the Spaniards, who would not
have left him a rusty nail if they had known of it. Towards evening we set
off again; and about nine the same night, to our great joy, we observed
something that had the appearance of a house, It belonged to an
acquaintance of our cacique; and as he was possessed of my fowling-piece,
and we had preserved about one charge of powder, he made us load it for
him, and desired we would shew him how to discharge it; upon which,
standing up, and holding his head from it as far as possible, he fired, and
fell back into the bottom of the canoe. The Indians belonging to the house,
not in the least used to fire-arms, ran out and hid themselves in the
woods. But after some time, one of them bolder than the rest, got upon a
hill and hollowed to us, asking who and what we were. Our cacique now made
himself known, and they presently came down to the boat, bringing with them
some fish and plenty of potatoes. This was the most comfortable meal we had
made for many long months; and as soon as this was over, we rowed about two
miles farther to a little village, where we landed. Here our cacique
presently awaked all the inhabitants by the noise he made, and obliged one
of them to open his door to us, and immediately to make a large fire, for
the weather was very severe, this being the month of June, the depth of
winter in this part of the world. The Indians now flocked thick about us,
and seemed to have great compassion for us, as our cacique related to them
what part be knew of our history. They knew not what countrymen we were,
nor could our guide inform them; for he had often asked us if we were
French, Dutch, or English, the only nations he had ever heard of besides
the Spaniards. We always answered we were from Grande Bretagne, which he
could make nothing of; for we were afraid, if he knew us to be English, as
he had heard that nation was at war with the Spaniards, he never would have
conducted us to Chiloe.

These good-natured compassionate creatures seemed to vie with each other
who should take the most care of us. They made a bed of sheep-skins 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