A civilized meal--A happy evening--A survey of the
island--Preparation of guano--Preparations against invasion by the
giants--A proposal to attack them--Loyalty and revenge--Killing
time--Trouble in the settlement--A disagreeable situation--Arrival
of vessels--Countrymen--A welcome by new friends.
After getting sufficiently thawed out, I gave a synopsis of my
adventures. The cook presently laid the table, and brought in supper. I
ate heartily of bread and Irish pork, and drank tea raised in Brazil,
called _matte_. It may not compare favorably with the produce of China,
but to me it was a delicious beverage. I had been in captivity
ninety-seven days, living as the reader has seen. Although I partook
freely of supper,--too freely for one in my weak condition,--I rose from
the meal with as keen an appetite as I brought to it. I again expressed
to Mr. Hall, on learning his name, my gratitude at finding myself,
through his timely assistance, among friends, though a stranger. He
cordially sympathized with me, observing that he had been a prisoner
among the Patagonians for one day only, but had seen enough in that
short time to be convinced that a life of ninety-seven days with them
must have been dreadful indeed.
After supper the boat was hauled up on the island. Pipes and tobacco
were furnished, and I passed in the society of my deliverers one of the
happiest evenings of my whole life. The change was so great, from the
miserable and almost hopeless existence I had so long lived, that my joy
exceeded all bounds. My heart overflowed with gratitude. Words could not
then, and cannot now, convey any adequate impression of my feelings,--of
the freedom and joy that animated me, on being snatched from perils,
privations and enemies, and placed, as in a moment, in security, in
plenty, and in the society of friends. It seemed like a dream, the
change was so sudden and so total.
The little house which for the present I called my home, and which, in
fact, appeared to me at the time the pleasantest dwelling I had ever
seen, was about twelve by fifteen feet upon the ground, built of boards
and scantling, and lined with blue Kentucky jean. The fireplace was in
the middle of one end, and a door opened at the opposite extremity. Two
large closets were parted off, the one used as a cupboard, and the other
for stores. Each side was lighted by a window containing four panes of
seven-by-nine glass. Two comfortable settees, probably saved from some
wreck, lined the sides of the room, and a good-sized hardwood table
occupied the centre. It was floored overhead, and a trap-door opened
into a sleeping apartment, fitted with two little berths,--one for Mr.
Hall, and the other for Morrison, the Scotchman.
As we have described the interior of our snug little cottage, we will
bestow a word or two on its exterior and surroundings. Its cracks and
joints, over the roof and walls, were covered with strips of tarred
duck, and battened with narrow pieces of thin board. It was situated on
a little mound of guano, perhaps four feet high, and was banked up to
the windows with the same material. The height of the walls above the
embankment was about seven feet, the embankment three feet more. A
ship's bell was suspended on the north-east corner of the house, to
notify the workmen of the hours of labor and of their meals. Sea Lion
Island, as it is called,--the name "Holland" was probably corrupted by
the Indians, from the word _island_, indistinctly pronounced in their
hearing,--is about a mile and a quarter long from north to south, with
an average width of an eighth of a mile, and is covered over its entire
surface with low evergreen bushes. The settlement was made by an English
company, for the purpose of collecting guano and preparing it for
exportation, and was situated on the southern extremity.
Our social evening was prolonged to a late hour, the moments sped by the
stimulus of novel enjoyment. One of the settees was assigned for my
couch, bed-clothes were provided, and a bag filled with ships' colors
and other articles served for a pillow. Before committing ourselves to
repose, however, we discussed the probability of an invasion from the
continent, and came to the conclusion that nothing was to be feared in
that quarter before morning. Old Boy and his party, it was obvious,
would have to return to the main body of the tribe for reinforcements
and naval equipage before attempting pursuit, as they had no materials
for the construction of boats or rafts, even if they would dare to tempt
salt water in their leathern sacks. We accordingly dismissed the subject
for the time, and Mr. Hall and the Scotchman, having cared for my
comfort with anxious kindness, disappeared through the trap-door,
leaving behind a friendly benediction. The little cottage was warm; my
couch was the perfection of comfort, in contrast with that which had
been my lot for ninety-seven wretched nights. Above all, for the first
time in so many weeks, I could lie down without the fear of treachery
and violence. I was secure from savages. This indeed was luxury. I slept
soundly, vying in the profundity of slumber with the immortal seven,
till late in the morning. Daylight at length had dispossessed the
darkness of every part of the interior, and I awoke. It was no dream. I
was indeed free. Rude but unmistakable evidences of civilization
surrounded me. The adventures of the preceding day flashed vividly on my
hitherto clouded mind,--the suspense, the struggle, the seasonable
rescue, the rejoicing welcome, the spontaneous and subduing
kindnesses,--and a warm gush of tender and grateful emotion from my
inmost soul thrilled and suffused my whole being. While these emotions
were subsiding from the fervor of their first impulse, and the mind was
gliding away into a delicious and confused revery, wherein all manner of
delight seemed to encircle me as with an atmosphere, in whose genial
glow all past suffering existed only for the heightening of present
enjoyment, the trap-door overhead was lifted, and my generous friends
dropped down with a hearty salutation. I sprang from my couch, as good
as new, and younger than ever. A cheerful coal-fire was soon burning in
the grate, the room was swept, breakfast was brought in and despatched,
the bell rang, and the men issued forth to their daily labors, while I
went out to explore my new abode.
The island is low and flat, and at high water its surface is only eight
or ten feet above the water-line; but the tide here rises and falls
about the same height as at the eastern mouth of the Straits of
Magellan,--nearly forty-two feet. Within twenty-five feet of our house
was a small store-house and shed, a hog-sty, and a large stone oven.
About the same distance further on, was a house for workmen, framed of
timber, and roofed and laid up at the sides with bushes; and the sides
were banked and the roof coated with earth, an old sail forming the
topmost and outermost feature of the edifice,--except that on one
extremity of the roof a headless barrel communicated with the fireplace,
and did duty very respectably as chimney and ventilator. There were no
windows; the men, and whatever portion of light and air sufficed them,
found ingress and egress through a door in one end. It was most
evidently made for use, not for show; but appeared to be very
comfortable, and was neatly fitted up with berths and benches, a table
and cooking apparatus. Its occupants were eight in number,--three
Frenchmen, two Spaniards, an Englishman, a Welshman and an Irishman; so
that, the island having adopted (for a season, at least) a
representative of the "universal Yankee nation," may be thought to have
brought together samples from a pretty considerable part of mankind.
Besides these human specimens, the settlement boasted of a dog, two
mature porkers, and a litter of pigs. Near the house was a large heap of
guano, prepared and ready for shipping to England and the United States.
The men were at work hard by digging it up. It lies on the surface of
the ground to a depth of from one to three feet; is dug up and conveyed
in barrows to a cleared spot, where it lies in heaps, to be sifted.
Stones, feathers, sticks, and other foreign substances, are carefully
removed, the larger lumps are broken up, and the cleared guano is spread
out in a thin layer; when thoroughly dried, it is covered up with
planks. The business was carried on by Captain Matthew S. White, an
Englishman, who had then been absent for several months at Montevideo,
whither he had gone to procure vessels for conveying the guano already
prepared, now amounting to some fifteen hundred tons, to market. The
time he fixed for his return had expired a month before my advent upon
the island, and Mr. Hall was beginning to feel very anxious for him,
fearing lest some accident had befallen him, and anxious for himself and
his company, also, as they had but a few months' provisions; the island
was rarely visited by vessels, and their only means of reaching any
port, in case of extremity, were the ship's long-boat, and a whale-boat,
both too small to undertake so long a voyage with any hope of safety.
The possibility that my late hospitable friends on the main land might
be led, by their high consideration for me, to visit "Holland" in a
body, kept us busy, during the day, in making preparations to receive
them with appropriate honors. Mr. Hall, who was left in charge of the
settlement during the absence of the proprietor, observed that Captain
White had often expressed apprehensions that the Indians would come upon
the island, some time when he was away, and murder all hands. My
slipping from them in the manner I had was not an event likely to
dissuade them from the attempt, or weaken their motives for making it.
There were two swivels in the camp, which we mounted upon wheelbarrows,
to serve as flying artillery. I ground sharp an old whaling-harpoon,
and fixed a handle to it; this was slung over my couch; and a large
sheath-knife, for use in case we got to close quarters, reposed under my
pillow. The Indians were prowling about the shore, probably expecting to
see me reappear among them, laden with the rum and tobacco they came
after, and which they had earned by boarding and lodging me so long, and
by the multiplied kindnesses with which they beguiled the months of my
residence among them. It is likely they think, by this time, that I have
been gone a long time for it.
Before retiring for the night, we loaded our swivels to the muzzle, and
fired them, to let our neighbors know that we had the wherewithal to
give them a warm reception, should they see fit to make us a visit. We
then reloaded the pieces, each with a dozen or more large bullets,
placed them ready primed at the door, and covered the primings, to keep
our powder dry. We had six or eight muskets ready loaded, enough to arm
the entire garrison, with plenty of ammunition. The dog was tied to the
doorhandle, to give notice of danger, and the door carefully secured.
Just as we were about retiring, Bose gave a portentous bow wow! but, on
going out, and taking a survey of the premises, the alarm proved to be
false. All was quiet; and, with a momentary doubt of the sagacity and
discretion of our sentinel, we lay down with a sense of security,--first
taking the axe into the house, thinking that the cunning rogues might
try to burn us out, should they find the efforts to dislodge us
otherwise ineffectual. With this final precaution, our faithful sentinel
chained to his post, like a Chinese soldier to his gun, we were soon
sound asleep. The night passed quietly away, without any further alarm
from our look-out, who was of the English pointer breed,--a sleepy,
dough-faced fellow, better qualified to show the game than to occupy the
responsible station to which he was promoted. He was a great coward, but
that was not altogether against him; for, since the law of
self-preservation applies to brutes as well as to men, fear would impel
him to make some kind of demonstration on the approach of foes, if
fidelity did not; and one kind of demonstration would be as useful to us
as another, if only audible.
After breakfast I walked forth, and cast an anxious look through the
glass to the northern shore of the main land, to see if the Indians
still occupied their position, and whether they were building boats, or
making any other preparations for invasion. There they were,--the
patient creatures!--still posted in view of our quarters, the English
flag flying on the beach. There were several dogs on the shore, and
among them I recognized my own; I almost fancied I could hear him
barking. As we brought no dogs with us, I concluded that they had gone
back to the main body, and got a reinforcement, with materials for
boat-building, and brought my dog for the especial gratification of his
affectionate master; and now he was capering about on the shore, as if
to call me back. Having sufficiently gratified my curiosity in this
direction, I turned the glass seaward, in hope to view some approaching
sail but the broad expanse was clear,--no vessel to be seen. On the
river banks a few stray guanacos were cropping the scanty, rank grass,
while others, with their young, were lying on the sunny slopes of the
sand-hills. The quiet of these animals assured me that their inveterate
enemies, the Indians, were not in the vicinity.
Tired, at length, of this sort of sight-seeing, I returned to the house,
and, taking our guns, started with Mr. Hall on a stroll up the island,
hoping to shoot some sea-fowl; but returned at noon, unsuccessful. The
afternoon was spent in wandering aimlessly over the island, killing
time. Walking about on the sea-shore, I picked up some clear,
transparent stones, coated on the outside with a kind of crust; some of
them are very hard, and, when broken, cut glass like a diamond. I wrote
my name, and place of residence, on a window of our little cottage, with
a fragment of one; they are mostly white, some of them of a vermilion,
and others of a straw color; they are, I suppose, a variety of quartz.
The shore is, in some places, covered with these pebbles to the depth of
two or three feet, on an average of the size of a walnut; the hardest
specimens were not abundant, but I collected about a hundred of them. I
might have picked up many more, if they had possessed any special value.
A further examination of the opposite shore disclosed Indians still
prowling about, and I proposed to Mr. Hall to go over, with the men, and
give them a sound drubbing. Revenge, I know, is said to dwell in little
minds; if so, my abode in Patagonia must have dwarfed and contracted my
own intellect for the time being, for I must confess to the
consciousness of a desire to visit upon them some appropriate return for
what they had inflicted upon me. Mr. Hall admitted the ill-desert of the
Indians, and the entire rightfulness of a severe chastisement; but, not
having the same stimulus to heat his blood that burned within me, he
viewed the question with a more strict regard to prudence, and was
altogether disinclined to undertake so hazardous an expedition; he
dreaded going any nearer to the savages than was necessary. I would,
myself, rather have been shot than fall into their hands a second time;
but contended that the approach of the boat would bring them to the
shore, and enable us to do them a mischief from the boat, without any
necessity of landing among them. True, the Indians _might_ succeed in
getting upon the island some night, and effect our destruction; there
certainly was nothing to prevent it, if they had the least ingenuity,
and a moderate share of courage; but I knew them to be a gang of arrant
cowards, and the reader may judge of their inventiveness by the
preceding narrative. The subject was discussed till late in the evening,
and the needful preparations and precautions were thoroughly talked
over. When about to retire for the night, we went out and looked for our
vigilant sentinel, whose due place, in right of his office, should have
been at the door. Recreant to his trust, the rascal had deserted, to
take up his night's lodging with the pigs. He was soon hustled out of
his nest, and compelled to return to the door, there to be tied, as on
the preceding night, to the handle. His choice of such mean company
greatly lowered the animal in my estimation. While fixing him in his
place, we perceived a light on the north shore; it appeared to be
carried about from place to place, and was at some distance from the
Indians' wigwams. This had much the appearance of preparation for a
nocturnal visit from the rascals,--a symptom of boat-building. From my
observation of their habits while among them, I was convinced that
something extraordinary was on foot; they were not much in the habit of
moving about after dark, with or without lights, and nothing but the
pressure of an unaccustomed purpose could have made them so enterprising
now. We uncovered the priming of our swivels, and greased their muzzles,
to make them speak in a louder tone of warning and defiance to the
enemy; they were discharged with a loud report, that made the island
ring, and must have resounded with effect upon the hostile shore. The
guns were reloaded, primed, and mounted upon their carriages at the
door. The lights that had drawn forth this sonorous demonstration
speedily disappeared; the Indians, it was presumed, had taken the hint,
and abandoned or postponed their undertaking, whatever it might have
been. I well knew their dread of big guns. When I attempted, at first,
to persuade them to go with me to Port Famine, the chief reason
assigned, besides the superior advantages of "Holland," was, that there
were big guns there, which were "no good for Indians." A council of war
came to the conclusion that there was nothing to be feared from them
that night, and we thereupon retired.
If our careful preparations seem to belie my expressed belief of their
cowardice, it should be remembered that they had once fleshed their
swords, if not their teeth, in the bodies of some white men, and had
held, for a brief period, islanders in their custody; they were
numerous, and might so far confide in their numbers and strength as to
dare the attempt to wreak their disappointments fully upon our heads.
Our caution was reasonable, and, at the time, was not excessive in
degree. In the morning we made a careful survey of the premises,
exploring all the sheds, and every other place where an enemy could have
secreted himself, but made no discoveries. We walked over the island,
and examined the opposite shore; but perceived nothing strange or
alarming, except that the Indians still remained in their quarters, and
that their numbers had greatly increased.
The question of crossing over and driving them off was revived after
breakfast, but, after considerable talk, no definite conclusion was
reached, and I spent the day wandering over the island, gunning and
picking up rare stones, occasionally surveying the coast through the
glass. At night no lights appeared opposite; and having made our usual
preparations against a nocturnal attack, we decided that if the black
rascals did not speedily pick up their traps, and make themselves
"scarce," we would go over and hurry their movements. Mr. Hall found his
loyalty stirring within him, in aid of revenge. He said it was too much
to see that blood-stained British flag flying among such a miserable set
of creatures, bringing freshly before his mind the forms of his
slaughtered countrymen. This sentiment I was prompt to encore, and to
enforce the propriety of an invasion to wrest the trophy from their
hands. This was determined upon for the next day, unless they should
sooner relieve us of their presence.
The day dawned with a cloudy sky and a thick atmosphere, which made it
impossible to see distinctly for any distance. Towards noon it cleared
up, and we discovered that our troublesome neighbors were still there.
We thereupon set about the necessary preparations for a movement,
immediately after dinner. Arms and equipments were appointed, knives
sharpened, guns put in order and stacked against the house;--the bell
rang for dinner, and we ate with appetites sharpened by excitement. But,
on going out, and taking a final look through the glass before
embarking, we observed the Indians catching their horses. They speedily
mounted their beasts, and rode off. Our anticipated valor was soon
cooled. They had slipped away without giving us a chance to do anything
for revenge, for justice, or for the honor of the captive flag. On the
whole, we were not sorry to abandon the expedition, though it seemed to
me that our chances of security were not much improved by their
departure. They would be very likely to lurk in the vicinity, and to
return with full preparations for crossing and landing upon the island.
Perhaps their movement was only a ruse to put us off our guard. Such
thoughts crowded my mind; but there was no use in borrowing trouble, and
I dismissed them.
The men returned to their work, and I set myself to devise some
employment. I had become tired of idleness, and offered to assist in the
preparation of guano; but Mr. Hall interposed a decided veto. He wished
me, he said, to make myself entirely contented, and as comfortable as
possible. But the sort of life I was leading was very decidedly
uncomfortable; and I entreated so earnestly to be allowed to make myself
useful in some way, that he set me to make a row-lock for a boat, or a
few thole-pins, or some other trivial things, that served to occupy
attention and divert the mind. Then our cottage wanted a new floor, and
some alterations were found necessary about the premises. When
everything was done, and no more was suggested, I was desired to go a
gunning, to vary the supplies for the table, or to take a basket and
pick the tops of the bushes for pickling. The bushes, which are
evergreen, have on their tops little clusters not unlike barberries,
that make a very fine pickle. Several jars were filled, and furnished an
excellent condiment for our suppers.
Time passed on, and the non-arrival of Captain White made it drag
slowly. I had thought to take passage in one of the guano vessels to Rio
Janeiro, or some other South American port, from which it might be easy
to obtain a passage for California. In default of other occupation, the
large lighter, which lay up the creek, two-thirds the length of the
island, was brought down opposite the house for repair, to be in
readiness to load the ships when they should arrive. Their delay
threatened us with famine, moreover, and it was beginning to be felt as
a very serious matter. To add to our troubles, the scurvy broke out
among the men, in consequence of living on salt provisions, without
vegetables. They had been recommended, as a preventive, to make and eat
freely of the pickle just described; but, either from want of faith in
the virtue of the prescription, or because it was too much trouble, they
had neglected to do so, and now found themselves in a poor plight.
About the same time, as troubles
"come not single spies,
But in battalions,"
Mr. Hall was informed by the Welshman, who appeared very friendly, that
Morrison, the Scotchman, was trying to prejudice the Frenchmen and
Spaniards against him, and inciting the men to mutiny. The man had lived
in the house and been treated like a gentleman, and this was all the
return he made for the preference shown him. Sawney's goods and
chattels were forthwith thrown out of doors, and he was ordered to take
his bed and board with the men. He took this descent in the world very
much to heart, and when I talked with him on the impropriety of his
conduct, appeared quite penitent. I strongly advised Mr. Hall to take
him back into the house; for, though he had proved treacherous, it was
better, after all, to have him under our immediate watch than with the
men, as he might, in a short time, infect the whole company. After much
coaxing, consent was given to his return, and he replaced his things in
the house with much apparent gratitude. He was told that he must show
himself an honest man, and labor to undo the mischief he had done, if he
had any care of his personal safety; for should any trouble break out,
and the sacrifice of life become necessary, his would be the first. He
faithfully promised, and, I doubt not, exerted himself to allay
discontents and prevent any outbreak. With the Spaniards he was
successful; but the Frenchmen were more turbulent, and determined on a
rupture. They complained that their allowance of food was insufficient,
and threatened to break into the store-house and help themselves. Mr.
Hall had served out their daily rations of meat, bread and flour, by
weight, according to the directions of Captain White. The quantity I
have forgotten, but remember Mr. Hall saying that it was the same as is
allowed per man in the British navy. When the bell rang for work the
next morning, the Welshman and Irishman alone went. The Spaniards said
that they had the scurvy so badly they were unable to work; the
Frenchmen marched up to the house, and peremptorily demanded more flour.
Mr. Hall met them at the door; and, in reply, told them that they had
the same food, in quality and quantity, with all the others, himself
included, and that the allowance for the house proved to be more than we
needed. None of the other men complained, and their complaints could not
be listened to by him. They had all that Captain White allowed, and, if
they were not satisfied, they could appeal to him when he returned,
which would undoubtedly be very soon. Meanwhile he advised them "to be
quiet, and do their own business." They left in a very wrathful mood,
not to their work, but to their quarters, and to idle away the rest of
the day in sauntering up and down the island. They went on in this way
for nearly a week, and at last consented to return to duty, under a
promise that nothing should be deducted from their wages, which was
given as a matter of prudence. It was not thought safe, in present
circumstances, to strain authority over them. Nothing occurred to give
serious uneasiness, though the men were so touchy and quarrelsome as to
raise a slight tempest, now and then. On one occasion, Mr. Hall had been
with three men up the creek, seven or eight miles, after fresh water,
which could only be obtained at that distance and boated down to the
settlement. While we were unlading the boat, a row was kicked up between
one of the Frenchmen and the Welshman. Taffy, who was a thorough seaman,
when adjusting the ropes to the casks, was assailed by one of the
Frenchmen with some derogatory remark touching his seamanship, prompted
by his mode of "putting on the parbuckle." The critic attempted to take
the rope into his own hands, by way of enforcing and exemplifying his
view of the process; and the two were on the point of settling the
question in a summary fashion, in a spirit which it required some effort
to quell.
The Indians still hovered in the vicinity of the further shore, as the
smoke of their fires plainly indicated, and we were obliged to keep up
our preparations for defence. There was nothing to prevent them from
paying us a visit but their cowardice; and knowing their revengeful
tempers, and the tenacity of their purposes,--the long-lived malice with
which they were capable of pursuing any evil designs,--it seemed not
unlikely that, smarting under the disappointment I had caused them,
their resentment would prove strong enough to overcome their timidity.
In this connection I had an unpleasant thought, now and then, of a hint
given them while we were on our way to "Holland." When about a mile
distant from the shore, I picked up a bit of plank, and somewhat rashly,
in the impetuosity of desire to contrive ways and means to get to the
island, in case the islanders could not be attracted towards us, told
the Indians that, if we could find two or three more of the same sort, I
could bind them together and make a raft, on which I might be paddled
over to "Holland." I informed them, moreover, what was the most
favorable time for crossing; namely, at the last of the tide, as the
distance to be passed would be less, and there would be no difficulty in
effecting a landing on the island. No additional materials presented
themselves, and the scheme was given up; happily there was no need of
it. But, less happily, it now occurred to me that what I then spoke in
my own behoof might be turned by the Indians to theirs, to our no small
danger, in case a more earnest and vigorous search should disclose,
along-shore, more abundant materials for extemporizing transport craft.
Some of the men became so sorely afflicted with the scurvy that we
decided to land on the south shore and chase some of the guanaco for
fresh provision. Two of the Frenchmen accompanied us. Just as we were
getting off, their countryman who was left behind came running to us,
with angry jabber and gesture, vociferating that one of them had his
gun. He seized it and was taking it out of the boat, when the party
dispossessed of it disputed his progress, and a regular French fight of
kicking and fisticuffs ensued, which we had difficulty in subduing. At
last we got off, but discovered only a lone guanaco in a hollow between
the hills. We posted ourselves to surround him for a shot. When he came
out I had a fine chance at him as he crossed the top of the hill, and
made quite sure of him. Unluckily, the flint-lock missed fire, and,
before it was possible to burn any powder, our expected prey escaped. We
cruised about for several miles, and returned home tired and empty.
The men continued their work, as usual, the next day; but a storm was
brewing. On the following morning the Frenchmen marched up to the house,
and demanded their wages. They were told by Mr. Hall that he had none of
the proprietor's money, nor any authority to settle with them. Then they
would work no longer. Very well, they were told, they might let work
alone, but their wages and rations could not be meddled with on demand.
So they indulged in another season of idleness and mischief. Their first
revenge was taken on old "John," the horse. On the second day of their
mutiny the poor animal was seen to halt; a hamstring was cut. He was
very fat, and was probably marked by them for food, in default of fresh
provision. At all events, Mr. Hall ordered him, as he was useless, to
be so dealt with. The men's rations were served out, and the rest was
laid up in the store-house for future use. "Horse-beef" has a strong and
singular flavor. I had become accustomed to such diet among the
Patagonians, though never privileged to partake of so fat a specimen as
old John.
Not knowing to what height the mutinous spirit of his men might carry
them, Mr. Hall wrote a brief statement of his affairs, and an account of
my arrival on the island, and enclosed them, together with what money
and valuable papers he had, in a tin box, which he buried at night in a
guano-heap. That would certainly be removed on Capt. White's arrival, or
by some one else, if he never returned; so that our tale would not be
lost, even though we should not survive to tell it. The desperate
character of the men,--all but one or two of whom, as we had reason to
believe, had left their country for their country's good,--and the
recklessness of their behavior, made our situation rather ticklish. Our
fear of the Indians, moreover, was not laid entirely to sleep, though
all visible tokens of their neighborhood to us had disappeared. By
passing up and crossing the river, they might approach us from the south
shore, which was separated from the island by a channel not more than
half as broad as that on the opposite side. The bank, to be sure, was
steep and muddy, involving the risk that they would be hopelessly
bemired in attempting to land; but this was a weak security against
them, if they were resolute enough to make the effort. Nothing occurred
for several days to break the monotony of life. No work was done; the
men received their allowances twice a week, spending their time in
wandering over the island. The large boat needed repairs, but they
rendered no aid. We took advantage of high water, rove tackles, and, by
the help of rollers, drew it up high and dry on the land. When it was
finished,--through fear that the men might seize it and make off to some
place northward, thus depriving us of our only means of escape, if our
provisions should be exhausted before Capt. White's return,--it was
turned over, and the sails and oars were secured, as far as possible,
from depredation.
Old John was devoured, to the partial relief of the company; but some
were still badly affected with scurvy. Yet we were afraid to go any
distance in search of fresh provisions, on account of the risk of
finding Indians about. The carcass of a guanaco, just killed by the
dogs, was picked up in time to afford a sensible alleviation of
suffering, and to replenish our rapidly wasting stock of provisions.
Indians without, discontent and mutiny within, and the possibility of
famine, together, would have made the island anything but a paradise to
one who had not so lately escaped the purgatorial pains of a Patagonian
captivity. The first of these disagreeables, however, began to be less
vividly felt. We got tired of sweeping the horizon with our glass in
search of the smoke of their camp-fires, or other appearances suggesting
their vicinity, and gradually relaxed our vigilance. Bose was released
from his sentry duties, and suffered to exchange such unwilling service
for the society of his friends the pigs. But we still took the axe into
the house by night, and kept our guns loaded. The boat had to be
launched once more, to go up the creek for water. When it was unladed,
we got the aid of a Spaniard and Frenchman in drawing it on land, to
prevent the rascals from stealing it, by telling them that it needed
painting, which was true enough. The seine was next got out, to see if
some fish could not be had for the improvement of our diet; but we got
what is vulgarly termed "fisherman's luck," and spread the ineffectual
net on the gravelly beach to dry. Grown desperate, at last, we decided
that, Indians or no Indians, we _must_ have fresh provisions, if any
were to be had, and manned the whale-boat for an expedition to the
continent. We landed on the south shore, and succeeded in discovering
and bringing down a solitary guanaco. The game was dressed, and we
returned to our home in triumph. The two following days were chiefly
spent in hunting, unsuccessfully.
In the afternoon of the second day, having nothing else to pass away the
hours, I commenced repairing the lighter, but had not been long at work
before Mr. Hall came down, with a smile. "Look out to sea!" he
exclaimed; "Captain White is coming." I looked as directed, and saw
distinctly two sail approaching. A thrill of joy shot through me; I
thought no more of work that day. An examination through the glass made
them out to be a ship and a fore-and-aft schooner. Could it be any one
else than Captain White? The island was not frequented by vessels except
for guano; but it seemed very strange to see a schooner, as a vessel of
that rig was not adapted to such a service. Mr. Hall began to think it
might be some of General Rosas' vessels despatched to drive away people
engaged in taking guano on the Patagonian coast. It had been reported,
some time before, that he designed doing so. He heard the rumor a few
months previous at Montevideo; and also another, that the Chilian
government claimed the country, and were determined to hold it.
The little schooner led the way, considerably in advance of the ship.
As the vessels approached nearer, they presented a decidedly Yankee
look. We watched them with intense interest, as they passed the shoals,
and came up with a favorable breeze, under a press of sail. Soon they
entered the river's mouth. On passing the north point the schooner stood
up, keeping the north shore, and cast anchor. It was evident they were
not acquainted with the navigation, as there is a large shoal running
from the upper end of the island nearly to the mouth of the river, and
they had sailed within it. On discovering the error, she attempted to
keep off, but, in so doing, struck the lower end of the shoal. Mr. Hall
manned the boat, and boarded the schooner. She proved to be the
Washington, tender to the ship Hudson, Captain Clift, of Mystic,
Connecticut,--a whaling vessel, just from the Falkland Islands. Mr. Hall
promised to go on board again during the following forenoon, and pilot
the vessel into the channel.
I went with him for this purpose; and, as it was calm, the anchor was
hove aweigh, and, with the boat ahead, we towed the schooner across the
shoal, which at low water is plainly to be seen, but now, at flood tide,
had plenty of water. After getting into the right position, the anchor
was dropped, and we spent the day on board very pleasantly. The weather
held moderate till afternoon. The ship yet lay off the mouth of the
harbor, and made slow progress upward. The schooner, the day before,
being so far ahead, had only daylight and wind enough to get in; and the
ship, finding she would be benighted, as the wind sank with the sun,
hauled on and off during the night, and then lay with scarcely wind
enough to fill the sails. A smart breeze, however, sprung up in the
afternoon, and she came gallantly into port, only repeating the mistake
made by the schooner between the channels; but got off at night with the
tide, and, after some delay, anchored securely in sufficient depth of
water. As she intended making some stay in port, she was subsequently
taken further up to the proper anchorage, and was moored on the 5th of
October, having come in on the 4th.
Captain Clift had been informed by the mate, who had been ashore, and by
Mr. Hall, of my misfortunes and adventures among the Patagonians, and on
the following day sent a message inviting me on board his vessel. He
received me very cordially, and insisted that I should make his ship my
home as long as it should suit my convenience to do so. I accepted his
kind offer, first going on shore, and communicating it to my liberal
benefactor, Mr. Hall. He at once assented that it would undoubtedly be
pleasanter to be with my countrymen. I could not leave him, however,
without endeavoring to express my earnest gratitude for my rescue from a
captivity worse almost than death, and for the kindly sympathy and
generous hospitality that he had exercised for two months. In my
destitute condition I had nothing but thanks to give, and I fervently
hoped he might never be in a situation to need the like kindness from
others; but he was assured, that whenever or however it might be
possible to show my gratitude in a more substantial manner, it would be
my happiness to do so. He begged me to give myself no trouble on that
score, insisted on my retaining the articles of clothing with which he
had supplied me, hoped I would come often and see him while the vessels
continued there, and I bade this noble specimen of the true-hearted
Englishman a tearful good-by.