other who should take the most care of us. They made a bed of
sheepskins close to the fire, for Captain Cheap, and laid him upon
it; and indeed, had it not been for the kind assistance he now met
with, he could not have survived three days longer. Though it was now
about midnight, they went out and killed a sheep, of which they made
broth, and baked a large cake of barley-meal. Any body may imagine what
a treat this was to wretches who had not tasted a bit of bread, or
any wholesome diet, for such a length of time. After we could eat no
longer, we went to sleep about the fire, which the Indians took good
care to keep up. In the morning, the women came from far and near, each
bringing with her something. Almost every one had a pipkin in her hand,
containing either fowls or mutton made into broth, potatoes, eggs, or
other eatables. We fell to work as if we had eat nothing in the night,
and employed ourselves so for the best part of the day. In the evening,
the men filled our house, bringing with them some jars of a liquor they
called chicha, made of barley-meal, and not very unlike our oat-ale
in taste, which will intoxicate those who drink a sufficient quantity
of it; for a little has no effect. As soon as the drink was out, a
fresh supply of victuals was brought in; and in this manner we passed
the whole time we remained with these hospitable Indians. They are a
strong well-made people, extremely well featured, both men and women,
and vastly neat in their persons. The men's dress is called by them
a puncho, which is a square piece of cloth, generally in stripes of
different colours, with a slit in the middle of it wide enough to let
their heads through, so that it hangs on their shoulders, half of it
falling before, and the other behind them: under this they wear a short
kind of flannel shirt without sleeves or neck. They have wide-knee'd
breeches, something like the Dutch seamen, and on their legs a sort
of knit buskins without any feet to them; but never any shoes. Their
hair is always combed very smooth, and tied very tight up in a great
bunch close to the neck: some wear a very neat hat of their own making,
and others go without. The women wear a shift like the men's shirts,
without sleeves; and over it a square piece of cloth, which they fasten
before with a large silver pin, and a petticoat of different stripes:
they take as much care of their hair as the men; and both have always
a kind of fillet bound very tight about the forehead, and made fast
behind: in short, these people are as cleanly as the several savage
nations we had met with before were beastly. Upon our first coming
here, they had dispatched a messenger to the Spanish corregidore at
Castro, a town a considerable distance from hence, to inform him of
our arrival. At the end of three days, this man returned with an order
to the chief caciques of these Indians we were amongst, to carry us
directly to a certain place, where there would be a party of soldiers
to receive us. These poor people now seemed to be under great concern
for us, hearing by the messenger the preparations that were making
to receive us; for they stand in vast dread of the Spanish soldiery.
They were very desirous of knowing what countrymen we were. We told
them we were English, and at that time at war with the Spaniards; upon
which they appeared fonder of us than ever; and I verily believe, if
they durst, would have concealed us amongst them, lest we should come
to any harm. They are so far from being in the Spanish interest,
that they detest the very name of a Spaniard. And, indeed, I am not
surprised at it; for they are kept under such subjection, and such a
laborious slavery, by mere dint of hard usage and punishments, that it
appears to me the most absurd thing in the world, that the Spaniards
should rely upon these people for assistance upon any emergency. We
embarked in the evening, and it was night before we got to the place
where we were to be delivered up to the Spanish guard. We were met
by three or four officers, and a number of soldiers, all with their
spados drawn, who surrounded us as if they had the most formidable
enemy to take charge of, instead of three poor helpless wretches,
who, notwithstanding the good living we had met with amongst these
kind Indians, could hardly support ourselves. They carried us to the
top of a hill, and there put us under a shed; for it consisted of a
thatched roof, without any sides or walls, being quite open; and here
we were to lay upon the cold ground. All sorts of people now came to
stare at us as a sight; but the Indian women never came empty-handed;
they always brought with them either fowls, mutton, or some kind of
provision to us; so that we lived well enough. However, we found a
very sensible difference between the treatment we had met with from
the Indians, and what we now experienced from the Spaniards. With the
former, we were quite at liberty to do as we pleased; but here, if we
only went ten yards to attempt at getting rid of some of the vermin
that devoured us, we had two soldiers, with drawn spados, to attend us.
About the third day, a Jesuit from Castro came to see us; not from a
motive of compassion, but from a report spread by our Indian cacique,
that we had some things of great value about us. Having by chance seen
Captain Cheap pull out a gold repeating watch, the first thing the good
father did was to lug out of his pocket a bottle of brandy, and give
us a dram, in order to open our hearts. He then came roundly to the
point, asking us if we had saved no watches or rings. Captain Cheap
declared he had nothing, never suspecting that the Indian had seen his
watch, having, as he thought, always taken great care to conceal it
from him; but knowing that Campbel had a silver watch, which had been
the property of our surgeon, he desired him to make it a present to
the jesuit, telling him, at the same time, that as these people had
great power and authority, it might be of service to us hereafter.
This Campbel very unwillingly did, and received from the father, not
long after, a pitiful present, not a quarter part of the value of the
rim of the watch. We understood afterwards, that this had come to the
governor's ears, who was highly offended at it, as thinking that if
any thing of that sort had been to be had, it was his due; and did not
spare the jesuits in the least upon the occasion. Soon after this, the
officer of the guard informed us there was an order come to carry us to
Castro. In the evening, we were conducted to the water-side, and put
into a large periago; and there were several more, to attend us, full
of soldiers. About eight o'clock at night, we were off the town. The
boats all laid upon their oars, and there was a great deal of ceremony
used in hailing and asking for the keys, as if it had been a regular
fortification. After some time, we landed; but could see neither gates
nor walls, nor any thing that had the appearance of a garrison. As
we walked up a steep hill into the town, the way was lined with men
who had broomsticks upon their shoulders instead of muskets, and a
lighted match in their hands. When we came to the corregidore's house,
we found it full of people. He was an old man, very tall, with a long
cloak on, a tie-wig without any curl, and a spado of immense length
by his side. He received us in great state and form; but as we had no
interpreter, we understood little or nothing of the questions he asked
us. He ordered a table to be spread for us with cold ham and fowls;
which we three only sat down to, and in a short time dispatched more
than ten men with common appetites would have done. It is amazing,
that our eating to that excess we had done, from the time we first got
amongst these kind Indians, had not killed us; we were never satisfied,
and used to take all opportunities, for some months after, of filling
our pockets when we were not seen, that we might get up two or three
times in the night to cram ourselves. Captain Cheap used to declare,
that he was quite ashamed of himself. After supper, the corregidore
carried us to the jesuits' college, attended by the soldiers, and all
the rabble of the town. This was intended, at present, for our prison,
till orders were received from the governor, who resided at Chaco,
above thirty leagues from this place. When we got to the college, the
corregidore desired the father provincial, as they styled him, or
head of the jesuits here, to find out what religion we were of, or
whether we had any or not. He then retired, the gates were shut, and
we were conducted to a cell. We found in it something like beds spread
on the floor, and an old ragged shirt a-piece, but clean, which was
of infinite service to us; nor did eating at first give me half the
satisfaction this treasure of an old shirt did. Though this college
was large, there were but four jesuits in it, nor were there any more
of that order upon the island. In the morning Captain Cheap was sent
for by the father provincial: their conversation was carried on in
Latin, perhaps not the best on either side; however, they made shift to
understand one another. When he returned, he told us the good fathers
were still harping upon what things of value we might have saved and
concealed about us; and that if we had any thing of that sort, we could
not do better than let them have it. Religion seemed to be quite out
of the question at present; but a day or two after the corregidore
being informed that we were heretics, he desired these jesuits would
convert us; but one of them told him it was a mere joke to attempt
it, as we could have no inducement upon that island to change our
religion, but that when we got to Chili, in such a delightful country
as that was, where there was nothing but diversions and amusements,
we should be converted fast enough. We kept close to our cell till the
bell rang for dinner, when we were conducted into a hall, where there
was one table for the fathers, and another for us. After a very long
Latin prayer, we sat down and eat what was put before us, without a
single word passing at either table. As soon as we had finished, there
was another long prayer, which, however, did not appear so tedious as
the first; and then we retired to our cell again. In this manner we
passed eight days without ever stirring out; all which time one might
have imagined one's-self out of the world; for excepting the bell
for dinner, a silence reigned throughout the whole, as if the place
had been uninhabited. A little before dark, on the eighth evening,
we heard a violent knocking at the gate, which was no sooner opened
than there entered a young officer booted and spurred, who acquainted
the fathers that he was sent by the governor to conduct us to Chaco.
This young man was the governor's son; by which means he obtained
a commission next in authority, upon this island, to his father. He
ought to have been kept at school, for he was a vain, empty coxcomb,
much disliked by the people of the island. After taking leave of the
jesuits, who I imagined were not sorry to be rid of us, after finding
their expectations balked, we set out, having about thirty soldiers on
horseback to attend us. We rode about eight miles that night, when we
came to an Estancia, or farm-house, belonging to an old lady who had
two handsome daughters. Here we were very well entertained, and the
good old lady seemed to have great compassion for us. She asked the
governor's son if he thought his father would have any objection to my
passing a month with her at her farm. As she was a person of rank in
this island, he said he would acquaint his father with her request,
and made no doubt but he would grant it. I observed our soldiers,
when they came into the house, had none of them any shoes on, but
wore buskins, like the Indians, without any feet to them. They all
had monstrous great spurs, some of silver and others of copper, which
made a rattling when they walked like chains. They were all stout,
strong-looking men, as the Spaniards, natives of the island, in general
are. After a good supper, we had sheepskins laid near the fire for us
to sleep on. Early in the morning we mounted again, and after riding
some miles across the country, we came to the water-side, where we
found several periagos waiting for us, with some officers in them. Most
of the soldiers dismounted and embarked with us, a few only being sent
round with the horses. It was three days before we arrived at Chaco,
as the tides between this island and the main are so rapid that no
boat can stem them. The same precaution was taken here as at Castro;
we passed through a whole lane of soldiers, armed as I mentioned those
to have been before, excepting a few, who really had matchlocks, the
only fire-arms they have here. The soldiers, upon our journey, had
given a pompous account of el Palacio del Rey, or the king's palace,
as they styled the governor's house, and therefore we expected to see
something very magnificent; but it was nothing better than a large
thatched barn, partitioned off into several rooms. The governor was
sitting at a large table covered with a piece of red serge, having
all the principal officers about him. After some time he made us sit
down, attempting to converse with us by his linguist, who was a stupid
old fellow, that could neither talk English nor Spanish, but said he
was born in England, had resided above forty years in that country,
and having formerly been a buccaneer, was taken by the Spaniards near
Panama. The governor kept us to supper, and then we were conducted
across the court to our apartment, which was a place that had served
to keep the fire wood for the governor's kitchen; however, as it was
dry over head, we thought ourselves extremely well lodged. There was a
soldier placed at the door with a drawn spado in his hand, to prevent
our stirring out; which was quite unnecessary, as we knew not where to
go if we had been at liberty. One of these soldiers took a great fancy
to my ragged grieko, which had still some thousands about it; and in
exchange gave me an old puncho, the sort of garment with a hole in the
middle to put one's head through, as above related to be worn by the
Indians; and for the little bit of my waistcoat that remained, he gave
me a pair of breeches. I now should have thought myself very handsomely
equipped, if I had had but another shirt. The next day, about noon,
the governor sent for us, and we dined at his table; after which we
returned to our lodging, where we were never alone, for every body was
curious to see us. We passed about a week in this manner, when the
sentinel was taken off, and we were allowed to look about us a little,
though not to go out of the palace, as they were pleased to call it.
We dined every day with the governor; but were not very fond of his
fast days, which succeeded each other too quickly. I contrived to make
friends with his steward and cook, by which means I always carried my
pockets full to my apartment, where I passed my time very agreeably.
Soon after, we had leave to walk about the town, or go wherever we
pleased. Every house was open to us; and though it was but an hour
after we had dined, they always spread a table, thinking we never could
eat enough after what we had suffered; and we were much of the same
opinion. They are, in general, a charitable, good sort of people, but
very ignorant, and governed by their priests, who make them believe
just what they please. The Indian language is chiefly spoken here,
even by the Spaniards one amongst another; and they say they think it
a finer language than their own. The women have fine complexions, and
many of them are very handsome; they have good voices, and can strum
a little upon the guitar; but they have an ugly custom of smoking
tobacco, which is a very scarce commodity here; and therefore is looked
upon as a great treat when they meet at one another's houses. The lady
of the house comes in with a large wooden pipe crammed with tobacco;
and after taking two or three hearty whiffs, she holds her head under
her cloak lest any of the smoke should escape, and then swallows it;
some time after you see it coming out of her nose and ears. She then
hands the pipe to the next lady, who does the same, till it has gone
through the whole company. Their houses are but very mean, as will
be easily imagined by what I have said of the governor's. They make
their fire in the middle of their rooms, but have no chimneys; there
is a small hole at each end of the roof to let the smoke out. It is
only the better sort of people that eat bread made of wheat, as they
grow but very little here, and they have no mills to grind it; but
then they have great plenty of the finest potatoes in the world:
these are always roasted in the ashes, then scraped, and served up at
meals instead of bread. They breed abundance of swine, as they supply
both Chili and Peru with hams. They are in no want of sheep, but are
not overstocked with cows; owing, in a great measure, to their own
indolence in not clearing away the woods, which if they would be at the
pains to do, they might have sufficient pasture. Their trade consists
in hams, hogs-lard, which is used throughout all South America instead
of butter; cedar plank, which the Indians are continually employed in
cutting quite to the foot of the Cordilleras; little carved boxes,
which the Spanish ladies use to put their work in; carpets, quilts,
and punchos neatly embroidered all round; for these, both in Chili
and Peru, are used by the people of the first fashion, as well as the
inferior sort, by way of riding-dress, and are esteemed to be much more
convenient for a horseman than any kind of coat whatever.
They have what they call an annual ship from Lima, as they never expect
more than one in the year; though sometimes it happens that two have
come, and at other times they have been two or three years without any.
When this happens they are greatly distressed, as this ship brings
them baize, cloth, linens, hats, ribbons, tobacco, sugar, brandy, and
wine; but this latter article is chiefly for the use of the churches:
matte, an herb from Paraguay, used all over South America instead
of tea, is also a necessary article. This ship's cargo is chiefly
consigned to the jesuits, who have more Indians employed for them
than all the rest of the inhabitants together, and of course engross
almost the whole trade. There is no money current in this island. If
any person wants a few yards of linen, a little sugar, tobacco, or any
other thing brought from Peru, he gives so many cedar planks, hams, or
punchos, in exchange. Some time after we had been here, a snow arrived
in the harbour from Lima, which occasioned great joy amongst the
inhabitants, as they had no ship the year before, from the alarm Lord
Anson had given upon the coast. This was not the annual vessel, but one
of those that I mentioned before which come unexpectedly. The captain
of her was an old man, well known upon the island, who had traded here
once in two or three years, for more than thirty years past. He had a
remarkable large head, and therefore was commonly known by a nick-name
they had given him of Cabuço de Toro, or Bull's-head. He had not been
here a week before he came to the governor, and told him, with a most
melancholy countenance, that he had not slept a wink since he came
into the harbour, as the governor was pleased to allow three English
prisoners liberty to walk about instead of confining them; and that
he expected every moment they would board his vessel, and carry her
away: this he said when he had above thirty hands aboard. The governor
assured him he would be answerable for us, and that he might sleep in
quiet; though at the same time he could not help laughing at the man,
as all the people in the town did. These assurances did not satisfy
the captain: he used the utmost dispatch in disposing of his cargo,
and put to sea again, not thinking himself safe till he had lost sight
of the island. It was about three months after us that Mr. Hamilton
was brought in by a party that the governor had sent to the southward
on purpose to fetch him. He was in a wretched condition upon his first
arrival, but soon recovered with the good living he found here.
It is usual for the governor to make a tour, every year, through the
several districts belonging to his government: on this occasion he took
us with him. The first place he visited was Carelmapo, on the main; and
from thence to Castro. At these places he holds a kind of court; all
the chief caciques meeting him, and informing him of what has passed
since his last visit, and receiving fresh orders for the year to come.
At Castro we had the same liberty we enjoyed at Chaco, and visited
every body. It seemed they had forgot all the ceremony used upon our
first landing here, which was with an intent to make us believe it
was strongly fortified; for now they let us see plainly that they had
neither fort nor gun. At Chaco they had a little earthen fort, with
a small ditch palisadoed round it, and a few old honey-combed guns
without carriages, and which do not defend the harbour in the least.
Whilst we were at Castro, the old lady, (at whose house we lay the
first night upon leaving the jesuits' college) sent to the governor,
and begged I might be allowed to come to her for a few weeks: this
was granted; and accordingly I went and passed about three weeks with
her very happily, as she seemed to be as fond of me as if I had been
her own son. She was very unwilling to part with me again; but as the
governor was soon to return to Chaco, he sent for me, and I left my
benefactress with regret.
Amongst the houses we visited at Castro, there was one belonging to
an old priest, who was esteemed one of the richest persons upon the
island. He had a niece, of whom he was extremely fond, and who was to
inherit all he possessed. He had taken a great deal of pains with her
education, and she was reckoned one of the most accomplished young
ladies of Chiloe. Her person was good, though she could not be called
a regular beauty. This young lady did me the honour to take more notice
of me than I deserved, and proposed to her uncle to convert me, and
afterwards begged his consent to marry me. As the old man doted upon
her, he readily agreed to it; and accordingly on the next visit I made
him, acquainted me with the young lady's proposal, and his approbation
of it, taking me at the same time into a room where there were several
chests and boxes, which he unlocked; first shewing me what a number of
fine clothes his niece had, and then his own wardrobe, which he said
should be mine at his death. Amongst other things, he produced a piece
of linen, which he said should immediately be made up into shirts for
me. I own this last article was a great temptation to me; however, I
had the resolution to withstand it, and made the best excuses I could
for not accepting of the honour they intended me; for by this time I
could speak Spanish well enough to make myself understood.
Amongst the Indians who had come to meet the governor here, there
were some caciques of those Indians who had treated us so kindly at
our first landing upon Chiloe. One of these, a young man, had been
guilty of some offence, and was put in irons, and threatened to be
more severely punished. We could not learn his crime, or whether the
governor did not do it in a great measure to shew us his power over
these Indian chiefs: however, we were under great concern for this
young man, who had been extremely kind to us, and begged Captain Cheap
to intercede with the governor for him. This he did, and the cacique
was released; the governor acquainting him at the same time, with great
warmth, that it was to us only he owed it, or otherwise he would have
made a severe example of him. The young man seemed to have been in no
dread of farther punishment, as I believe he felt all a man could do
from the indignity of being put in irons in the public square, before
all his brother caciques and many hundreds of other Indians. I thought
this was not a very politic step of the governor, as the cacique
came after to Captain Cheap to thank him for his goodness, and in all
probability would remember the English for some time after; and not
only he, but all the other caciques who had been witnesses of it, and
who seemed to feel, if possible, even more than the young man himself
did. We now returned to Chaco, and the governor told me, when the
annual ship came, which they expected in December, we should be sent
in her to Chili. We felt several earthquakes while we were here. One
day as I happened to be upon a visit at a house where I was very well
acquainted, an Indian came in, who lived at many leagues distance from
this town, and who had made this journey in order to purchase some
little trifles he wanted; amongst other things, he had bought some
prints of saints. Very proud of these, he produced them, and put them
into the hands of the women, who very devoutly first crossed themselves
with them, and afterwards kissed them; then gave them to me, saying at
the same time, they supposed such a heretic as I was would refuse to
kiss them. They were right in their conjectures: I returned them to the
Indian without going through that ceremony. At that very instant, there
happened a violent shock of an earthquake, which they imputed entirely
to the anger of the saints; and all quitted the house as fast as they
could, lest it should fall upon their heads. For my part, I made the
best of my way home for fear of being knocked on the head, when out of
the house, by the rabble, who looked on me as the cause of all this
mischief, and did not return to that house again till I thought this
affair was forgotten.
Here is a very good harbour; but the entrance is very dangerous for
those who are unacquainted with it, as the tides are so extremely
rapid, and there are sunken rocks in the mid-channel. The island is
above seventy leagues round; and the body of it lies in about 40° 20'
south, and is the most southern settlement the Spaniards have in these
seas. Their summer is of no long duration, and most of the year round
they have hard gales of wind and much rain. Opposite the island,
upon the Cordilleras, there is a volcano, which, at times, burns with
great fury, and is subject to violent eruptions. One of these alarmed
the whole island, whilst we were here: it sounded in the night like
great guns. In the morning, the governor mounted his horse, and rode
backwards and forwards from his house to the earthen fort, saying
it was the English coming in, but that he would give them a warm
reception; meaning, I suppose, that he would have left them a good fire
in his house; for I am certain he would soon have been in the woods, if
he had seen any thing like an English ship coming in.
Women of the first fashion here seldom wear shoes or stockings in the
house, but only keep them to wear upon particular occasions. I have
often seen them coming to the church, which stood opposite to the
governor's house, barelegged, walking through mud and water; and at the
church door put on their shoes and stockings, and pull them off again
when they came out. Though they are in general handsome, and have good
complexions, yet many of them paint in so ridiculous a manner, that it
is impossible to help laughing in their faces when you see them. The
governor we found here was a native of Chili. The government, which
is appointed by that presidency, is for three years; which appears to
be a long banishment to them, as their appointments are but small,
though they make the most of it. The towns of Castro and Chaco, consist
only of scattered houses, without a regular street; though both have
their places or squares, as almost all Spanish towns have. Chaco is
very thinly inhabited, excepting at the time the Lima ship arrives;
then they flock thither from all parts of the island, to purchase what
little matters they want; and as soon as that is done, retire to their
estancias, or farms. It was about the middle of December this ship came
in; and the second of January, 1742-3, we embarked on board of her.
She was bound to Valparaiso. We got out to sea with some difficulty,
having been driven by the strength of the tide very near those sunken
rocks mentioned before. We found a great sea without; and as the ship
was as deep as any laden collier, her decks were continually well
washed. She was a fine vessel, of about two hundred and fifty tons. The
timber the ships of this country are built of is excellent, as they
last a prodigious time; for they assured us that the vessel we were
then in had been built above forty years. The captain was a Spaniard,
and knew not the least of sea affairs; the second captain, or master,
the boatswain, and his mate, were all three Frenchmen, and very good
seamen; the pilot was a Mulatto, and all the rest of the crew were
Indians and Negroes. The latter were all slaves and stout fellows; but
never suffered to go aloft, lest they should fall overboard, and the
owners lose so much money by it. The Indians were active, brisk men,
and very good seamen for that climate. We had on board the head of the
jesuits as passenger. He and Captain Cheap were admitted into the great
cabin, and messed with the captain and his chaplain. As for us, we were
obliged to rough it the whole passage; that is, when we were tired we
lay down upon the quarter-deck, in the open air, and slept as well as
we could; but that was nothing to us, who had been used to fare so much
worse. We lived well, eating with the master and boatswain, who always
had their meals upon the quarter-deck, and drank brandy at them as we
do small beer; and all the rest of the day were smoking cigars.