A DIARY OF THE WRECK OF HIS MAJESTY’S SHIP CHALLENGER.

On the first day of April, 1835, His Majesty’s ship Challenger sailed from Rio Janeiro for the Pacific, with orders to touch at the port of Concepçion in our way to Valparaiso, at which place we hoped either to find the commodore commanding on the western coasts of South America, or directions for our further proceedings. Valparaiso and Concepçion are the two principal seaports of the republic of Chili; the former being the most important, as receiving the great bulk of manufactures, and other numerous and various exports from Europe.

The object of the Challenger’s calling at Concepçion, situated about 300 miles south of Valparaiso, and laying in the route of the latter port, was for the purpose of procuring a supply of wood and water, for which Concepçion offers peculiar facilities.

The first part of our voyage was a series of calms, with light variable winds; and our progress to the southward was slow, until we reached the latitude of 31° south. We then began to experience fresh westerly and southerly winds, which, with little variation, continued until we had arrived in the vicinity of Cape Horn. Nothing had occurred worthy of notice, except that numerous flying-fish were seen as far south as the latitude of 40°. Off the Cape, in latitude 60°, after a short interval of calm, a number of what we only know by the name of black fish attracted our attention by the peculiarity of their movements, and the closeness of their approach to the ship; and we experienced a severe gale, which began in the south, and gradually veered to S.S.W. and S.W., accompanied by an unusually high sea, with constant hail squalls.

May 4.—The wind blew violently from S. and S.S.W., with a heavy sea and hard squalls of hail and snow. It was of consequence to draw the ship to the westward, and to this end we carried our close-reefed main-topsails and reefed foresail; the wind being about two points abaft the beam; the ship behaving remarkably well, but lurching deeply; and on one occasion she made so heavy a plunge, that a long lee sea came in over all, staving in the lee quarter gallery, moving the sheet-anchor, floating our spars in the lee channels, and actually wetting the legs of several persons who were securing their holdfast under the weather bulwarks. We looked on this as a hint to batten down our main-deck hatchways; to take the canvass off her; and, as night was closing in, the main-topsail and foresail were furled, and the ship eventually hove-to, under the fore and main-staysails; the latter having been, in our first attempt to set it, blown to leeward by the carrying away of our staysail stay. In this breeze a heavy sea struck the bows and cutwater, and with a most singular result, for it carried away the crown of our figure-head from the forehead upwards; and the ominous remark of the person who reported the circumstance to the officer of the watch was, “Sir, she has lost her brains.” The weather continued stormy, with heavy squalls of hail, with little intermission, till the 6th and 7th of May; when we experienced a severe gale off the entrance of the Straits of Magellan, and under the double-reefed courses, which was as much sail as the masts and yards would bear; and, in a long high sea, the good qualities of the ship called forth the undivided praise of all on board.

May 17.—In latitude 41°, and longitude 80° 43′ W., the weather appeared to have undergone a change for the better. The barometer, which had been for several weeks very low, now rose to the height usually shown on the coasts of Peru, and the northern parts of the coast of Chili; and many were the mutual congratulations exchanged on board, on our having at length got into fine moderate weather, securing, as we conceived the ultimate object in view, that of arriving at the port of Concepçion, then only two days’ sail in distance from us. Good observations were obtained on this day, the results of which were found to agree closely with our estimation as shown by the dead reckoning. The topgallant masts were sent aloft, together with the studding-sail booms, and a variety of gear, which, during our stormy weather, had been sent on deck to relieve the masts and ship; and all the necessary sail was made in the direction of our destined port. The wind S.W.; the course steered N.N.E.

May 18.—The weather became thick, with a fresh wind. The 19th produced little change, except that we were enabled to get a good set of sights of the sun for our chronometers, by which, with our latitude by dead reckoning, we worked out our longitude, the correctness of which we had no reason whatever to doubt. At noon Concepçion bore from us N. 52°, 41° E., 146 miles. At 5 P.M. the ship was hove-to, the chain cables bent, and the usual preparation made on approaching an anchorage. The deep-sea lead was tried in upwards of 200 fathoms, but without striking soundings. Sail was again made in the ship, treble-reefed topsails, courses, and fore-topmast staysail.

At 8 P.M., after a careful examination of the ship’s place on the charts, directions were given to haul the ship to the wind on the larboard tack. This was done at about 10 minutes after 8 o’clock, and it allowed her to lay along shore, N. half E., the wind being about W.N.W., reducing her rate of going to about four knots; at which pace it was proposed to allow her to continue, until daylight permitted us to bear up, and again make sail for our destination, Talcuhuana Bay, the anchorage of Concepçion. The weather at this time was still hazy, the wind moderate, the water smooth, and stars appearing occasionally overhead, with an expected moon at midnight, promising us a quiet fine night: but the Almighty had ordered it otherwise, and a most awful and perilous shipwreck awaited us.

At about 9 45′ P.M., the look-out men having been visited but a few minutes before, breakers were seen at the same moment by them and the officer of the watch, who also remarked a new and peculiar motion in the movement of the ship. The helm was instantly put down, and the watch hurried to their stations to tack the ship; the captain, calling for the hands to be turned up as he flew upon deck, and as the ship had answered the helm though rising to a very high sea, and was coming round, hauled the after-yards. Orders were given to stand by the anchors; but almost immediately afterwards the order “to keep fast the anchors,” and haul the head-yards. In accomplishing this latter operation a high surf struck the bows; the ship, lifting to the heavy swell, got sternway, and struck with a dreadful crash, her keel taking the rocks about midships: another sea followed, which threw her on her starboard beam-ends, the surf at the same time breaking over and into the ship with a force sufficient to wash the men from the decks. Most miraculously, however, no serious accident now occurred, nor was any greater injury sustained than by the men at the helm, who were thrown over the wheel, and severely bruised. We were now at the mercy of the heaviest surf it is possible to conceive; the ship labouring in a most fearful manner, falling over on either broadside, and righting herself as the weight and force of the sea affected her; and the warning orders were reiterated to hold on, and keep out of the way of the masts, which were every moment expected to fall. The masts, however, stood, though many of the loftier back-stays, stay, and braces, came down, but, fortunately, without injury to any one.

MOLGUILLA BEACH, shewing the Wreck of H.M.S. Challenger. on the West Coast of South America in Latitude 37° 49′ S. Longitude 73° 34′ W. Wrecked on May 19^th 1835 at 9.45 P.M. Rise of Tide about 2 feet but much depends on the state of the Weather and Wind at Sea.

Reference to Plan

Ship standing in on a wind, on larboard tack head N.N.E. (true).

Ship stayed head S.S.W. when the first breaker struck her.

Position when she first struck head S.S.E.

Supposed situation when the mizen mast was cut away, the Ship having been thrown over a sunken ledge of rocks into 6 feet water sandy bottom the surf breaking over larboard side with great violence.

Ship at daylight on the 20^th when the Jollyboat left with the lead line.

Situation when abandoned on the 7^th June, buried 9 feet in the sand. The flat staff on the Leubu Head bore from Tucapel Point N b E (true) about 15 miles.

A few minutes had been sufficient to place us in this most frightful and truly awful situation; a situation requiring the greatest degree of firmness, as well as promptitude of action. A thick dense fog, which hung on the water, gave us no warning of the silent and terrible rollers; the first of which, on being discovered, launched us amongst the breakers, which were now roaring with fury around us, drenching to the skin every individual on the deck as they broke with violence into the ship. The brilliancy of the surf and spray, added to the sad and gloomy character of the night, made our frightful situation the more apparent; and, for a considerable interval of time, so heavily did the ship continue to strike, that it appeared impossible for any human power to prevent her from going to pieces, or to conceal from ourselves the appalling prospect of a watery grave for every soul on board.

By the important decision of keeping fast the anchors, and cutting away the mizzen-mast, the ship appeared to be relieved abaft, and to be thrown over rocks into what we fancied to be a shoal; whereas; if she had been at all checked by an anchor, all must have perished on the spot where she struck. A heavy surf continued to roll in on us, the spray breaking high over us on the decks: the hand-leads, however, satisfied us that we were on sand, through which the weight of the sea was forcing the ship; and, as she providentially took up a position with her bow to the surf, hope began to dawn amongst us of the ship’s holding together, and hence a chance for the safety of our lives, when daylight should assist us in discovering the means of attempting it. Another danger had also excited our apprehensions, from an appearance of dark water astern of us, inside the surf, apparently rendering it indispensable to drop our anchors to hold the ship on the sand, to avoid foundering in deep water: for we had become aware of the impossibility of keeping her afloat, as she had been seriously bilged about midships, the tanks and chain cables rising to the lower deck as the ship worked in the sand in which she was now embedded. The leads, however, continuing to assure us that she still bedded with tolerable firmness, the anchors were kept fast; the prudence and good fortune of which step daylight fully disclosed to us. On her first striking amongst the breakers, the rudder was carried away, the gun-room beams and cabin deck forced up, and a vast body of water coming in astern flooded the gun-room and lower deck: many of the timbers on the starboard side were heard to break with a fearful crash.

The excellent conduct and good discipline of all on board, in this extremity of danger, merited the highest praise. Although every heart must have felt the hopelessness of our situation, there was evinced that steady attention to the orders which were given, free from confusion or the slightest disobedience. How frequently did we afterwards remark on the fatal result that must inevitably have followed any rash attempt which, under the influence of terror, might have been made, to quit the wreck, and, I trust, with feelings of humble thankfulness to the providential mercy which had thus far preserved and directed us.

The main-deck ports had been caulked in for our voyage round Cape Horn, and had fortunately not been started. The main-deck hatchways were battened down; but it was necessary to scuttle the lower deck, from the quantity of water taken in over all. From the drawing of the ship through the sand, the hand-pumps constantly going, enabled us to keep her sufficiently free to allow us to get up a considerable quantity of dry biscuit, which was put into some of our empty water-casks: some ball-cartridges were also got up, and placed in the dryest situation on the main-deck. Yet, at this time, so slender was the hope of saving ourselves, or any thing belonging to us, that the ship’s accounts, with a private packet or two, were secured in a cask, to be thrown overboard, with the chance of its reaching the shore, and telling the fate of the poor Challenger.

Towards midnight, some officers and men thought they perceived land astern; and, on the starboard quarter, many were the eyes which eagerly sought out a gleam for their deliverance. We now attempted, by means of blue lights and rockets thrown in the direction, to ascertain the existence of land, but without success. The moon having at length risen, we, at about 2 30′ A.M., after anxiously watching the dispersion of some heavy clouds, got sufficient moonlight to make certain the sight of land. Those who witnessed that moment will long remember the joy and emotion which it gave rise to; for the horrors of the preceding four hours had been surcharged with the torturing apprehension of lingering death. Dark and desponding must be that mind which, at such a crisis, could not derive some solace in the hope of succour from that omnipotent Being, who governs the storm, and alone has the power to save.

The weather continued dark and gloomy, with occasional drizzling rain, but little wind, though squally-looking clouds were passing rapidly over our heads—a high irregular surf breaking on all sides around us with a noise and roar not to be forgotten. The dangerous nature of the surf made it evident that no common boat could pass through it in safety; and the ship having become, in a measure, less laboursome, the jolly-boat and gig were prepared as life-boats by lashing to them small boats’ breakers and spars, to be ready for use on the return of daylight.

May 20.—At daylight the shore presented a long, low, flat sandy beach, with a tremendous surf rolling in on it, extending to the southward a distance interminable to the eye; in the W.N.W. direction an elevated promontory of land extended out to the westward, with a reef of scattered rocks, distant from us between two and three miles. To land the crew was the first object to which our attention was directed. The only mode to effect this appeared to be by succeeding in establishing a means of communication by a rope, or hawser, whence to raft the crew from the ship to the beach, the nearest distance to which was about two cable-lengths. With this view the jolly-boat was lowered over the stern into the surf under the charge of Mr. A. Booth, mate, and a volunteer crew of seven men; and, after a long struggle, they succeeded in reaching the beach with the end of the deep sea lead-line; but, owing to the strong set of the current along shore to the southward, the spot on which they landed was at least half a mile distant from that part of the beach immediately astern and nearest the ship. The jolly-boat was no sooner washed upon the beach, than the crew, thoroughly drenched, began the labour of endeavouring to tauten the line in the direction astern of the ship; but, after many fruitless attempts to do so, it was evident to us on board that a second boat, with more assistance, was absolutely necessary to effect this object. The bite of the line was much checked by the current and masses of shifting sand, caused by the immense back-set off the beach. It was now the gig was launched over the stern by means of the spanker-boom, rigged as a derick, and secured to the stump of the mizzen-mast, with a topping lift to the mainmasthead, and hung ready to drop at a favourable moment into the surf: she was the captain’s gig, and considered to possess qualities likely to ensure equal success with the boat that had already reached the shore, being carefully fitted in a similar manner.

Into the gig went Mr. Gordon, midshipman, a most zealous volunteer, who had anxiously sought the dangerous attempt of going in the first boat: with him were six volunteer seamen. One of the six, serving his time on board for having been a smuggler, and possessed of great activity and strength, was placed in the charge and management of the steer-oar, the nature of the surf rendering a rudder useless. On leaving the stern of the ship, cheered by all on board, they passed over a roller or two in security, and the superior management of the steer-oar appeared to promise certain success. But, alas! another and another terrific roller followed, the gig broached-to, was instantly capsised, and whirled over and over. This heartrending sight again damped the hopes of all; and what added to the cruel and distressing situation of those in the ship, was the impossibility of rendering the least assistance to our poor shipmates, now struggling with death in the dangerous surf. Most anxiously were our glasses directed to the spot, when occasionally, as they drifted to the southward, their heads were at moments visible.

By this melancholy accident perished Mr. Gordon, a most excellent young man, possessed of every quality to fit him for the highest station in his profession. He was much esteemed by his captain, not only for his efficiency, but for his many estimable qualities. He was greatly beloved by his brother shipmates, and much regretted by all. John Edwards, an excellent seaman, was also lost by this sad event. Their bodies were never found, and were supposed to have either been carried out to sea by the back-set, or buried in the sand. The others of the crew of the gig were taken out of the water by the crew of the jolly-boat, nearly exhausted, and more than three quarters of a mile to the southward.

At about 6 A.M. this morning (20th), a ship was discovered through the haze about three or four miles outside the breakers, standing in for the land. Seeing the danger of her situation, one of the after main-deck ports was opened, two guns fired as a signal to her, and an ensign hoisted to the main-topmast crosstrees, with the union downwards: she tacked, and stood off, hoisting Swedish colours. The rollers broke outside us, to a distance of at least a mile and a quarter, and it was impossible for her to render us any assistance: little doubt existed amongst us, that we were the hapless beacon of her danger: another hour’s dark might have placed her alongside us.

A three and a half inch hawser had, after much labour, been dragged to the beach: we had now constructed two rafts, by lashing on empty casks strong cross spars, yards, and mess tables; and about 11 A.M. it was determined to try the first by sending a lieutenant and seven men, a kedge-anchor, a stout hawser, and a hawling line, which reached the shore with difficulty, far to the southward, and was thrown so high on the beach, and so shaken, that she could not again be launched this day. About 2 P.M. the second raft was hoisted over, and, with the first lieutenant, assistant surgeon, captain’s clerk, several of the junior midshipmen, who were secured to the raft by life lines, and thirteen seamen, making a total in number of nineteen persons, were successful in landing in safety. The weight and draft of this raft, from its load (having, in addition to the passengers, several articles of provisions and arms), made the operation of getting a footing on the beach, from the back set of the surf; a critical one; and it was on this occasion that a small body of Indians, on horses, many of whom had been first seen approaching from the hills soon after daylight, dashed into the water, and with their lazos assisted the landing of those on it. One of the most active of the party was an Indian woman.

Our kedge anchor was now buried, and the stout hawser hauled on board, and hove taut, and an attempt to make a second trip with the last raft; but it was upset in the surf, under the stern, and one seaman who had jumped upon it was a long time in great peril of being washed off it, whilst it drifted back to the beach, the slip rope which had attached it to the hawser, by which it had been hove off, having parted. At 3 P.M. the ship appeared to have neared the shore, and it was determined to lash some stout spars to the cutter, and launch her. She landed safely, though nearly filled with water, having conveyed on shore officers, seamen, and marines, to the number of thirteen. It was now nearly dusk, and the whole number landed scarcely exceeded fifty persons. All hands were greatly exhausted, from fatigue both of mind and body, were drenched with wet, and required rest. The comfortless situation of those on shore, on a barren sand, wet through, with scanty refreshment, and a bitter cold frosty night, may be imagined; great anxiety also existing as to the fate of their shipmates on board. A watch was kept on the beach throughout the night, whilst others got shelter under the rafts, and on the side of a mound of sand, at some little distance. To those in the ship an equal share of excessive fatigue and mental anxiety had rendered rest from labour most necessary. The ship continued buried in the sand, and was comparatively quiet, although at intervals labouring, and feeling most sensibly the weighty shocks of the unceasing rollers. A watch attended throughout the night to observe the lead lines; the anchors were kept ready in the event of its being found necessary to drop them, in order to retain the ship’s bows in their position towards the rollers; and the pumps kept working. Much had been done during the past day not yet mentioned: the danger as well as difficulty of communication with the shore had occasioned a vast quantity of the bedding and clothes of the crew to be thrown overboard, attached to pieces of spars, which, on being washed on shore, were received by those on the beach. In addition to these articles were casks filled with bread, casks of salt pork, and a great number and variety of other things. Amongst these a quantity of segars, which had been put into empty bottles and securely corked, were washed up in good condition.

Captain Seymour had hastily written a letter to His Majesty’s consul at Concepçion, from which place we hoped we were not very distant, of which the assistant surgeon, who spoke a little Spanish, and the clerk of the Challenger, had volunteered to be the bearers. They had landed in the second raft; and to find a fit person to conduct these gentlemen, in an unknown country, through thick woods, across rivers, along roads in places almost impassable, was an object of the greatest interest and importance, and which the suspicious countenances of the Indians, who had become numerous around us, and to whom we could not make ourselves understood, afforded little promise of accomplishing. By a most providential circumstance Camilo Hermosillo, a Spanish Chilino from the neighbourhood of the frontier town of Arauco, had come to the southward to purchase cattle, and hearing of a wreck, had accompanied an Indian cacique to the spot of our misfortune. This honest man gave the clue to all our future correspondence.

After much negotiation, and being piqued on his Castilian blood, and with fair promises of reward, Camilo undertook to become the guide, and procure the horses necessary for a journey to Concepçion. We were indebted to the zealous exertions of Mr. Sarjeant, the purser, for our success, which is to be attributed, in a great measure, to his perfect knowledge of the Spanish language and character.

From Camilo we obtained the first outline of our situation. We were informed that the name of the spot on which we were wrecked was Molquilla, in the province of Arauco, sixty leagues south of Concepçion, and about thirty-five miles from the island of Mocha; and by observations afterwards taken on shore with our artificial horizon, in latitude 37° 48′ 48″ south, and longitude 73° 34′ 30″ west. It lies at the extreme southern verge of that portion of the Araucanian Indian territory in which the Indians tacitly acknowledge the authority of the Chilian government; and under its influence the caciques had, for the previous twelve months, been carrying on a war of extermination against the more southern Indians of Tucapel, Tercia, and Imperial. We also learnt that, on the 20th of February last, the city of Concepçion had been totally destroyed by an earthquake, since which shocks had been continually felt upon the coast in the vicinity, and of which we had soon experience. The position on the beach where the landing had been made was described as untenable; and it was recommended to take the highest elevation that the small sand-hills on the extensive flat around us afforded, as a security from the rising of the sea, which in three days after rose far above the spot on which our first communication with Camilo took place, and level with the base of the small sand-hill of scarcely ten feet elevation on which we were encamped.

With the assistance of the Indian cacique, horses were procured; and with the greatest satisfaction we saw from the ship our two shipmates, with their guide, at half past four, depart on their journey to Concepçion, the Indians retiring to the hills on the approach of dusk. In the ship, six larboard after-main-deck guns had been thrown overboard to counteract an inclination which she had to fall over on her larboard broadside, the fore-topmast cut away, and the main-topmast struck, and the sails cut from the yards, and sent on deck ready to transport to the shore for tents.

May 21.—At daylight all hands were labouring hard in working the rafts between the shore and the ship. So powerfully had the surf acted on the hull of the ship during the night, that she was forced one half the distance that we had been, on the 20th, nearer the beach; and hence our future operations, though still harassing from the breaking in of the surf, were rendered free from danger. The weather proving fine, the sick were landed during the morning: we had three in cots, who were hoisted over the stern, and secured on a heap of bedding and casks sufficiently high to prevent more than a little spray from reaching them. They were carried up to the mound of sand on which the choice had fallen as the site of our camp. Numerous Indians came from the neighbouring hills to reconnoitre us, with the Cacique Cheuquante, with a considerable retinue of them and a Spanish interpreter, offering assistance against the southern Indians, of whom they evinced a great dread. Although the disinterestedness of these offers were prudently estimated, policy enjoined address and conciliation to cultivate their confidence and good opinion; and the captain, who had observed the increase of Indians, landed about 2 P.M. to organise the crew and construct a camp, and keeping in view these considerations, accepted the services of a few as look-out men.

A large tent was erected on the mound of sand for the crew, composed of two topsails, a main course, and some studding sails, and near it a smaller one for the captain and officers. Into this latter tent were conveyed all the small arms which had been landed, cutlasses, pikes, and some ball cartridges, together with any other articles, which time and labour had allowed us to collect and bring up for the night. The spot on which we had fixed for our encampment was distant from the wreck about half a mile: the beach, which we learnt was about forty-five miles in extent, formed the line of sea boundary to the swampy, sandy marsh, in which was situated the mound which held our camp. This flat extended inland to a chain of irregular hills, distant four or five miles, on which were visible patches of trees and underwood. From these hills ran, in the direction of the sea, a small stream of good fresh water, which passed immediately at the base of the mound on which we were encamped. This stream proved to us a blessing of inestimable value, for our stock of water on board had become damaged soon after our misfortune, from the overflowing of the sea-water into the tanks; and to have sent to any distance for water, in our increasing apprehension of the conduct of the Indians, would have added much to our embarrassment. Before the night had closed in on the 21st, we had, by the construction of tents, secured a tolerable shelter for all who were on shore. An officer, with an appointed number of men, remained on board the wreck to attend to the working of the pumps, the tautening of the hawsers, and to watch the labouring of the hull, the surf continuing to roll in with its usual overpowering force, the noise of which on shore, during the night, was quite stunning. The weather throughout the day had been tolerably fine, the wind moderate from the N.W., and the night threatened to be cold and frosty. On the approach of night, the Indians, who had been numerous, moved off in various directions towards the hills: they usually came in the morning, in groups, on horseback and on foot, from six to eight in a party, making the shortest route to our camp which the standing pools of water, which were numerous, would allow.

Before the crew were permitted to partake of any refreshment, the arms were distributed to be dried, cleaned, and prepared for use, and all were cautioned as to their conduct to be observed towards the Indians. The scene of our encampment on this night it is not in the power of any one to imagine, who was not witness to it. The exhaustion from incessant labour throughout the day was evident in all; not an article of clothing or bedding had reached the shore, without having experienced the drenching effects of the surf, and the heaps of innumerable articles that were scattered on all sides, formed a melancholy contrast to our customary order and regularity in our poor lost ship. Bounded in our rear by a marsh, which the rainy season, now at hand, would convert into a lake; the ocean in our front, rising occasionally within little more than a hundred yards of our camp, and from which the effects of an earthquake, (slight, indeed, compared to that which so recently occurred at Talcahuana, where the sea rose thirty feet,) might have swept us away; and the probability of a visit from the hostile southern Indians, who the preceding year had plundered of every article the unfortunate crews of four merchantmen, wrecked upon the coast, left us only the uncheering prospect of equivocal hospitality from our northern neighbours,—a barbarous race who murder the adults, and sell for slaves the infant children, of their captured enemies. Fires were made, and some salt pork cooked for our suppers; each also receiving an allowance of rum. A watch, consisting of an officer, a midshipman, and a proportion of the men under arms, was established for the night, and rest anxiously sought for on the sand under our canvass.

May 22.—Daylight saw all hands, who were not disabled from previous exhaustion, hard at work in tautening the hawsers from the wreck to the shore, working the pumps, and getting on shore our stream-anchor, which, after some difficulty, was buried in the sand, and backed with a gunslide: to it we bent the chain and hemp stream-cables, which were brought to the capstan on board; and, by keeping a strain on them, the hull continued, from the force of the sea, and daily becoming lighter, to near the shore. We now worked hard to secure whatever provisions we could get at, spars and sails to strengthen our tents, and arms and ammunition for our protection against molestation on the part of the Indians.

One of our nine-pounder long guns was also got up and pointed over the stern of the ship, so as to cover our camp, as well as give protection to the ship. The weather to-day was cold and frosty, with fog: the surf appeared to be forming a ridge of sand outside the bows of the ship; the hull at times working a good deal, particularly in her lower frame, the stanchions and bulkheads in the lower deck and holds having given way, and the chain-lockers displaced. She was in sand to the depth of eight or nine feet. The fore-yard was got over the side, and drifted to the beach. Many stores and provisions were collected, and taken to the encampment, with several articles of comfort, such as tea, which had escaped damp, wine, and cooking utensils; likewise the coppers for the ship’s company’s cooking.

A party had erected another large tent for the captain and officers, their previous tent being now appropriated to the warrant officers and stores. At one end of the officers’ tent was placed the dingy, now converted into a powder magazine. The state of our arms was particularly examined into in the course of the day, and the camp as much organised as circumstances had as yet permitted us. The Indians had been numerous throughout the day, but not unfriendly, and many exchanges had been made between them and the crew, of apples, fowls, and potatoes, for wet clothes, or any description of metal: still we were far from feeling easy about them, from their known savage and wild character. Several of the Cacique Cheuquante’s Indians arrived, with their long spears, and had collected close to us, as our accepted look-outs against their brethren the hostile Indians, who were in force beyond the neighbouring hills, but kept in check by an opposing party, under the influence of the government of Chili, in command of the Cacique Colissi. With Cheuquante’s Indians was the Spanish interpreter before mentioned,—Rafael Lobo, a half-bred Indian, who assumed an authority over them, and with whom we had afterwards much communication. A vast quantity of scattered articles was collected from the beach, and brought within the limits of our camp. An armed watch was at dusk placed round the tents, and twenty-five men, under the command of the second lieutenant, Mr. Collins, remained on board in charge of the wreck.

May 23.—began with fog, and moderate northerly wind. The operation of tautening the cables was attended to as the wreck continued to be forced farther on the beach. Several more of the main-deck guns having been thrown overboard, assisted this. To aid the landing heavy articles, the lower yards were secured with hanging lashings to the stern, and pointed towards the beach. On these were lashed cross spars; and eventually a rough platform was established, which proved of infinite utility in our operation of clearing the wreck. The chain-pumps were occasionally worked to get at the store-rooms and holds, which had become flooded as high as the situation of the hull in the sand allowed, the depth of water in the holds averaging from seven to nine feet. Cheuquante’s Indians had increased their number of spears to twenty-seven, and with them were a numerous body of straggling Indians, who had collected from all directions, in numbers exceeding our force. Some apprehension was felt by the crew lest they might become victims to treachery. This immediately reached the captain’s ear, who, without loss of time, summoned the men and officers in camp around him, explained to them the better motives of the Indians, yet pointing out the propriety of observing distance with them, and that his orders would exclude them from communication with our camp; that his determination was to assume the best possible state of defence, and to maintain our position, in the event of an attack, until information might arrive from the consul at Concepçion, to govern our movements; and that, as British seamen, he felt confident they would show, by obedience and good conduct, their title to that character. This short and well-timed address dissipated their misgivings, and forcibly exemplified the general confidence which the mild exercise of authority is calculated to inspire. The men were satisfied, returned cheerfully to their tents, and their hardships and privations in camp, although extended to a period of seven weeks, never afterwards excited a murmur. The constant and laborious operation of landing the stores and provisions, the men being constantly wet through, from the breaking-in of the surf, may, at least by the naval reader, be comprehended: our exertions, however, enabled us to rely on our own resources for subsistence as well as defence. No sooner had we begun to examine our situation with reference to strengthen it, than Rafael Lobo expressed great apprehensions and alarm that an attack from the hostile Indians, or, as he termed them, “Enemigos” Indians, would be made upon us, and urgently advised our removing two leagues distant to the northward; for, said he, if we remained in our present position, they would have an advantage, from our exposed situation in a flat plain, and, to use his own meaning, the mounted Indians would ride over us. Captain Seymour consented, therefore, to send two officers with him, for the purpose of examining the ground; but the disadvantage of being at such a distance from the wreck was greater than any slight security that would be afforded us by changing our present position. He was therefore told by the captain his determination to defend the ground he now occupied; and with that view he proceeded to strengthen it by every means in his power.

Plan of Molguilla Camp, showing the Position of the Crew under Arms.

An offer was made to Rafael Lobo to put up a small tent, at a little distance south of our camp, for shelter for himself and his armed party of Indians, which was accepted. It may not be here misplaced to give a slight sketch of the history and character of the savages amongst whom it had been our fate to be thrown. The population of the province of Arauco in Chili is by far the most warlike in the whole of South America: all the valour and experience of the Spanish arms, in the days of their greatest glory, failed in their obstinate and repeated endeavours to subdue the Indians of Arauco, who have maintained their independence to the present day, and are denominated by the Spaniards “The unconquerable Araucanos.” A beautiful epic poem in the Spanish language, written by Don Alonso de Ervilla y Zunija, published in 1590, describes the battles in which he was actively engaged. His descriptions of the wonderful valour and perseverance of those valiant Indians would appear exaggerated, did not their protracted and heroic resistance against the best men of Spain, at a period when every Spanish soldier was a hero, fully justify the truth of the narration. The greatest part of the Araucanos are, to the present day, engaged in a war of extermination with the Chilino Spaniards.

The Araucano Indian is strong-built and active, with long shaggy dark hair hanging all round his head, as low as his shoulders; and when attacking an enemy, it is allowed partially to cover his face: his person is on these occasions frequently smeared over with mare’s blood. His legs are bare to the knees; he wears a kind of short loose drawers, made of Indian manufacture, with a poncho of the same material; rides a horse of poor appearance, but great capacity, with large spurs of iron, if he can get them, secured to his bare heel with hide straps; his stirrups are only large enough to admit his great toe. Under his poncho, round his waist, is a large knife, often as broad as an English billhook; a set of bolas[1]; and attached to his saddle is his lasso. His spear is a long bamboo staff, with a sharp iron point on its end, which, from its length (twenty-five feet or more), is very flexible, and when in use is kept constantly moving, so that the eye of the adversary cannot discover the intended spot of thrust. The women are often mounted in a similar manner, with the addition of a sort of wrapper round the upper part of the legs. Their cunning is very great. They are very dirty; and they appear, in point of civilisation, a most degraded race of savages. Their principal food is potatoes, sometimes a little meat, frequently the flesh of mares; and they eat many of the numerous kinds of nuts and berries which abound on the hills in the interior of their country. Salt is an article much in request amongst them. It was not uncommon to see a group of them squatted round a grass net of boiled potatoes, with a lump of rock-salt, which they constantly passed from mouth to mouth, round their circle, each taking a hearty suck. The surf continued heavy, and, at intervals, affected the wreck a good deal. The evening closed in with foggy damp weather: the arms were examined, and the watches on board, as well as in the camp, mustered preparatory for the night.

Sunday, May 24.—The necessary operation of heaving in on our stern-fasts was early attended to. The hull had, during the night, been labouring heavily, and was a good deal displaced from her position of yesterday: the wind was northerly, and the rollers broke so heavily, that the surf passed over its usual mark, and rolled far up towards the mound of sand on which we were encamped; moving the boats, and several articles which were laying, as was supposed, on a spot free from the approach of the surf. This day had been set apart as a day of rest; and we were about to make arrangements for performing divine service, when a party of horsemen were seen approaching from the direction of Arauco. They proved to be twelve men belonging to the militia established there, under the charge of Don Bernardino Hermosillo, a captain in that corps, who brought a letter for Captain Seymour from Mr. Jagoe, one of the officers despatched to Concepçion, reporting their progress, and that every facility would be given in the further course of their destination. It appeared that our shipmates were received at Arauco with great kindness by the Chilian authorities, who immediately ordered to Molquillo (the place of wreck) the above party, with a view, as the Spanish despatch of Don José Bustermente to the minister of the interior afterwards expressed, “to prevent robbery and extortion, and to advise and aid in resisting any attack that the Indians might be induced to make from the attraction this misfortune might present to them for pillage.” To send a force capable of ensuring protection to us was not in their power. This party was accompanied by the Cacique Pinoleo, his wife and daughter, with an escort of several Indians, all mounted; he presented the captain with a small ox, supposing us to be straitened for provisions. We offered them a little rum and water, and biscuit; and, after a long interview, the cacique and party retired to the tent of Rafael Lobo, and eventually to the hills. Pinoleo is a fine powerful-looking man, but understood to be very absolute and passionate. The captain had, in thanking him for his present, regretted his having nothing to offer him in return for his kindness; which caused him to rise, and, with great vehemence of expression, in his Indian language, to declaim against the supposition that, in our condition he should seek for a return. Pinoleo is the brother of Colissi, the cacique, who, with the aid of 100 carbineers of Arauco, was fighting and keeping in check Cadin, the hostile cacique of Jucapel and Tirua. He was the most civilised-looking of the caciques which we had occasion to meet. He wore a cloth cap with a gold-lace band; had a very large set of bolas round his waist, under his poncho, with the usual knife. His wife (who, we were informed, was one of many) and daughter were much ornamented with glass bead necklaces, and small silver plates, bits of brass or other metal, strung round their heads and necks: they wore, over their feet and legs, boots made of the skins of a colt’s legs, the hair inside, the knee part forming the heel of the foot, and the rest so shaped as to prove a convenient part of dress. A small handkerchief bound round their heads, and a band of braided beads in the form of a crown, confined their hair. They managed their horses equally as well as the men, riding in the same manner. The captain, and one or two of the officers, found a few presents for the ladies, which caused much pleasure to their party. We shortly after heard that, in a fit of drunkenness, Pinoleo had killed this wife, by knocking her on the head with his bolas: this occurred at the hut of a poor Indian, who had taken pains to entertain Pinoleo and party, as liberally as his means would allow, at supper. On this Indian he called for an indemnification for the loss of his wife, and the payment of a sum of dollars, which had led to the misunderstanding with his wife; but, not having it in his power to satisfy the cacique, he was forced to fly from his lands, his property of cattle becoming the prey of Pinoleo. Such is the present state of justice between man and man in the province of Arauco.

Our worthy shipmate, Mr. Sarjeant, the purser, with his intimate knowledge of the Spanish language, was the source of all our communication with the Chilinos, and, through an interpreter, with the Indians: his valuable assistance was of vital importance to all; but his patience was sadly tried, from the unceasing calls made on his attention as spokesman.

A tent was erected outside our line of camp for our new force of Chilinos; who zealously commenced the important service of establishing a line of scouts, in the direction of the hostile Indians, amongst the hills to the southward. Don Bernardino liked not the vicinity of our Indian look-out, aware, as he stated he was to us, of their frequent acts of treachery. To his party we spared a daily proportion of our provisions, which, in addition to an occasional forage to the northward, which some of them made, fully satisfied their wants. Through Don Bernardino we were enabled to obtain, from some one of the caciques, a bullock or two, which were driven down to our camp for beef; and from the hills were brought, by the daily straggling Indians, a moderate number of fowls, with potatoes and apples, for which the officers and crew bartered whatever they had to spare that attracted the rapacity of the Indian. The weather, towards night, became thick, the surf sounding loud and heavily. Our usual precautions were taken in watching through the night.

May 25.—We were roused just before one this morning by Don Bernardino, who came to the camp with information, brought by a horseman just arrived, that the Indians had yesterday been fighting near us, and might shortly be expected; recommending us to be on our guard against their insidious mode of attack, particularly about daybreak, and, like them, “to sleep by day and watch by night.” The seamen and marines were instantly under arms. The captain made his disposition of our force, by putting the seamen in quarter watches, the marines forming a fifth body, each under an officer. Rockets and blue lights, and fire-balls, which we had made, were in readiness to throw amongst the horses. Fires were kept in, torches burnt, and all hands paraded the camp till daylight, when tea was made for the ship’s company, and an hour or two of rest permitted. The party on board, under the second lieutenant, were equally on the alert, firing an occasional great gun, double-shotted, to aid the demonstration of our watchfulness. The ship had been so uneasy during the night, that the best bower-anchor had been dropped, to steady her bow to the surf. Anxiety was expressed by the party of Chilinos for us to move from our present encampment to the entrance of a small river, twenty miles to the northward of us, as adding much to our safety from the Indians, from its defensible situation, and being the nearest spot from which any approach could be made from sea to afford us relief; the difficulties of a more distant land journey being impracticable under the circumstances in which we were placed, and the necessity of only moving with our arms, provisions, and several sick. Don Bernardino had, in the first moment of his arrival, urged our moving, pointing out the danger of remaining, not only on account of the hostile Indians, but the liability of the flat on which we were being overflowed by the sea, as well as flooded by the heavy rains which, at that season of the year, might be hourly expected to fall; also stating that, though they might possibly be able to collect horses and mules, to assist our movement, whilst the weather remained dry, yet that, as they must necessarily come from a great distance, and from the neighbourhood of Arauco, the first rains would drive them to their homes again, fearing the impassable state of the country. At night a strong armed watch was on the look-out in the camp, and scouts kept at the distance of a few miles, in the direction of the hostile Indians.

Light winds from the southward, with occasional fog. The evident necessity of strengthening our position, as a precaution against the liability of an attack from the Indians, caused all hands, after attending to the cables attached to the wreck, to be employed in forming such a barricade around our tents as might prove at least a check to the approach of cavalry. The result of this day’s labour, to those who witnessed it, will long be with proud satisfaction called to mind, as a proof of what the stimulated energies of British seamen can accomplish: they forgot their former fatigue, and, “turning-to” with a good will, boats, cordage, casks, and every description of stores useful for defence, were carried on their shoulders, or laboriously dragged over the heavy sand; and the fortified state of our camp, by digging trenches, constructing barriers and platforms for our two boat-guns, which we had got out of the ship, and bringing aft the long-bow guns on board, so as to flank our encampment, reflected the greatest credit on every individual who shared in this day’s labour. Our works were afterwards improved; and, though the known bravery of the Indians is not to be despised, they would have bought a severe lesson by attacking us. Still, regret must have attended any sacrifice in such bootless warfare; and we have just reason to conclude that their knowledge of our prepared state constituted our security from molestation. The surprise of the numerous straggling Indians, who were lookers-on at our laborious efforts, was evidently very great, and, it is certain, excited a strong feeling of respect towards us.

It has been already observed, that the seamen were divided into four quarter watches; three of them commanded by a lieutenant, and the master in charge of the fourth. A fair and equal division of the fire-arms was made: those who had no musket had a pistol, cutlas, or pike. Each quarter watch had their appointed station, to form in when called out under arms. The marines formed in the centre of the camp, and intended to act, as necessary, in support of the weakest point.

It was understood that silence was strictly to be kept, and not a shot fired until orders were given from the captain. All were regularly mustered, under arms, every night before supper; the arms discharged and reloaded, and the necessary steps taken to ensure their readiness for use. The two boat cannonades were each in charge of a quarter watch. At night every body slept with their arms by their side. Besides the sentinels, who called out the half hours throughout the night, a watchword was established, and an officer and midshipman were constantly moving about the encampment and visiting the posts. Such were the precautions used in our endeavours to secure our camp. The Indians, who brought from the hills each his grass-net of apples, potatoes, or fowls, to exchange with us for whatever we had, were requested to carry on their marketing in a small mound of sand, about 100 yards from us; and we put up a staff, with a cross, to indicate the spot, getting an interpreter to explain what we wished: for it was of infinite consequence to prevent an acquaintance with our camp. They smiled at our arrangement, but were not displeased, and for some time they adhered to our desire with tolerable regularity. The Indians had brought each day some supply of poultry, which the crew obtained from them, at first, at an easy rate of exchange, and they willingly received buttons or bits of metal in return: the eagerness, however, of the sailor to add the luxury of a fowl to his mess of salt meat caused the cunning Indian to demand articles of dress: an old shirt was what they coveted much; and a jacket was also among the articles eagerly sought for. On each of our batteries was fixed a flag-staff, to which a union-jack was secured, and kept constantly flying. A full supply of grape, canister, and round shot was piled on each platform, which was composed of cannonade slides sunk into the sand. These guns, as well as those on the stern of the wreck, were almost every evening discharged and reloaded, preparatory for the night. None could go in or out of the encampment without being seen by the sentinels; and at night the watchword was demanded of all who moved out of their tents. Don Bernardino kept us constantly on the alert with regard to the Indians. He had, with the consent of Captain Seymour, despatched an express to the governor of the frontier town of Arauco, begging him to use his authority in collecting seventy horses and thirty mules, to be driven down to the coast to assist in transporting our provisions and baggage to the Rio Leubu, that being the spot from whence we could alone hope to be relieved.

Tuesday, May 26.—Light north-westerly winds and clear weather. Observations were taken, by means of a false horizon, by the master and master-assistant, for a latitude and longitude of the encampment, which gave the latitude 37° 48′ 48″ s., and longitude 73° 34′ 30″ w. The wreck bore from the camp s.w. by w. We now felt a great satisfaction and security in our barricade. Our sick list numbered about ten, who were unfit for active work. Several of the ten were laid up from over work or rheumatic attacks, the result of their being constantly wet in labouring at the wreck.

On board the Challenger, at the time of her disaster, was a Spaniard, who had been engaged in the affair of the Falkland Islands, and was one of the Gauchos who had been taken as concerned in the murders committed there in 1833. He had been released, and was a passenger from Rio de Janeiro, to be landed at Valparaiso; but he had frequently exhibited such symptoms of mental derangement, that it became necessary to secure him in his hammock. On the day the evening of which we were wrecked, he had been unusually unruly, and was therefore placed under restraint. In the moment of the greatest danger, on the striking of the ship amongst the breakers, one of the first who ran on deck was the Spaniard, with scarcely any covering on him. He must have broken away from the lashings which secured him, appeared perfectly sane, and prepared to assist in the duties of the ship; and, singular to relate, on no occasion afterwards, during the whole time of our stay on the shores of Chili, was there observed any return of wildness. He was very useful in the camp, from his skill in cutting out and applying the hides of the bullocks to the fabrication of moccassins.

Wednesday, May 27.—The wind northerly, with thick weather and fog. One watch was occupied at the wreck, getting out any undamaged articles of provisions, private property, or stores that could be got at. The quantity of water in the holds, however, prevented much being done. About mid-day, the Cacique Pinoleo, with his wife and daughter, and several followers, arrived at our camp. He was on his road to join his brother, the Cacique Colissi, who had sent for more assistance to make head against the hostile Indians, with whom he had been fighting. After collecting and mustering the Indians around our camp, and treating us with their war-whoop, he left us to join his brother, strengthening his force with the greater part of Rafael Lobo’s Indians. The daily routine of mustering under arms, with every precaution against a surprise during the night, was duly attended to. The night was damp and foggy.

Thursday, May 28.—The weather moderate, the wind northerly, with a damp fog. Except the necessary attention to the stream-cable fasts, and the working of the pumps, the crew were allowed a respite from their previous daily hard labours, the occupation of to-day being the arrangement of the interior of the tents, and the examination of their clothes and bedding, and likewise cleaning and sweeping inside the barricade, and making storage of the provisions. By the captain’s order a survey was taken by the second lieutenant, Mr. Collins, Mr. M’Donald, the master, and Mr. Barclay, the carpenter, to ascertain, if possible, the principal damage received in the hull of the wreck. Towards sunset it was observed that the stern-post was left dry in the drawback of the surf; and, from the forming of a sand-bank outside the ship, the iron stock of the best bower-anchor was at times visible about half the ship’s length ahead of her. The current through the surf to the southward along shore appeared unusually strong; the weather to seaward dark and gloomy, with the appearance of an approach of a strong northerly gale. At 5 A.M. mustered under arms, and supplied what ammunition was necessary; discharged the arms, and reloaded; and likewise on board the wreck. A messenger arrived from the governor of Arauco to Don Bernardino, acknowledging our request to have horses and mules collected for our removal to the banks of the Rio Leubu, and promising the exertion of all his authority to forward so important an object. The wind increased as the night advanced.

May 29.—The weather dry, but with strong breezes, and cloudy from the northward; an unusually heavy surf rolling in on the beach, breaking with great violence and height on the breakers to seaward: the ship very uneasy, so much so as to threaten a separation of the decks from the lower body of the ship; to relieve her the foremast was cut away, and driven up on the beach to the southward, and the larboard sheet-anchor let go, the mainmast and bowsprit being the only spars now standing. A second small anchor was got on shore to assist in steadying the wreck, with the fore-gaugers and chain-messenger bent to it and hove taut. As the duty permitted, the officers and men were allowed to stroll to some little distance from the camp; and, with one of the Chilinos as a guide and interpreter, a party was occasionally made, in accordance with inclination, as well as appetite, in search of game of any description that might assist in adding to and varying our dinner. Persuaded by Don Bernardino, who furnished horses, the captain, with Mr. Sarjeant and a guide, rode for an hour two or in the direction of the ground pointed out by Rafael Lobo, and as far as the Cacique Cheuquante’s residence, over the hills north of us, distant about two leagues. There they found one of Pinoleo’s wives and a daughter, and attendants. They passed on their road one of the few evidences of a burial-ground which was seen by us. It was a spot of ten or twelve yards square, securely fenced by trunks of large trees piled round, the ends being rudely morticed into each other. The beauty and luxuriance of the country on the hills was a great contrast to the barren sandy flat on which we were situated. The variety and size of the evergreens were most striking. Many trees which bore fruit were also pointed out as much esteemed and eaten by the Indians: some cranberries were also gathered. Abundance of partridges were seen. At 4 P.M. Mr. Lane, the assistant-surgeon, arrived from Concepçion, bringing the welcome intelligence that his companion, Mr. Jagoe, with the consul, Mr. Rouse, were on their road to us, and hoped to reach our camp on the next day. Mr. Rouse was bringing with him several mules laden with articles which he considered we might have need of, as spirits and bread; not knowing of our success in saving out of the ship sufficient provisions for the present support of all. These mules delayed his movements; he, therefore, very properly, had pushed Mr. Lane on with a safe guide to convey to the captain, with as little delay as possible, a reply to his letter, naturally supposing the anxious suspense we were under to hear from him. The consul was also bringing some presents, to conciliate the good-will of the caciques on the road and around our encampment. Towards sunset our camp was put in movement by the appearance, through the distant haze to the southward, of an approach of several groups of horsemen, and a mounted scout was sent by Don Bernardino to reconnoitre. They turned out to be some of Cheuquante’s Indians, who were returning from the late battles fought by Colissi against the hostile Indians. Towards night it blew a heavy gale: its effect on the sand, which we were on, was most inconvenient and annoying, finding its way into every thing inside the tents.

Saturday, May 30.—Strong gales from the northward, with heavy rains, which penetrated the tents a good deal, causing many attempts on the part of the sleepers, during the night, to discover the driest spot inside to lie down on. Daylight saw a crowded group huddled together in the centre of the tent, as being the most free from rain. It was necessary to turn all hands on the pumps to clear the holds of as much water as possible, in order to endeavour to get at the remainder of the provisions, which might have escaped injury. The heavy surf which broke this day on the ship made her very uneasy. Amongst the articles secured to-day, out of the after-hold, were a quantity of salt provisions and other articles, many of which were too much damaged for use, the whole of the lower frame of the ship having been a long time under the influence of sea-water. The provisions and spirits were carefully transported to the camp; the latter placed in the officers’ tent; the former ranged outside of it, in a trench, and covered with sand, thus securing and steadying the tent.

At 12 30′ P.M. we experienced a severe shock of an earthquake, causing a very strong vibration to every article in our tents, and instantly arousing several who were asleep, resting from fatigue. An account of the whole of the provisions saved was carefully taken, and such daily issues made to the crew, under the management of Mr. Sarjeant, the purser, as the quantity of the various species would admit of. The precaution of securing a large proportion of our bread, at the moment of our disaster, and putting it into casks, proved of the greatest consequence to us; for, although it ran short, the third, and afterwards, as long as it lasted, a fourth, of the established daily allowance was of infinite service to us. The powder cases from the magazines, many of which were got out, were discovered not in every instance to have resisted the wet; yet we fortunately had an ample supply for all our necessities. The weather broke a little towards the evening, but with frequent squalls, attended by heavy rain.

Sunday, May 31.—The wind still northerly and fresh, with heavy rain, rendering our camp and tents very uncomfortable. The marsh and flat round us was much flooded, and gave us some idea of what we might expect, should the winter rains commence before we were enabled to quit our present spot, which had, in several points of view, the appearance of an island. The little stream of water which skirted the base of our camp rose amongst the hills inland, in which direction it partook of the character of a small river; and a few small fish were occasionally to be seen jumping in its deepest parts. Its increase after rain was considerable; resuming its ordinary size and force on the return of dry weather. At the camp, in the absence of washing apparatus, it became the scene of each morning’s ablution; and was on every account of inestimable value to us, for it was of excellent quality. A walk on the banks of the little stream could be extended to three or four miles, and yet continuing in sight of our camp, from the flatness of the ground. Duck and widgeon constantly sprang up from under the banks, which were towards the hills, covered with myrtles, rushes, and a gigantic weed peculiar to the marshes of that part of Chili.

On the north side of the stream the officers had, as duty permitted them, gone out with their guns, and seldom returned without a supply of partridges and wild ducks, excellent in flavour, and most acceptable to our numerous mess, which included the officers of all grades, our excellent shipmate, Mr. Sarjeant, being the caterer, and fulfilling, under circumstances, so laborious and troublesome this duty, in a manner deserving the hearty thanks of his messmates. Anxious on every account to advance the necessary and evident object of moving to the banks of the Rio Leubu, and desirous of ascertaining the nature of that spot by an eyewitness of our own, in order that, on the arrival of the consul, no time might be lost in deciding on our future operation as concerned the Leubu, the captain at 10 A.M. despatched two officers, with a guide from the Chilino party, to examine the entrance of that river, with reference to forming an encampment there, and to the possibility of being able to embark from it. Every hour now sensibly proved to us the impossibility of remaining on our present ground. We had been dependent on the wreck for fire-wood, the quantity of which we had burnt was very great. Our spars, from their usefulness as tent-poles and as part of the barricades, we could not suffer to be cut up; parties, therefore, daily foraged the ship and beach for whatever was to be got at to supply the wants of the cooks: our distance from the wood on the hills was too great to send there, besides the risk of separating our force. The surf continued heavy, and the appearance of the weather to seaward squally and unsettled; the ship was working very much in her top sides, and sinking deep forward.

A pest, which eventually became very destructive and annoying to us, had now begun to trouble us, in the shape of a multitude of a large kind of mouse: our provisions, stores, clothes, tents, all suffered from their constant attacks, and the freedom with which they visited the sleepers almost exceeded belief.

At 5 30′ P.M. the British consul, Henry William Rouse, Esq. from Concepçion, arrived at our barricade, accompanied by Colonel Don G. J. Valenzuela, the governor and military commandant of Arauco, with Mr. Jagoe. They had had a severe journey, from the effects of the heavy rain that had fallen in a country where the existence of a road is unknown. Their arrival was hailed with joy as the dawn of our deliverance, and gave us fresh stimulus to exertion. They were fatigued, and gladly partook of what we had to offer them, which included some good wine we had got out of the wreck; and sought some early rest, deciding on the morrow to concert measures for our moving towards the Rio Leubu. The governor expressed himself highly pleased at the manner in which we had barricaded ourselves. We were indebted, for the governor of Arauco’s presence, to the high esteem in which Mr. Rouse is held, amongst the authorities, throughout the country which surrounds Concepçion, where he is much beloved. On Mr. Rouse’s arrival at Arauco, the governor, to whom he is known, insisted on accompanying him to Molquilla, urging the benefit which his authority and presence might be of in assisting him on a journey, if not of danger, at least of great discomfort, and having interviews with the different caciques who were considered friendly to the Chilian government. The reader may possibly feel an interest in knowing what occurred during the journey performed by our two shipmates to Concepçion, and on their return. Mr. Jagoe’s account of it is nearly as follows:—

“The captain had put me in charge of a letter to the British consul at Concepçion, with directions to take it, or find means of transmitting it: he also spoke to Mr. Lane on the same subject. We therefore consulted together as to the best manner of executing this mission, on which so much depended.

“We attempted to communicate with the Indians (who by this time were collecting on the beach, and who evidently seemed inclined to be friendly, and disposed to render assistance to the party on shore), but to no purpose, as we could not make ourselves understood. Happily for us, at this moment a Chilino rode up: he possessed a pleasing countenance, and to him we communicated our wish to be guided to Concepçion, and inquired the distance, which, to our great surprise, we found to be 180 miles. I introduced Mr. Sarjeant (who understands the Spanish language thoroughly) to this Chilino, who, after a few preliminary remarks, agreed to conduct us to Concepçion for a stipulated sum, furnishing horses and all necessaries on the road: but as this Chilino’s horses were at his petraro, eight leagues from the beach, he stood our guarantee for eight dollars with the cacique Cheuquante, for the hire of two horses to take us there; and about half-past 4 three horses arrived, equipped in perfect Indian style, when, after some slight refreshment of biscuit and rum, we took leave of our fellow-sufferers. We rode along the beach about a league, then turned off for the interior, pursuing our way to the foot of some low hills, until we came to the cacique Cheuquante’s dwelling, at about 6 o’clock, at which time it was nearly dark. There we met Don Rafael Lobo, an Indian apparently of Spanish blood from his countenance. He speaks the Spanish language well, and acts as interpreter, and holds the commission of lieutenant of the friendly Indians of the district of Tucapel, and appears to have much influence over them. He urged us much to remain the night. We were much questioned whether we belonged to a merchant ship; if the cargo was saved; of what it consisted; and when we were going to land it: to which Mr. Lane replied, that she was a vessel of war, laden with “powder and ball;” which, on communicating to the group of Indians surrounding us, they held up their hands, howled, and scratched their savage heads, expressive either of astonishment or disappointment. After exchanging our horses, which was the object of our coming here, we continued our way by the side of a thickly-wooded mountain, until the road, if such it maybe called, the horses being knee-deep in water, turned off through this forest. We had not proceeded more than a hundred yards, when the guide called out, ‘Yo he perdido el camino,’ (I have lost the road.) It was at this time quite dark. Such were our prospects, on a cold freezing night, without a dry thread, and Mr. Lane without shoes. The guide rode about two hours, endeavouring to regain the road, or find an opening through almost impenetrable wood, whilst we remained on one spot, occasionally striking sparks with a flint and steel to show our position. At last, fatigued and weary with disappointment, he returned, and pronounced sorrowfully that he had quite lost the road, and we must make up our mind to wait for daylight. Not knowing more of our guide than might be judged of by inexperienced physiognomists, we thought it prudent, in spite of his pleasing countenance, to retire to some distance from him: here we laid down, with our heads on each other’s knees, to keep them out of the wet, giving the signal to turn when either became so insufferably cold or cramped as to require relief. During the night we were alarmed by the frightful neighing of our horses, which our guide informed us was occasioned by the approach of the pinna, a small lion of South America, which is reported to be an enemy to horses, but not to man. In the confusion our guide’s horse got away, and he was a considerable time before he found it; and we heard no more of the intruders. To prevent any further accident, we secured the long bridles of our horses to our arms, in such a manner as made it impossible they could escape without our knowledge, should we be so fortunate as to sleep. Shortly after this we were again alarmed by the barking of dogs, and trampling of horses approaching, as we supposed, in the road we had lost.

“We distinctly heard the voices of Indians, and, if we had known their language, might have been in possession of their intentions: we had no doubt but that they were the party we left at the raucho, who endeavoured to prevail on us to stop the night, and that they were in search of us. When they were so near as to hear if we uttered a word, our guide, in a low tone, said ‘Hush!’ and when the horses made a rustling noise amongst the bushes, he evaded suspicion by grunting like a pig. We asked no questions, but remained in a state of indescribable anxiety till daylight, the 21st, when, wet, cold, hungry, and miserable, we rubbed ourselves to circulate the blood and reanimate our almost frozen limbs. Some time was lost in searching for Mr. Lane’s coat, which had been lost when Camilo’s horse took fright, as we could make no use of it as a covering or protection from the weather, it having been washed on shore, and consequently thoroughly wet. On finding the coat, we saddled our horses, mounted, and discovered the road to be only ten yards from us, and that we had not more than a hundred yards of the forest to pass through. We continued our journey at seldom less speed than a canter; these horses having a peculiar sort of pace, which they can maintain for a length of time almost incredible to an English traveller. We came to a branch of the river Leubu, about twenty or thirty miles inland: with little difficulty we crossed it on horseback; and our guide’s horse being fagged, he took mine, fixed his lasso to the saddle, rode after a few horses which were grazing near us, and in a few minutes entrapped one of the poor animals in that never-failing lasso: this was accomplished in less than ten minutes, and we continued our way across the country till we came to the Rio Leubu. (We had gone to some distance out of our way for the purpose of getting this horse.) Here we dismounted, unsaddled our horses, and hailed an Indian woman on the other side of the river, distant about fifty yards, to know if she had any means of conveying us over. She pointed to something in the shape of a canoe, lying on the bank of the river, filled with mud and water, which, with the assistance of another woman, she managed to turn bottom up, when it proved to be nothing more than a trough, in which they kept their apples for making chiahi, or cider (a very common beverage amongst them): after partially cleaning it, stopping the holes with mud, they floated it, and one of the women embarked, and, with a long pole, shoved it up the river on one side; and when the river turned, she allowed the current to sweep it across, which nothing but her local knowledge of its windings could have enabled her to accomplish. I was the first nominated by our guide to trust to this conveyance, and accordingly slid down the bank (for it was impossible to walk), and introduced myself to the goddess of the deep, by the friendly Indian expression of ‘Mai mai,’ which serves for ‘how do you do?’ ‘good bye,’ ‘very good,’ and is the beginning of every friendly conversation. I embarked, after relieving myself of all incumbrances, such as jacket, waistcoat, &c. thus preparing myself to swim, if necessary; and, standing upright, balanced myself, much to the satisfaction of my waterwoman. Mr. Lane and Camilo (our guide) came over in the same way, each bringing his saddle gear. Previous to embarkation our guide drove the horses into the river, over which they swam without difficulty; and, on landing, the lasso was thrown over their necks, which immediately stopped them. Here we went into a raucho, where our waterwoman assumed the character of hostess, and appeared to keep an Indian eating-house, from the quantity of dried beef hanging about the raucho, and some boiling in an earthenware pot on the fire, which she served up in a wooden bowl, when it proved to be cascuella, made from cherqui and ahi (capsicums) boiled together. As a substitute for spoons we used muscle-shells, and for bread we had heated corn, beaten between stones, and moistened with water, something about the consistency of birdlime. Our beverage was a mixture of water and roasted barley, pounded; which, being put into a bullock’s horn and violently stirred, produces an effervescence, in which state it is drank. I need not say, however foreign as this was to our usual fare, we made a hearty meal, not having eaten any thing substantial since the night of the wreck. This repast occupied us about ten minutes; after which we lighted our pajitas, and resumed our journey towards the patraco of our guide, called Eurihuillin, from the river of that name, which runs through it. Here we dismounted, and our guide, with the assistance of his major-domo, went out and caught fresh horses, while we sat by the fire drying our clothes, amused by the interesting interrogations of two old dames, the major-domo’s wife and wife’s sister, who were feeding us with roasted apples and potatoes.

Our guide came in with his trousers very much torn; and knowing that I had a needle and some thread about me, applied to have them repaired. This I was most ready to do, in return for the kind treatment we had received, and the essential services he had rendered us. He then killed a sheep, which was cut in halves, and put under our saddles, as provisions for the journey. About one we again mounted, leaving directions for the horses to be returned to the Indian from whom we had borrowed them, took leave of our kind hostesses, and galloped off on our fresh steeds, much invigorated; but before night things we realtered—we were for galloping, and they for walking. About two leagues from our guide’s residence, we crossed the river Euriheullin, which forms the boundary of this part of his portraco, which is about twelve miles in length, and as many in breadth, and consists principally of coarse grazing ground in its primitive state, with plenty of wood. For this estate he pays sixteen dollars a year to the widow of a cacique. His stock consists of about 100 bullocks, and as many sheep; the former valued at sixteen dollars, and the latter at six reals each. A man’s rank or station in life is here generally estimated by the number of cattle he possesses, together with the quality of the poncho or mantle he rides in, without reference to the appearance of any other part of his dress: from this we judged our guide to be above mediocrity. During this day we rode from eighty to ninety miles, over a rich and beautiful country, where Nature has bestowed her favours with a liberal hand on an indolent and savage race, who are strangers to every kind of agriculture beyond the cultivation of a few potatoes, for which they prepare a fresh spot of ground every year. This will account for the fine specimens we have met with in this country.

About 4 o’clock this afternoon, I lost my sword, from my carelessness in forgetting to buckle my belt, after looking at my watch on horseback. We were an hour looking for it; and this delay occasioned our being benighted on a thickly wooded mountain, where we encountered many difficulties from the intricacies of the passes, and the quantity of water we had to wade through; but as our guide knew this part of the road much better than that of the preceding day, we surmounted them all, and reached the Indian pueblo of Albarada at 9 o’clock. Here we went into a large rancho, crowded with dirty figures of both sexes, and all sizes; besides a number of dogs, which were kicked out, and a place near the fire cleared for us. We sat down cross-legged, enjoying tobacco and chichi, whilst supper was preparing, which was soon done, as they appear to have the pot always boiling, and also plenty of potatoes at hand, which they prepare in the most dexterous manner, with the edge of a muscle shell. Meanwhile the grey-headed dirty señora of the family was engaged, with the guide, in cutting up one of the halves of the sheep, and putting it into the boiler with potatoes and ahi. In the course of an hour it was served up in the usual way; and, after inviting the señor and señora of the party, we brandished our muscle shells in style, having become adepts in an art in which we were novices but yesterday. We made a hearty meal, and having drunk a sufficient quantity of chichi, we prepared our comfortless beds, having only our saddle gear on which to rest our weary limbs. These we placed close by the fire, and lay down to rest, surrounded by dogs and dirty children: however, after our excessive fatigue, we slept tolerably well.

At daylight, the 22d, we arose, and got rid of some of those intolerable pests, pulgas or fleas (with which we were covered), by taking off and shaking our jackets: we then each took a roasted potato, saddled our horses, and mounted. The ground was frozen very hard, and the air exceedingly cold. We had not gone far when my horse showed symptoms of weakness, or disinclination to proceed, which obliged us to go a considerable distance out of the way, to a cacique known to our guide, to procure another. We had not only to go out of our way, but down a very steep mountain, the horses sliding the greatest part of the way on their haunches, when we came to a beautiful valley, rendered still more lovely by the splendid beams of the newly risen sun. Here, by the side of the river, were scattered a few huts or ranchos, out of one of which came the cacique, who hailed us with that friendly phrase, “Mai, mai,” which we obsequiously returned. Our guide told him the nature of our expedition, and the cause of our visit, when he immediately introduced us to the inmates of his dwelling (all women, the caciques being allowed a plurality of wives). He despatched his peons or servants for a horse, while we sat by the fire smoking pajitas, or eating roasted potatoes, occasionally making ourselves understood by the women, to whom we offered some snuff, which, from having been wet, was become caked: this they readily accepted, and were about to put it into “the general receptacle,” when I stopped them, and made them understand that it was not to be eaten, by taking a pinch myself. They followed my example, but in a most strange manner, by forcing it up their nostrils, and laughing hideously at the ridiculous use thus made of their “smelling apparatus.” Being gratified with the pleasing excitement this pungent powder produced, they begged me to put some in a paper for them: this I was most happy to do, as it was the first opportunity we had (even in this small way) of showing our gratitude for the many and great kindnesses we had received. My horse being brought and saddled, we mounted, leaving directions for the disposal of the fagged horse. We then purchased a goose, which we gave in charge to the guide, lighted our pajitas, and took leave. We ascended this steep mountain in a manner more like going up stairs than any thing else I can compare it to, the heavy rains having given it the appearance of steps; the only support to the horses’ feet being the roots of trees, which intersected the path, and made a tolerably firm footing: we laid down on our horses’ necks to escape being dragged off by the Arcania shrubs, which formed a canopy over our heads. These are chiefly evergreens, some having beautiful flowers. We particularly noticed a large crimson bell-shaped flower, growing as a parasitical shrub, which covered the tops of the tallest trees, and striking the eye of the inexperienced traveller with its incomparable beauty. About eleven we arrived at Arauco, the frontier town of Chili, which is situated twenty leagues south of Concepçion, on the extremity of an extensive marsh, about six leagues in length, bounded on one side by the Pacific Ocean, and on the other by hills, backed by the Cordilleras. This town (which formerly was nothing more than an Indian pueblo, till the Chilinos, by incessant warfare and stratagem, subdued the Indians, and advanced thus far into their territory,) is garrisoned by a few Chilino troops, under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel Señor Don Geronimo José Valenzuela, who was at this time at Concepçion. As soon as we entered the town, the knowledge of our arrival having reached the second in command, Major Don José Sylva, he ran to us, and embraced us as officers in distress, and took us to his quarters, and introduced us to five or six officers, to whom, with himself, we shall ever be indebted for the most Castilian-like kindness and hospitality, which, if I were not an Englishman, I ought to say could not be surpassed. With these gentlemen we dined: they informed us that they would immediately despatch the brother of our guide, Don Bernardino Hermosillo, a captain in their militia cavalry, with a party of twelve men, to guard the wreck at Molquilla; at the same time telling us that their reason for sending so small a number was, because the Indians, so far south as the place where the ship had been wrecked, had acknowledged the government of Chili, and were at present assisting them, or rather themselves, by carrying on an interminable and murderous warfare with the tribes who were disaffected towards the government: the small force they were about to send was merely to act as scouts, to make known the position of the hostile, and to prevent treachery on the part of the friendly tribes, the place of the shipwreck being on the extreme verge where they acknowledged the government of Chili, and where their desperate battles are fought. We took this opportunity of informing Captain Seymour how far we had advanced on our journey; and Major Don José Sylva availed himself of our going to Concepçion for communicating to their government what he had done for the protection of the wreck.

At 2 P.M. we bade a reluctant adieu to these hospitable fellows, deeply impressed with a sense of their kindness and our obligation. We rode along the marsh, observing here and there a rancho, with a spot of cultivated ground, till we arrived at a cluster of ranchos (scarcely deserving the name of a pueblo) about three miles from Lianco, called Caremfranque, after the river which runs near it. Here we were introduced to the family of our guide, who all ran and embraced their parent with affection, and heard from him all the particulars connected with us. Fresh horses were brought by one of the peons, whilst our guide changed his dress and put on a better poncho. It has already been observed, that this part of the habiliment tends to point out the station of life of him who wears it: it is due to our guide to make known that his was a very good one, confirming his respectability and the good character given of his honesty by the officers at Arauco: we can only add that, with the essential service of guiding us to the consul (which we trust will be the foundation of relief to the shipwrecked crew), he has shown us the most christian-like kindness and attention, entitling him to the friendly appellation of “old Camilo,” instead of “our guide.” Taking leave of his kind family, we crossed the river Cacampuqune and came to a few scattered ranchos, named, after an old Spanish fort in its vicinity, “Fuerte viejo Colerico.” Here we were introduced to a Chilian señorita, a pretty brunette, gaudily dressed, and informed by “old Camilo” that we should stop at her house for the night, and, by starting the next morning early, should most probably reach Concepçion in good time, as we were only ten leagues from it. Gratified by this pleasing information, we dismounted, and after begging pardon for our dirty appearance, supper was ordered by “old Camilo:” it was soon prepared, and served up in the Chilian style by our industrious hostess, who, of course, supped with us. During conversation, she told us that there were some Englishmen in the village, and sent for them: they soon made their appearance, and in the course of conversation we discovered them to be North Americans. They made us a present of a dirty pipe and a small quantity of tobacco, which they called real Virginia: this was no treat, as we preferred the pajitas made with mild tobacco, wrapped in the Indian corn-leaf, and presented by our charming hostess, who was an adept in making them. After enjoying our aquaediente and pajitas, we retired to bed and slept soundly; and arose much refreshed at daylight on the 23d. We were delayed until seven o’clock for the horses; and if the nature of our mission had not been so important, we might have said the loss of time was not to be regretted, as our kind hostess was busily engaged in supplying us with maté. At 7 we took leave, promising to call on our way back. We hurried over a high hill or mountain called the “Luro di Villagu,” and by the Indians “Muguana”—(this being the place where they defeated the Spaniards and gained their independence)—then over a plain of six leagues and upwards in length, with here and there a cultivated spot, and many lakes covered with water-fowl. We arrived at the pueblo of San Pedro, on the southern side of the Bio-bio, immediately opposite Concepçion.

Here “old Camilo’s” attention was called to the means of conveying us across the river, while we stopped at the house of an old dame to whom he introduced us: she kindly brought us water, and we washed, leaving our linen to undergo the same process, as we were covered with fleas. Camilo returned, and told us the launch would not be ready for some hours, and recommended our taking breakfast, which we were too happy to agree to: we sat down and made a hearty meal.

About 2 o’clock we embarked in a flat-bottomed oblong launch, with nearly a dozen passengers, two bullocks, four horses, six pigs, and several sacks of wheat. This conveyance was kept under command, against a strong current, by an immense oar which answered the purpose of a rudder. A man was stationed at each end of the launch with a long pole, which, on first starting, was made use of a little, but when in deep water she was merely kept end on to the current by means of the rudder, until we approached the shallow water on the northern side, which covers an extensive flat of sand. On grounding, the horses, bullocks, and pigs disembarked, and the launch being again afloat, was, by the assistance of the poles, shoved some distance over the flat, but still a considerable way from the beach. We disembarked, by mounting our horses from the launch, and entered the city of Concepçion (situated on the Bio-bio), which we found in a state of complete ruin, not a single building standing, and the inhabitants living in tents or wooden houses, which some of the more opulent had been able to erect, as temporary residences. We learned that it had been destroyed by an earthquake, on the 20th of February last: the fatal shock which produced this devastation was felt at mid-day, without giving the slightest warning, when every house and public building fell; and it appears miraculous that only a hundred lives were lost. The port of Talcahuana felt the shock with equal severity. The sea is reported to have risen upwards of fifty feet immediately after the earthquake, breaking up on the ruins, inundating the flat on which the town was situated, and sweeping every thing before it, barely giving the inhabitants time to effect their escape to the hills.