whether we +should ever recover the barge or not, which +was stipulated, on our side, to become the property +of the cacique, upon his fulfilling his +engagements with us; the inducements we +now made use of to prevail upon him to proceed +with us in our journey were, that he should +have my fowling-piece, some little matters in +the possession of Captain Cheap, and that we +would use our interest to procure him some +small pecuniary reward.</p> + +<p>We were now to set off in the canoe, in which +I was to assist him in rowing. Accordingly, +putting from this island, we rowed hard all this +day and the next, without any thing to eat but +a scrap of seal, a very small portion of which +fell to my share. About two hours after the +close of the day, we put ashore, where we dis<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_103" id="Page_103">[103]</a></span>covered +six or seven wigwams. For my part, +my strength was so exhausted with fatigue and +hunger, that it would have been impossible for +me to have held out another day at this toilsome +work. As soon as we landed, the Indian conducted +Captain Cheap with him into a wigwam; +but I was left to shift for myself.</p> + +<p>Thus left, I was for some time at a loss what +I had best do; for knowing that in the variety +of dispositions observable among the Indians, +the surly and savage temper is the most prevalent, +I had good reason to conclude, that if +I obtruded myself upon them, my reception +would be but indifferent. Necessity, however, +put me upon the risk; I accordingly pushed +into the next wigwam upon my hands and +knees; for the entrance into these kind of +buildings is too low to admit of any other manner +of getting into them. To give a short +description of these temporary houses, called +wigwams, may not be improper here, for the +satisfaction of those who never saw any; especially +as they differ somewhat from those of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_104" id="Page_104">[104]</a></span> +North America, which are more generally +known from the numerous accounts of that +country.</p> + +<p>When the Indians of this part of the world +have occasion to stop any where in their rambles, +if it be only for a night or two, the men, +who take this business upon them, while the +women are employed in much more laborious +offices, such as diving in the sea for sea-eggs, +and searching the rocks for shell-fish, getting +fuel, &c., repair to the woods, and cutting a +sufficient number of tall, strait branches, fix +them in an irregular kind of circle, of uncertain +dimensions; which having done, they bend the +extremities of these branches so as to meet in a +centre at top, where they bind them by a kind +of woodbine, called supple-jack, which they +split by holding it in their teeth. This frame, +or skeleton of a hut, is made tight against the +weather with a covering of boughs and bark; +but as the bark is not got without some trouble, +they generally take it with them when they +remove, putting it at the bottom of their canoes:<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_105" id="Page_105">[105]</a></span> +the rest of the wigwam they leave standing. +The fire is made in the middle of the wigwam, +round which they sit upon boughs; and as +there is no vent for the smoke, besides the +door-way, which is very low, except through +some crevices, which cannot easily be stopped, +they are not a little incommoded on that account; +and the eyes of some of them are much +affected by it.</p> + +<p>But to return: in this wigwam, into which I +took the liberty to introduce myself, I found +only two women, who, upon first seeing a figure +they were not accustomed to, and such a figure +too as I then made, were struck with astonishment. +They were sitting by a fire, to which I +approached without any apology. However +inclined I might have been to make one, my +ignorance of their language made it impossible +to attempt it. One of these women appeared +to be young, and very handsome for an Indian; +the other old, and as frightful as it is possible +to conceive any thing in human shape to be. +Having stared at me some little time, they both<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_106" id="Page_106">[106]</a></span> +went out; and I, without any farther ceremony, +sat me down by the fire to warm myself, and +dry the rags I wore. Yet I cannot say my situation +was very easy, as I expected every instant +to see two or three men come in and thrust me +out, if they did not deal with me in a rougher +manner.</p> + +<p>Soon after the two women came in again, +having, as I supposed, conferred with the Indian, +our conductor; and appearing to be in great +good-humour, began to chatter and laugh immoderately. +Perceiving the wet and cold condition +I was in, they seemed to have compassion +on me, and the old woman went out and +brought some wood, with which she made a +good fire; but my hunger being impatient, I +could not forbear expressing my desire that +they would extend their hospitality a little +further, and bring me something to eat. They +soon comprehended my meaning, and the +younger beginning to rummage under some +pieces of bark that lay in the corner of the wigwam, +produced a fine large fish: this they pre<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_107" id="Page_107">[107]</a></span>sently +put upon the fire to broil; and when it +was just warm through, they made a sign for +me to eat. They had no need to repeat the +invitation; I fell to, and dispatched it in so +short a time, that I was in hopes they would +comprehend, without further tokens, that I was +ready for another; but it was of no consequence, +for their stock of eatables was entirely +exhausted.</p> + +<p>After sitting some time in conference together, +in which conversation I could bear no part, the +women made some signs to me to lay down and +go to sleep, first having strewed some dry +boughs upon the ground. I laid myself down, +and soon fell fast asleep; and about three or +four hours after awaking, I found myself covered +with a bit of blanket, made of the down of +birds, which the women usually wear about +their waist. The young woman, who had carefully +covered me, whilst sleeping, with her own +blanket, was lying close by me: the old woman +lay on the other side of her. The fire was low, +and almost burnt out; but as soon as they<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_108" id="Page_108">[108]</a></span> +found me awake they renewed it, by putting on +more fuel. What I had hitherto eat served +only to sharpen my appetite; I could not help, +therefore, being earnest with them to get me +some more victuals. Having understood my +necessities, they talked together some little time; +after which getting up, they both went out, +taking with them a couple of dogs, which they +train to assist them in fishing. After an hour's +absence, they came in trembling with cold, and +their hair streaming with water, and brought +two fish; which having broiled, they gave me +the largest share; and then we all laid down +as before to rest.</p> + +<p>In the morning my curiosity led me to visit +the neighbouring wigwams, in which were only +one or two men; the rest of the inhabitants +were all women and children. I then proceeded +to enquire after Captain Cheap and our Indian +guide, whom I found in the wigwam they at +first occupied: the authority of the cacique +had procured the Captain no despicable entertainment. +We could not learn what business<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_109" id="Page_109">[109]</a></span> +the men, whose wives and children were here +left behind, were gone out upon; but as they +seldom or never go upon fishing-parties (for +they have no hunting here) without their wives, +who take the most laborious part of this pursuit +upon themselves, it is probable they were gone +upon some warlike expedition, in which they +use bows and arrows sometimes, but always the +lance. This weapon they throw with great +dexterity and force, and never stir abroad without +it. About this time their return was looked +for; a hearing by no means pleasant to me; +I was, therefore, determined to enjoy myself as +long as they were absent, and make the most of +the good fare I was possessed of; to the pleasure +of which I thought a little cleanliness might in +some measure contribute; I therefore went to +a brook, and taking off my shirt, which might +be said to be alive with vermin, set myself +about to wash it; which having done as well as +I could, and hung on a bush to dry, I heard a +bustle about the wigwams; and soon perceived +that the women were preparing to depart, having<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_110" id="Page_110">[110]</a></span> +stripped their wigwams of their bark covering, +and carried it into their canoes. Putting on, +therefore, my shirt just as it was, I hastened to +join them, having a great desire of being present +at one of their fishing parties.</p> + +<p>It was my lot to be put into the canoe with +my two patronesses, and some others who assisted +in rowing; we were in all four canoes. +After rowing some time, they gained such an +offing as they required, where the water here +was about eight or ten fathom deep, and there +lay upon their oars. And now the youngest of +the two women, taking a basket in her mouth, +jumped overboard, and diving to the bottom, +continued under water an amazing time: when +she had filled the basket with sea-eggs, she +came up to the boat-side; and delivering it so +filled to the other women in the boat, they took +out the contents, and returned it to her. The +diver, then, after having taken a short time to +breathe, went down and up again with the same +success; and so several times for the space of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_111" id="Page_111">[111]</a></span> +half an hour. It seems as if Providence had +endued this people with a kind of amphibious +nature, as the sea is the only source from +whence almost all their subsistence is derived. +This element too, being here very boisterous, +and falling with a most heavy surf upon a +rugged coast, very little, except some seal, is to +be got any where but in the quiet bosom of the +deep. What occasions this reflection is the +early propensity I had so frequently observed +in the children of these savages to this occupation; +who, even at the age of three years, +might be seen crawling upon their hands and +knees among the rocks and breakers; from +which they would tumble themselves into the +sea without regard to the cold, which is here +often intense; and showing no fear of the noise +and roaring of the surf.</p> + +<p>This sea-egg is a shell-fish, from which +several prickles project in all directions, by +means whereof it removes itself from place to +place. In it are found four or five yolks, resem<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_112" id="Page_112">[112]</a></span>bling +the inner divisions of an orange, which +are of a very nutritive quality, and excellent +flavour.</p> + +<p>The water was at this time extremely cold;<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_113" id="Page_113">[113]</a></span> +and when the divers got into the boats, they +seemed greatly benumbed; and it is usual with +them after this exercise, if they are near enough +their wigwams, to run to the fire; to which +presenting one side, they rub and chafe it for +some time; then turning the other, use it in +the same manner, till the circulation of the +blood is restored. This practice, if it has no +worse effect, must occasion their being more +susceptible of the impressions of cold, than if +they waited the gradual advances of their +natural warmth in the open air. I leave it to +the decision of the gentlemen of the faculty, +whether this too hasty approach to the fire may +not subject them to a disorder I observed among +them, called the elephantiasis, or swelling of +the legs.<a name="FNanchor_A_5" id="FNanchor_A_5"></a><a href="#Footnote_A_5" class="fnanchor">[5]</a></p> + +<p>The divers having returned to their boats, +we continued to row till towards evening, when +we landed upon a low point. As soon as the +canoes were hauled up, they employed themselves +in erecting their wigwams, which they +dispatch with great address and quickness. I +still enjoyed the protection of my two good +Indian women, who made me their guest here +as before; they first regaled me with sea-eggs, +and then went out upon another kind of fishery +by the means of dogs and nets. These dogs +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_114" id="Page_114">[114]</a></span>are a cur-like looking animal, but very sagacious, +and easily trained to this business. +Though in appearance an uncomfortable sort of +sport, yet they engage in it readily, seem to +enjoy it much, and express their eagerness by +barking every time they raise their heads above +the water to breathe. The net is held by two +Indians, who get into the water; then the +dogs, taking a large compass, dive after the +fish, and drive them into the net; but it is +only in particular places that the fish are taken +in this manner. At the close of the evening, the +women brought in two fish, which served us for +supper; and then we reposed ourselves as before. +Here we remained all the next day; and the morning +after embarked again, and rowed till noon; +then landing, we descried the canoes of the Indian +men, who had been some time expected from an +expedition they had been upon. This was soon to +make a great alteration in the situation of my +affairs, a presage of which I could read in the +melancholy countenance of my young hostess. +She endeavoured to express herself in very<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_115" id="Page_115">[115]</a></span> +earnest terms to me; but I had not yet acquired +a competent knowledge of the Indian +language to understand her.</p> + +<p>As soon as the men were landed, she and the +old Indian woman went up, not without some +marks of dread upon them, to an elderly Indian +man, whose remarkable surly and stern countenance +was well calculated to raise such sensations +in his dependents. He seemed to be a cacique, +or chief man among them, by the airs of importance +he assumed to himself, and the deference +paid him by the rest. After some little +conference passed between these Indians, and +our cacique conductor, of which, most probably, +the circumstances of our history, and +the occasion of our coming here, might be the +chief subject, for they fixed their eyes constantly +upon us, they applied themselves to +building their wigwams. I now understood +that the two Indian women with whom I had +sojourned, were wives to this chieftain, though +one was young enough to be his daughter; and +as far as I could learn, did really stand in the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_116" id="Page_116">[116]</a></span> +different relations to him both of daughter and +wife. It was easy to be perceived that all did +not go well between them at this time: either +that he was not satisfied with the answers that +they returned him to his questions, or that he +suspected some misconduct on their side; for +presently after, breaking out into savage fury, +he took the young one up in his arms, and +threw her with violence against the stones; +but his brutal resentment did not stop here, he +beat her afterwards in a cruel manner. I could +not see this treatment of my benefactress without +the highest concern for her, and rage +against the author of it; especially as the +natural jealousy of these people gave occasion +to think that it was on my account she suffered. +I could hardly suppress the first emotions of +my resentment, which prompted me to return +him his barbarity in his own kind; but besides +that this might have drawn upon her fresh +marks of his severity, it was neither politic, nor +indeed in my power, to have done it to any +good purpose at this time.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_117" id="Page_117">[117]</a></span></p> + +<p>Our cacique now made us understand that +we must embark directly, in the same canoe +which brought us, and return to our companions; +and that the Indians we were about +to leave, would join us in a few days, when we +should all set out in a body, in order to proceed +to the northward. In our way back, +nothing very material happened; but upon our +arrival, which was the next day, we found Mr. +Elliot, the surgeon, in a very bad way; his +illness had been continually increasing since +we left him. Mr. Hamilton and Mr. Campbell +were almost starved, having fared very ill since +we left them: a few sea-eggs were all the subsistence +they had lived upon; and these procured +by the cacique's wife, in the manner I +mentioned before. This woman was the very +reverse of my hostess; and as she found her +husband was of so much consequence to us, +took upon her with much haughtiness, and +treated us as dependents and slaves. He was +not more engaging in his carriage towards us; +he would give no part of what he had to spare<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_118" id="Page_118">[118]</a></span> +to any but Captain Cheap, whom his interest +led him to prefer to the rest, though our wants +were often greater. The captain, on his part, +contributed to keep us in this abject situation, +by approving this distinction the cacique +showed to him. Had he treated us with not +quite so much distance, the cacique might +have been more regardful of our wants. The +little regard and attention which our necessitous +condition drew from Captain Cheap, may +be imputed likewise, in some measure, to the +effects of a mind soured by a series of crosses +and disappointments; which, indeed, had operated +on us all to a great neglect of each +other, and sometimes of ourselves.</p> + +<p>We were not suffered to be in the same +wigwam with the cacique and his wife; which, +if we had had any countenance from Captain +Cheap, would not have been refused. What +we had made for ourselves was in such a +bungling manner, that it scarce deserved the +name even of this wretched sort of habitation. +But our untoward circumstances now found<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_119" id="Page_119">[119]</a></span> +some relief in the arrival of the Indians we +waited for; who brought with them some seal, +a small portion of which fell to our share. A +night or two after they sent out some of their +young men, who procured us a quantity of a +very delicate kind of birds, called shags and +cormorants. Their manner of taking these +birds resembles something a sport called bat fowling. +They find out their haunts among the +rocks and cliffs in the night, when taking with +them torches made of the bark of the birch +tree, which is common here, and grows to a +very large size, (this bark has a very unctuous +quality, and emits a bright and clear light, and +in the northern parts of America is used frequently +instead of a candle,) they bring the +boat's side as near as possible to the rocks, +under the roosting-places of these birds; then +waving their lights backwards and forwards, the +birds are dazzled and confounded so as to fall +into the canoe, where they are instantly knocked +on the head with a short stick the Indians take +with them for that purpose.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_120" id="Page_120">[120]</a></span></p> + +<p>Seals are taken in some less frequented parts +of these coasts, with great ease; but when +their haunts have been two or three times disturbed, +they soon learn to provide for their +safety, by repairing to the water upon the first +alarm. This is the case with them hereabouts; +but as they frequently raise their heads above +water, either to breathe or look about them, +I have seen an Indian at this interval, throw +his lance with such dexterity as to strike the +animal through both its eyes, at a great distance; +and it is very seldom that they miss +their aim.</p> + +<p>As we were wholly unacquainted with these +methods of providing food for ourselves, and +were without arms and ammunition, we were +driven to the utmost straits; and found ourselves +rather in worse condition than we had +been at any time before. For the Indians +having now nothing to fear from us, we found +we had nothing to expect from them upon +any other motive. Accordingly, if ever they +did relieve us, it was through caprice; for at<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_121" id="Page_121">[121]</a></span> +most times they would shew themselves unconcerned +at our greatest distresses. But the +good Indian women, whose friendship I had +experienced before, continued, from time to +time, their good offices to me. Though I was +not suffered to enter their wigwams, they would +find opportunities of throwing in my way such +scraps as they could secrete from their husbands. +The obligation I was under to them on +this account was great, as the hazard they ran +in conferring these favours was little less than +death. The men, unrestrained by any laws or +ties of conscience, in the management of their +own families, exercise a most despotic authority +over their wives, whom they consider in the +same view as any other part of their property, +and dispose of them accordingly: even their +common treatment of them is cruel; for though +the toil and hazard of procuring food lies entirely +upon the women, yet they are not suffered +to touch any part of it till the husband is satisfied; +and then he assigns them their portion, +which is generally very scanty, and such as he<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_122" id="Page_122">[122]</a></span> +has not a stomach for himself. This arbitrary +proceeding, with respect to their own families, +is not peculiar to this people only. I have had +occasion to observe it in more instances than +this I have mentioned, among many other +nations of savages I have since seen.</p> + +<p>These Indians are of a middling stature, +well set, and very active; and make their way +among the rocks with an amazing agility. +Their feet, by this kind of exercise, contract a +callosity which renders the use of shoes quite +unnecessary to them. But before I conclude +the few observations I have to make on a people +so confined in all their notions and habits, it +may be expected I should say something of +their religion; but as their gross ignorance is in +nothing more conspicuous, and as we found it +advisable to keep out of their way when the fits of +devotion came upon them, which is rather frantic +than religious, the reader can expect very little +satisfaction on this head. Accident has sometimes +made me unavoidably a spectator of +scenes I should have chosen to have withdrawn<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_123" id="Page_123">[123]</a></span> +myself from; and so far I am instructed. As +there are no fixed seasons for their religious +exercises, the younger people wait till the elders +find themselves devoutly disposed; who begin +the ceremony by several deep and dismal groans, +which rise gradually to a hideous kind of +singing, from which they proceed to enthusiasm, +and work themselves into a disposition +that borders on madness; for suddenly jumping +up, they snatch firebrands from the fire, put +them in their mouths, and run about burning +every body they come near: at other times, it +is a custom with them to wound one another +with sharp muscle-shells till they are besmeared +with blood. These orgies continue +till those who preside in them foam at the +mouth, grow faint, are exhausted with fatigue, +and dissolve in a profusion of sweat. When +the men drop their part in this frenzy, the +women take it up, acting over again much the +same kind of wild scene, except that they +rather outdo the men in shrieks and noise. Our +cacique, who had been reclaimed from these<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_124" id="Page_124">[124]</a></span> +abominations by the Spaniards, and just knew +the exterior form of crossing himself, pretended +to be much offended at these profane ceremonies, +and that he would have died sooner +than have partaken of them. Among other +expressions of disapprobation, he declared that +whilst the savages solemnized these horrid rites, +he never failed to hear strange and uncommon +noises in the woods, and to see frightful visions; +and assured us, that the devil was the chief +actor among them upon these occasions.</p> + +<p>It might be about the middle of March, that +we embarked with these Indians. They separated +our little company entirely, not putting +any two of us together in the same canoe. The +oar was my lot, as usual, as also Mr. Campbell's; +Mr. Hamilton could not row, and Captain +Cheap was out of the question; our surgeon +was more dead than alive at the time, and lay +at the bottom of the canoe he was in. The +weather coming on too bad for their canoes to +keep the sea, we landed again, without making +great progress that day. Here Mr. Elliot, our<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_125" id="Page_125">[125]</a></span> +surgeon, died. At our first setting out, he promised +the fairest for holding out, being a very +strong, active young man: he had gone through +an infinite deal of fatigue, as Mr. Hamilton and +he were the best shots amongst us, and whilst +our ammunition lasted never spared themselves, +and in a great measure provided for the rest; +but he died the death many others had done +before him, being quite starved. We scraped +a hole for him in the sand, and buried him in +the best manner we could. Here I must relate +a little anecdote of our Christian cacique. He +and his wife had gone off, at some distance from +the shore, in their canoe, when she dived for +sea-eggs; but not meeting with great success, +they returned a good deal out of humour. A +little boy of theirs, about three years old, whom +they appeared to be dotingly fond of, watching +for his father and mother's return, ran into the +surf to meet them: the father handed a basket +of sea-eggs to the child, which being too heavy +for him to carry, he let it fall; upon which the +father jumped out of the canoe, and catching<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_126" id="Page_126">[126]</a></span> +the boy up in his arms, dashed him with the +utmost violence against the stones. The poor +little creature lay motionless and bleeding, and +in that condition was taken up by the mother; +but died soon after. She appeared inconsolable +for some time; but the brute his father shewed +little concern about it. A day or two after we +put to sea again, and crossed the great bay I +mentioned we had been to the bottom of, when +we first hauled away to the westward. The +land here was very low and sandy, with something +like the mouth of a river which discharged +itself into the sea; and which had been taken +no notice of by us before, as it was so shallow +that the Indians were obliged to take every +thing out of their canoes, and carry it over the +neck of land, and then haul the boats over into +a river, which at this part of it was very broad, +more resembling a lake than a river. We rowed +up it for four or five leagues, and then took into +a branch of it, that ran first to the eastward, +and then to the northward: here it became +much narrower, and the stream excessively<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_127" id="Page_127">[127]</a></span> +rapid, so that we made but little way, though +we worked very hard. At night we landed +upon its banks, and had a most uncomfortable +lodging, it being a perfect swamp; and we had +nothing to cover us, though it rained very hard. +The Indians were little better off than we, as +there was no wood here to make their wigwams; +so that all they could do was to prop up the +bark they carry in the bottom of their canoes +with their oars, and shelter themselves as well +as they could to leeward of it. They, knowing +the difficulties that were to be encountered +here, had provided themselves with some seal; +but we had not the least morsel to eat, after the +heavy fatigues of the day, excepting a sort of +root we saw some of the Indians make use of, +which was very disagreeable to the taste. We +laboured all the next day against the stream, +and fared as we had done the day before. The +next day brought us to the carrying-place. +Here was plenty of wood; but nothing to be +got for sustenance. The first thing the Indians +did was to take every thing out of their canoes;<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_128" id="Page_128">[128]</a></span> +and after hauling them ashore, they made their +wigwams. We passed this night, as generally +we had done, under a tree; but what we suffered +at this time is not easily to be expressed. I +had been three days at the oar without any +kind of nourishment, but the wretched root I +mentioned before. I had no shirt, as mine was +rotted off by bits, and we were devoured by +vermin. All my clothes consisted of an old +short grieko, which is something like a bearskin, +with a piece of a waistcoat under it, +which once had been of red cloth, both +which I had on when I was cast away; I had +a ragged pair of trowsers, without either shoe +or stocking. The first thing the Indians did +in the morning was to take their canoes to +pieces: and here, for the information of the +reader, it will be necessary to describe the structure +of these boats, which are extremely well +calculated for the use of these Indians, as they +are frequently obliged to carry them over land +a long way together, through thick woods, to +avoid doubling capes and headlands in seas<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_129" id="Page_129">[129]</a></span> +where no open boat could live. They generally +consist of five pieces, or planks; one for the +bottom, and two for each side; and as these +people have no iron tools, the labour must be +great in hacking a single plank out of a large +tree with shells and flints, though with the help +of fire. Along the edges of the plank they +make small holes, at about an inch from one to +the other, and sew them together with the supple-jack, +or woodbine; but as these holes are +not filled up by the substance of the woodbine, +their boats would be immediately full of water +if they had not a method of preventing it. They +do this very effectually by the bark of a tree, +which they first steep in water for some time, +and then beat it between two stones till it +answers the use of oakum, and then chinse each +hole so well, that they do not admit of the least +water coming through, and are easily taken +asunder and put together again. When they +have occasion to go over land, as at this time, +each man or woman carries a plank; whereas +it would be impossible for them to drag a heavy<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_130" id="Page_130">[130]</a></span> +boat entire. Every body had something to +carry except Captain Cheap; and he was obliged +to be assisted, or never would have got over this +march; for a worse than this, I believe, never +was made. He, with the others, set out some +time before me. I waited for two Indians, who +belonged to the canoe I came in; and who +remained to carry over the last of the things +from the side we were on. I had a piece of +wet heavy canvas, which belonged to Captain +Cheap, with a bit of stinking seal wrapped in +it (which had been given him that morning by +some of the Indians) to carry upon my head, +which was a sufficient weight for a strong man +in health, through such roads, and a grievous +burthen to one in my condition. Our way was +through a thick wood, the bottom of which was +a mere quagmire, most part of it up to our +knees, and often to our middle; and every now +and then we had a large tree to get over, for +they often lay directly in our road. Besides +this, we were continually treading upon the +stumps of trees, which were not to be avoided,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_131" id="Page_131">[131]</a></span> +as they were covered with water; and having +neither shoe nor stocking, my feet and legs +were frequently torn and wounded. Before I +had got half a mile, the two Indians had left +me; and making the best of my way, lest they +should be all gone before I got to the other +side, I fell off a tree that crossed the road, into +a very deep swamp, where I very narrowly +escaped drowning, by the weight of the burthen +I had on my head. It was a long while before +I could extricate myself from this difficulty; +and when I did my strength was quite exhausted. +I sat down under a tree, and there +gave way to melancholy reflections. However, +as I was sensible these reflections would answer +no end, they did not last long. I got up, and +marking a great tree, I there deposited my load, +not being able to carry it any farther, and set +out to join my company. It was some hours +before I reached my companions. I found +them sitting under a tree, and sat myself down +by them without speaking a word; nor did they +speak to me, as I remember, for some time;<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_132" id="Page_132">[132]</a></span> +when Captain Cheap, breaking silence, began +to ask after the seal and piece of canvas. I +told him the disaster I had met with, which he +might have easily guessed by the condition the +rags I had on were in, as well as having my +feet and ancles cut to pieces: but instead of +compassion for my sufferings, I heard nothing +but grumbling from every one, for the irreparable +loss they had sustained by me. I made no +answer; but after resting myself a little, I got +up and struck into the wood, and walked back +at least five miles to the tree I had marked, and +returned just time enough to deliver it before +my companions embarked, with the Indians, +upon a great lake, the opposite part of which +seemed to wash the foot of the Cordilleras. I +wanted to embark with them; but was given +to understand I was to wait for some other +Indians that were to follow them. I knew not +where these Indians were to come from: I was +left alone upon the beach, and night was at +hand. They left me not even a morsel of the +stinking seal that I had suffered so much about.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_133" id="Page_133">[133]</a></span> +I kept my eyes upon the boats as long as I +could distinguish them; and then returned into +the wood, and sat myself down upon the root +of a tree, having eat nothing the whole day but +the stem of a plant which resembles that of an +artichoke, which is of a juicy consistence, and +acid taste. Quite worn out with fatigue, I soon +fell asleep; and awaking before day, I thought +I heard some voices at no great distance from +me. As the day appeared, looking further into +the wood, I perceived a wigwam, and immediately +made towards it; but the reception I +met with was not at all agreeable; for stooping +to get into it, I presently received two or three +kicks in my face, and at the same time heard +the sound of voices seemingly in anger; which +made me retire, and wait at the foot of a tree, +where I remained till an old woman peeped out, +and made signs to me to draw near. I obeyed +very readily, and went into the wigwam: in it +were three men and two women; one young +man seemed to have great respect shewn to him +by the rest, though he was the most miserable<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_134" id="Page_134">[134]</a></span> +object I ever saw. He was a perfect skeleton, +and covered with sores from head to foot. I +was happy to sit a moment by their fire, as I +was quite benumbed with cold. The old woman +took out a piece of seal, holding one part of it +between her feet, and the other end in her +teeth, and then cut off some thin slices with a +sharp shell, and distributed them about to the +other Indians. She then put a bit on the fire, +taking a piece of fat in her mouth, which she +kept chewing, every now and then spirting +some of it on the piece that was warming upon +the fire; for they never do more with it than +warm it through. When it was ready, she +gave me a little bit, which I swallowed whole, +being almost starved. As these Indians +were all strangers to me, I did not know +which way they were going; and indeed it was +now become quite indifferent to me which way +I went, whether to the northward or southward, +so that they would but take me with them, and +give me something to eat. However, to make +them comprehend me, I pointed first to the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_135" id="Page_135">[135]</a></span> +southward, and after to the lake, and I soon +understood they were going to the northward. +They all went out together, excepting the sick +Indian, and took up the plank of the canoe, +which lay near the wigwam, and carried it to +the beach, and presently put it together; and +getting every thing into it, they put me to the +oar. We rowed across the lake to the mouth +of a very rapid river, where we put ashore for +that night, not daring to get any way down in +the dark; as it required the greatest skill, even +in the day, to avoid running foul of the stumps +and roots of trees, of which this river was full. +I passed a melancholy night, as they would not +suffer me to come near the wigwam they had +made; nor did they give me the least bit of +any one thing to eat since we embarked. In +the morning we set off again. The weather +proved extremely bad the whole day. We +went down the river at an amazing rate; and +just before night they put ashore upon a stony +beach. They hauled the canoe up, and all +disappeared in a moment, and I was left quite<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_136" id="Page_136">[136]</a></span> +alone: it rained violently, and was very dark. +I thought it was as well to lay down upon the +beach, half side in water, as to get into a swamp +under a dropping tree. In this dismal situation +I fell asleep, and awaked three or four +hours after in such agonies with the cramp, +that I thought I must die upon the spot. I +attempted several times to raise myself upon +my legs, but could not. At last I made shift +to get upon my knees, and looking towards +the wood I saw a great fire at some distance +from me. I was a long time crawling to it; +and when I reached it, I threw myself almost +into it, in hopes of finding some relief from the +pain I suffered. This intrusion gave great +offence to the Indians, who immediately got up, +kicking and beating me till they drove me some +distance from it; however I contrived a little +after to place myself so as to receive some +warmth from it, by which I got rid of the +cramp. In the morning we left this place, and +were soon after out of the river. Being now at +sea again, the Indians intended putting ashore<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_137" id="Page_137">[137]</a></span> +at the first convenient place, to look for shell-fish, +their stock of provisions having been quite +exhausted for some time. At low water we +landed upon a spot that seemed to promise +well; and here we found plenty of limpets. +Though at this time starving, I did not attempt +to eat one, lest I should lose a moment in +gathering them; not knowing how soon the +Indians might be going again. I had almost +filled my hat when I saw them returning to the +canoe. I made what haste I could to her; for +I believe they would have made no conscience +of leaving me behind. I sat down to my oar +again, placing my hat close to me, every now +and then eating a limpet. The Indians were +employed the same way, when one of them, +seeing me throw the shells overboard, spoke to +the rest in a violent passion; and getting up, +fell upon me, and seizing me by an old ragged +handkerchief I had about my neck, almost +throttled me; whilst another took me by the +legs, and was going to throw me overboard, if +the old woman had not prevented them. I<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_138" id="Page_138">[138]</a></span> +was all this time entirely ignorant by what +means I had given offence, till I observed that +the Indians, after eating the limpets, carefully +put the shells in a heap at the bottom of the +canoe. I then concluded there was some superstition +about throwing these shells into the sea, +my ignorance of which had very nearly cost me +my life. I was resolved to eat no more limpets +till we landed, which we did some time after +upon an island. I then took notice that the +Indians brought all their shells ashore, and laid +them above high water mark. Here, as I was +going to eat a large bunch of berries I had +gathered from a tree, for they looked very +tempting, one of the Indians snatched them +out of my hand and threw them away, making +me to understand that they were poisonous. +Thus, in all probability, did these people now +save my life, who, a few hours before, were +going to take it from me for throwing away a +shell.</p> + +<p>In two days after, I joined my companions +again; but do not remember that there was the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_139" id="Page_139">[139]</a></span> +least joy shewn on either side at meeting. At +this place was a very large canoe belonging to +our guide, which would have required at least +six men to the oar to have made any kind of +expedition: instead of that, there was only +Campbell and myself, besides the Indian, his +companion, or servant, to row, the cacique himself +never touching an oar, but sitting with his +wife all the time much at his ease. Mr. Hamilton +continued in the same canoe he had been +in all along, and which still was to keep us +company some way further, though many of +the others had left us. This was dreadful hard +work to such poor starved wretches as we were, +to be slaving at the oar all day long in such +a heavy boat; and this inhuman fellow would +never give us a scrap to eat, excepting when he +took so much seal that he could not contrive to +carry it all away with him, which happened very +seldom. After working like galley-slaves all +day, towards night, when we landed, instead of +taking any rest, Mr. Campbell and I were sometimes +obliged to go miles along shore to get a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_140" id="Page_140">[140]</a></span> +few shell-fish; and just as we had made a little +fire in order to dress them, he has commanded +us into the boat again, and kept us rowing the +whole night without ever landing. It is impossible +for me to describe the miserable state we +were reduced to: our bodies were so emaciated, +that we hardly appeared the figures of men. It +has often happened to me in the coldest night, +both in hail and snow, where we had nothing +but an open beach to lie down upon, in order +to procure a little rest, that I have been obliged +to pull off the few rags I had on, as it was impossible +to get a moment's sleep with them on +for the vermin that swarmed about them; though +I used, as often as I had time, to take my clothes +off, and putting them upon a large stone, beat +them with another, in hopes of killing hundreds +at once; for it was endless work to pick them +off. What we suffered from this, was ten times +worse even than hunger. But we were clean in +comparison to Captain Cheap; for I could compare +his body to nothing but an ant-hill, with +thousands of those insects crawling over it; for<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_141" id="Page_141">[141]</a></span> +he was now past attempting to rid himself in the +least from this torment, as he had quite lost +himself, not recollecting our names that were +about him, or even his own. His beard was as +long as a hermit's: that and his face being +covered with train-oil and dirt, from having long +accustomed himself to sleep upon a bag, by the +way of a pillow, in which he kept the pieces of +stinking seal. This prudent method he took to +prevent our getting at it whilst he slept. His +legs were as big as mill-posts, though his body +appeared nothing but skin and bone.</p> + +<p>One day we fell in with about forty Indians, +who came down to the beach we landed on, +curiously painted. Our cacique seemed to +understand but little of their language, and it +sounded to us very different from what we had +heard before. However, they made us comprehend +that a ship had been upon the coast not +far from where we then were, and that she had +a red flag: this we understood some time after +to have been the Anne pink, whose adventures +are particularly related in Lord Anson's voyage;<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_142" id="Page_142">[142]</a></span> +and we passed through the very harbour she had +lain in.</p> + +<p>As there was but one small canoe that intended +to accompany us any longer, and that +in which Mr. Hamilton had been to this time, +intended to proceed no farther to the northward, +our cacique proposed to him to come +into our canoe, which he refused, as the insolence +of this fellow was to him insupportable; +he therefore rather chose to remain where he +was, till chance should throw in his way some +other means of getting forward: so here we +left him; and it was some months before we +saw him again.</p> + +<p>We now got on, by very slow degrees, to the +northward; and as the difficulties and hardships +we daily went through would only be a +repetition of those already mentioned, I shall +say no more, but that at last we reached an +island, about thirty leagues to the southward +of Chiloe. Here we remained two days for a +favourable opportunity to cross the bay, the +very thoughts of which seemed to frighten our<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_143" id="Page_143">[143]</a></span> +cacique out of his senses; and, indeed, there +was great reason for his apprehensions; for +there ran a most dreadful hollow sea, dangerous, +indeed, for any open boat whatever, +but a thousand times more for such a crazy +vessel as we were in. He at length mustered +up resolution enough to attempt it, first having +crossed himself for an hour together, and made +a kind of lug-sail out of the bits of blankets +they wore about them, sewed together with +split supple jacks. We then put off, and a +terrible passage we had. The bottom plank of +the canoe was split, which opened upon every +sea; and the water continually rushing over +the gunnel, I may say that we were in a manner +full the whole way over, though all hands were +employed in baling without ceasing a moment. +As we drew near the shore, the cacique was +eager to land, having been terrified to that +degree with this run, that if it had not been +for us, every soul must have perished; for he +had very near got in amongst the breakers, +where the sea drove with such violence upon<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_144" id="Page_144">[144]</a></span> +the rocks, that not even an Indian could have +escaped, especially as it was in the night. We +kept off till we got into smooth water, and +landed upon the island of Chiloe; though in a +part of it that was not inhabited. Here we +staid all the next day, in a very heavy snow, to +recover ourselves a little after our fatigue; but +the cold was so excessive, having neither shoe +nor stocking, we thought we should have lost +our feet; and Captain Cheap was so ill, that if +he had had but a few leagues further to have +gone without relief, he could not have held out. +It pleased God now that our sufferings, in a +great measure, were drawing to an end.</p> + +<p>What things our cacique had brought with +him from the wreck, he here buried under +ground, in order to conceal them from the +Spaniards, who would not have left him a rusty +nail if they had known of it. Towards evening, +we set off again; and about nine the same +night, to our great joy, we observed something +that had the appearance of a house. It belonged +to an acquaintance of our cacique; and as he<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_145" id="Page_145">[145]</a></span> +was possessed of my fowling-piece, and we had +preserved about one charge of powder, he +made us load it for him, and desired we would +show him how to discharge it; upon which, +standing up, and holding his head from it as far +as possible, he fired, and fell back into the +bottom of the canoe. The Indians belonging +to the house, not in the least used to fire-arms, +ran out and hid themselves in the woods. But +after some time, one of them, bolder than the +rest, got upon a hill, and hollowed to us, +asking who and what we were. Our cacique +now made himself known, and they presently +came down to the boat, bringing with them +some fish, and plenty of potatoes. This was the +most comfortable meal we had made for many +long months; and as soon as this was over, we +rowed about two miles farther to a little village, +where we landed. Here our cacique presently +awoke all the inhabitants by the noise he +made, and obliged one of them to open his +door to us, and immediately to make a large +fire; for the weather was very severe, this<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_146" id="Page_146">[146]</a></span> +being the month of June, the depth of winter +in this part of the world. The Indians now +flocked thick about us, and seemed to have +great compassion for us, as our cacique related +to them what part he knew of our history. +They knew not what countrymen we were, nor +could our guide inform them; for he had often +asked us if we were French, Dutch, or English, +the only nations he had ever heard of besides +the Spaniards. We always answered we were +from Grande Bretagne, which he could make +nothing of; for we were afraid, if he knew us +to be English, as he had heard that nation was +at war with the Spaniards, he never would have +conducted us to Chiloe.</p> + +<p>These good-natured compassionate creatures +seemed to vie with each other who should take +the most care of us. They made a bed of sheepskins +close to the fire, for Captain Cheap, and +laid him upon it; and indeed, had it not been +for the kind assistance he now met with, he +could not have survived three days longer. +Though it was now about midnight, they went<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_147" id="Page_147">[147]</a></span> +out and killed a sheep, of which they made +broth, and baked a large cake of barley-meal. +Any body may imagine what a treat this was to +wretches who had not tasted a bit of bread, or +any wholesome diet, for such a length of time. +After we could eat no longer, we went to sleep +about the fire, which the Indians took good care +to keep up. In the morning, the women came +from far and near, each bringing with her something. +Almost every one had a pipkin in her +hand, containing either fowls or mutton made +into broth, potatoes, eggs, or other eatables. +We fell to work as if we had eat nothing in the +night, and employed ourselves so for the best +part of the day. In the evening, the men filled +our house, bringing with them some jars of a +liquor they called chicha, made of barley-meal, +and not very unlike our oat-ale in taste, which +will intoxicate those who drink a sufficient quantity +of it; for a little has no effect. As soon as +the drink was out, a fresh supply of victuals was +brought in; and in this manner we passed the +whole time we remained with these hospitable<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_148" id="Page_148">[148]</a></span> +Indians. They are a strong well-made people, extremely +well featured, both men and women, and +vastly neat in their persons. The men's dress is +called by them a puncho, which is a square piece +of cloth, generally in stripes of different colours, +with a slit in the middle of it wide enough to let +their heads through, so that it hangs on their +shoulders, half of it falling before, and the other +behind them: under this they wear a short kind of +flannel shirt without sleeves or neck. They have +wide-knee'd breeches, something like the Dutch +seamen, and on their legs a sort of knit buskins +without any feet to them; but never any shoes. +Their hair is always combed very smooth, and +tied very tight up in a great bunch close to the +neck: some wear a very neat hat of their own +making, and others go without. The women +wear a shift like the men's shirts, without +sleeves; and over it a square piece of cloth, +which they fasten before with a large silver +pin, and a petticoat of different stripes: they +take as much care of their hair as the men; +and both have always a kind of fillet bound<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_149" id="Page_149">[149]</a></span> +very tight about the forehead, and made fast +behind: in short, these people are as cleanly +as the several savage nations we had met with +before were beastly. Upon our first coming +here, they had dispatched a messenger to the +Spanish corregidore at Castro, a town a considerable +distance from hence, to inform him of +our arrival. At the end of three days, this man +returned with an order to the chief caciques of +these Indians we were amongst, to carry us +directly to a certain place, where there would +be a party of soldiers to receive us. These poor +people now seemed to be under great concern +for us, hearing by the messenger the preparations +that were making to receive us; for they +stand in vast dread of the Spanish soldiery. +They were very desirous of knowing what +countrymen we were. We told them we were +English, and at that time at war with the +Spaniards; upon which they appeared fonder +of us than ever; and I verily believe, if they +durst, would have concealed us amongst them, +lest we should come to any harm. They are so<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_150" id="Page_150">[150]</a></span> +far from being in the Spanish interest, that +they detest the very name of a Spaniard. And, +indeed, I am not surprised at it; for they are +kept under such subjection, and such a laborious +slavery, by mere dint of hard usage and +punishments, that it appears to me the most +absurd thing in the world, that the Spaniards +should rely upon these people for assistance +upon any emergency. We embarked in the +evening, and it was night before we got to the +place where we were to be delivered up to the +Spanish guard. We were met by three or four +officers, and a number of soldiers, all with their +spados drawn, who surrounded us as if they +had the most formidable enemy to take charge +of, instead of three poor helpless wretches, who, +notwithstanding the good living we had met +with amongst these kind Indians, could hardly +support ourselves. They carried us to the top +of a hill, and there put us under a shed; for it +consisted of a thatched roof, without any sides +or walls, being quite open; and here we were +to lay upon the cold ground. All sorts of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_151" id="Page_151">[151]</a></span> +people now came to stare at us as a sight; but +the Indian women never came empty-handed; +they always brought with them either fowls, +mutton, or some kind of provision to us; so +that we lived well enough. However, we found +a very sensible difference between the treatment +we had met with from the Indians, and +what we now experienced from the Spaniards. +With the former, we were quite at liberty to do +as we pleased; but here, if we only went ten +yards to attempt at getting rid of some of the +vermin that devoured us, we had two soldiers, +with drawn spados, to attend us. About the +third day, a Jesuit from Castro came to see us; +not from a motive of compassion, but from a +report spread by our Indian cacique, that we +had some things of great value about us. Having +by chance seen Captain Cheap pull out a +gold repeating watch, the first thing the good +father did was to lug out of his pocket a bottle +of brandy, and give us a dram, in order to +open our hearts. He then came roundly to the +point, asking us if we had saved no watches or<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_152" id="Page_152">[152]</a></span> +rings. Captain Cheap declared he had nothing, +never suspecting that the Indian had seen his +watch, having, as he thought, always taken +great care to conceal it from him; but knowing +that Campbel had a silver watch, which had +been the property of our surgeon, he desired +him to make it a present to the jesuit, telling +him, at the same time, that as these people had +great power and authority, it might be of service +to us hereafter. This Campbel very unwillingly +did, and received from the father, not +long after, a pitiful present, not a quarter part +of the value of the rim of the watch. We +understood afterwards, that this had come to +the governor's ears, who was highly offended +at it, as thinking that if any thing of that sort +had been to be had, it was his due; and did +not spare the jesuits in the least upon the occasion. +Soon after this, the officer of the guard +informed us there was an order come to +carry us to Castro. In the evening, we were +conducted to the water-side, and put into a +large periago; and there were several more, to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_153" id="Page_153">[153]</a></span> +attend us, full of soldiers. About eight o'clock +at night, we were off the town. The boats all +laid upon their oars, and there was a great deal +of ceremony used in hailing and asking for the +keys, as if it had been a regular fortification. +After some time, we landed; but could see +neither gates nor walls, nor any thing that had +the appearance of a garrison. As we walked +up a steep hill into the town, the way was +lined with men who had broomsticks upon their +shoulders instead of muskets, and a lighted +match in their hands. When we came to the +corregidore's house, we found it full of people. +He was an old man, very tall, with a long +cloak on, a tie-wig without any curl, and a +spado of immense length by his side. He +received us in great state and form; but as +we had no interpreter, we understood little or +nothing of the questions he asked us. He +ordered a table to be spread for us with cold +ham and fowls; which we three only sat down +to, and in a short time dispatched more than +ten men with common appetites would have<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_154" id="Page_154">[154]</a></span> +done. It is amazing, that our eating to that +excess we had done, from the time we first got +amongst these kind Indians, had not killed us; +we were never satisfied, and used to take all +opportunities, for some months after, of filling +our pockets when we were not seen, that we +might get up two or three times in the night to +cram ourselves. Captain Cheap used to declare, +that he was quite ashamed of himself. After +supper, the corregidore carried us to the jesuits' +college, attended by the soldiers, and all the +rabble of the town. This was intended, at +present, for our prison, till orders were received +from the governor, who resided at Chaco, above +thirty leagues from this place. When we got +to the college, the corregidore desired the father +provincial, as they styled him, or head of the +jesuits here, to find out what religion we were +of, or whether we had any or not. He then +retired, the gates were shut, and we were +conducted to a cell. We found in it something +like beds spread on the floor, and an +old ragged shirt a-piece, but clean, which was<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_155" id="Page_155">[155]</a></span> +of infinite service to us; nor did eating at +first give me half the satisfaction this treasure +of an old shirt did. Though this college was +large, there were but four jesuits in it, nor were +there any more of that order upon the island. +In the morning Captain Cheap was sent for +by the father provincial: their conversation +was carried on in Latin, perhaps not the +best on either side; however, they made shift +to understand one another. When he returned, +he told us the good fathers were still +harping upon what things of value we might +have saved and concealed about us; and that +if we had any thing of that sort, we could not +do better than let them have it. Religion +seemed to be quite out of the question at present; +but a day or two after the corregidore +being informed that we were heretics, he desired +these jesuits would convert us; but one +of them told him it was a mere joke to attempt +it, as we could have no inducement upon that +island to change our religion, but that when +we got to Chili, in such a delightful country as<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_156" id="Page_156">[156]</a></span> +that was, where there was nothing but diversions +and amusements, we should be converted +fast enough. We kept close to our cell till the +bell rang for dinner, when we were conducted +into a hall, where there was one table for the +fathers, and another for us. After a very long +Latin prayer, we sat down and eat what was +put before us, without a single word passing at +either table. As soon as we had finished, +there was another long prayer, which, however, +did not appear so tedious as the first; +and then we retired to our cell again. In this +manner we passed eight days without ever +stirring out; all which time one might have +imagined one's-self out of the world; for excepting +the bell for dinner, a silence reigned +throughout the whole, as if the place had been +uninhabited. A little before dark, on the +eighth evening, we heard a violent knocking +at the gate, which was no sooner opened than +there entered a young officer booted and spurred, +who acquainted the fathers that he was sent +by the governor to conduct us to Chaco. This<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_157" id="Page_157">[157]</a></span> +young man was the governor's son; by which +means he obtained a commission next in authority, +upon this island, to his father. He ought +to have been kept at school, for he was a vain, +empty coxcomb, much disliked by the people +of the island. After taking leave of the jesuits, +who I imagined were not sorry to be rid of us, +after finding their expectations balked, we +set out, having about thirty soldiers on horseback +to attend us. We rode about eight miles +that night, when we came to an Estancia, or +farm-house, belonging to an old lady who had +two handsome daughters. Here we were very +well entertained, and the good old lady seemed +to have great compassion for us. She asked +the governor's son if he thought his father +would have any objection to my passing a month +with her at her farm. As she was a person of +rank in this island, he said he would acquaint +his father with her request, and made no doubt +but he would grant it. I observed our soldiers, +when they came into the house, had none of +them any shoes on, but wore buskins, like the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_158" id="Page_158">[158]</a></span> +Indians, without any feet to them. They all +had monstrous great spurs, some of silver and +others of copper, which made a rattling when +they walked like chains. They were all stout, +strong-looking men, as the Spaniards, natives +of the island, in general are. After a good +supper, we had sheepskins laid near the fire +for us to sleep on. Early in the morning we +mounted again, and after riding some miles +across the country, we came to the water-side, +where we found several periagos waiting for us, +with some officers in them. Most of the soldiers +dismounted and embarked with us, a few +only being sent round with the horses. It +was three days before we arrived at Chaco, as +the tides between this island and the main are +so rapid that no boat can stem them. The +same precaution was taken here as at Castro; +we passed through a whole lane of soldiers, +armed as I mentioned those to have been before, +excepting a few, who really had matchlocks, +the only fire-arms they have here. The +soldiers, upon our journey, had given a pom<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_159" id="Page_159">[159]</a></span>pous +account of el Palacio del Rey, or the +king's palace, as they styled the governor's +house, and therefore we expected to see something +very magnificent; but it was nothing +better than a large thatched barn, partitioned +off into several rooms. The governor was +sitting at a large table covered with a piece of +red serge, having all the principal officers about +him. After some time he made us sit down, +attempting to converse with us by his linguist, +who was a stupid old fellow, that could neither +talk English nor Spanish, but said he was +born in England, had resided above forty years +in that country, and having formerly been a +buccaneer, was taken by the Spaniards near +Panama. The governor kept us to supper, +and then we were conducted across the court to +our apartment, which was a place that had +served to keep the fire wood for the governor's +kitchen; however, as it was dry over head, we +thought ourselves extremely well lodged. There +was a soldier placed at the door with a drawn +spado in his hand, to prevent our stirring out;<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_160" id="Page_160">[160]</a></span> +which was quite unnecessary, as we knew not +where to go if we had been at liberty. One of +these soldiers took a great fancy to my ragged +grieko, which had still some thousands about +it; and in exchange gave me an old puncho, +the sort of garment with a hole in the middle to +put one's head through, as above related to be +worn by the Indians; and for the little bit of +my waistcoat that remained, he gave me a pair +of breeches. I now should have thought myself +very handsomely equipped, if I had had +but another shirt. The next day, about noon, +the governor sent for us, and we dined at his +table; after which we returned to our lodging, +where we were never alone, for every body was +curious to see us. We passed about a week in +this manner, when the sentinel was taken off, +and we were allowed to look about us a little, +though not to go out of the palace, as they +were pleased to call it. We dined every day +with the governor; but were not very fond of +his fast days, which succeeded each other too +quickly. I contrived to make friends with his<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_161" id="Page_161">[161]</a></span> +steward and cook, by which means I always +carried my pockets full to my apartment, where +I passed my time very agreeably. Soon after, +we had leave to walk about the town, or go +wherever we pleased. Every house was open +to us; and though it was but an hour after +we had dined, they always spread a table, +thinking we never could eat enough after what +we had suffered; and we were much of the +same opinion. They are, in general, a charitable, +good sort of people, but very ignorant, and +governed by their priests, who make them +believe just what they please. The Indian +language is chiefly spoken here, even by the +Spaniards one amongst another; and they say +they think it a finer language than their own. +The women have fine complexions, and many +of them are very handsome; they have good +voices, and can strum a little upon the guitar; +but they have an ugly custom of smoking +tobacco, which is a very scarce commodity +here; and therefore is looked upon as a great +treat when they meet at one another's houses.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_162" id="Page_162">[162]</a></span> +The lady of the house comes in with a large +wooden pipe crammed with tobacco; and after +taking two or three hearty whiffs, she holds +her head under her cloak lest any of the smoke +should escape, and then swallows it; some +time after you see it coming out of her nose +and ears. She then hands the pipe to the next +lady, who does the same, till it has gone +through the whole company. Their houses are +but very mean, as will be easily imagined by +what I have said of the governor's. They +make their fire in the middle of their rooms, +but have no chimneys; there is a small hole at +each end of the roof to let the smoke out. It +is only the better sort of people that eat bread +made of wheat, as they grow but very little +here, and they have no mills to grind it; but +then they have great plenty of the finest potatoes +in the world: these are always roasted in +the ashes, then scraped, and served up at meals +instead of bread. They breed abundance of +swine, as they supply both Chili and Peru +with hams. They are in no want of sheep,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_163" id="Page_163">[163]</a></span> +but are not overstocked with cows; owing, in +a great measure, to their own indolence in not +clearing away the woods, which if they would +be at the pains to do, they might have sufficient +pasture. Their trade consists in hams, hogs-lard, +which is used throughout all South America +instead of butter; cedar plank, which the +Indians are continually employed in cutting +quite to the foot of the Cordilleras; little carved +boxes, which the Spanish ladies use to put +their work in; carpets, quilts, and punchos +neatly embroidered all round; for these, both +in Chili and Peru, are used by the people of +the first fashion, as well as the inferior sort, by +way of riding-dress, and are esteemed to be +much more convenient for a horseman than +any kind of coat whatever.</p> + +<p>They have what they call an annual ship +from Lima, as they never expect more than +one in the year; though sometimes it happens +that two have come, and at other times they +have been two or three years without any. +When this happens they are greatly distressed,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_164" id="Page_164">[164]</a></span> +as this ship brings them baize, cloth, linens, +hats, ribbons, tobacco, sugar, brandy, and +wine; but this latter article is chiefly for the +use of the churches: matte, an herb from +Paraguay, used all over South America instead +of tea, is also a necessary article. This ship's +cargo is chiefly consigned to the jesuits, who +have more Indians employed for them than all +the rest of the inhabitants together, and of +course engross almost the whole trade. There +is no money current in this island. If any +person wants a few yards of linen, a little +sugar, tobacco, or any other thing brought from +Peru, he gives so many cedar planks, hams, or +punchos, in exchange. Some time after we +had been here, a snow arrived in the harbour +from Lima, which occasioned great joy amongst +the inhabitants, as they had no ship the year +before, from the alarm Lord Anson had given +upon the coast. This was not the annual +vessel, but one of those that I mentioned before +which come unexpectedly. The captain of +her was an old man, well known upon the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_165" id="Page_165">[165]</a></span> +island, who had traded here once in two or +three years, for more than thirty years past. +He had a remarkable large head, and therefore +was commonly known by a nick-name they had +given him of Cabuço de Toro, or Bull's-head. +He had not been here a week before he came +to the governor, and told him, with a most +melancholy countenance, that he had not slept +a wink since he came into the harbour, as the +governor was pleased to allow three English +prisoners liberty to walk about instead of confining +them; and that he expected every moment +they would board his vessel, and carry her +away: this he said when he had above thirty +hands aboard. The governor assured him he +would be answerable for us, and that he might +sleep in quiet; though at the same time he +could not help laughing at the man, as all the +people in the town did. These assurances did +not satisfy the captain: he used the utmost +dispatch in disposing of his cargo, and put to +sea again, not thinking himself safe till he had +lost sight of the island. It was about three<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_166" id="Page_166">[166]</a></span> +months after us that Mr. Hamilton was brought +in by a party that the governor had sent to the +southward on purpose to fetch him. He was +in a wretched condition upon his first arrival, +but soon recovered with the good living he +found here.</p> + +<p>It is usual for the governor to make a tour, +every year, through the several districts belonging +to his government: on this occasion he took +us with him. The first place he visited was +Carelmapo, on the main; and from thence to +Castro. At these places he holds a kind of +court; all the chief caciques meeting him, and +informing him of what has passed since his last +visit, and receiving fresh orders for the year to +come. At Castro we had the same liberty we +enjoyed at Chaco, and visited every body. It +seemed they had forgot all the ceremony used +upon our first landing here, which was with an +intent to make us believe it was strongly fortified; +for now they let us see plainly that they +had neither fort nor gun. At Chaco they had +a little earthen fort, with a small ditch palisa<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_167" id="Page_167">[167]</a></span>doed +round it, and a few old honey-combed +guns without carriages, and which do not defend +the harbour in the least. Whilst we were +at Castro, the old lady, (at whose house we lay +the first night upon leaving the jesuits' college) +sent to the governor, and begged I might be +allowed to come to her for a few weeks: this +was granted; and accordingly I went and +passed about three weeks with her very happily, +as she seemed to be as fond of me as if I had +been her own son. She was very unwilling to +part with me again; but as the governor was +soon to return to Chaco, he sent for me, and I +left my benefactress with regret.</p> + +<p>Amongst the houses we visited at Castro, +there was one belonging to an old priest, who +was esteemed one of the richest persons upon +the island. He had a niece, of whom he was +extremely fond, and who was to inherit all he +possessed. He had taken a great deal of pains +with her education, and she was reckoned one +of the most accomplished young ladies of Chiloe. +Her person was good, though she could not be<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_168" id="Page_168">[168]</a></span> +called a regular beauty. This young lady did +me the honour to take more notice of me than I +deserved, and proposed to her uncle to convert +me, and afterwards begged his consent to marry +me. As the old man doted upon her, he +readily agreed to it; and accordingly on the +next visit I made him, acquainted me with the +young lady's proposal, and his approbation of +it, taking me at the same time into a room +where there were several chests and boxes, +which he unlocked; first shewing me what a +number of fine clothes his niece had, and then +his own wardrobe, which he said should be +mine at his death. Amongst other things, he +produced a piece of linen, which he said should +immediately be made up into shirts for me. I +own this last article was a great temptation to +me; however, I had the resolution to withstand +it, and made the best excuses I could for not +accepting of the honour they intended me; for +by this time I could speak Spanish well enough +to make myself understood.</p> + +<p>Amongst the Indians who had come to meet<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_169" id="Page_169">[169]</a></span> +the governor here, there were some caciques of +those Indians who had treated us so kindly at +our first landing upon Chiloe. One of these, a +young man, had been guilty of some offence, and +was put in irons, and threatened to be more +severely punished. We could not learn his +crime, or whether the governor did not do it in +a great measure to shew us his power over these +Indian chiefs: however, we were under great +concern for this young man, who had been +extremely kind to us, and begged Captain +Cheap to intercede with the governor for him. +This he did, and the cacique was released; the +governor acquainting him at the same time, +with great warmth, that it was to us only he +owed it, or otherwise he would have made a +severe example of him. The young man seemed +to have been in no dread of farther punishment, +as I believe he felt all a man could do from the +indignity of being put in irons in the public +square, before all his brother caciques and many +hundreds of other Indians. I thought this was +not a very politic step of the governor, as the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_170" id="Page_170">[170]</a></span> +cacique came after to Captain Cheap to thank +him for his goodness, and in all probability +would remember the English for some time +after; and not only he, but all the other caciques +who had been witnesses of it, and who seemed +to feel, if possible, even more than the young +man himself did. We now returned to Chaco, +and the governor told me, when the annual ship +came, which they expected in December, we +should be sent in her to Chili. We felt several +earthquakes while we were here. One day as I +happened to be upon a visit at a house where I +was very well acquainted, an Indian came in, +who lived at many leagues distance from this +town, and who had made this journey in order +to purchase some little trifles he wanted; +amongst other things, he had bought some +prints of saints. Very proud of these, he produced +them, and put them into the hands of the +women, who very devoutly first crossed themselves +with them, and afterwards kissed them; +then gave them to me, saying at the same time, +they supposed such a heretic as I was would<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_171" id="Page_171">[171]</a></span> +refuse to kiss them. They were right in their +conjectures: I returned them to the Indian +without going through that ceremony. At that +very instant, there happened a violent shock of +an earthquake, which they imputed entirely to +the anger of the saints; and all quitted the +house as fast as they could, lest it should fall +upon their heads. For my part, I made the +best of my way home for fear of being knocked +on the head, when out of the house, by the +rabble, who looked on me as the cause of all +this mischief, and did not return to that house +again till I thought this affair was forgotten.</p> + +<p>Here is a very good harbour; but the entrance +is very dangerous for those who are unacquainted +with it, as the tides are so extremely rapid, and +there are sunken rocks in the mid-channel. +The island is above seventy leagues round; +and the body of it lies in about 40° 20' +south, and is the most southern settlement the +Spaniards have in these seas. Their summer is +of no long duration, and most of the year round +they have hard gales of wind and much rain.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_172" id="Page_172">[172]</a></span> +Opposite the island, upon the Cordilleras, there +is a volcano, which, at times, burns with great +fury, and is subject to violent eruptions. One +of these alarmed the whole island, whilst we +were here: it sounded in the night like great +guns. In the morning, the governor mounted +his horse, and rode backwards and forwards from +his house to the earthen fort, saying it was the +English coming in, but that he would give +them a warm reception; meaning, I suppose, +that he would have left them a good fire in his +house; for I am certain he would soon have +been in the woods, if he had seen any thing like +an English ship coming in.</p> + +<p>Women of the first fashion here seldom wear +shoes or stockings in the house, but only keep +them to wear upon particular occasions. I have +often seen them coming to the church, which +stood opposite to the governor's house, barelegged, +walking through mud and water; and +at the church door put on their shoes and +stockings, and pull them off again when they +came out. Though they are in general hand<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_173" id="Page_173">[173]</a></span>some, +and have good complexions, yet many of +them paint in so ridiculous a manner, that it is +impossible to help laughing in their faces when +you see them. The governor we found here +was a native of Chili. The government, which +is appointed by that presidency, is for three +years; which appears to be a long banishment +to them, as their appointments are but small, +though they make the most of it. The towns +of Castro and Chaco, consist only of scattered +houses, without a regular street; though both +have their places or squares, as almost all +Spanish towns have. Chaco is very thinly +inhabited, excepting at the time the Lima ship +arrives; then they flock thither from all parts +of the island, to purchase what little matters +they want; and as soon as that is done, retire +to their estancias, or farms. It was about the +middle of December this ship came in; and +the second of January, 1742-3, we embarked +on board of her. She was bound to Valparaiso. +We got out to sea with some difficulty, having +been driven by the strength of the tide very<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_174" id="Page_174">[174]</a></span> +near those sunken rocks mentioned before. We +found a great sea without; and as the ship was +as deep as any laden collier, her decks were continually +well washed. She was a fine vessel, of +about two hundred and fifty tons. The timber +the ships of this country are built of is excellent, +as they last a prodigious time; for they assured +us that the vessel we were then in had been built +above forty years. The captain was a Spaniard, +and knew not the least of sea affairs; the second +captain, or master, the boatswain, and his mate, +were all three Frenchmen, and very good seamen; +the pilot was a Mulatto, and all the rest +of the crew were Indians and Negroes. The +latter were all slaves and stout fellows; but never +suffered to go aloft, lest they should fall overboard, +and the owners lose so much money +by it. The Indians were active, brisk men, and +very good seamen for that climate. We had on +board the head of the jesuits as passenger. He +and Captain Cheap were admitted into the great +cabin, and messed with the captain and his +chaplain. As for us, we were obliged to rough it<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_175" id="Page_175">[175]</a></span> +the whole passage; that is, when we were tired +we lay down upon the quarter-deck, in the open +air, and slept as well as we could; but that was +nothing to us, who had been used to fare so +much worse. We lived well, eating with the +master and boatswain, who always had their +meals upon the quarter-deck, and drank brandy +at them as we do small beer; and all the rest +of the day were smoking cigars.</p> + +<p>The fifth day we made the land four or five +leagues to the southward of Valparaiso; and +soon after falling calm, a great western swell +hurried us in very fast towards the shore. We +dropped the lead several times, but had such +deep water we could not anchor. They were +all much alarmed, when the jesuit came out of +the cabin for the first time, having been sea-sick +the whole passage. As soon as he was informed +of the danger, he went back into the cabin, and +brought out the image of some saint, which he +desired might be hung up in the mizen-shrouds; +which being done, he kept threatening it, that +if we had not a breeze of wind soon, he would<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_176" id="Page_176">[176]</a></span> +certainly throw it overboard. Soon after, we +had a little wind from off the land, when the +jesuit carried the image back with an air of +great triumph, saying he was certain that we +should not be without wind long, though he +had given himself over for lost some time before +it came. Next morning we anchored in the +port of Valparaiso. In that part which is +opposite to the fort, ships lay so near the land, +that they have generally three anchors ashore, +as there is eight or ten fathom close to; and +the flaws come off the hills with such violence, +that if it was not for this method of securing +them, they would be blown out. This is only +in summer time, for in the winter months no +ships ever attempt to come in here; the northerly +winds then prevail, and drive in such a sea +that they must soon be ashore. The Spanish +captain waited upon the governor of the fort, +and informed him that he had four English +prisoners on board. We were ordered ashore +in the afternoon, and were received as we got +upon the beach, by a file of soldiers, with their<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_177" id="Page_177">[177]</a></span> +bayonets fixed, who surrounded us, and then +marched up to the fort, attended by a numerous +mob. We were carried before the governor, +whose house was full of officers. He was +blind, asked a few questions, and then spoke +of nothing but the strength of the garrison he +commanded, and desired to know if we had +observed that all the lower battery was brass +guns. We were immediately after, by his +order, put into the condemned hole. There +was nothing but four bare walls, excepting a +heap of lime that filled one third of it, and +made the place swarm with fleas in such a +manner that we were presently covered with +them. Some of Admiral Pizarro's soldiers were +here in garrison that had been landed from his +ships at Buenos Ayres, as he could not get +round Cape Horn. A centinel's box was placed +at our door, and we had always a soldier with +his bayonet fixed, to prevent our stirring out. +The curiosity of the people was such, that our +prison was continually full from morning till +night, by which the soldiers made a pretty<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_178" id="Page_178">[178]</a></span> +penny, as they took money from every person +for the sight. In a few days, Captain Cheap +and Mr. Hamilton were ordered up to St. Jago, +as they were known to be officers by having +saved their commissions; but Mr. Campbell +and I were to continue in prison. Captain +Cheap expressed great concern when he left +us; he told me it was what he had all along +dreaded, that they would separate us when we +got into this country; but he assured me, if he +was permitted to speak to the president, that +he would never leave soliciting him till he +obtained a grant for me to be sent up to him. +No sooner were they gone than we fared very +badly. A common soldier, who was ordered to +provide for us by the governor, brought us +each, once a day, a few potatoes mixed with +hot water. The other soldiers of the garrison, +as well as the people who flocked to see us, +took notice of it, and told the soldier it was +cruel to treat us in that manner. His answer +was, "The governor allows me but half a real +a day for each of these men; what can I do?<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_179" id="Page_179">[179]</a></span> +It is he that is to blame: I am shocked every +time I bring them this scanty pittance, though +even that could not be provided for the money +he gives them." We from this time lived +much better, and the soldier brought us even +wine and fruit. We took it for granted, that +our case had been represented to the governor, +and that he had increased our pay. As to the +first, we were right in our conjectures; it had +been mentioned to him, that it was impossible +we could subsist on what he allowed; and his +answer to it was, that we might starve; for we +should have no more from him, and that he +believed he should never be repaid even that. +This charitable speech of the governor was +made known every where, and now almost +every one who came to see us gave us something; +even the mule-drivers would take out +their tobacco pouch, in which they kept their +money, and give us half a real. All this we +would have given to our soldier, but he never +would receive a farthing from us, telling us we +might still want it; and the whole time we were<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_180" id="Page_180">[180]</a></span> +there, which was some weeks, he laid aside +half his daily pay to supply us, though he had +a wife and six children, and never could have +the least hope or expectation of any recompence. +However, two years after this, I had the singular +pleasure of making him some return, +when my circumstances were much better than +his. One night, when we were locked up, +there happened a dreadful shock of an earthquake. +We expected, every moment, the roof +and walls of our prison to fall in upon us, and +crush us to pieces; and what added to the +horror of it was, the noise of chains and imprecations +in the next prison which joined to ours, +where there were near seventy felons heavily +loaded with irons, who are kept here to work +upon the fortifications, as in other countries +they are condemned to the gallies. A few days +after this, we were told an order was come from +the president to the governor to send us up to +St. Jago, which is ninety miles from Valparaiso, +and is the capital of Chili. There were +at this time several ships in the port from<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_181" id="Page_181">[181]</a></span> +Lima delivering their cargoes; so that almost +every day there were large droves of mules +going up to St. Jago with the goods. The +governor sent for one of the master-carriers, +and ordered him to take us up with him. The +man asked him how he was to be paid our +expences, as he should be five days upon the +road. The governor told him he might get that +as he could, for he would not advance him a +single farthing. After taking leave of our +friendly soldier, who even now brought us some +little matters to carry with us, we set out, and +travelled about fourteen miles the first day, and +lay at night in the open field, which is always +the custom of these people, stopping where +there is plenty of pasture and good water for +the mules. The next morning we passed over +a high mountain, called Zapata; and then +crossing a large plain, we passed another mountain, +very difficult for the mules, who each +carried two heavy bales: there were above a +hundred of them in this drove. The mules of +Chili are the finest in the world; and though<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_182" id="Page_182">[182]</a></span> +they are continually upon the road, and have +nothing but what they pick up at nights, they +are as fat and sleek as high-fed horses in +England. The fourth night we lay upon a +plain in sight of St. Jago, and not above four +leagues from it. The next day, as we moved +towards the city, our master-carrier, who was +naturally well disposed, and had been very kind +to us all the way upon the road, advised me, +very seriously, not to think of remaining in +St. Jago, where he said there was nothing but +extravagance, vice, and folly, but to proceed on +with them as mule-driver, which, he said, I +should soon be very expert at; and that they +led an innocent and happy life, far preferable +to any enjoyment such a great city as that +before us could afford. I thanked him, and +told him I was very much obliged to him; but +that I would try the city first, and if I did not +like it, I would accept of the offer he was so +good to make me. The thing that gave him +this high opinion of me was, that as he had +been so civil to us, I was very officious in assist<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_183" id="Page_183">[183]</a></span>ing +to drive in those mules that strayed from +the rest upon those large plains we passed over; +and this I thought was the least I could do +towards making some returns for the obligations +we were under to him.</p> + +<p>When we got into St. Jago, the carrier delivered +us to the captain of the guard, at the +palace gate; and he soon after introduced us to +the president, Don Joseph Manso, who received +us very civilly, and then sent us to the house +where Captain Cheap and Mr. Hamilton were. +We found them extremely well lodged at the +house of a Scotch physician, whose name was +Don Patricio Gedd. This gentleman had been +a long time in this city, and was greatly +esteemed by the Spaniards, as well for his +abilities in his profession, as his humane disposition. +He no sooner heard that there were +four English prisoners arrived in that country, +than he waited upon the president, and begged +they might be lodged at his house. This was +granted; and had we been his own brothers, +we could not have met with a more friendly<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_184" id="Page_184">[184]</a></span> +reception; and during two years that we were +with him, his constant study was to make every +thing as agreeable to us as possible. We +were greatly distressed to think of the expence +he was at upon our account; but it was in vain +for us to argue with him about it. In short, +to sum up his character in a few words, there +never was a man of more extensive humanity. +Two or three days after our arrival, the president +sent Mr. Campbell and me an invitation +to dine with him, where we were to meet +Admiral Pizarro and his officers. This was a +cruel stroke upon us, as we had not any clothes +fit to appear in, and dared not refuse the invitation. +The next day, a Spanish officer belonging +to Admiral Pizarro's squadron, whose name +was Don Manuel de Guiror, came and made us +an offer of two thousand dollars. This generous +Spaniard made this offer without any view +of ever being repaid, but purely out of a compassionate +motive of relieving us in our present +distress. We returned him all the acknowledgments +his uncommon generous behaviour<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_185" id="Page_185">[185]</a></span> +merited, and accepted of six hundred dollars +only, upon his receiving our draught for that +sum upon the English consul at Lisbon. We +now got ourselves decently clothed after the +Spanish fashion; and as we were upon our +parole, we went out where we pleased to divert +ourselves.</p> + +<p>This city is situated about 33 degrees and 30 +minutes, south latitude, at the west foot of the +immense chain of mountains called the Cordilleras. +It stands on a most beautiful plain of +about thirty leagues extent. It was founded by +Don Pedro de Baldivia, the conqueror of Chili. +The plan of it was marked out by him in +squares, like Lima; and almost every house +belonging to people of any fashion, has a large +court before it, with great gates, and a garden +behind. There is a little rivulet, neatly faced +with stone, runs through every street; by which +they can cool the streets, or water their gardens, +when they please. The whole town is extremely +well paved. Their gardens are full of noble +orange-trees and floripondies, with all sorts of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_186" id="Page_186">[186]</a></span> +flowers, which perfume the houses, and even +the whole city. Much about the middle of it, is +the great square, called the Plaça Real, or the +Royal Square; there are eight avenues leading +into it. The west side contains the cathedral +and the bishop's palace; the north side is the +president's palace, the royal court, the council +house, and the prison; the south side is a row +of piazzas, the whole length of which are shops, +and over it a gallery to see the bull-feasts; the +east side has some large houses belonging to +people of distinction; and in the middle is a +large fountain, with a brass bason. The houses +have, in general, only a ground floor, upon +account of the frequent earthquakes; but they +make a handsome appearance. The churches +are rich in gilding as well as in plate: that of +the jesuits is reckoned an exceeding good piece +of architecture; but it is too high built for a +country so subject to earthquakes, and where +it has frequently happened that thousands of +people have been swallowed up at once. There +is a hill, or rather high rock, at the east end<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_187" id="Page_187">[187]</a></span> +of the city, called St. Lucia, from the top of +which you have a view of all the city, and the +country about for many leagues, affording a +very delightful landscape. Their estancias, or +country houses, are very pleasant, having generally +a fine grove of olive trees, with large vineyards +to them. The Chili wine, in my opinion, +is full as good as Madeira, and made in such +quantities that it is sold extremely cheap. The +soil of this country is so fertile, that the husbandmen +have very little trouble; for they do +but in a manner scratch up the ground, and +without any kind of manure it yields an hundred +fold. Without doubt the wheat of Chili +is the finest in the world, and the fruits are all +excellent in their kinds. Beef and mutton are +so cheap, that you may have a good cow for +three dollars, and a fat sheep for two shillings. +Their horses are extraordinary good; and though +some of them go at a great price, you may have +a very good one for four dollars, or about +eighteen shillings of our money. It must be a +very poor Indian who has not his four or five<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_188" id="Page_188">[188]</a></span> +horses; and there are no better horsemen in the +world than the Chileans; and that is not surprising, +for they never choose to go a hundred +yards on foot. They have always their laço +fixed to their saddle: the laço is a long thong +of leather, at the end of which they make a +sliding noose. It is of more general use to +them than any weapon whatever; for with this +they are sure of catching either horse or wild +bull, upon full gallop, by any foot they please. +Their horses are all trained to this, and the +moment they find the thong straitened, as the +other end is always made fast to the saddle, the +horse immediately turns short, and throwing +the beast thus caught, the huntsman wounds +or secures him in what manner he may think +proper. These people are so dexterous, that +they will take from the ground a glove or +handkerchief, while their horse is upon full +stretch; and I have seen them jump upon the +back of the wildest bull, and all the efforts of +the beast could not throw them. This country +produces all sorts of metals; it is famous for<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_189" id="Page_189">[189]</a></span> +gold, silver, iron, tin, lead, and quicksilver, +but some of these they do not understand +working, especially quicksilver. With copper +they supply all Peru, and send, likewise, +a great deal to Europe. The climate of Chili +is, I believe, the finest in the world. What +they call their winter does not last three +months; and even that is very moderate, as +may be imagined by their manner of building, +for they have no chimneys in their houses. All +the rest of the year is delightful; for though +from ten or eleven in the morning till five in +the afternoon, it is very hot, yet the evenings +and mornings are very cool and pleasant; and +in the hottest time of the year, it is from six in +the evening till two or three in the morning, +that the people of this country meet to divert +themselves with music and other entertainments, +at which there is plenty of cooling +liquors, as they are well supplied with ice from +the neighbouring Cordilleras. At these assemblies, +many intrigues are carried on; for they +think of nothing else throughout the year.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_190" id="Page_190">[190]</a></span> +Their fandangoes are very agreeable; the women +dance inimitably well, and very gracefully. +They are all born with an ear for music, and +most of them have delightful voices; and all +play upon the guitar and harp. The latter, +at first, appears a very aukward instrument for +a woman; yet that prejudice is soon got over, +and they far excel any other nation upon it. +They are extremely complaisant and polite; +and when asked either to play, dance, or sing, +they do it without a moment's hesitation, and +that with an exceeding good grace. They have +many figure-dances; but what they take most +delight in, are more like our hornpipes than +any thing else I can compare them to; and +upon these occasions they shew surprising activity. +The women are remarkably handsome, +and very extravagant in their dress. Their +hair, which is as thick as is possible to be +conceived, they wear of a vast length, without +any other ornament upon the head than a few +flowers; they plait it behind in four plaits, and +twist them round a bodkin, at each end of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_191" id="Page_191">[191]</a></span> +which is a diamond rose. Their shifts are all +over lace, as is a little tight waistcoat they +wear over them. Their petticoats are open +before, and lap over, and have commonly three +rows of very rich lace of gold or silver. In +winter they have an upper waistcoat of cloth +of gold or silver; and in summer, of the finest +linen, covered all over with the finest Flanders +lace. The sleeves of these are immensely wide. +Over all this, when the air is cool, they have a +mantle, which is only of bays, of the finest +colours, round which there is abundance of lace. +When they go abroad, they wear a veil, which +is so contrived that one eye is only seen. Their +feet are very small, and they value themselves as +much upon it as the Chinese do. Their shoes are +pinked and cut; their stockings silk, with gold +and silver clocks; and they love to have the +end of an embroidered garter hang a little +below the petticoat. They have fine sparkling +eyes, ready wit, a great deal of good nature, +and a strong disposition to gallantry.</p> + +<p>By the description of one house you have an<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_192" id="Page_192">[192]</a></span> +idea of all the rest. You first come into a large +court, on one side of which is the stable: you then +enter a hall; on one side of that is a large room, +about twenty feet wide, and near forty feet long; +the side next the window is the estrado, which +runs the whole length of the room. The estrado +is a platform, raised about five or six inches +above the floor, and is covered with carpets and +velvet cushions for the women to sit on, which +they do after the Moorish fashion, cross-legged. +The chairs for the men are covered with printed +leather. At the end of the estrado, there is an +alcove, where the bed stands; and there is always +a vast deal of the sheets hanging out, with a +profusion of lace to them, and the same on the +pillows. They have a false door to the alcove, +which sometimes is very convenient. Besides, +there are generally two other rooms, one within +another; and the kitchen and other offices are +detached from the house, either at one side or +the end of the garden.</p> + +<p>The ladies are fond of having their Mulatto +female slaves dressed almost as well as them<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_193" id="Page_193">[193]</a></span>selves +in every respect, excepting jewels, in +which they indulge themselves to the utmost +extravagance. Paraguay tea, which they call +Matte, as I mentioned before, is always drunk +twice a-day: this is brought upon a large silver +salver, with four legs raised upon it, to receive a +little cup made out of a small calabash, or gourd, +and tipped with silver. They put the herb first +into this, and add what sugar they please, and +a little orange juice; and then pour hot water on +them, and drink it immediately, through the +conveyance of a long silver tube, at the end of +which there is a round strainer, to prevent the +herb getting through. And here it is reckoned +a piece of politeness for the lady to suck the +tube two or three times first, and then give it +the stranger to drink without wiping it.</p> + +<p>They eat every thing so highly seasoned with +red pepper, that those who are not used to it, +upon the first mouthful would imagine their +throats on fire for an hour afterwards; and it is +a common custom here, though you have the +greatest plenty at your own table, to have two or<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_194" id="Page_194">[194]</a></span> +three Mulatto girls come in at the time you dine, +bringing, in a little silver plate, some of these +high-seasoned ragouts, with a compliment from +Donna such-a-one, who desires you will eat a +little bit of what she has sent you; which must +be done before her Mulatto's face, or it would +be deemed a great affront. Had this been the +fashion at Chiloe, we should never have offended; +but sometimes here we could have wished this +ceremony omitted.</p> + +<p>The president never asked any of us a second +time to his table. He expected us once a fortnight +to be at his levee, which we never failed; +and he always received us very politely. He +was a man of a very amiable character, and +much respected by every body in Chili, and some +time after we left that country, was appointed +viceroy of Peru.</p> + +<p>We had leave, whenever we asked it, to make +an excursion into the country for ten or twelve +days at a time; which we did sometimes to a +very pleasant spot belonging to Don Joseph +Dunose, a French gentleman, and a very sensi<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_195" id="Page_195">[195]</a></span>ble, +well-bred man, who had married a very +agreeable lady at St. Jago, with a very good +fortune. We also sometimes had invitations +from the Spaniards to their country-houses. +We had a numerous acquaintance in the city, +and in general received many civilities from the +inhabitants. There are a great many people of +fashion, and very good families from Old Spain +settled here. A lady lived next door to us, +whose name was Donna Francisca Giron; and as +my name sounded something like it, she would +have it that we were Parientes. She had a +daughter, a very fine young woman, who both +played and sung remarkably well: she was +reckoned the finest voice in St. Jago. They saw +a great deal of company, and we were welcome +to her house whenever we pleased. We were a +long time in this country, but we passed it very +agreeably. The president alone goes with four +horses to his coach; but the common vehicle +here is a calash, or kind of vis-à-vis, drawn by +one mule only. Bull-feasts are a common diversion +here, and they far surpass anything of that<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_196" id="Page_196">[196]</a></span> +kind I ever saw at Lisbon, or any where else. +Indeed, it is amazing to see the activity and +dexterity of those who attack the bulls. It is +always done here by those only who follow it as +a trade, for it is too dangerous to be practised as a +diversion; as a proof of which, it is found that +though some may hold out longer than others, +there are few who constantly practice it, that die a +natural death. The bulls are always the wildest +that can be brought in from the mountains or forests, +and have nothing on their horns to prevent +their piercing a man the first stroke, as they have +at Lisbon. I have seen a man, when the bull came +at him with the utmost fury, spring directly over +the beast's head, and perform this feat several +times, and at last jump on his back, and there +sit a considerable time, the bull the whole time +attempting every means to throw him. But +though this practitioner was successful, several +accidents happened while I was there. The +ladies, at these feasts, are always dressed as fine +as possible; and, I imagine, go rather to be +admired than to receive any amusement from a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_197" id="Page_197">[197]</a></span> +sight that one should think would give them +pain. Another amusement for the ladies here, +are the nights of their great processions, when +they go out veiled; and as in that dress they +cannot be known, they amuse themselves in +talking to people much in the manner that is +done at our masquerades. One night in Lent, +as I was standing close to the houses as the procession +went by, and having nothing but a thin +waistcoat on under my cloak, and happening to +have my arm out, a lady came by, and gave me +a pinch with so good a will, that I thought she +had taken the piece out; and, indeed, I carried +the marks for a long time after. I durst not +take the least notice of this at the time; for had +I made any disturbance, I should have been +knocked on the head. This kind lady immediately +after mixed with the crowd, and I never +could find out who had done me that favour. I +have seen fifty or sixty penitents following these +processions; they wear a long white garment +with a long train to it, and high caps of the +same, which fall down before, and cover all their<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_198" id="Page_198">[198]</a></span> +faces, having only two small holes for their eyes; +so that they are never known. Their backs are +bare, and they lash themselves with a cat-o'-nine-tails +till the long train behind is covered all +over with blood. Others follow them with great +heavy crosses upon their backs; so that they +groan under the weight as they walk barefooted, +and often faint away. The streets swarm with +friars of all the different orders. The president +has always a guard at his palace regularly +clothed. The rest of their forces consists of +militia, who are numerous.</p> + +<p>All European goods are very dear. English +cloth, of fourteen or fifteen shillings a yard, sells +there for ten or eleven dollars; and every other +article in proportion. We found many Spaniards +here that had been taken by Commodore +Anson, and had been for some time prisoners on +board the Centurion. They all spoke in the +highest terms of the kind treatment they had +received; and it is natural to imagine, that it +was chiefly owing to that laudable example of +humanity, our reception here was so good. They<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_199" id="Page_199">[199]</a></span> +had never had anything but privateers and buccaneers +amongst them before, who handled their +prisoners very roughly; so that the Spaniards in +general, both of Peru and Chili, had the greatest +dread of being taken by the English; but some +of them told us, that they were so happy on +board the Centurion, that they should not have +been sorry if the Commodore had taken them +with him to England. After we had been here +some time, Mr. Campbell changed his religion, +and of course left us. At the end of two +years, the president sent for us, and informed us +a French ship from Lima, bound to Spain, had +put into Valparaiso, and that we should embark +in her. After taking leave of our good friend +Mr. Gedd, and all our acquaintance at St. Jago, +we set out for Valparaiso, mules and a guide +being provided for us. I had forgot to say before, +that Captain Cheap had been allowed by the +president six reals a day, and we had four for +our maintenance the whole time we were at St. +Jago, which money we took up as we wanted it. +Our journey back was much pleasanter than we<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_200" id="Page_200">[200]</a></span> +found it when we were first brought hither, as +we had now no mules to drive. The first person +I met, upon our entrance into Valparaiso, was +the poor soldier whom I mentioned to have been +so kind to us when we were imprisoned in the +fort. I now made him a little present, which, +as it came quite unexpected, made him very +happy. We took lodgings till the ship was ready +to sail, and diverted ourselves as we pleased, +having the good fortune, at this time, to have +nothing to do with the governor or his fort. +The town is but a poor little place; there are, +indeed, a good many storehouses built by the +water side for the reception of goods from the +shipping.</p> + +<p>About the 20th of December, 1744, we embarked +on board the Lys frigate, belonging to +St. Malo. She was a ship of four hundred and +twenty tons, sixteen guns, and sixty men. She +had several passengers on board; and amongst +the rest, Don George Juan, a man of very superior +abilities, (and since that time well known in +England) who, with Don Antonio Ulloa, had<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_201" id="Page_201">[201]</a></span> +been several years in Peru, upon a design of measuring +some degrees of the meridian near the +equator. We were now bound to Conception, +in order to join three other French ships that +were likewise bound home. As this was a time +of the year when the southerly winds prevail +upon this coast, we stood off a long way to the +westward, making the island of Juan Fernandez. +We did not get into the bay of Conception till +the 6th of January, 1745, where we anchored at +Talcaguana, and there found the Louis Erasme, +the Marquis d'Antin, and the Delivrance, the +three French ships that we were to accompany. +It is but sixty leagues from Valparaiso to Conception, +though we had been so long making +this passage; but there is no beating up, near +the shore, against the southerly wind, which is +the trade at this season, as you are sure to have +a lee-current; so that the quickest way of +making a passage is to stand off a hundred +and twenty or thirty leagues from the land.</p> + +<p>The bay of Conception is a large, fine bay; +but there are several shoals in it, and only two<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_202" id="Page_202">[202]</a></span> +good anchoring-places, though a ship may anchor +within a quarter of a league of the town; +but this only in the very fine months, as you lay +much exposed. The best anchoring-place is +Talcaguana, the southernmost neck of the bay, +in five or six fathom water, good holding +ground, and where you are sheltered from the +northerly winds. The town has no other defence +than a low battery, which only commands +the anchoring-place before it. The country is +extremely pleasant, and affords the greatest +plenty of provisions of all kinds. In some +excursions we made daily from Talcaguana, +we saw great numbers of very large snakes; +but we were told they were quite harmless. I +have read some former accounts of Chili, by +the jesuits, wherein they tell you that no venomous +creature is to be found in it, and that they +even made the experiment of bringing bugs +here, which died immediately; but I never was +in any place that swarmed with them so much +as St. Jago; and they have a large spider +there, whose bite is so venomous, that I have<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_203" id="Page_203">[203]</a></span> +seen from it some of the most shocking sights +I ever saw in my life; and it certainly proves +mortal if proper remedies are not applied in +time. I was once bit by one on the cheek, +whilst asleep, and, presently after, all that part +of my face turned as black as ink. I was cured +by the application of a bluish kind of stone +(the same, perhaps, they call the serpent-stone +in the East Indies, and which is a composition). +The stone stuck, for some time, of itself on my +face, and dropping off, was put into milk till it +had digested the poison it had extracted, and +then applied again till the pain abated, and I +was soon afterwards well. Whilst the ships +remained at Conception, the people were employed +in killing cattle and salting them for +the voyage; and every ship took on board as +many bullocks and sheep as their decks could +well hold; and having completed their business +here, they sailed the 27th of January; but +about eight days after our ship sprung a very +dangerous leak forward; but so low, that there +was no possibility of stopping it without return<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_204" id="Page_204">[204]</a></span>ing +into port, and lightening her till they could +come at it. Accordingly we separated from +the other ships, and made the best of our way +for Valparaiso, keeping all hands at the pump +night and day, passengers and all. However, +as it happened, this proved a lucky circumstance +for the Lys, as the three other ships were +taken; and this certainly would have been +her fate likewise, had she kept company with +the rest. As soon as we got into port, they +lightened the ship forwards, and brought her +by the stern till they came at the leak, which +was soon stopped. They made all the dispatch +possible in completing the water again. Whilst +at Valparaiso, we had one of the most violent +shocks of an earthquake that we had ever felt +yet. On the first of March we put to sea again, +the season being already far advanced for passing +Cape Horn. The next day we went to an +allowance of a quart of water a day for each +man, which continued the whole passage. +We were obliged to stand a long way to the +westward; and went to the northward of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_205" id="Page_205">[205]</a></span> +Juan Fernandez above a degree, before we had +a wind that we could make any southing with. +On the 25th, in the latitude of 46 degrees, we +met with a violent hard gale at west, which +obliged us to lie to under a reefed mainsail for +some days; and before we got round the Cape, +we had many very hard gales, with a prodigious +sea and constant thick snow; and after being +so long in so delightful a climate as Chili, the +cold was almost insupportable. After doubling +the Cape, we got but slowly to the northward; +and, indeed, at the best of times, the ship never +went above six knots; for she was a heavy-going +thing. On the 27th of May we crossed +the line; when finding that our water was +grown extremely short, and that it would be +almost impossible to reach Europe without a +supply, it was resolved to bear away for Martinico. +On the 29th of June, in the morning, +we made the Island of Tobago, and then shaped +a course for Martinico; and on the first of +July, by our reckonings, expected to see it, but +were disappointed. This was imputed to the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_206" id="Page_206">[206]</a></span> +currents, which, whether they had set the ship +to the eastward or westward, nobody could tell; +but upon looking over the charts, it was imagined, +if the current had driven her to the +westward, it must have been among the Granadillos, +which was thought impossible without +seeing any of them, as they are so near together, +and a most dangerous place for rocks. It was +then concluded we were to the eastward, and +accordingly we steered S.W. by W., but having +run this course for above thirty leagues, and no +land appearing, it was resolved to stand to the +northward till we should gain the latitude of +Porto Rico, and on the 4th in the evening we +made that island; so that it was now certain +the ship had been hustled through the Granadillos +in the night, which was, without doubt, +as extraordinary a passage as ever ship made. +It was now resolved to go between the islands +of Porto Rico and St. Domingo for Cape François, +therefore we lay to that night. In the +morning, we made sail along shore; and about +ten o'clock, as I was walking the quarter-deck,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_207" id="Page_207">[207]</a></span> +Captain Cheap came out of the cabin, and told +me he had just seen a beef-barrel go by the +ship; that he was sure it had but lately been +thrown overboard, and that he would venture +any wager we saw an English cruizer before +long. In about half an hour after we saw two +sail to leeward, from off the quarter-deck; for +they kept no look out from the mast-head, and +we presently observed they were in chace of us. +The French and Spaniards on board now began +to grow a good deal alarmed, when it fell stark +calm; but not before the ships had neared us +so much, that we plainly discerned them to be +English men of war; the one a two-decker, +the other a twenty-gun ship. The French had +now thoughts, when a breeze should spring up, +of running the ship on shore upon Porto Rico, +but when they came to consider what a set of +banditti inhabited that island, and that in all +probability they would have their throats cut +for the sake of plundering the wreck, they were +resolved to take their chance, and stand to the +northward between the two islands. In the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_208" id="Page_208">[208]</a></span> +evening, a fresh breeze sprung up, and we +shaped a course accordingly. The two ships +had it presently afterwards, and neared us +amazingly fast. Now every body on board +gave themselves up; the officers were busy in +their cabins, filling their pockets with what was +most valuable; the men put on their best +clothes, and many of them came to me with +little lumps of gold, desiring I would take +them, as they said they had much rather I +should benefit by them, whom they were acquainted +with, than those that chased them. +I told them there was time enough, though I +thought they were as surely taken as if the +English had been already on board. A fine +moonlight night came on, and we expected +every moment to see the ships along-side of us; +but we saw nothing of them in the night, and, +to our great astonishment, in the morning no +ships were to be seen even from the mast-head. +Thus did these two cruizers lose one of the +richest prizes, by not chasing an hour or two +longer. There were near two millions of dol<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_209" id="Page_209">[209]</a></span>lars +on board, besides a valuable cargo. On the +eighth, at six in the morning, we were off Cape +La Grange; and, what is very remarkable, +the French at Cape François told us afterwards +that was the only day they ever remembered, +since the war, that the Cape had been without +one or two English privateers cruising off it; +and but the evening before, two of them had +taken two outward bound St. Domingo men, +and had gone with them for Jamaica; so that +this ship might be justly esteemed a most lucky +one. In the afternoon we came to an anchor +in Cape François harbour.</p> + +<p>In this long run we had not buried a single +man; nor do I remember that there was one +sick the whole passage; but at this place +many were taken ill, and three or four died; +for there is no part of the West Indies more +unhealthy than this; yet the country is beautiful, +and extremely well cultivated. After +being here some time, the governor ordered +us to wait upon him, which we did; when +he took no more notice of us than if we had<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_210" id="Page_210">[210]</a></span> +been his slaves, never asking us even to sit +down.</p> + +<p>Towards the end of August, a French squadron +of five men of war came in, commanded by +Monsieur L'Etanducre, who were to convoy the +trade to France. Neither he nor his officers +ever took any kind of notice of Captain Cheap, +though we met them every day ashore. One +evening, as we were going aboard with the +captain of our ship, a midshipman belonging to +Monsieur L'Etanducre, jumped into our boat, +and ordered the people to carry him on board +the ship he belonged to, leaving us to wait upon +the beach for two hours before the boat returned. +On the sixth of September we put to sea, in +company with the five men of war, and about +fifty sail of merchant-men. On the eighth we +made the Cayco Grande; and the next day a +Jamaica privateer, a large fine sloop, hove in +sight, keeping a little to windward of the convoy, +resolving to pick up one or two of them in +the night, if possible. This obliged Monsieur +L'Etanducre to send a frigate to speak to all the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_211" id="Page_211">[211]</a></span> +convoy, and order them to keep close to him in +the night; which they did, and in such a manner, +that sometimes seven or eight of them were on +board one another together; by which they +received much damage; and to repair which, +the whole squadron was obliged to lay to sometimes +for a whole day. The privateer kept her +station, jogging on with the fleet. At last, the +commodore ordered two of his best-going ships to +chase her. She appeared to take no notice of +them till they were pretty near her, and then +would make sail and be out of sight presently. +The chasing ships no sooner returned, than the +privateer was in company again. As by this +every night some accident happened to some of +the convoy by keeping so close together, a fine +ship of thirty guns, belonging to Marseilles, +hauled out a little to windward of the rest of the +fleet; which L'Etanducre perceiving in the morning, +ordered the frigate to bring the captain of her +on board of him; and then making a signal for all +the convoy to close to him, he fired a gun, and +hoisted a red flag at the ensign staff; and imme<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_212" id="Page_212">[212]</a></span>diately +after the captain of the merchant-man +was run up to the main-yard-arm, and from +thence ducked three times. He was then sent +on board his ship again, with orders to keep his +colours flying the whole day, in order to distinguish +him from the rest. We were then told, +that the person who was treated in this cruel +manner, was a young man of an exceeding good +family in the south of France, and likewise a +man of great spirit; and that he would not fail +to call Monsieur L'Etanducre to account when +an opportunity should offer; and the affair made +much noise in France afterwards. One day, the +ship we were in happened to be out of her station, +by sailing so heavily, when the commodore +made the signal to speak to our captain, who +seemed frightened out of his wits. When we +came near him, he began with the grossest +abuse, threatening our captain, that if ever he +was out of his station again, he would serve him +as he had done the other. This rigid discipline, +however, preserved the convoy; for though the +privateer kept company a long time, she was<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_213" id="Page_213">[213]</a></span> +not so fortunate as to meet with the reward of +her perseverance.</p> + +<p>On the 27th of October, in the evening, we +made Cape Ortegal; and on the 31st, came to +an anchor in Brest road. The Lys having so +valuable a cargo on board, was towed into the +harbour the next morning, and lashed alongside +one of their men of war. The money was soon +landed; and the officers and men, who had been +so many years absent from their native country, +were glad to get on shore. Nobody remained +on board but a man or two to look after the +ship, and we three English prisoners who had +no leave to go ashore. The weather was extremely +cold, and felt particularly so to us, who +had been so long used to hot climates; and what +made it still worse, we were very thinly clad. +We had neither fire nor candle; for they were +allowed on board of no ship in the harbour, for +fear of accidents, being close to their magazines +in the dock-yard. Some of the officers belonging +to the ship were so kind to send us off victuals +every day, or we might have starved; for<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_214" id="Page_214">[214]</a></span> +Monsieur L'Intendant never sent us even a +message; and though there was a very large +squadron of men of war fitting out at that time, +not one officer belonging to them ever came near +Captain Cheap. From five in the evening we +were obliged to sit in the dark; and if we chose +to have any supper, it was necessary to place it +very near us before that time, or we never could +have found it. We had passed seven or eight +days in this melancholy manner, when one +morning a kind of row-galley came alongside, +with a number of English prisoners belonging to +two large privateers the French had taken. We +were ordered into the same boat with them, and +were carried four leagues up the river to Landernaw. +At this town we were upon our parole; so +took the best lodgings we could get, and lived +very well for three months, when an order came +from the court of Spain to allow us to return +home by the first ship that offered. Upon this, +hearing there was a Dutch ship at Morlaix +ready to sail, we took horses and travelled to +that town, where we were obliged to remain six<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_215" id="Page_215">[215]</a></span> +weeks, before we had an opportunity of getting +away. At last we agreed with the master of a +Dutch dogger to land us at Dover, and paid him +beforehand. When we had got down the river +into the road, a French privateer that was almost +ready to sail upon a cruize, hailed the Dutchman, +and told him to come to an anchor; and +that if he offered to sail before him, he would +sink him. This he was forced to comply with, +and lay three days in the road, cursing the +Frenchman, who at the end of that time put to +sea, and then we were at liberty to do the same. +We had a long uncomfortable passage. About +the ninth day, before sunset, we saw Dover, and +reminded the Dutchman of his agreement to +land us there. He said he would; but instead +of that, in the morning we were off the coast of +France. We complained loudly of this piece of +villany, and insisted upon his returning to land +us, when an English man of war appeared to +windward, and presently bore down to us. She +sent her boat on board with an officer, who informed +us the ship he came from was the Squir<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_216" id="Page_216">[216]</a></span>rel, +commanded by Captain Masterson. We +went on board of her, and Captain Masterson +immediately sent one of the cutters he had with +him, to land us at Dover, where we arrived that +afternoon, and directly set out for Canterbury +upon post-horses; but Captain Cheap was so +tired by the time he got there, that he could +proceed no further that night. The next morning +he still found himself so much fatigued, that +he could ride no longer; therefore it was agreed +that he and Mr. Hamilton should take a post-chaise, +and that I should ride; but here an unlucky +difficulty was started; for upon sharing +the little money we had, it was found to be not +sufficient to pay the charges to London; and my +proportion fell so short, that it was, by calculation, +barely enough to pay for horses, without a +farthing for eating a bit upon the road, or even +for the very turnpikes. Those I was obliged to +defraud, by riding as hard as I could through +them all, not paying the least regard to the men, +who called out to stop me. The want of refreshment +I bore as well as I could. When I<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_217" id="Page_217">[217]</a></span> +got to the Borough, I took a coach and drove +to Marlborough-street, where my friends had +lived when I left England; but when I came +there, I found the house shut up. Having been +absent so many years, and in all that time never +having heard a word from home, I knew not +who was dead or who was living, or where to go +next; or even how to pay the coachman. I +recollected a linen-draper's shop, not far from +thence, which our family had used. I therefore +drove there next, and making myself known, +they paid the coachman. I then enquired after +our family, and was told my sister had married +Lord Carlisle, and was at that time in Soho-square. +I immediately walked to the house, +and knocked at the door; but the porter not +liking my figure, which was half French, half +Spanish, with the addition of a large pair of +boots covered with dirt, he was going to shut +the door in my face; but I prevailed with him +to let me come in.</p> + +<p>I need not acquaint my readers with what +surprise and joy my sister received me. She<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_218" id="Page_218">[218]</a></span> +immediately furnished me with money sufficient +to appear like the rest of my countrymen; till +that time I could not be properly said to have +finished all the extraordinary scenes which a +series of unfortunate adventures had kept me in +for the space of five years and upwards.</p> + + +<p class="foot">THE END.</p> + + +<hr class="r15" /> +<p class="footer "> +LONDON:<br /> +BRADBURY AND EVANS, BOUVERIE-STREET.<br /> +</p> + +<p class="p4">FOOTNOTES:</p> +<div class="footnote"> + +<p class="noi"><a name="Footnote_A_1" id="Footnote_A_1"></a><a href="#FNanchor_A_1"><span class="label">[1]</span></a> Captain Inglefield's account of the loss of the Centaur, +(in September, 1782), furnished Byron with many of those +trivial incidents, which, as the poet well knew, render a +story, to use Gibbon's words, "circumstancial and animated," +instead of "vague and languid;" the "eternal +difference between fiction and truth." The behaviour of +the sailors before the sinking of the ship; some lashing +themselves in their hammocks, some putting on their best +clothes; the sail made of blankets; the ragged piece of +sheet with which they caught the rain-water; the words +used by the man who first saw the land, &c. &c., are all +faithfully copied or slightly altered from Inglefield.</p> + +<p class="noi"><a name="Footnote_A_2" id="Footnote_A_2"></a><a href="#FNanchor_A_2"><span class="label">[2]</span></a> Byron's ship in this expedition was the Dolphin: she +was the second ship ever coppered in the British navy.</p> + + +<p class="noi"><a name="Footnote_A_3" id="Footnote_A_3"></a><a href="#FNanchor_A_3"><span class="label">[3]</span></a> Captain Cheap has been suspected of a design of going +on the Spanish coast without the Commodore; but no part +of his conduct seems to authorise, in the least, such a suspicion. +The author who brings this heavy charge against +him, is equally mistaken in imagining that Captain Cheap +had not instructions to sail to this island, and that the +Commodore did neither go nor send thither, to inform himself +if any of the squadron were there. This appears from +the orders delivered to the captains of the squadron, the +day before they sailed from St. Catherine's (L. Anson's +Voyage, B.I.C. 6.); from the orders of the council of +war held on board the Centurion, in the bay of St. Julian, +(C. 7.); and from the conduct of the Commodore (C. 10.) +who cruized (with the utmost hazard) more than a fortnight +off the isle of Socoro, and along the coast in its +neighbourhood. It was the second rendezvous at Baldivia, +and not that at Socoro, that the Commodore was forced by +necessity to neglect.</p> + +<p class="noi"><a name="Footnote_A_4" id="Footnote_A_4"></a><a href="#FNanchor_A_4"><span class="label">[4]</span></a> Chiloe is an island on the western coast of America, +about the 43rd deg. of S. latitude; and the southernmost +settlement under the Spanish jurisdiction on that +coast.</p> + +<p class="noi"><a name="Footnote_A_5" id="Footnote_A_5"></a><a href="#FNanchor_A_5"><span class="label">[5]</span></a> There are two very different disorders incident to the +human body, which bear the same name, derived from +some resemblance they hold with different parts of the +animal so well known in the countries to which these disorders +are peculiar. That which was first so named is the +leprosy, which brings a scurf on the skin not unlike the +hide of an elephant. The other affects the patient with +such enormous swellings of the legs and feet, that they +give the idea of those shapeless pillars which support that +creature; and therefore this disease has also been called +elephantiasis by the Arabian physicians; who, together +with the Malabarians, among whom it is endemial, attribute +it to the drinking bad waters, and the too sudden +transitions from heat to cold.</p></div> + +<p class="p4" /> +<div class="transnote"> + +<p class="center">Transcriber's Notes:<br /><br /> + +Maintained original spelling, hypenation and punctuation.<br /> + +Obvious printer errors have been corrected. +</p></div> + +<div>*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 44193 ***</div> +</body> +</html> diff --git a/44193-h/images/titlepage.jpg b/44193-h/images/titlepage.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..d98e6f7 --- /dev/null +++ b/44193-h/images/titlepage.jpg |
