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diff --git a/38408-0.txt b/38408-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..a3b48d1 --- /dev/null +++ b/38408-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,5888 @@ +Project Gutenberg's The Captive in Patagonia, by Benjamin Franklin Bourne + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Captive in Patagonia + +Author: Benjamin Franklin Bourne + +Release Date: December 25, 2011 [EBook #38408] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: UTF-8 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE CAPTIVE IN PATAGONIA *** + + + + +Produced by Adrian Mastronardi, Paul Fernandez and the +Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net +(This file was produced from images generously made +available by The Internet Archive/American Libraries.) + + + + + + + [Illustration: HUNTING THE GUANACHO. See p. 70.] + + + THE CAPTIVE IN PATAGONIA; + + OR, + + LIFE AMONG THE GIANTS. + + + A PERSONAL NARRATIVE. + + BY + + BENJAMIN FRANKLIN BOURNE. + + + With Illustrations. + + + BOSTON: + GOULD AND LINCOLN, + 59 WASHINGTON STREET. + 1853. + + Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1853, by + GOULD & LINCOLN, + In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the + District of Massachusetts. + + + STEREOTYPED BY + HOBART & ROBBINS, + NEW ENGLAND TYPE AND STEREOTYPE FOUNDERY, + BOSTON. + + + + +PREFACE. + + +Book-making is so much of a trade, that it may be thought quite +unnecessary to be at the trouble to assign reasons for embarking in it; +but, as it is not my own vocation, it will be allowed me to say, that +the deep interest which many, not only of my personal friends, but +others whom I never saw, have taken in my fortunes, and the desires +expressed, both verbally and by letter, to know more of my adventures +than was communicated through the newspapers, overcame the reluctance I +felt to undertake such a task. The interest of personal adventure, +however, great as it might be in immediate view of the events while they +were fresh, would not alone have been presumed upon as a sufficient +attraction for this volume. But the strangeness of the country +observed, and the deficiency of exact information concerning its people, +it was thought, would make welcome any contribution, however slight, to +the knowledge of this section of our world and race. After the +contradictory statements of voyagers as to the "giants" of South +America, there may be some curiosity to hear the testimony of one who +has "seen the elephant" under circumstances that enabled him to measure +its proboscis. + +My story is a plain one,--a simple record of facts, but not, I would +hope, tedious. It offers no feats of literary agility for the critic's +inspection, but a recital of human experiences and observations, +sufficiently aside from the beaten track of life to have attracted a +degree of attention which flatters me with the belief that they will +repay a nearer and more minute survey. + + + + +CONTENTS. + + +CHAPTER I. + + For California--Pernambuco--Straits of Magellan--Trading with + Patagonians--Their treachery--Four men made prisoners by + them--Three escape; the author detained, with promises of release + on paying ransom--Indian village--The chief and his + household--Eating, sleeping, and adventure in a Patagonian + wigwam--Find myself booked for an indefinite residence in + Patagonia, and some natural reflections thereupon 25 + +CHAPTER II. + + A proposal to go to Port Famine negatived--"Holland"--Discovery of + vessels in the straits--Double disappointment--A crisis--Survey of + Patagonia--Scanty vegetation--Animals and birds--Climate--The + people--Their habits and character--Domestic + relations--Weapons--Government--Superstition--Cannibalism--Their + reputation abroad 47 + +CHAPTER III. + + Hard journey--Encampment--Division of the tribe--My new + guardian--Story of the capture of a British + vessel--Reünion--Gambling--Culinary arts--Hunting--Symptoms of + danger--Mutual deceptions--Tough yarns--The fatal ring--An + effective oration--Indecision of the Indians 63 + +CHAPTER IV. + + Corey Inlet--Another disappointment--A hunting frolic with an + unpleasant termination--Moving of the camp--Aimless + wanderings--Alarm--A marriage treaty and an unsuccessful + suitor--Laws of marriage--Qualifications of a husband--Feminine + quarrels--A marriage in high life--Dressing + meat--Profaneness--Absence of religious ideas--Mysterious + ceremony--Reasons for abstaining from religious instruction--The + metals--State of the arts in Patagonia--Tailoring Fashion 78 + +CHAPTER V. + + Inclement weather--State of my wardrobe--Attempts to deprive me of + my clothes--Powwow and horse-killing--Hair-combing + extraordinary--Remedy for rheumatism--Sickness--Turn barber--A cold + bath--Fasting--Discovery of my watch, and its effect--I am made + showman--Lion-hunt--Successful chase 100 + +CHAPTER VI. + + The chief's oratory--A case of sickness novelly treated--The + captive commissioned as physician to the chief--Dr. Bourne's first + and last patient--Murder--Cannibalism--Another assassination, + showing the perils of medical practice among savages--Sports of the + children--Patagonian farriery--Slender success in the chase--A + second struggle for life 114 + +CHAPTER VII. + + A new torture--Bloody gossip--An explosion nearly fatal--Plea of + insanity--Reconciliation--River Santa Cruz--Naval + architecture--Original mode of ferrying--Accident--Ominous + demonstrations thereupon--Perilous superstition--Plans of + escape--The chief fighting his battles over again--Prospects + brighten--A blind hint to naturalists 128 + +CHAPTER VIII. + + Retrograde march--A look-out ahead--New specimens of birds + observed--To the right again--Large inducements to visit + Holland--Apparent effect--Council--Other tribes of Indians--Story + of a battle--Capture of wild horses--A royal speech worth + hearing--Deputation to Holland--A start and a sudden halt--Journey + commenced in earnest--Order of arrangements--First view of + Holland--A weary day and night--A boat--A short parley--Swimming + for life and liberty--A rescue--Farewell to Patagonia 144 + +CHAPTER IX. + + 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 166 + +CHAPTER X. + + A Christian ship-master--Cruise for whales, and for a + California-bound vessel--An outlandish craft--An American + vessel--Passage secured for California--Tempestuous passage through + the Straits of Magellan--Warlike demonstrations, with an inglorious + issue--Chilian penal settlement--Pleasing reception--Extensive + coal-mine--Sea-lions--Mutiny of the convicts, and awful fate of the + governor and chaplain 189 + +CHAPTER XI. + + Port Famine--St. Nicholas' Bay, and its inscriptions--Politeness of + the Indians declined--Difficulty of navigating the straits--A + post-bag in a bottle--An English steamer, and its humane + errand--Exertions of the British government to rescue prisoners in + Patagonia--American schooner--Celebration of our safe passage + through the straits--Juan Fernandez--News from home--A chapter of + accidents--A trip to Lima--Almost an adventure--Arrival at San + Francisco--Journey to the mines--A happy meeting 204 + +CHAPTER XII. + + A gigantic speculation, with a dwarfish result--Perils of + waters--Sickness and bereavement--Growth of Sacramento and San + Francisco--Voyage homeward--Imposition on + shipboard--Panama--Havana--Home--Concluding + observations--Practicability of Christian missions in Patagonia + considered 223 + + + + +THE CAPTIVE IN PATAGONIA. + + + + +CHAPTER I. + + For California--Pernambuco--Straits of Magellan--Trading + with Patagonians--Their treachery--Four men made prisoners + by them--Three escape; the author detained, with promises of + release on paying ransom--Indian village--The chief and his + household--Eating, sleeping, and adventure in a Patagonian + wigwam--Find myself booked for an indefinite residence in + Patagonia, and some natural reflections thereupon. + + +Among the early subjects of the "gold fever" that became epidemic in the +autumn and winter of 1848-9, a company of twenty-five men left the port +of New Bedford in the schooner John Allyne, A. Brownell, master, and B. +F. Bourne, mate, for California. The vessel had been selected for her +good sailing qualities, light draught of water, and general fitness for +river navigation. In the haste and excitement of the time, +California-bound craft carried out some rather motley companies; but we +considered ourselves fortunate in the character of the men associated in +this enterprise, and were organized on such principles of equality as +seemed to promise entire harmony and good fellowship. Of course we had +high and golden hopes, and our great object was to reach the new Ophir +in the easiest and most expeditious manner. On account of the delays and +dangers incident to the doubling of Cape Horn, it was determined to +attempt the passage of the Straits of Magellan. + +We left port on the 13th of February, and for many days our time passed +pleasantly, but rather monotonously, with nothing greatly to exhilarate +or to depress our spirits. It was discovered, at length, that our vessel +needed some running rigging. The more impatient were for going on, and +making such headway as we could without it; but a majority of the +company decided to run for the nearest convenient port, and replenish. +We accordingly ran for Pernambuco, and anchored in the outer harbor on +the 25th of March. The beauty and security of this harbor are +remarkable. It is defended from the sea by a nearly perpendicular reef, +extending three-fourths of the way across its entrance, with an opening +of ample width for the passage of vessels to a safe anchorage. Being but +eight degrees south of the equator, the town lies continually under the +burning rays of a tropical sun. Its appearance is like that of most +Spanish and Portuguese cities, abounding in high and massive buildings, +with more of the castle than of the counting-house or dwelling in their +outward expression, built upon narrow, irregular streets, that are +constantly alive with men and beasts of divers colors and forms. Men +from the country, driving their mustangs, mules and asses, laden with +produce; wealthy and noble citizens borne by servants in palanquins; +women bearing water in buckets, tubs and urns, which they balance on +their heads without the aid of their hands, and walk off under as erect +as so many midshipmen;--all the sights and sounds have a pleasant +strangeness, that made our visits on shore highly agreeable. The +churches, which are quite numerous, have nothing admirable or attractive +outside, but the richness of their interior decoration testifies to the +prevailing orthodoxy and fervor of devotion to the Church of Rome. The +church is, indeed, the grand receptacle of the wealth of the country. +Every _bueno católico_ of them, rich, or poor, will sooner stint himself +and his family in their daily comforts, or even necessaries of life, +than omit his due contribution to mother church. + +Our stay at Pernambuco was short, which must excuse a more particular +description of its notabilities. Having obtained the articles we needed, +we stood out to sea. Nothing occurred on our passage to the straits +worthy of particular record. We spoke one or two vessels, and spent some +time "gaming" with them,--the nautical phrase for visiting. On the 30th +of April we made Cape Virgin, and stood in for the Straits of Magellan. +In company with us, and bound for the same golden country, by the same +course as ourselves, were bark Hebe, of Baltimore, and schooner J. B. +Gager, of New York. We were becalmed off the mouth of the straits for +several hours, and Captain Brownell visited the Hebe. He returned just +before night. A fair wind setting in from the eastward, we all stood in, +the J. B. Gager, as being best acquainted with the navigation, taking +the lead. The three vessels anchored about midnight, within twelve miles +of the first narrows. + +The next morning, it being calm, some of our men went on shore in the +small boat, for a gunning excursion. They returned early in the +forenoon, with a large number of sea-fowl. Not long after, Captain +Brownell announced his intention to go ashore, and commenced making +preparations. He soon changed his mind, however, and asked me to go, in +his stead, to procure some fresh provisions, if they were to be had. +Knowing, from the reports of whalers and others, something of the savage +character of the natives, I felt reluctant to venture; but afterwards, +to oblige the captain, I complied. + +Taking our guns, a bag of bread, and some tobacco, four of us started +for the shore. As we approached the beach, a crowd of black-looking +giants came to the water's edge to gaze at us. We did not particularly +fancy their looks, and lay on our oars for a considerable length of +time. A recollection of the many ugly stories current about the +Patagonians, their barbarous and cruel character, did not greatly +fortify our confidence, or make us especially anxious for a personal +acquaintance with them. We accordingly lay off in our boat, and, hailing +them in Spanish, asked them if they had eggs, fowls, and beef. They +replied, in broken Spanish, that they had plenty at their houses. I told +them to produce their stores, and they should have plenty of bread in +exchange. We parleyed with them for some time, till our boat at length +touched the shore. I stood in the boat's stern, gun in hand, endeavoring +to keep the natives from stealing, and warned the men not to leave the +boat. They jumped ashore, promising not to stray from the spot. The +Indians offered some skins for sale, which I paid for in bread. While my +attention was diverted from them by this barter, the Indians were +coaxing my men away. I looked about, and found only one man near me. He +was despatched in pursuit of the others, and directed to bring them +without delay. The tide at this point rises and falls forty-two feet. It +was now ebb tide, the boat was fast grounding, and, it being large and +heavily loaded, I was unable to get it off. The old chief and several +other Indians crowded into it, and once in could not be got out. +Persuasion was useless, and they were too many to be driven. In short, I +was in their hands, and became immediately conscious of the difficulty +and peril of my situation;--my men gone, I knew not where, the boat fast +aground and crowded with the savages, while nearly a thousand of the +tribe congregated upon the beach. What was before me, at the worst, I +could only conjecture from report; and nothing but evil was reported of +the creatures that surrounded me. What could I do? A question easier +asked than answered. + +After a long time, or what seemed such under circumstances that made +minutes seem ages, one of my men came down, and asked permission to go +to the Indian village, "a little way back from the shore," as they had +been promised meat, eggs, and fowls. I ordered him to come immediately +back to the boat. He persisted in urging his request, but it was so +dangerously absurd that I absolutely refused. He then said he would +inform his comrades of my refusal, and return immediately to the boat; +but, for some cause, they seemed in no hurry to obey orders. Weary of +waiting for them, and not without apprehension, I asked an Indian for +the use of his horse, and rode with all speed after the fugitives. In +the hurry of pursuit I inadvertently passed them, and tried to turn back +my steed; but his inclinations were decidedly against a retreat. While +our opposing impulses kept us stationary for a moment, I descried my men +approaching on horseback, behind the Indians. When they came up I urged +them to return to the boat. They persisted in going with the savages. I +remonstrated with them on the impropriety and danger of their course, +but in vain. Their mouths watered for the meat and eggs they were told +of. Their cunning guides had completely allayed suspicion, and even laid +to sleep their common prudence. The Indians kept on their course,--the +men followed, and I felt at my wits' end. I rode from one to another, +talking as industriously and as urgently as I could. At last I gave them +peremptory orders to return. The Indians had plainly lied to us. Their +village, they said, was only a little way off; and yet we were +three-fourths of a mile from the boat, and not a house was yet in sight. +Determined to go back, if I had to go alone, I turned my horse's head. + +At this point the mask was thrown off. The Indians seized my bridle, and +arrested my progress. We all dismounted, with a view to retreat on foot, +but before I could reach the man nearest to me the Indians had robbed +him of his gun. With a mutual agreement to stand by each other in case +of pursuit, we hastened our retrograde march, but had made no great +distance when we saw the Indians coming after us. They rode in advance +of us, halted in our front, and manoeuvred to cut off our retreat; but +by various zigzag movements, or boldly turning their horses' heads, we +made considerable progress. Our foes, however, knew what they were at; +it was only a question of time with them. A sudden and decided movement +indicated a crisis. I drew my pistols (a pair of single-barrelled +ones), but before I had time to cock one I was jumped upon from behind +by some half-dozen of these monsters. One of them grasping a pistol by +the barrel, I pointed it to his head and pulled the trigger. It missed +fire, and I thank God that it did! Its discharge would have certainly +killed him, and would as certainly have been revenged upon my life, +probably upon the lives of my comrades. This is easily felt and said +now; but at the moment, when excited by the struggle for liberty, and, +as I feared, for life, with such dreaded enemies and at such formidable +odds, it was quite another matter. + +The old chief now came up, took me firmly by the wrist, and said, "Usted +no bono! usted habla varmano por me casa, mucho, mala hombre currarhae! +mucho montaro hombre!"--by which specimen of choice Spanish he desired +to inform me that we promised to go to their houses, and now would not +go; that we were bad men and liars. His peculiarly thick and guttural +pronunciation did not make the dialect more intelligible; but I was in a +situation where criticism would have been rather out of place, and my +ears were quickened by the revelations made to sight. I therefore +promptly replied, that if he would restrain his men from violence, we +would go where he pleased. They, meanwhile, grasped their knives, and +looked as if they wanted to use them on our persons; but the chief told +them, No, _not then_; he would get rum and tobacco for us first, and +kill us afterwards. Whilst I was thus engaged, my nearest companion +discovered his gun in the hands of an Indian who stood not far from +where I was struggling. Rushing suddenly upon him, he succeeded in +recovering his piece,--more by tact than force, for his antagonist, like +all the Patagonians, was very large and muscular. Then nimbly jumping +aside, he told me to look out for myself. That was rather more than I +felt able to do just at the moment. One Indian seized me by my arms and +legs, some of them grasped my body, and others were busy investigating +the contents of my pockets, and appropriating the same to their own use. +And if he supposed himself able to show as much independence as he +recommended me to, he was evidently mistaken. He had not elevated his +gun to his face when the Indians were upon him, and wrenched it from his +grasp. The old chief, all this time, held me tightly by the wrist, +menacing his followers with his half-drawn cutlass, while I endeavored +to bid for life and liberty. I told him he should have plenty of rum, +tobacco, bread, flour, brass and beads, if he would carry us to the +boat. At length he beat off my plunderers, and seemed on the point of +yielding to my terms. He mounted his horse, and ordered me to get up +behind him. I obeyed with alacrity, and fancied myself in a fair way to +get out of trouble. + +But, whatever may have been the chief's original intention, I had not +gone far before his policy was diverted. One of the most audacious of +the troop rode up, and insisted that I should not be allowed to return. +I was the captain of the ship, he affirmed, and if I were restored they +would get none of the promised rum and tobacco. The old savage seemed +struck by this new suggestion, and halted. We then dismounted, and he +led the horse up the hill, ordering me to follow. I was next directed to +sit on the ground and wait further action. There I sat, looking +alternately, with longing eyes, at the boat, and at our vessel riding at +anchor in plain view. My three companions were soon brought to the +spot, and dismounted. And now began a more earnest negotiation. We +offered large ransom, and after some higgling they agreed that three of +our number might be released, but one must remain as a hostage; and I +was pointed out as the one. I endeavored to have one of the others stay, +and one actually agreed to; but his heart soon failed him, and I could +see that he was using all his powers of persuasion to provide for +himself. I assured him that I would use every effort in his behalf, if +he would consent to remain for the present; but he evidently thought of +the maxim, "A bird in the hand," &c., and was bent on making sure of his +own safety first of all. Poor fellow! I cannot blame him for loving his +own life, though, at the moment, it did seem rather hard that, after +getting into the scrape by their own headstrong folly, against my +entreaties and peremptory commands, they should extricate themselves +from it at my expense, and leave me to bear the hardest of it! Very +likely I might have done the same, if our cases had been reversed. And, +even if one of them had offered to remain, it is very doubtful whether +the substitution would have been permitted. The Indians too evidently +regarded me as the chief prize, and were bent on retaining me as such. +They insisted that I must stay while the other three should go for +ransom, and I had nothing to do but to submit. + +Three Indians each took a man with him on a horse, and started for the +boat. I watched them as they went, with feelings that I will not attempt +to describe. It seemed but too probable we should never meet again. A +sense of desolation came over me, at the thought of being left alone in +the power of these savages, of whose treachery and cunning I had +already had such ample experience, and of whose cruelty I had heard so +much. I felt that I was beyond the aid, if not cut off from the +sympathy, of my associates. The falseness of the Indians to all their +engagements, as I afterwards learned, was signally displayed towards my +more fortunate comrades. They evidently had no intention of releasing +any of us. Before reaching the boat, they halted, and refused to go any +further, or allow our men to leave them. The prisoners, however, +struggled desperately, and at length got clear of their captors. One +rushed up to his neck in water, the others sprang into the boat, pushed +off, and rescued him as he was struggling with the waves. They reached +the schooner, told their tale, and represented my desperate situation. +All hands commenced breaking up cargo, to get at the rum and tobacco for +my ransom. Two boats were forthwith manned, provided with the required +articles, and with plenty of arms and ammunition, and started for the +shore. They got to the land a little before dark, and pulled into a +cove, or slight indentation of the beach. + +On catching sight of them, I desired the Indians to conduct me to the +shore, and receive the ransom. But this they declined. They ordered me +to the summit of an eminence near by, there to beckon the men to come +ashore. An old skin was given me to wave as a signal. Perceiving that I +was to be used as a decoy to lure the others into their treacherous +snare, and secure them all as prisoners, I protested against this new +breach of faith, and assured them that our men would not leave their +boat, but that, if they wanted any rum and tobacco, they must take me to +the shore. To this, after a long palaver, and with visible reluctance, +they assented. The old chief ordered me to mount his horse,--this time +reversing our relative positions; he made me sit on the rude apology for +a saddle and guide the horse, while he took his seat behind, clasping +both arms tightly around my body, and spurring his old nag forward. Thus +mounted, and wondering what would be the next trick of the savages, I +was conveyed to the shore, near the spot where the boats lay off on +their oars. Driving as near them as possible, I hailed the men,--told +them by no means to fire on the Indians, but to give them all they had +promised. They asked what they should do with the articles. I turned to +the chief, told him what the boats had brought, and once more asked if +it was a satisfactory ransom. He said, Yes; if those articles were laid +down, I should be released. But he was plainly resolved to have his pay +in advance; he distrusted us too much to let me go first; and I need not +say that my confidence in him was far from implicit. But, "Nothing +venture, nothing have,"--I directed the men to put the things ashore, +which they did. The Indians greedily picked them up, and I claimed my +release. The old rascal said, "he had not got _plenty_ of rum yet, he +must have a barrel." I insisted and struggled, but to no purpose. He +kept a tight hold of my body, and when I begged that at least he would +not squeeze me quite so painfully, he only redoubled his clasp. He +obviously suspected, and I more than suspected, that it would not +require a very great relaxation of his embrace to prompt a pretty +decided movement on my part, for the effectual resisting of which the +vicinity of the water was not altogether favorable. He now began +spurring his old horse from the scene of action; I drew upon the bridle +with my whole available force and weight; but the disparity between +human strength and horse power, stimulated to its utmost by the spur, +was too great. I begged the men in the boats to come again the next +morning, and on no account to leave me, which they solemnly promised. + +I was now hurried back into the country five or six miles, and at last +reached an Indian village, and was set down by the old chief at his +wigwam. He gave me in charge to one of his squaws, who ordered me into +the hut and bade me sit down on the ground. While sitting there, and +casting an inquisitive glance around the rude habitation, my attention +was suddenly attracted to what appeared to be several pairs of eyes in a +dark corner, shining with a strange brilliancy. I speculated silently on +the sight, much doubting whether they belonged to human beings or to +wild beasts; but, on carefully reconnoitring, I discovered that they +belonged to three huge women. Further investigations disclosed a number +of dark-skinned boys and girls, of divers ages and sizes, playing and +capering about the premises, in a state of perfect nudity. It took a +considerable time to make out these, or any other objects, distinctly, +owing to the darkness of the hut. Presently the chief, the patriarch of +the tribe, entered his habitation, and began a conversation, in his +peculiar dialect, with his wives. He spoke in a low, guttural tone, in +words the purport of which I could not gather. I was in no mood for +conversation, but would have been much gratified by learning his version +of the day's "stroke of business." + +And now a few dry sticks and a bunch of dry grass were brought, mine +host drew from a convenient repository a brass tinder-box, with a stone +and a piece of steel, and soon produced a blaze that brilliantly +illuminated the scene. By its light I was enabled to survey the first +specimen of Patagonian architecture that had blessed my vision. It was +constructed in a _pointed_ style, though not very aspiring, consisting +of a row of stakes about eight feet high, each terminating at top in a +crotch, or fork, with a pole laid across them; two parallel rows of +stakes on either side, about two feet high, with similar terminations, +and a similar horizontal fixture; and a covering composed of skins of +the guanaco, sewed together with the sinews of the ostrich, the only +thread used by the people. This covering is drawn over the frame-work, +and fastened by stakes driven through it into the ground. For purposes +of ventilation some interstices are left, but these again are half +closed by skins attached to the outside; so that the air from without, +and the smoke from within (in default of a chimney), must insinuate +themselves through these apertures in great moderation. In truth, my +first survey was rather hurried; the first cheerful gleam had scarcely +set my eyes on the look-out when I was fain to shut them against an +intolerable smoke. In no long time I felt as bacon, if conscious, might +be supposed to feel in the process of curing. No lapse of time was +sufficient to reconcile my eyes, nostrils and lungs, to the nuisance; +often have I been more than half strangled by it, and compelled to lie +with my face to the ground, as the only endurable position. Talk that is +"worse than a smoky house" must be something out of date, or +Shakspeare's imagination never comprehended anything so detestable as a +Patagonian hut. The chief and his numerous household, however, seemed +to enjoy immense satisfaction; and jabbered and grunted, and played +their antics, and exchanged grimaces, as complacently as if they +breathed a highly exhilarating atmosphere. + +My meditations and observations were shortly interrupted by preparations +for a meal. The chief's better half--or rather fifth part, for he had +four wives--superintended the culinary operations, which were as rude +and simple as the hut where they were carried on. And now my fancy began +to conjure up visions of the beef, fowls and eggs, the promise of which +had lured my men from the boat,--had proved stronger than the +suggestions of prudence, and had made me a prisoner. But these dainties, +if they existed anywhere within the chief's jurisdiction, were just at +present reserved. The old hag threw down from the top of one of the +stakes that supported the tent the quarter of some animal; whether dog, +guanaco, or whatever, was past imagining. She slashed right and left, +with might and main, an old copper knife, till it was divided into +several pieces. Then taking a number of crotched sticks, about two feet +long, and sharpened at all their points, she inserted the forked ends +into pieces of the meat, and drove the opposite points into the ground +near the fire; which, though sufficient to smoke and comfortably _warm_ +the mess, was too feeble to roast it. At all events, time was too +precious, or their unsophisticated appetites were too craving, to wait +for such an operation; and the raw morsels were quickly snatched from +the smoke, torn into bits by her dirty hands, and thrown upon the ground +before us. The Indians seized them with avidity, and tossed a bit to me; +but what could I do with it? I should have had no appetite for the +dinner of an alderman at such a time and place; but as for tasting meat +that came in such a questionable shape, there was no bringing my teeth +or resolution to it. While eying it with ill-suppressed disgust, I +observed the savages, like a horde of half-starved dogs, devouring their +portions with the greatest relish; seizing the fragments with their fine +white teeth, at the same time clenching them with their hands, and +giving every sign of enjoyment _except_ what one is accustomed to see in +human beings. The old chief remarked the slight I was putting upon his +hospitality, and broke in upon me with a fierce _Por que usted, no munge +usted, usted carna? Esta carna mucho bueno hombre por munge, se hombre, +munge!_ "Why don't you eat your meat? This meat very good to eat,--very +good to eat. Eat, man! eat!" I may here observe that my knowledge of +Spanish, like the chief's, was colloquial; picked up here and there in +voyages to South American ports, which may account for my orthography +being so plainly determined by the ear rather than by any rules of +Castilian grammar. Seeing him so much excited, and not knowing what +deeds might follow his words if I refused, I thought it expedient to +_try_ to "eat what was set before me, asking no questions;" thinking, +moreover, that if there were any evil spirit in it that the fire had +failed to expel, it could not possibly have resisted the smoke. So, +being sorely divided between aversion to the "strange flesh" and fear of +showing it, I forced a morsel into my mouth. Its taste was by no means +as offensive as its appearance had been unpromising, and I managed to +save appearances with less disgust than I had feared. This was my first +meal with the savages, and a sample of many others; though better viands +afterwards varied their monotony, now and then. + +The eating being over, a large horn, that had once adorned the head of a +Spanish bullock, was dipped into a leathern bucket and passed from one +to another. Between the bucket and the horn, the fluid had gained a +flavor not found by Adam in his first brewing, and, indeed, not far from +nauseating. However, it seemed expedient to "conquer my prejudices" so +far as to drink with the other guests, and the ceremonies of dinner were +over; for which, "with all other mercies," I felt thankful, and turned +to my corner near the expiring fire, to chew the cud of sweet and bitter +fancies, in which the latter ingredient decidedly predominated. The +strange and sudden desolateness of my condition, the doubtful chances of +escape, the possible sufferings before me, the uncertainty that rested +on the designs of my savage captors, all rushed upon my mind, and +suggested to my heated imagination a host of terrors. + +These painful thoughts were interrupted by an order to prepare for the +night's repose. An old skin, about two and a half feet square, was +thrown upon the cold ground in the back part of our rookery, and +assigned for my couch; I took possession accordingly, and the whole +family bestowed themselves in a row near me. The stifling atmosphere was +soon vocal with their snoring. My brain was too busy for sleep. Feverish +fancies kept me wakeful. I revolved a variety of plans for escape. Could +I steal out of the hut unperceived? Could I find my way to the shore? I +doubted the first, and more than doubted the second; and even if so far +successful, there was no boat to take me from the accursed land. And how +could I conceal myself from the Indians till a boat should arrive? They +would miss me; and, long before any possible communication with my +vessel, would be hunting me down with horses and dogs. Not a wood or +thicket had met my eye on the dreary waste I traversed the day before. I +tried to devise some other plan, but none offered itself. It was this or +nothing,--and this was next to nothing. Grown desperate, at last, I +determined to make an effort. + +After lying some time, listening to the heavy breathing of the sleepers, +and satisfying myself that none of the company were awake, I raised +myself as noiselessly as possible, and stole towards the front of the +wigwam. Casting a furtive glance backward, I could see that the old +chief was restless; either he had feigned sleep, or some evil spirit had +waked him just at the wrong time. To go immediately back would too +plainly betray my purpose; so I walked very calmly and deliberately into +the open air, and stood as if star-gazing; the old fellow, as I plainly +perceived, all the time watching me from the lodge. In a short time I +walked quietly back to my dark retreat, and found him where I had left +him, lying very coseyly, as if nothing had happened to disturb his +slumbers. Once more stretching myself on my uneasy couch, I lay two +hours or more, still revolving the same unsolved problem in my mind. At +length, all appearing to be sound asleep, I decided to venture a second +attempt; and, in the event of failure, to make the best of it for the +present. Stealthily as possible I crawled from among them, slid out of +doors, and crouched upon the grass. Could I be mistaken? No--those +infernal eyes were fastened on me as before! There was no eluding their +vigilance. At this moment a howling as of a hundred wolves was heard +approaching, and about that number of dogs came rushing, pell-mell, +towards me. I scampered for the wigwam as fast as my feet could carry +me, and in my flight stumbled over a stick nearly eight feet long. I +seized the weapon thus kindly lent me, and, swinging it furiously about +me, gave all intruders that came within my reach a sufficient touch of +its quality. Thus defending myself from the brutes, I backed towards the +lodge, glad to shelter myself among its detested inmates. The cunning +old Parosilver, as before, had bestowed himself on the ground among his +squaws and dirty children, and was, apparently, fast asleep. + +This was more than I could compass. Vexation at my fruitless attempts to +escape,--dread, inspired by the relentless vigilance and quiet assurance +of the chief,--tormenting apprehensions as to the issue of any effort on +the morrow to effect my ransom,--all kept my brain upon the rack, and +effectually drove sleep from my eyes, till near daylight, when I fell +into a disturbed slumber. In my dreams I was at once transported from +the savage hut, on board my vessel. Methought she was driving before the +wind, all sails set, at full speed, upon a dangerous reef. All on board +seemed insensible of the danger; I alone perceived it, but a nightmare +spell was on me, and my lips refused to speak, my limbs to move. Rooted +to my place on the deck, I stood in dumb agony, while our vessel rushed +upon her fate. There came a sudden shock,--our bark had struck, and her +total destruction was inevitable. Some of the men were dashed violently +upon the deck, others precipitated into the boiling surf, where they +clung desperately to spars, and fragments of the wreck. While the +confusion was wildest, and the dream of effort for escape was subsiding +into the calmness of despair, I suddenly awoke, and for some time was +unable to comprehend where I was, or how I came there. If I were indeed +shipwrecked, I was also, like Jonah, vomited upon dry land. I drew my +hand across my eyes to assure myself that vision was unobstructed, cast +my eyes right and left;--the lodge, the ashes of the last night's fire, +the chief and his motley family, the door through which the "lubber +fiend" had followed me with his restless eyes, and into which the fierce +dogs had driven me, recalled my distracted senses, and restored +consciousness of a reality which, at the moment, I would almost have +exchanged for the wildest terrors of my dream. + +With the light calmer thoughts succeeded, and I once more addressed +myself to the task of effecting my escape. The first thing was to get +the chief with me to the shore, in readiness to meet a boat, and to +renew negotiations for my liberty. Observing that he was awake, I began +to promise him an abundant supply of the articles most tempting to his +fancy, on condition of my release. He carelessly replied that he would +go with me to the beach by and by. I tried to urge his departure, being +anxious to go without the rabble at his heels the day before, but for +whose violence he would now hardly be master of me; but there was no +hurrying his movements. He took down his little cutlass, drew it from +its brazen scabbard, and commenced sharpening it with a rusty file, +trying its edge with his fingers as the work went on, and casting side +glances at me the while. Whether this ceremony was the preface to some +act of violence he meditated, or a scene for effect, to fill me with a +wholesome dread of his power, I could not guess; but, determined to show +no foolish fears, I thought it best to put a bold face upon the matter, +and make an equally striking demonstration of courage and presence of +mind, qualities which savages generally appreciate. I therefore +approached him, tried the edge with my own fingers, praised the beauty +of the instrument, and interested myself in the process of sharpening +it. Following up my assault on his vanity, I extolled him as one of the +best of men, and assured him that when we got to the shore I would amply +reward him for his kindness to me; taking occasion, however, to throw in +a hint on the vast importance of starting early. This I enforced by the +suggestion that, when he got his good things, the fewer there were +present, the fewer claimants there would be to divide the spoils. + +After much coaxing, he started after his old horse; I mounted behind +him, and we moved slowly off. When we arrived at the shore it was +blowing a perfect gale. A boat could not live in the billows. All three +vessels had dragged their anchors, and lay at some distance from their +anchorage of yesterday. Bark Hebe appeared to be dragging towards the +Orange Bank, a dangerous shoal. I afterwards learned that the Hebe, +after getting into water as shoal as would barely float her, slipped her +cables, put up a little sail, and finally succeeded in weathering the +shoal and getting safely out to sea. The J. B. Gager was dragging in the +same direction. My own vessel was holding on better than the others, +and I hoped she would ride out the gale in safety. + +I made my captors understand the reason why no boat had come, as +promised; with which they appeared to be satisfied, and we returned as +we came. By means of their broken Spanish, which they had picked up from +sailors, and in visits to the Chilian or other Spanish American +settlements, and by signs, amounting at times pretty nearly to a +pantomime, I found myself able to understand inquiries or commands, and +to make known my wishes. + +Early on the following morning we again visited the shore, and I looked +eagerly toward the anchorage, where all my hopes of deliverance centred. +Not a vessel was in sight! Whether they had foundered, or were driven +upon the shoal and wrecked, or had dragged out to sea in a disabled +condition,--or whether my shipmates, the gale having subsided, had +deliberately proceeded on their voyage, and left me a prey to cruel +savages and all the ills of this inhospitable shore,--I was unable to +conjecture. I only knew that they were gone, and that I was left alone +to the tender mercies of the Patagonians. No present means of escape +appeared. The future, wisely hidden from my view, suggested none to my +imagination. I told my captors the worst; that the high winds had +probably sunk the ships, and all that were in them. At this intelligence +they seemed delighted, and laughed immoderately, as if such a calamity +were a consolation for the loss of their expected ransom. Their cruel +glee could add nothing to the weight of my desolation. My past life was +sealed up as if by an entrance on a new state of being. I looked round +on a bleak and cheerless region, and forward on a life as barren of +human joy, made up of every species of suffering,--hunger, cold, +fatigue, insult, torture,--liable to be cut short at any moment by the +caprice of my tormentors, and so wretched that death itself, with all +the enormities of cannibalism, lost its terrors by comparison. Life, for +any good or great purposes to be achieved, was over. And then my +thoughts turned to far different scenes,--to happy faces, and pleasant +voices, and familiar sights;--to hearts that beat with no dread of this +day's calamities, felt no consciousness kindred to my despair, but +would, in due time, be rudely awakened from their security. GOD help me, +for I am helpless now! + + + + +CHAPTER II. + + A proposal to go to Port Famine negatived--"Holland"--Discovery of + vessels in the straits--Double disappointment--A crisis--Survey of + Patagonia--Scanty vegetation--Animals and birds--Climate--The + people--Their habits and character--Domestic + relations--Weapons--Government--Superstition--Cannibalism--Their + reputation abroad. + + +Returning to the encampment, it remained to devise some new way of +escape. Some four or five days' ride to the westward would bring us to +Port Famine, on the straits, a penal settlement of Chili, and the only +settlement in the vicinity by which I could hope to reënter the +civilized world. A journey thither was suggested to the Indians, as the +most likely way of turning my captivity to profitable account; but they +refused with a promptness and decisiveness which was rather +unaccountable, till I afterwards learned that they had lately visited +that part of the country on a horse-stealing expedition, in which their +success had been too good to make them desirous of showing their faces +there at present. Money, guns, pistols, cutlasses, brass, beads, and +everything else that could be thought of to tempt their cupidity, were +offered. I was not disposed to be niggard of promises; but in vain. To +Port Famine they were determined _not_ to go; but old Parosilver assured +me, by way of compensation, that he would take me to "Holland," which +was a "much better place." Whereabout on terra firma this South American +Holland was situated,--if, indeed, there was any such place, and the +chief was not indulging in a little extra lying,--was past all +conjecture. I inquired the distance. He could not tell exactly. Was it +inhabited by Americans or English? There were "twenty or thirty white +men there, and plenty of rum and tobacco." They promised to start with +me towards Holland the next day. In what direction? They pointed towards +the Atlantic. Well, I cared little where it was, or who lived there, +provided only they were not Patagonians, and I could once get free of +these rascals. But on the following morning the migration was postponed, +in consequence of unexpected tidings. + +One of the tribe, who had been down to the shore, reported that my +vessel had come back. This welcome, though rather improbable +information, started me, with about a dozen of them, on the track of his +story. On gaining a view of the straits, a vessel was plainly in sight, +but it was a strange sail. Yet, if I could succeed in boarding her, my +purposes would be answered. She came into the bight of the bay, and +anchored about fifteen miles below us. I endeavored to make my smutty +companions comprehend that as the tide was then running out they would +not make the shore till it turned, which would not be till night. They +waited till near night, when hunger and thirst wore out their patience, +and they ordered me off with them. Against this untimely mandate I +warmly remonstrated, and after some dispute it was arranged that the +chief should stay with me for the night. The rest returned to their +encampment, and we made a good fire, which was kept up till nearly +morning. Old Parosilver lay down under the lee of a clump of bushes, +while I was busy in active exercise to keep warm, and replenishing the +fire with dry bushes. At dusk I had observed the vessel hoisting sail, +and beating up the bay. On this I began brandishing firebrands to +attract notice, and walked to and fro on the beach for hours. The craft +gradually approached, till her white canvas became distinguishable +through the surrounding gloom. Fresh fuel was heaped on the fire, a +bright blaze ascended; I took my station directly in front of it, +holding out my coat, and frequently turning round, that my form and +features might be more distinctly revealed. And now a thrill of joy +electrified me, as I saw a light set on deck, which appeared to be +stationary. There could be no doubt that the vessel had come to anchor +directly opposite to us. Though hungry and weary with long watching, I +hurried about, and gathered sticks and leaves in abundance to kindle a +still brighter beacon-fire, in whose light and warmth anxiety began to +expand into hope. At dawn of day, as the horizon lighted up, I could +distinguish the vessel lying about a mile off, quiet as a sea-fowl on +the calm surface. Presently there was a movement on deck, the anchor was +hove up, the fore and main sails were hoisted, and the object on which +my hopes and ardent prayers had centred through the cold night receded +from view through the straits, bound, doubtless, for California. I +watched the fast-vanishing sail with tearful eyes; and the old chief, +who had been on the look-out, started for his horse, that had been +hampered and turned out to crop among the scanty vegetation. + +Before I had time to recover from the first revulsion of disappointment +and grief, _another_ vessel, a topsail schooner, came in by Point +Dungeness. "Cheer up," I said to myself; "the sun will be shining, the +darkness have given place to the clear day, before this vessel can be up +and opposite to us." Confident of being noticed, I began active +preparations for the approaching visitor. No rod of sufficient length +was to be found; but, after some search, a number of short crooked +sticks were collected. To lash them together, I tore up my drawers, +which I could ill afford, and appropriated my shoe-strings. My flannel +shirt was hoisted as a flag; and having replenished the fire, I paced +the beach with colors flying, but, as the vessel approached, with +increasing faintness of heart; for the wind gradually shifted, so that +she could only take advantage of it by heading towards Terra del Fuego. +At last she came opposite, but so near the further shore that the +chances of success diminished every moment. Dark objects moved on the +deck,--fancy painted them as men;--would they not discover me through +their glasses, and be drawn by my signal of distress? No; onward she +floated away,--the narrows were soon passed, and my vision of +deliverance was dissipated. + +With this final death-blow to all present hopes of relief, I turned away +in despair. Exhausted by hunger, cold and fatigue, and worn out by hours +of anxiety, I fell helpless upon the ground, and wept like a child. For +the first time I felt _utterly_ forsaken, and repined at my lot as one +of unmitigated evil. Effort seemed useless; I had neither resolution nor +strength to make further exertion. There was nothing for me but listless +endurance. I even reproached myself that I had not cast myself into the +sea, and staked my life on the chance of swimming to the schooner. +There was no possibility of doing this; but failure would have been +_only_ death, and what was life worth to me here? This tempest of +self-reproach soon spent itself. My temperament is too buoyant to be +long depressed, and calm and stout thoughts took the place of despairing +weakness. It was unmanly, something whispered within me, thus to give +way before difficulties. It would be time enough to do this when all +possible effort had failed. The weak and imbecile might take refuge in +despair, but the strength of youth should serve me better. I called to +mind examples of courage in greater emergencies, when obstacles that +seemed insurmountable had been conquered by fortitude and perseverance. +"Heaven helps those who help themselves." The more I reflected on the +matter, the stronger grew the impulses of faith and courage, by whose +force it seemed possible to win a triumph against the greatest odds. +Before rising from the earth, my resolution was fully taken to throw +discouragement to the winds; by the help of God to meet whatever +impended with the courage of a man; to bear my calamities with patient +endurance; and to give up hope and energy only when nothing was left to +be attempted, or the power to do and suffer was exhausted. + +I rose a new man,--my strength invigorated, my soul fortified by a +strong purpose. Though the cold night air had thoroughly chilled my +frame, it now felt a warmth kindled by the fires within, and an +unaccustomed flush suffused my countenance. The resolve fixed in this +memorable crisis of my captivity, though severely tested, was never +wholly overborne. Henceforth, the events and scenes through which I +passed were viewed with a calmness that had been before unattainable, +and which is now scarcely credible, on recollection. So true is it that +our strength is unknown to ourselves till it is thoroughly tested. + +The hope of immediate release, however, was at an end; my savage +captors, it seemed, must be looked upon as for an indefinite period my +masters and companions; and I had nothing at present to do but to divert +myself by a study of their manners and habits; to consult my safety by a +close study of their character, and of the ways and means by which so to +adapt my deportment to it as to win their confidence, to disarm +hostility, and to seize opportunities. + + * * * * * + +Patagonia, as it offered itself to my observation, more than answered +the descriptions of geographers,--bleak, barren, desolate, beyond +description or conception,--only to be appreciated by being seen. Viewed +from the Straits of Magellan, it rises in gentle undulations or +terraces. Far as the eye can reach, in a westerly direction, it assumes +a more broken and hilly appearance, and long ranges of mountains, +extending from north to south, divide the eastern from the western +shore. The soil is of a light, sandy character, and bears nothing worthy +the name of a tree. Low bushes, or underwood, are tolerably abundant, +and in the valleys a coarse, wiry grass grows luxuriantly. Streams of +water are rare. The natives draw their supplies principally from springs +or pools in the valleys, the water of which is generally brackish and +disagreeable. + +The variety of animal is nearly as limited as that of vegetable +productions. The guanaco, a quadruped allied to the lama, and with some +resemblance to the camelopard, is found in considerable numbers. It is +larger than the red deer, fleet on the foot, usually found in large +herds, frequenting not only the plains, but found along the course of +the Andes. Its flesh is a principal article of food; its skin is dried +with the hair on, in such a manner that, when wet, it retains its +pliability and softness. This process of preserving skins seems to be +peculiar to the Indian tribes, and is not unlike that by which +buffalo-robes, bear-skins, buckskins, and other articles of luxury, and +even necessity, among us, are prepared by the North American Indians. +Guanaco-skins are cut into pieces of all sizes, and sewed into a +thousand fanciful patterns, every workman originating a style to suit +himself. The hoofs are sometimes turned to account by the natives as +soles for shoes, when they indulge in such a luxury, which is not often. + +The enemy of the guanaco is the cougar, or "American lion," smaller than +its African namesake, and more resembling the tiger in his character and +habits, having a smooth, sleek coat, of a brownish yellow +color,--altogether a very beautiful but ferocious creature. His chase is +a favorite, though rare and dangerous, sport of the natives. Patagonia +likewise boasts of the skunk, whose flesh is used for food. There are +also foxes, and innumerable mice. Of birds, the only noticeable +varieties are the condor, in the Andes, and the cassowary, a species of +ostrich, smaller than that of Africa, on the plains; its plumage is not +abundant, generally of a gray or dun color. Its flesh is tender and +sweet, and with the fat much prized by the Indians. Like the African +ostrich, it is exceedingly swift, only to be captured on horseback, and +often fleet enough to outrun the fastest racer. + +The climate is severe. The Rio Negro forms the northern boundary, and +nearly the whole country is south of the parallel of 40° south latitude. +At the time of my capture, which was in the month of May, the weather +corresponded to that of November in the New England States. Its +chilliness, however, was greatly increased by the bleak winds of that +exposed locality. Along the Straits of Magellan the weather is also +exceedingly changeable. Sudden and severe squalls, often amounting +almost to a hurricane, vex the navigation of the straits, and sweep over +the coast with fearful fury. + +The habits of the Patagonians, or at least of the tribe among whom I was +cast, are migratory, wandering over the country in quest of game, or as +their caprice may prompt them. They subsist altogether on the flesh of +animals and birds. The guanaco furnishes most of their food, and all +their clothing. A mantle of skins, sewed with the sinews of the ostrich, +fitting closely about the neck and extending below the knee, is their +only article of dress, except in the coldest weather, when a kind of +shoe, made of the hind hoof and a portion of the skin above it, serves +to protect their inferior extremities. + +In person they are large; on first sight, they appear absolutely +gigantic. They are taller than any other race I have seen, though it is +impossible to give any accurate description. The only standard of +measurement I had was my own height, which is about five feet ten +inches. I could stand very easily under the arms of many of them, and +all the men were at least a head taller than myself. Their average +height, I should think, is nearly six and a half feet, and there were +specimens that could have been little less than seven feet high. They +have broad shoulders, full and well-developed chests, frames muscular +and finely proportioned, the whole figure and air making an impression +like that which the first view of the sons of Anak is recorded to have +made on the children of Israel. They exhibit enormous strength, whenever +they are sufficiently aroused to shake off their constitutional laziness +and exert it. They have large heads, high cheek-bones, like the North +American Indians, whom they also resemble in their complexion, though it +is a shade or two darker. Their foreheads are broad, but low, the hair +covering them nearly to the eyes; eyes full, generally black, or of a +dark brown, and brilliant, though expressive of but little intelligence. +Thick, coarse, and stiff hair protects the head, its abundance making +any artificial covering superfluous. It is worn long, generally divided +at the neck, so as to hang in two folds over the shoulders and back, but +is sometimes bound above the temples, by a fillet, over which it flows +in ample luxuriance. Like more civilized people, the Patagonians take +great pride in the proper disposition and effective display of their +hair. Their teeth are really beautiful, sound and white,--about the only +attractive and enviable feature of their persons. Feet and hands are +large, but not disproportionate to their total bulk. They have deep, +heavy voices, and speak in guttural tones,--the worst guttural I ever +heard,--with a muttering, indistinct articulation, much as if their +mouths were filled with hot pudding. Their countenances are generally +stupid, but, on closer inspection, there is a gleam of low cunning that +flashes through this dull mask, and is increasingly discernible on +acquaintance with them; when excited, or engaged in any earnest +business that calls their faculties into full exercise, their features +light up with unexpected intelligence and animation. In fact, as one +becomes familiar with them, he will not fail to detect an habitual +expression of "secretiveness" and duplicity, which he will wonder he did +not observe sooner. They are almost as imitative as monkeys, and are all +great liars; falsehood is universal and inveterate with men, women and +children. The youngest seem to inherit the taint, and vie with the +oldest in displaying it. The detection of a falsehood gives them no +shame or uneasiness. To these traits should be added a thorough-paced +treachery, and, what might seem rather inconsistent with their other +qualities, a large share of vanity, and an immoderate love of praise. +They are excessively filthy in their personal habits. Hydrophobia, so to +speak, is a prevailing distemper; they never wash themselves. Hands and +faces are covered with dirt, so thick, and of such ancient deposit, that +their natural color only appears in spots, laid bare by the mechanical +loosening and displacement of some of the strata, which curiously +variegates the surface. It is hardly necessary to remark that such a +condition of the skin is highly favorable to the increase and +multiplication of "the moving creature that hath life," wherewith their +persons are abundantly peopled. + +The women are proportionally smaller than the men, and rather inclined +to embonpoint. The old chief had four wives, though he had probably +never heard of Mahomet or his domestic laws. The rest of the tribe had +only one wife apiece. The women erect the wigwams, provide fuel and +cook,--if the operation should be dignified with that name,--in short, +all the drudgery falls to their lot. They are treated as slaves, but +made, in most respects, as comfortable in their servitude as the +condition of their rude masters will admit. When, however, their lords +are excited by gambling, or enraged for any or no cause, the fury of +passion is visited upon their defenceless heads, which they bear +uncomplainingly, with a meek submissiveness worthy of better treatment. +They are passionately fond of trinkets and clumsy ornaments, such as +bits of brass and copper, beads, and the like, which they wear suspended +from their necks. A few of them had their ears pierced, and wore brass +or copper ear-rings; and many of them decked out their children with +similar rude finery, which is valued more than anything else, except +rum, tobacco and bread. The men paint or bedaub their faces and breasts +with a kind of red earth. Charcoal is also used as a cosmetic. A broad +line of red alternating with a stripe of black, in various fantastic +figures, is a favorite style of decoration. The women make themselves, +if possible, still more hideous, by the application of a pigment made of +clay, blood and grease. Some of them would be very comely, if only +cleanly, and content to leave nature less strenuously adorned. + +The people are as deficient in the morals as in the refinements and +courtesies of domestic life; their licentiousness is equal to their +cruelty,--the filth of their persons only too faithfully represents the +degree in which "their mind and conscience is defiled." I saw no person, +of either sex, that appeared to have attained advanced age, though it +was difficult to judge of this. The oldest Indian I remember to have +seen did not seem to be above sixty. + +Their only wealth, aside from their huts, consists of horses, the stock +of which is frequently replenished by stealing from the Spanish and +Chilian settlements. These animals are, for the most part, of small size +and inferior quality, half wild, coated with coarse, shaggy hair--lean +and woe-begone enough, just "fit for the crows." A few valuable +specimens of a superior breed are found among them, doubtless "conveyed" +there. The rude saddles in use among them are mostly of Spanish origin, +obtained at the settlements. They consist each of two boards, an inch +thick, six inches wide, and two feet long, rounded at the corners so as +to fit the horse's back, and united by two strips of board passing +across the back-bone, the several pieces lashed together with leather +strings. A piece of guanaco-skin often serves in default of a saddle. +The steed is guided by a single rein, tied round the lower jaw; some of +them sport a bit of iron or wood, secured by a string round the jaw, +attaching the rein to this. Spurs, like the rest of their riding +apparatus, are more efficient than elegant. They are indeed rude and +cruel things,--straight sticks, six inches long, with a long, sharp iron +inserted into the end, secured by a string or strap around the hollow of +the foot, and tied at the top, a second strap nearer the heel, and a +third passing round the heel. They are all agile and excellent horsemen. + +For weapons, the chief, and a few of the principal men, had cutlasses or +swords. They had no fire-arms, nor could I learn that they understood +their use; bows and arrows, spears and war-clubs, appeared to be equally +unknown. All the men carried knives; and the _bolas_, a missile weapon +used in the capture of all kinds of game. This consists of two round +stones, or lead balls, if they can be procured weighing each about a +pound, connected by a strap or thong of leather, ten or twelve feet +long. When engaged in the chase, his horse at his highest speed, the +rider holds one ball in his hand, and whirls the other rapidly above his +head; when it has acquired sufficient momentum it is hurled with +unerring aim at the object of pursuit, and either strikes the victim +dead, or coils inextricably about him and roots him to the spot, a +helpless mark for the hunter's knife. + +This tribe numbered about one thousand; the chief is the acknowledged +head of the people. Whether his power was hereditary or elective, I +could not learn; but incline to the belief that it was hereditary, as it +appeared to be, in his theory at least, absolute. In all questions of +importance his decision is final; yet his subjects take considerable +liberty with his opinions, sometimes oppose his counsels, and even +question his authority. On the appearance of such democratic symptoms, +he sometimes finds it necessary to assert his sovereignty with spirit, +and brandishes his cutlass smartly before their eyes. + +The habits of the people are not only filthy, but indolent to the last +degree; exertion of body or mind is their greatest dread. They never go +on a hunting expedition till there is nothing more to eat, nor even then +till they feel the spur of extreme hunger. It sometimes happens that at +such a crisis a storm comes on, which shuts them in; and it is no +unfrequent occurrence for them, under such circumstances, to pass two or +three days without tasting food. They learn nothing by experience; the +same childish indolence and recklessness, followed by the same painful +consequences, are continually recurring. + +Though their great size at first sight was fitted to inspire terror, it +required no very long observation to discover that they were deficient +in natural courage. This, in fact, might be inferred at once, from their +habitual deceit, treachery and artifice, which are the defences of the +weak and timorous, rather than the weapons of strong and daring natures. +They always select the night to inflict injuries; never meet an enemy in +open combat whom they can stab from behind, or despatch in the dark; +and, when obliged to attack by day, always do so in large numbers. This +defect of courage is increased by their superstition; they have great +faith in charms, signs and omens, a weakness which I anticipated might +exert great influence on my destiny in important conjunctures. Could I +by any means so master their secret as to possess myself of its mystic +power, it might prove an effective aid to my plans of self-defence, or +of escape. Should it, on the other hand, be turned by any accidental +causes against me, its impulse might prove irresistible by power or +contrivance. There was no appearance of idolatrous worship among them, +nor could I observe any allusion to a Supreme Being, or to any superior +powers having personal attributes; and, except a single ceremony, of +which more hereafter, the nature of which was and is still inexplicable, +there was nothing that suggested to my mind the idea of religious +worship. Whether they are cannibals or not, has been a matter of some +dispute. So far as I know, they have been, heretofore, only casually +observed on the beach by voyagers, or vaguely reported of by the people +of adjoining countries and neighboring settlements; neither of which is +a sufficiently reliable source of information. My own personal +advantages on this head were greater; but I am obliged, after all, to +leave the question about where I found it, so far as _certain_ +conclusions are concerned. Yet some circumstances occurred, or were +related to me, that incline my mind strongly to the belief that such +horrible practices are not unjustly ascribed to them. Of the soundness +of my conclusions those who follow the course of the narrative will have +the opportunity of judging for themselves; if such had been my +persuasion at the beginning, it may be readily imagined what effect this +last hazard would have had upon my feelings, in contemplating the +possibilities of the future. Happily a convenient scepticism on this +point preserved me from this dark apprehension. + +I came among these people not, certainly, with the best preparation in +my previous habits and associations to endure either the climate of +the country or the hardships of captivity. I went on shore in my usual +ship's dress; thick frock coat, trousers, and shoes, and glazed cap. +My under-garments were woollen; though an important item, as before +related, was made way with in fruitlessly signalling vessels in the +straits. But to live without any change of dress, to sleep without any +additional covering, protected from the cold ground only by a fragment +of guanaco-hide, and the other discomforts and exposures of life among +savages, made, altogether, a harsh contrast to the comforts of our +good schooner. To these, however, I gradually became inured, till I +was able to meet cold and wet and storm with as stoical indifference +as my dark companions, who had known no other lot from infancy. + +Of the character of the natives I had little previous knowledge; and +that little was not adapted to stimulate curiosity, or prompt the least +anxiety for more intimate acquaintance. It was derived mainly from +whalers, in whom it seemed to have produced much the same degree of +contentment,--a feeling that ignorance is bliss. Indeed, the greatest +caution has always been employed by voyagers in regard to landing on +these shores; many experienced seamen cannot be persuaded to land at +all; trade with the natives is always carried on in boats off shore, +frequently with loaded fire-arms constantly levelled, in readiness for +action in case of emergency. But here I was, put forcibly to the study +of their character in the school of dame Experience, and can testify to +the truth of the saying that she charges roundly for tuition. Let the +reader give me credit for the cheapness with which I put him in +possession of what knowledge was purchased at so exorbitant a price. + + + + +CHAPTER III. + + Hard journey--Encampment--Division of the tribe--My new + guardian--Story of the capture of a British + vessel--Reünion--Gambling--Culinary arts--Hunting--Symptoms of + danger--Mutual deceptions--Tough yarns--The fatal ring--An + effective oration--Indecision of the Indians. + + +The reader left me just rising from a half-stupor into which a double +disappointment had thrown me, feverish with the excitement of new +purposes and resolutions. The first aim was for some fresh water, to +allay a burning thirst. After a long and unsuccessful search, I went +deliberately to the beach and took a deep draught of the briny waves. +Expecting that the chief would shortly return for me with a train of his +followers, it occurred to me that I might secrete myself, though there +was nothing certain to be gained by it, if I were successful, of which +the probability was not great. With this object in view, I walked along +close on the water's edge, that my footprints might be obliterated by +the waves. After proceeding in this way for some distance, I left the +shore, and started towards the interior, in quest of a place where I +might dig a hole in the earth and cover myself with grass and bushes. I +had gone but a little way inland, when, on ascending a slight eminence, +whom should I meet, face to face, but the old chief and another of my +tormentors! So the scheme came to nothing; but after others more +feasible had so dolefully miscarried, it was not in human nature to lay +this disappointment very deeply to heart. I made as though I was glad to +see the old fellow, though, could I then have had my will of the +savages, they would have been safely anchored in the middle of the +straits. I told him (Heaven forgive me!) I was looking for them. The +chief responded to my greeting only by ordering me to mount his horse. I +requested leave to stay a little longer, and was refused. I again +requested to be taken to Port Famine;--no, I should be taken to +"Holland." + +I mounted behind him, and we travelled all day in the direction of Cape +Virgin. For two days and nights I had eaten nothing, and drunk nothing +but sea-water, and, in fact, had taken very little food for three days. +We arrived about dark at an eminence commanding a view of their new +squatting ground. Here we halted to take a short survey of the +encampment. To them, doubtless, the prospect was beautiful; to me it was +heart-sickening, but I strove to keep up cheerful appearances. Down in a +valley or deep marshy hollow, covered with tall grass or rushes, an +almost innumerable drove of horses were seen grazing; and beyond, at a +short distance, the surface was thickly dotted with huts, erected, or in +process of erection, by female architects. Children, in swarms like +summer flies, and with no more artificial covering than those insects, +were capering and shouting in high glee. At length we descended to the +rude village; after tacking about, first to the right and then to the +left, like a ship against a head wind, we came gallantly into town, and +drew up at the chief's lodge. I was glad to dismount, sore with +bestriding the skeleton of a horse. + +Here I again took the liberty of proposing a trip to Port Famine, +offering to go alone, if they would not go with me. The chief told me, +with emphasis, to say no more about it. He would take me to "Holland," +and there get rum and tobacco. "Only get me there," I said to myself, +"and much good may your rum and tobacco do your old carcass!" + +On the third day of our encampment here the tribe was divided, and I was +sent off with one of the chief's lieutenants. A more blood-thirsty +rascal could not be found in the tribe. This step was probably taken by +the chief to get rid of my importunities to visit Port Famine, the +frequent renewal of which had evidently worried him. My new guardian +regaled my ears, from time to time, with stories of his murderous +exploits, most likely in order to instil into me a wholesome dread of +his power, and a submissive temper under his authority. The details of +his bloody yarns are too shocking to repeat. One story, on which he +seemed to dwell with peculiar satisfaction, as it was confirmed by more +reliable authority afterwards, I will here relate, with such other +particulars as I gained by subsequent information. + +About two years before, the British brig Avon was in the Santa Cruz +river. Captain Eaton, her commander, went on shore with his men, and +bought some horses of the Indians, which he paid for in rum, tobacco and +trinkets. After receiving their pay, they played the same trick as with +me,--refused to deliver the horses. The captain was about getting under +weigh, when the Indians, perceiving his intention to leave them, went +down to the shore opposite the vessel, and beckoned him to come on +shore, signifying that they would give up the horses, as agreed. The +boat was sent ashore, and six or eight Indians returned in it to the +brig. They surrounded the captain on the quarter-deck, and told him the +horses were coming. He stepped to the rail with his glass, to observe +motions on shore; while thus engaged, the savages came up behind, drew +out their long knives, and stabbed him to the heart. He sunk lifeless on +the rail, and fell upon the deck. Seizing him by the hair, and raising +him partly on their knees, they cut his throat, and stabbed him again +and again, to make the work of death sure. They then rushed upon the +mate and stabbed him, but not mortally; he threw himself exhausted down +the hatchway, and had just strength enough to secrete himself among the +cargo. The boy was dealt with in the same manner as the captain, and one +or two sailors, being wounded, succeeded, like the mate, in getting +below deck and secreting themselves. The remainder of the crew were +fortunately off in a boat at this time, and escaped the massacre. The +savages ate and drank on board, and then plundered the brig of such +articles as suited their fancy. Mr. Douglass, of "Holland," being on +board the brig, was not murdered, but carried on shore and detained. A +gentleman named Simms afterwards endeavored to effect the release of Mr. +Douglass. He gave them all that they demanded as ransom, and was then +himself detained to keep his friend company. A third embassy was +undertaken by Mr. John Hall, of whom the reader will learn more +hereafter. He paid a large ransom for his two friends, and was then +served as they had been. He succeeded in effecting his escape the next +day; but Douglass and Simms were carried off, murdered, and, it is +supposed,--I believe with good reason,--that their bodies were eaten. +The Avon, after being plundered, fell into the hands of the remainder of +the crew, and sailed for Montevideo. + +I travelled with this ruffian about ten days. He was a hard master, +though I cannot charge him with personal ill-treatment that amounted to +cruelty. Our life was monotonous enough. We slept a good share of the +time when we rested, drank pure water when we could get it, and ate what +fell in our way; though the reader may be assured that we saw some +hungry days. At the expiration of ten days, the tribe was reünited at a +place agreed upon. Here we continued several days, the natives occupied +exclusively with gambling, which was alike their daily labor and +recreation. When the demands of hunger became too imperative to be +longer postponed, they would go out and hunt, after which they resumed +their games. + +Gambling is a vice to which they are greatly addicted, and they pursue +it with a perseverance and ardor worthy of amateurs in more civilized +communities. The implements used are bits of guanaco-skin, about the +size of common playing-cards, on which are rudely depicted dogs and a +variety of other beasts, with divers mystic marks and scrawls, done with +a stick in a pigment composed of clay, blood and grease. Unlike their +compeers in more enlightened circles, they put down stakes on only one +side, for which the opposite players contend. In this way they rid +themselves of their saddles, bridles, knives, and whatever other +portable articles they may have to hazard. Nay, I have seen them +inflamed to such a passion as to take the mantles from their women's +shoulders, telling them to protect themselves from the cold as they +could. + +But where was "Holland," all this time? They told me at first that we +should be only four days reaching it, and already more than ten had +passed. On inquiry, they said that the journey would be completed in six +days; on we went, for _sixteen_ days more, with the same dull routine, +the Indians assigning seven or eight days as the minimum time. The place +seemed to be all the while receding. I had long since become aware that +there was no truth in them; but persisted in questioning them, to call +forth fresh lies, which they uttered with marvellous fluency, as if it +were vastly easier than speaking the truth. + +After the reünion of the tribe, I implored the old chief to take me back +to his lodge, and to his especial care; to which he consented, much to +my satisfaction. With him I felt a kind of security unknown elsewhere; +under God, I relied alone on his protection. He alone of the tribe had +the power to defend me, and I spared no pains to secure his good-will. +To this end, I made him large promises of such things as I thought would +arouse his cupidity, or stimulate his appetites, as well as an abundance +of ornaments for his wives and children, if he would only take me to +some place inhabited by white people. This policy was extended to his +household; disagreeable as the task was, I forced myself to caress his +dirty children, and to tell them what pretty things I intended to give +them. By these, and such-like demonstrations, I flattered myself it +might be possible to keep on peaceable terms with old Parosilver, and +enlist his authority for me, if circumstances should compel me to appeal +to it. + +The reünited tribe remained in camp three or four days, dividing their +time between gambling and hunting. When I accompanied the hunters, as I +sometimes did, I was sure to get something to eat towards night, as they +invariably kindled a fire and cooked part of the game on the spot where +it was killed. Their method of preparing all meats was essentially the +same as has been described; tossing large pieces into the fire, or +suspending them over it, till they were somewhat smoked and dried, and +then devouring them, without salt, or any other condiment but the sauce +of hunger. Cooking the ostrich, however, forms an exception: the +feathers are plucked out, the bones dissected and removed; hot stones +are placed within the body, the skin is tightly sewed together, and the +whole is partially roasted on the embers. The lacings are then cut, and +the meat is served up; it has an excellent flavor, far surpassing that +of the domestic turkey. The bird is covered with a layer of fat, half an +inch thick, which is melted, and collects in the body, forming a +condiment which is relished as the greatest luxury of Patagonian living. +If any fragments of the repast remain, they are slung to the backs of +the saddles, and so carried home, dangling at the horses' sides, till +they are so begrimed with dust as to defy all conjecture as to their +quality or origin. These choice morsels are proffered to the home +department, are received with smiles of gratitude, and devoured with a +gust sharpened by long abstinence. It was noticeable that the plumage of +the ostrich, though beautiful, was not at all valued by the Indians; +large quantities of the feathers are blown all over the country, +without attracting the least regard, while men and women disfigure +themselves with paint, and load their persons with the cheapest of all +trumpery, brass and copper and beads, picked up from traders, or stolen. + +The hunting of the guanaco is not only their chief reliance for food, +but a spirited amusement, conducted after a fashion peculiar alike to +hunters and hunted. Patagonia, as before mentioned, has no trees, but is +covered here and there, in patches, with a kind of under-brush of scrub +growth, and the plains extend back for hundreds of miles from the +Atlantic shore, like a vast rolling prairie. This affords a clear and +excellent hunting-ground, with nothing to conceal the game, or hinder +the pursuer, except now and then a clump of low bushes, or the tall +grass of the marshes. Two to four hundred Indians on horseback, +bare-headed, and with their skin mantles about them, and each having the +bolas and his long knife tucked beneath his belt, the whole followed by +an innumerable pack of dogs of every kind, down to curs of low degree, +make up a hunting party; as far as the eye can reach, their gigantic +forms, diminished by the distance, may be seen projected on the horizon, +their long hair streaming in the wind. Presently a thickness is +perceived in the air, and a cloud of dust arises,--a sure indication +that a herd of guanacos has been beaten up, and is now approaching. All +eyes are fixed intently on the cloud; it soon appears as if several +acres of earth were alive, and in rapid motion. There is a herd of from +five hundred to a thousand of these animals, infuriated, rushing forward +at their utmost speed whatever direction they may chance to take, they +follow in a straight line; and, as soon as their course is ascertained, +the Indians may be seen running their horses at break-neck pace to plant +themselves directly in the course of the living tide. As the game +approach, the hunter puts spurs to his horse and rushes across their +track. When within twenty or thirty yards, he jerks the bolas from his +girdle, and, whirling it violently above his head, lets fly. The weapon +usually strikes the head or neck of the animal, and winds itself about +his fore-legs, bringing him to the ground. The hunter dismounts, cuts +the victim's throat, remounts, and is again in pursuit. The whizzing +missile, unerring in its aim, brings down another and another, till the +party are satisfied with their chase and their prey. The dogs fall upon +the poor animals, when helplessly entangled by the bolas, and often +cruelly mangle them before the hunter has time to despatch them. Seldom +does any one miss the game he marks. It is the height of manly ambition +among them, the last result of their training, to excel in the chase. + +The sport being over, then comes the dressing of the meat. The body is +split open, the entrails removed, the heart and large veins opened, to +permit the blood to flow into the cavity. The Indians scoop up with +their hands and eagerly drink the blood. When their thirst is satisfied, +the remainder is poured into certain of the intestines selected for the +purpose, to become (to their accommodating tastes) a luxury as highly +prized as any surnamed of Bologna. The ribs are disjointed from the +back-bone, and, with the head, discarded as worthless. The body is +quartered, cutting through the skin; the quarters, tied together in +pairs, are thrown across the horses' backs, and conveyed to the camp. +Arrived at their wigwams, the chivalrous hunters never unlade their +beasts, but lean upon the horses' necks till their wives come out and +relieve them of the spoil. They then dismount, unsaddle their horses, +and turn them loose. + +Whilst remaining at our present encampment, strong indications of +dissatisfaction were apparent, which manifestly had reference to me. +There was a large party that had always entertained hostile feelings +towards me; and I now found it necessary to exert myself to the utmost +to quell their discontent, by making large promises of presents to men, +women and children, "due and payable" on arrival at some white +settlement; also, by humoring their caprices, and flattering their +vanity with the most honeyed words at my command. The reader, I hope, +will not harshly judge of the deceptions which are here and elsewhere +avowed in this narrative. I was placed in circumstances which, it seemed +to me, made this a legitimate and necessary mode of self-defence. It was +plain that my only way of escape would be by some negotiation for +ransom, and the Indians had conceived expectations of very large profit +to be made out of me. They were told, when we landed, that I was the +captain of the ship,--an unfortunate error, but one that I could not +repair. I was naturally looked upon as so much the more valuable +hostage. My only resource was to act in character: to magnify my own +importance, to increase their expectations, whenever I found myself +sinking in the scale of their favor,--to make them feel, in short, that +they had an immense interest in preserving my life, and getting me to +"Holland," or some other white settlement, with the most convenient +speed. And if some of the fictions appear gross, it is enough to say +that they were such as seemed, at the time, to be adapted to the +grossness of their apprehensions and desires, and to the most sure +accomplishment of the purpose in view. + +Yet, so false-hearted and treacherous were they, that one could never be +for a moment certain what impression was made. Liars in grain +themselves, it was only natural for them to distrust every one else. +Whenever I spoke, and especially when making promises, the old chief +would look me steadily in the eye, as though piercing my inmost +thoughts. But, in process of time, I so schooled myself to the exercise, +that I could return his look and tell the toughest stories without +blinking. Some of them were to the full as credible as those of +Munchausen. It was constantly necessary to put memory and imagination to +the rack, to call forth something new and astonishing wherewith to +divert their fancy, and preöccupy their minds from meditating mischief +against me, of which I had continual reason to be afraid. Secure against +any detection of the plagiarism, I drew largely from the adventures of +Sinbad the Sailor, the marvels of the Arabian Nights, and the cunning +devices of Gil Blas, the materials of which served, when duly mixed with +my own veritable experience, to excite their curiosity, if not to awaken +awe and superstitious reverence. They would sit around me for hours, as +eager as so many children, their eyes and ears all intent, while in +broken Spanish, mixed with a few Indian phrases that had been grafted +into my speech through the ear, aided by abundant gesticulations, that +shadowed forth and illustrated whatever was obscure in expression, I +spun yarns of no common length, strength and elasticity. Sometimes, in +response to a general call from the company, the old chief at the end +of some marvellous tale, would command me to tell it again. This was no +easy task, considering the freaks which my imagination usually played, +without restraint, in the progress of the narrative. In no long time, +however, I learned to imitate the prudence of boys who turn down the +leaves of their books, or of Indians who break down the shrubs and twigs +along a new path, by taking special note of my deviations,--a sort of +mental dog's-ear, or way-mark, interposed at the point of departure. It +was not difficult to retrace the way at their bidding, and give them the +whole journey, to its minutest turnings. + +The excitement and dissatisfaction which I had remarked and dreaded +appeared to have died away, when one night I had startling evidence that +it was still active. At the usual hour of rest, as I was expecting every +moment to be ordered, like a dog, to my cold corner of the lodge, a +gigantic, ill-favored fellow made his appearance, and exchanged, in an +under tone, a few words with the chief. Without comprehending a word +that was passing, I could see, by their significant glances, that the +colloquy concerned me, and that it boded me no good. The giant soon +disappeared. The chief sat a moment in silence, rose, and ordered me to +follow him. To the question where he was taking me, no other answer was +vouchsafed than "Come along!" We had proceeded but a short distance when +I observed a group of Indians sitting in a circle on the earth. The +sight almost froze my blood. The most dismal apprehensions seized upon +me. There needed no wizard to tell the import of the scene. The _fatal +ring_, so much to be dreaded by those who are cast upon the tender +mercies of savages, was set for me. The suddenness of it aggravated the +blow. It almost paralyzed thought, and arrested my powers of motion. +The catastrophe of the tragedy, I thought, is at hand, unless arrested +by the interposition of a higher power. In my way to the dreaded spot I +sent up a silent supplication that He whose eye marked all my footsteps, +and whose power was all-sufficient for my protection against utmost +peril, would keep me in that hour of my "extremity," and make it, +according to the proverb, His "opportunity." + +Arrived at the ring, I found the Indians squatting on the ice and snow +awaiting us, with their cutlasses and large knives tucked under their +blankets,--weapons they never carry except when they expect to use them. +I was ordered within, and seated myself as near as possible to the +chief. They presently began talking in rotation, as they sat, in their +own tongue. Their words were mainly unintelligible; but the deadly +malice that flashed from the eyes, kindled in the features, and animated +the gesticulations, of some of them, left no room to doubt the +significance of their speech. A part of them were clamorous against my +life, as they had constantly been. Others appeared to be irresolute, and +said little; but, so far as could be discovered, no voice was raised in +my favor. The chief spoke last,--I hung upon his lips, and anxiously +scrutinized his face and action. I gathered that he was in favor of +holding on a while longer, and using me as a decoy, to lure others +within their power; reminding them of my promises,--the quantities of +rum and tobacco they were to get from me, the trinkets destined for +women and children. He was for getting the booty before cutting the +matter short with me. His remarks evidently had great weight with the +council, and exerted a soothing effect on all of them. At this point I +thought it a meet season to impress upon their minds that I was of some +consequence in the world, and asked leave to speak for myself, which was +granted. Thereupon I launched forth in an oration, the chief acting as +interpreter, and retailing it to the circle sentence by sentence: + +"Buenos Senores! Me mucho Grande Americano capitan, mismo commodant +mucho mass, mucha barca, mucha galeta, muchos soldados, muchos +marinarios. Me tene mucho mucho big guns, bastante poquito mismo +bastante, cutlass, pistols mucho bastante. Vuestros hombres buenos per +me, mi marinarios, mi soldados, buenos per vos. Othro corso usted malo +rumpe me," &c. &c. &c. In such a jumble of Spanish, English and Indian, +duly set off with grimace and gesture, I gave them to understand that +they were dealing with no inferior personage, but with one who was at +home as good as the president; one having at command abundance of +steamships and sailing vessels of all sorts, with soldiers and mariners, +big guns and little guns, pistols and cutlasses. That if they were good +to me they would receive good from me and mine; but that, if they did me +any harm, men would come from North America in numbers as incalculable +as the hairs of their heads, and kill every mother's son of them. +Furthermore, if they would take me to some white settlement, whether +American, English, French or Spanish, I would order the white people to +give them rum, tobacco, flour, rice, sugar and tea. _Of course_ the +white men could do no less than obey, and they would thus be enabled to +indulge themselves in luxuries almost without limit. + +It was evident, at a glance, that my speech was seasonable, and took +effect in the right quarter. Their eyes stood out with wonder, and the +sternness of their countenances was relaxed. They acquiesced in the +proposal to postpone final action for the present, and see what could be +made out of me before doing their worst. In a few days, they said, they +would take me to "Holland;" but, no matter what time was limited, that +"undiscovered country" seemed continually further off,--"a name" without +any "local habitation." Their conduct in this was determined, as I was +afterwards assured, by the fact that they were entirely undecided what +to do with me. They longed for the good things I had told them of, and +their greedy appetites could only be satisfied by taking me to a white +settlement. On the other hand, they were painfully suspicious that I +meant to give them the slip, and dreaded the result of bringing me into +the vicinity of any settlement; while, at the same time, my +grandiloquent assumptions and lofty threats made them shrink from the +thought of doing me serious harm. The big guns and little guns greatly +disturbed their imaginations. In short, I seemed to them an ugly +customer--bad to keep, and bad to get rid of. They temporized, +therefore, promised and hesitated, and postponed, and promised again. +There was no use in trying to hurry their movements. So I gave them line +upon line, seeking every opportunity to deepen the troublesome +impression that they assumed a mighty responsibility when they made me a +prisoner, and that their welfare depended greatly on the issue. + + + + +CHAPTER IV. + + Corey Inlet--Another disappointment--A hunting frolic with an + unpleasant termination--Moving of the camp--Aimless + wanderings--Alarm--A marriage treaty and an unsuccessful + suitor--Laws of marriage--Qualifications of a husband--Feminine + quarrels--A marriage in high life--Dressing + meat--Profaneness--Absence of religious ideas--Mysterious + ceremony--Reasons for abstaining from religious instruction--The + metals--State of the arts in Patagonia--Tailoring--Fashion. + + +The next move of the tribe brought us within about a mile of Corey +Inlet. The day after we halted, in full view of the south Atlantic, on +looking out upon the water, two masts were plainly descried, evidently +those of some vessel running down to this inlet. On going up an +elevation commanding a better view, it proved to be a topsail schooner. +She had undoubtedly mistaken this false cape for Cape Virgin, at the +entrance of the Straits of Magellan. I pointed out the vessel to the +Indians, and requested them to take me to the shore, that I might, if +possible, communicate with her and be ransomed. After some delay, they +complied; but, as we approached the beach, she was seen suddenly to haul +off the shore and stand down the coast, having probably found out her +mistake. We made all possible haste to gain the beach before she could +have time to pass out of sight. I mounted a tall cliff, where I could +distinctly see the men on deck, and, standing on the horse's back, +waved my jacket, and made every possible demonstration to attract their +notice. All in vain. The little vessel sailed steadily on, as if in +mockery of my hopes. I watched her receding figure with an aching heart, +till she vanished from sight. Thoughts of home and its familiar circle, +of lost enjoyments, and of the suffering that must be a guest there, had +long tantalized my sleeping and embittered my waking dreams. These were +quickened and concentrated in a burning focus, by the light of such a +vision from the world of my past existence, only to inflict the keener +torture upon my sensibilities. My situation became more intolerable by +every fresh disappointment. It was almost enough to drive me mad. Must +I, then, give up all hope of rescue? + +A few minutes passed, and the tempest of feeling passed with them. +Reflection convinced me that the indulgence of such feelings was not +only useless, but actually pernicious, as tending to unfit me for +rational and successful contrivance. My condition, truly, was dreadful; +so much the more necessary was it to exercise the most calm and patient +and self-possessed prudence, in order to devise and execute any purpose +of escape. Like the surgeon who looks with steady nerve on the quivering +frame subjected to his knife, I must nerve myself to look the gloomy +problem of my lot, without shrinking, fully in the face, and keep my +emotions, in all circumstances, strictly under the control of the +calculating judgment; a maxim, like many others, much easier uttered now +than to be thought of then, and far easier asserted than exemplified. +Fully bent on effecting my deliverance in some way, to the discovery of +which all possible ingenuity was to be directed, my resolutions of +self-control were heroic enough. But to fulfil them,--to repress and +disregard all those sympathies to which my whole being was bound,--this +was indeed labor, too great, I often feared, to be accomplished. When +the stress of inward conflict oppressed me, I would spring from my +crouching-place in the lodge, rush into the open air, and seize upon +every object that could in any degree divert attention and divide my +thoughts. These exertions, with God's blessing, sufficed to restore, in +some tolerable measure, the mental equilibrium, and to rescue me from +the dominion of feelings the unrestrained action of which would have +driven me to madness. + +During our stay of three or four days at this encampment, I had become +so wearied with the monotony of their idleness, broken only by their +desperate gambling,--the only thing, besides the chase, with which the +Indians occupied themselves,--that for variety's sake, to divert my +often-desponding moods, and to kill time, which hung heavily on my +hands, I concluded to go out on a hunting frolic. Having procured a +horse of the chief, and encased my lower extremities in a pair of native +boots, much warmer than the ship shoes in which I had endured the cold, +I set out with quite a party. We had gone six or eight miles, when I +stopped for a short time, the rest of the troop riding off without +regarding me. On remounting my charger, I put him to his utmost speed, +in order to overtake them. While driving on at a furious rate, he +stumbled and came to the ground, throwing his luckless rider over his +head twenty feet or more, upon the hard, frozen ground. One ankle was +severely sprained, and my whole body more or less bruised. So severe, +indeed, was the shock, that I have occasional reminders of it to this +day. No time was to be lost; and, with considerable effort, and no +little pain, I succeeded in remounting. The swelling of my foot soon +made my borrowed boots extremely uncomfortable, and I wished myself +safely back at the lodge; but, at whatever expense of suffering, I had +no resource but to follow the hunters till such time as they should see +fit to return. The remembrance of that day's torment will not soon be +lost. We arrived at the camp late in the evening; and, having been +unsuccessful in the chase, went supperless to bed. On crawling into the +hut and removing my boots, a sad sight was disclosed; but there was no +present remedy. Dragging myself wearily into my corner, I had just +crouched upon the skin, which had served for a saddle during the day and +was still reeking from the horse's back, when a great dog came along, +and threw his whole weight upon the lame foot, causing me to scream +aloud for the pain. I drew back the serviceable foot, and gave him a +kick that sent him through the fire and against the front of the lodge. +Sleep kept at a distance till near morning, when I gained a brief +oblivion of suffering. + +Day at last dawned, and with the morning's light came the busy note of +preparation for removal. Down came the tents; the squaws packing up the +furniture, and the Indians chasing and lassoing their horses. The noise +and confusion, disagreeable enough under any circumstances, made the +scene no inapt representative of chaos, from which I was glad to be +delivered on the most expeditious terms possible; and I was easily +persuaded to try my fortune again in the chase, more especially as we +had nothing for breakfast. No words can do more than partial justice to +one of these moving scenes. Not only the skin roofs of their wigwams, +but the stakes and poles which constitute the frames, are carried along +with them. Their furniture gives them little trouble, seldom consisting +of more than the skins on which they sleep, an ox-horn tinder-box, a few +sticks for roasting meat, and a leathern water-bucket. Tents and +furniture are all packed together on their horses' backs. The pappooses +in travelling are lashed to a kind of wooden sledge, rounded at the ends +like sleigh-runners, and crossed with narrow slats, that bind the parts +strongly together. The little brats are bound upon these machines, which +are so shaped that their heads and feet are much below the general level +of their bodies,--a very uncomfortable position for the youngsters, if +they have as much sensibility to pain as other children, of which I +incline to doubt, as they are inured from birth to almost every species +of hardship. The sledge, with its living burden, is thrown across the +horse's back, and made fast to the load. The mother mounts to the top of +the pack, resting her feet on the horse's neck, and armed with a cudgel, +with which she vigorously belabors the beast, right and left. The +pappooses, not liking the quarters assigned to them, set up a general +squalling. Mothers and maiden aunts join in full chorus, drawling out, +at the top of their voices, "Hōrī! mutty, mutty! Hōrī! mutty, mutty!" +without the least change, to the thousandth repetition. All these +arrangements are made with remarkable celerity--in thirty minutes not a +tent is left standing, but the whole tribe, their tenements and +chattels, wives and brats, are all packed upon horses, and the motley +cavalcade moves off like an army of beggars on horseback. + +[Illustration: BREAKING UP OF CAMP.] + +On the present occasion the movement was delayed, while we rode in +search of something to eat. The chase was unsuccessful, scarcely enough +being obtained to more than sharpen our appetites for dinner. The scanty +meal being over, the whole company began their journey, which in its +tortuous windings was not unlike that of the Israelites in the +wilderness, but unlike that in the respect that we seemed to have no +particular destination or object, except to explore new hunting-grounds, +and gratify the capricious restlessness of the Indians. One very +desirable end was answered,--we got enough to eat, as we were successful +in killing a large quantity of game. The Indians, it was noticeable, +were never at a loss to find their camps. So familiar did they seem with +all their haunts and the general shape of the country, that though the +surface presented to my eye scarcely any distinguishable way-marks, they +would strike off from any point, however distant, and go with unerring +aim straight to their tents. In returning laden with booty to our new +homes, I was surprised to observe no indications whatever of water in +the vicinity; a singular departure, at first sight, from their +invariable custom, so far as I had noticed. Very soon the squaws issued +from their huts, each with her leathern bucket. Curiosity prompted me to +follow them a little way, when a spring was discovered, from which they +had to dip the water with their ox-horn cups till the buckets were +filled. + +About this time a new phase of life presented itself, to cast light on +an important item of the social economy established in Patagonia. +Looking out of our wigwam one evening just at dusk, I noticed an unusual +concourse of Indians about two hundred yards distant. There were fifty +or more, headed by one of the most ruffianly rascals in the tribe, +marching in the direction of our lodge. I spoke to the chief about it, +whereupon he went immediately to the back of the hut, and sat down on +his little bed, his cutlass hanging beside him from a knot of one of the +stakes. This he took down, laid it across his knees, and folded his +arms. Something, I saw, was wrong. In anticipation of the worst that +might befall me, I had found, a short time before, the handle of an old +knife among the chief's trumpery, and also an odd blade; these I had put +together, and the chief permitted me to carry it about my person, the +only weapon he allowed me. I now planted myself on my knees beside him, +and prepared to sell my life as dearly as possible, should the mob enter +with evil designs towards me. The consciousness that I was in their +power, and was sure to have the worst of any serious quarrel, made it my +study to keep the peace with them as far as circumstances would admit; +but there was a limit to my control of events, a very narrow limit, +which I had constant reason to fear would be overborne by the impetuous +hatred of my enemies, when nothing would be left but desperate +resistance. Such a crisis seemed near, when the chief was himself +reduced to a defensive attitude, and was indeed besieged in his own +lodge. + +The motley throng surrounded the hut, their numbers constantly swelled +by fresh arrivals; some were squat upon the ground, others peeping +through the crevices. Presently one of the number addressed the chief, +and the two conversed for some time in a low and unintelligible, but +decided and emphatic tone. The crowd outside appeared to be a good deal +excited, and kept up a continuous hum of rapid conversation. I looked +and listened, with mingled curiosity and dread, while the chief repeated +the same thing over and over again, in a firm, authoritative tone, +tinged with anger. Unable to conjecture what was on foot, or to bear any +longer the agony of suspense, I patted him familiarly on his naked +breast, told him he had "a good heart," begged that he would not suffer +the Indians to harm me. "You go sleep," was his answer; "no Indians come +into this house to-night." I inquired what they were after, but no +answer was vouchsafed, and he resumed his mysterious colloquy with the +outsiders. The idea of sleeping under such circumstances was out of the +question; I was wide awake, and bent on keeping so,--sorely bewildered +at the strange goings on, and not a little terrified, but holding fast +by my sole weapon of defence, and waiting a favorable opportunity to +interpose another inquiry. The chief turned his head; and, perceiving my +vigilance, repeated in an angry tone his injunction to sleep. This was a +drop too much; and, clasping my arms about his dirty neck, patting his +breast, and looking (with as confiding an air as I could assume) into +his dull eyes, I begged him to speak to me, to tell me what these men +wanted. "Do they want to break my head?" + +"The men don't want to hurt you," he said; "Indian wants a girl for his +wife; poor Indian, very poor, got no horses nor anything else. I won't +give him the woman." + +So speedy a descent from the height of my fears was not satisfactory; it +was impossible to credit this explanation of such a formidable scene. I +apprehended that it was a pure fiction, extemporized for the purpose of +quieting me; but, as he seemed more communicative, I swallowed my +doubts, and questioned him further. "What does poor Indian say?" + +"Says he'll steal plenty horses when we get where they are, and give the +woman plenty of grease. Says he is a good hunter, good thief." + +These high titles to consideration did not seem to be admitted by the +party they were offered to conciliate; on the contrary, the chief +pronounced him a sleepy mink-skin of a fellow,--no thief at all; one +that would never own a horse in the world. This opinion, which he was +good enough to favor me with, he communicated to the party chiefly +concerned, telling him that he was a poor, good-for-nothing Indian, he +should not have the woman, and that was the end of it. After a little +more jabber, and abundance of wrangling, the mob dispersed, much to my +relief. Satisfied, by further conversation on the subject with old +Parosilver, whose triumph over the mutiny had put him into better temper +than usual, that the affair did not imminently concern my safety or +welfare, I lay down to rest. + +In answer to further inquiries,--for I must plead guilty to a good deal +of curiosity in respect of the poor Indian and his blasted hopes,--I was +informed that without the chief's consent no marriage was permitted; +that, in his judgment, no Indian who was not an accomplished +rogue,--particularly in the horse-stealing line,--an expert hunter, able +to provide plenty of meat and grease, was fit to have a wife on any +terms. He never gave his consent for such lazy ones to take an extra +rib; but, he very considerately added, all the difference it made was +that some one else had to support the squaw till her suitor proved +himself worthy, and acquired sufficient wealth to justify taking her to +his wigwam; and, if he cared much for his _coury_, he would not be long +in earning her; it would make him a first-rate thief,--the most +indispensable title to favor in the tribe. It appeared that the +possession of two horses, one for himself and one for his intended, was +regarded as the proper outfit in a matrimonial adventure. + +The women are somewhat given to quarrelling among themselves; and, when +their "combativeness" is once active, they fight like tigers. Jealousy +is a frequent occasion. If a squaw suspects her liege lord of undue +familiarity with a rival, she darts upon the fair enchantress with the +fury of a wild beast; then ensues such a pounding, scratching and +hair-pulling, as beggars description. The gay deceiver, if taken by +surprise, slips quietly out, and stands at a safe distance to watch the +progress of the combat, generally chuckling at the fun with great +complacency. A crowd gathers round to cheer on the rivals; and the +rickety wigwam, under the effect of the squall within, creaks and +shivers like a ship in the wind's eye. + +While the _contract_ of marriage is so jealously regarded by the chief +as to be subject to a veto in every case where a proposed match appears +in his eyes unsuitable, the _ceremony_ is literally nothing at all. Due +sanction having been given by the supreme authority, the bridegroom +takes home his bride for better or worse, without any of the festivity +which graces similar occasions elsewhere. About this time,--for, as I +had no means of journalizing my experience, or even keeping the +reckoning of weeks and months, it is quite impossible to assign +dates,--a matrimonial transaction took place, accompanied by unusual +solemnities. The rank of one party, and the extraordinary accessories of +the occasion, will justify a particular notice of this "marriage in high +life." + +One evening, the chief, his four wives, two daughters, an infant +granddaughter, and myself, were scattered about the lodge, enveloped in +a smoke of unusual strength and density. While the others sat around as +unconcerned as so many pieces of bacon, I lay flat, with my face close +to the ground, and my head covered with a piece of guanaco-skin, the +only position in which it was possible to gain any relief from the +stifling fumigation. While in this attitude, I fancied I heard the tramp +of many feet without, and a confused muttering, as if a multitude of +Indians were talking together. Presently a hoarse voice sounded in +front, evidently aimed at the ears of some one within, to which the +chief promptly replied. I caught a few words,--enough to satisfy me that +I was not the subject of their colloquy, but that there was a lady in +the case,--and listened curiously, without any of the fright which grew +out of the previous negotiations. The conversation grew animated, and +the equanimity of his high mightiness the chief was somewhat disturbed. +I cast a penetrating glance into the smoke at the female members of our +household, to discern, if possible; whether any one of them was +specially interested. One look was sufficient; the chief's daughter +(who, by the way, was a _quasi_ widow, with one hopeful scion springing +up by her side) sat listening to the conversation, with anxiety and +apprehension visible in every feature. Her mother sat near her, her chin +resting upon her hand, with an anxious and thoughtful expression of +countenance. The invisible speaker without, it soon appeared, was an +unsuccessful suitor of the daughter, and had come with his friends to +press his claim. He urged his suit, if not with classic, with "earnest" +eloquence, but with success ill proportioned to his efforts. The chief +told him he was a poor, good-for-nothing fellow, had no horses, and was +unfit to be his son-in-law, or any one else's. The outsider was not to +be so easily put off; he pressed his suit with fresh energy, affirming +that his deficiency of horses was from want of opportunity, not from +lack of will or ability to appropriate the first that came within his +reach. On the contrary, he claimed to be as ingenious and accomplished a +thief as ever swung a lasso or ran off a horse, and a mighty hunter +besides, whose wife would never suffer for want of grease. The +inexorable chief hereat got considerably excited, told him he was a poor +devil, and might be off with himself; he wouldn't talk any more about +it. + +The suppliant, as a last resort, appealed to the fair one herself, +begging her to smile on his suit, and assuring her, with marked +emphasis, that, if successful in his aspirations, he would give her +_plenty of grease_. At this last argument she was unable to resist +longer, but entreated her father to sanction their union. But the +hard-hearted parent, not at all mollified by this appeal from his +decision to an inferior tribunal, broke out in a towering passion, and +poured forth a torrent of abuse. The mother here interposed, and +besought him not to be angry with the young folks, but to deal more +gently and considerately with them. She even hinted that he might have +done injustice to the young man. He might turn out a smarter man than he +had credit for. He might--who knew?--make a fine chief yet, possess +plenty of horses, and prove a highly eligible match for their daughter. +The old fellow had been (for him) quite moderate, but this was too much. +His rage completely mastered him. He rose up, seized the pappoose's +cradle, and hurled it violently out of doors, and the other chattels +appertaining to his daughter went after it in rapid succession. He then +ordered her to follow her goods _instanter_, with which benediction she +departed, responding with a smile of satisfaction, doubtless +anticipating the promised luxuries of her new home, the vision of which, +through the present tempest, fortified her mind against its worst +perils. Leaving the lodge, she gathered up her scattered effects, and, +accompanied by her mother, the bridal party disappeared. + +The chief sat on his horse-skin couch, his legs crossed partly under +him, looking sour enough. Presently the bride and her mother returned, +and now began the second scene. The chief no sooner recognized them than +a sound--something between a grunt and a growl, but much nearer the +latter than the former, and in a decided _crescendo_--gave warning of a +fresh eruption. The rumbling grew more emphatic, and suddenly his fury +burst on the head of his wife. Seizing her by the hair, he hurled her +violently to the ground, and beat her with his clenched fists till I +thought he would break every bone in her body, and reduce her substance +to a jelly. Perhaps I was a little hard-hearted, but she had been one of +my bitterest enemies, and I had a feeling that if some of her ill-will +to me could be beaten out of her, I could be easily resigned to her +fate. The drubbing ended, she rose and muttered something he did not +like. He replied by a violent blow on the side of her head, that sent +her staggering to the further end of the hut. This last argument was +decisive, and she kept her huge mouth closed for the night. There was a +silent pause for some minutes, and, without another word, we ranged +ourselves for repose. I thought the old heathen's conscience troubled +him through the night; his sleep was broken, and he appeared very +restless. Early the next morning he went to the lodge of the +newly-married pair, and had a long chat with them. They thought him +rather severe upon them at first; but, after a good deal of diplomacy, a +better understanding was brought about. The young people could hardly +get over a sense of the indignities they had received; but in the course +of the day they returned, bag and baggage, to the old chief's tent, and +made it their permanent abode. + +We now moved in a westerly direction, and on the way succeeded in +capturing a good deal of game. Their mode of dealing with the carcass of +the guanaco is enough to dissipate whatever appetizing qualities the +meat--in itself very palatable--would otherwise possess. It was no +uncommon circumstance, while the squaws were removing the hide, to see +the dogs tugging at the other extremity, the women, meantime, crying out +"Eh! Ah!" in a dissuasive, though not angry, tone. If the animals become +too audacious, the ire of their mistresses is kindled, and they break +out with "Cashuran cashahy!" a phrase equivalent to that which, in +English, directs its object to a region unmentionable in ears polite. + +The Indians have, strictly speaking, no profane expressions. I never +could learn that they worshipped or had any idea of a Supreme Being. The +only observance which bore any aspect of religion was associated with +something we should little think of as an object of adoration--the +tobacco-pipe;--though, how far this is, in fact, an object of idolatry +in Christian lands, it might not become me to speculate. The only +occasions on which the Indians discovered any appearance of devotion +were those of smoking. This may have been only a symptom of +intoxication, but the reader may judge for himself. + +A group of a dozen or more assemble,--sometimes in a wigwam, sometimes +in the open air. A vessel made of a piece of hide bent into a +saucer-shape while green and afterwards hardened, or sometimes an +ox-horn, filled with water, is set on the ground. A stone pipe is filled +with the scrapings of a wood resembling yellow ebony, mixed with +finely-cut tobacco. The company then lay themselves in a circle flat on +their faces, their mantles drawn up to the tops of their heads. The pipe +is lighted. One takes it into his mouth and inhales as much smoke as he +can swallow; the others take it in succession, till all have become +satisfied. By the time the second smoker is fully charged, the first +begins a series of groanings and gruntings, with a slight trembling of +the head, the smoke slowly oozing out at the nostrils. The groaning soon +becomes general, and waxes louder, till it swells into a hideous +howling, enough to frighten man or beast. The noise gradually dies away. +They remain a short time in profound silence, and each imbibes a draught +of water. Then succeeds another interval of silence, observed with the +most profound and devotional gravity. All at length arise, and slowly +disperse. Now, this may or may not have been a form of worship; but the +circumstances attending it, the numbers uniformly engaged in it the +formality with which it was invariably conducted, the solemnity of +visage, the reverential grimace, the prostration, the silence, the +trembling,--these, and traits of expression which are more easily +discerned and remembered than described, gave me a decided impression +that the whole had a superstitious meaning. The natural operation of the +tobacco, and of the substance mixed with it, might explain part of the +symptoms,--the writhing and groaning,--but these appeared to be a good +deal in excess, and there were other features of the case which appeared +to require another solution. + +I never asked any explanation. The mystery which savage tribes are so +apt to throw around their religious rites, and their resentment at any +unhallowed curiosity, I was not inclined to meddle with or provoke. If +my conjectures were just as to the nature of this ceremony, inquiry +might lead to unpleasant consequences. Ignorance appeared, on the whole, +safer than knowledge of good or evil, gained at the risk of being caught +trespassing on things forbidden. If any one thinks my precaution +excessive, he is at liberty to take a different course whenever he finds +himself in the jurisdiction of Parosilver, or any other Patagonian +chief. + +The inquiry may arise, especially in the mind of the religious reader, +whether I attempted to impart to my captors any knowledge of God, his +attributes and laws. The answer is quite ready,--No, and for a variety +of reasons. The writer did not understand enough of either Spanish or +Indian to communicate intelligible ideas on any matters beyond the range +of the senses, and Patagonia is pretty barren of sensible phenomena, +which made my stock of words more limited than it might have been under +more favorable circumstances. There was no finding "tongues in trees," +or "books in the running brooks;" the land possesses neither in numbers +sufficient to be conversable. "Sermons in stones," even, must have been +of very pebbly dimensions, and of no great weight. Had this difficulty +been removed, I confess I had no great desire to surmount it. I was the +object of suspicion and hostility. My life was in constant danger. To +diminish, as far as possible, the causes of dislike, to mitigate their +ferocious hate, to elude occasions of mischief, to delay what I feared +could not be very long prevented, was my continual study. If the reader +is not satisfied with this account of my conduct, I am sorry for it, but +cannot afford any words of contrition. It is vastly easier, I may hint +to the objector, to prescribe another's duties than to judge of one's +own, especially where the two parties are in circumstances so widely +differing. The Patagonians need the gospel--and the law--as much as any +people I could name from personal observation. There was no trace of +instruction imparted at a previous period, and the reception +Christianity would meet with among them is yet to be discovered. + +Their pipes are made of a hard red stone, the bowl dug out with whatever +iron or steel implement is at command to the dimensions of an ordinary +clay pipe, the stem about an inch square, and three inches long, with a +small perforation. A copper or brass tube, about two inches long, is +fitted to the stem, and serves as a mouth-piece. This is made by bending +or hammering a metallic plate about a small round stick, and soldering +or cementing it with a glutinous substance thickened with earth. + +The copper, brass and iron, seen among them, was probably procured from +unfortunate vessels wrecked on their coast. I was informed by Captain +Morton, of whom the persevering reader will know more hereafter, that he +had touched at Sea Bear Bay for a harbor, and saw there great quantities +of iron pumps, ships' hanging knees, and other gear, from wrecks of +vessels of all sizes. As he was bound for the land of gold, he thought +it scarcely worth his while to collect the baser metals. Had he been +homeward bound, he might have obtained a valuable cargo. + +As ornaments, bits of brass and copper, of silver and German silver, +have a high value among the Indians, and when the metals are plenty such +adornment is very common. The children's shoes have small oval pieces +sewed on in front, and they appear on other parts of their dress. When +scarce, they are more seldom seen. Blacksmithing in Patagonia is +something of the rudest. Two hard flat stones do duty, the one as anvil, +and the other as hammer. Of the effect of heat in making the metals +malleable, and of the art of tempering, the people have no knowledge. To +make a knife, they take a piece of iron hoop, or iron in any practicable +shape, and hammer away upon it at a provokingly slow rate. Their blows +are not heavy enough to do much execution; but they keep up a constant +tap, tap, tap, hour by hour, till the iron is flattened to the required +shape and dimensions. It is then rubbed on a smooth stone till it is +worn down to an edge, and finally inserted into a wooden handle. +Sometimes melted lead is poured into the handle, but lead appeared to be +a scarce commodity. All mechanic arts, if they deserve the name, are in +an equally rude and primitive stage. The simplicity of these people's +ideas is indeed extraordinary. In invention or constructiveness they are +babes. A Yankee boy, six years old, would be a prodigy among them,--a +miracle of genius. + +An opportunity was afforded, while in camp, to see some specimens of +their tailoring or mantua-making achievements;--either term is +appropriate, as the male and female dress do not differ in form, and but +slightly in the mode of adjustment. The mantle or blanket is worn around +the shoulders; those of the women are fastened together by the corners +under the chin with a stick for a pin; the men hold theirs around them +with their hands, except that when hunting they tie a string around the +waist. + +The skins of young guanacos are selected for mantles, on account of the +superior fineness and softness of the hair. Nearly a dozen skins are +used for a single mantle, as a large part of each is esteemed unfit for +use, and thrown away. The skins, while green, are stretched to their +utmost tension on the ground to dry. When partially dried, they are +scraped on the inside with a stone sharpened like a gun-flint, sprinkled +the while with water, to facilitate the operation. When the surface is +made tolerably smooth, and of a pretty uniform thickness, it is actively +scoured with a coarse-grained stone, till it has a bright polish. The +skin is again dried, then crumpled and twisted in the hands till it +becomes perfectly soft and pliable. The thread, as has been stated, is +made from the sinews of the ostrich. These are extracted by the exertion +of great strength, and divided into strings about the size of ordinary +shoe-thread. They are then twisted, the ends are scraped to a point, and +when dry become stiff; they are now ready for use. + +Two pieces of skin are cut to fit each other. The tailoress (for all the +work, from the curing of the skins to the last results, is done by the +squaws) holds the edges together with the left hand, and drills them for +sewing with a sharpened nail, held between the first two fingers of the +right hand; the pointed thread, held between the finger and thumb, is +inserted and drawn through, and so the work goes on. The stitches are +tolerably fine, and a very neat seam is made. Other pieces are added, +and when the whole is finished the seams are rubbed smooth with a bone. +The fur being worn inside, there remains the work of outside decoration. +With a due quantity of clay, blood, charcoal and grease, amalgamated for +the purpose, the artist arms herself with a stick for a brush, and +executes divers figures in black, on a red ground; which, if intended to +shadow forth men, require a vigorous imagination to detect the purpose. +They might pass for unhappy ghosts (if a little more ethereal in +composition), or for deformed trees. They bear a rude resemblance to a +chair in profile, or a figure 4; and are thickly disposed over the whole +surface, in the attitude sometimes vulgarly termed "spoon-fashion." The +garment is now complete; the edges are carefully trimmed with a knife, +and the fabric is thrown over the shoulders, with the infallible +certainty of fitting as closely as the native tastes require. There is +no trial of patience in smoothing obstinate wrinkles. A "genteel fit" is +the easiest thing in the world; wherein Patagonian tailors have +decidedly the advantage of their fellow-craftsmen in civilized lands. + + + + +CHAPTER V. + + Inclement weather--State of my wardrobe--Attempts to deprive me of + my clothes--Powwow and horse-killing--Hair-combing + extraordinary--Remedy for rheumatism--Sickness--Turn barber--A cold + bath--Fasting--Discovery of my watch, and its effect--I am made + showman--Lion-hunt--Successful chase. + + +At our next halt we encamped in a deep, swampy valley. The weather was +cold and stormy; rain, snow, sleet and hail, fell alternately, but did +not accumulate on the earth to any considerable depth. Fitful gusts of +wind came sweeping through the camp, making the wigwams shake fearfully. +Our old lodge gallantly rode out the gale; but, either owing to its +straining and working in the storm, or to some defects in the original +structure, leaked shockingly all night. I was repeatedly awakened by a +stream of cold water running under me. Giving the skin roof a few knocks +to lighten it of its watery burden, and shaking the wet skin which +constituted my couch, I would throw myself down, and resign myself to +repose; but before quiet was fairly restored, another inundation would +drive me to my feet. The night wore away with me, wet, cold and +sleepless. After daybreak I rose, and continued for two hours in +vigorous exercise to restore warmth to my chilled frame, before the +Indians were astir. Fires were then kindled, and matters began to +assume a more cheerful appearance. + +The weather, quite cool on my first landing, had grown gradually colder, +and was becoming inclement. I was scantily prepared to endure the +severity of winter. My under-garments, as before related, were +desperately expended in trying to signal passing vessels. Cravat and +pocket-handkerchief were appropriated to the adornment of the women in +our household, to the no small envy of less favored ones. My sole +article of linen was in shreds, and of a color that would afford matter +for speculation to a jury of washerwomen. Stockings and shoes were sadly +dilapidated; coat and trousers were glazed with dirt and grease till +they shone like a glass bottle. The contents of my pockets were all +confiscated,--purse, keys, knife, &c.,--and a pair of pistols, of the +use of which my captors knew nothing, were taken to pieces, and the +brass mountings suspended about the necks of the chief's wives. In +short, my outer man was nigh unto perishing, and I had no visible +resources to arrest or repair the process of time, while I was not +sufficiently inured to the climate to adopt the native dress without +serious risk to health. But none of these things were allowed to trouble +me. I took no thought for the morrow, but, according to the scriptural +injunction, suffered the morrow to take care for the things of itself, +esteeming sufficient unto each day the evil thereof. + +At an early period of my captivity, the chief and some other Indians had +cast a longing eye on my clothes, and tried to seduce me into parting +with them. They offered no compulsion in the matter, but resorted to all +manner of tricks. It seemed that they thought a white man could afford +to go without dressing. I explained to them that, having always worn +clothes,--having in infancy, even, unlike Patagonian piccaninnies, been +externally protected against the fresh air,--it was quite impossible for +me to change my habits without the hazard of my life; and, if I should +die in consequence of yielding to their wishes, they were reminded they +would lose the valuable ransom they expected for me. This reasoning +proved convincing; greatly as they longed for my wardrobe, they more +desired rum and tobacco, and I was permitted the undisturbed enjoyment +of the scanty covering left me. + +The storm continued for two days and nights; on the third day it cleared +up. About mid-day, observing a crowd of Indians together with a huge +jargon of tongues, I learned, on inquiry, that a horse was to be killed; +a matter which, it appeared, was always the occasion of a solemn powwow. +On reaching the spot, a poor old beast, lean and lank, with a lariat +about his neck, stood surrounded by some fifty Indians. The squaws were +singing, in stentorian tones, "Ye! Ye! Yup! Yup! Lar, lapuly, yapuly!" +with a repetition that became unendurable, and drove me to a respectful +distance. The horse's fore-legs were fast bound together, a violent push +forward threw him heavily to the ground, and he was speedily despatched +with a knife; anticipating, by a few days, the ordinary course of +nature. Soon after my return to the wigwam, a huge portion of the +carcass was sent to our quarters and hung up, to furnish our next meals! +After being duly dressed by the women, with the aid of the dogs, and +scorched and smoked according to usage, it was served up,--my only +alternative to starvation. Famine has no scruples of delicacy; if the +reader is disgusted, he is in a state of sympathy with the writer. + +Early the next day we (literally) pulled up stakes, and were on the +move; and, after journeying all day, encamped in a situation very like +the one we left in the morning. The Indians spent their time, as usual, +in gambling and in combing each other's hair, with a brush made of stiff +dry roots, tied up together. The operator received as a fee the _game_ +captured in the process. The reader will excuse a more explicit +statement of what, though less abominable than cannibalism, is hardly +less repulsive. + +One evening our family circle were seated round a fire, which sent up +volumes of smoke sufficiently dense to suit a savage of the most +exacting taste, and which drove me, as usual, to the back part of the +hut, where I lay flat on my face. One of the chief's wives was +inveighing against me, as was her wont, and a second occasionally joined +in the strain, by way of chorus. A third was cracking the bones of a +guanaco, that her son Cohanaco might eat the marrow. The fourth and last +of the women was attending to a piece of meat for our supper, fixed on a +forked stick, in the smoke. Two sons were engaged, as usual, in doing +nothing, except occasionally begging a little of the marrow, and +scraping their dirty legs with a sheath-knife, by way of diversion; +sundry by-plays, and little pieces of mischief, served to fill up the +spare minutes. The old chief, who had been silently regarding the scene, +now commenced talking, in a low, mumbling, guttural tone, to one of his +wives. She was busily eying the toasting-fork, and studying the process +of cooking; but, at her husband's instance, left them, and drew from +their repository of tools a sharpened nail fixed in a wooden handle, +like an awl. The chief stretched himself on the ground, face downwards; +a surgical operation was plainly impending. What could the matter be? +Had the chief, in the excess of his plumpness, burst open, like ripe +fruit, requiring to be sewed up? I drew my head from beneath the +protection I had provided against the smoke, and rose on my knees, to +get a better view; the huge, black, greasy monster lay extended at his +full length, his wife pinched up the skin on his back, pierced it with +her awl, and continued the process till a number of perforations were +made, from which the blood oozed slowly. I asked the meaning of this +operation, and was told by the chief that he had pains in his back, for +which this was the best remedy. Blood-letting, it seemed, is no monopoly +of the faculty. I told him that in my country we applied, in such cases, +a liquid called opodeldoc, an infallible remedy, and promised to procure +him some when we got to Holland. This was henceforth added to my list of +inducements. + +The old fellow righted himself, and leaned against one of the pillars of +his palace; one of his partners pulled up the toasting-fork, and jerked +the half-roasted and more than sufficiently smoked meat upon the ground, +seized the knife which the boys had been playing with, and cut the mess +into liberal pieces, which were thrown broadcast on either side. The +chief's appetite did not appear to be affected either by his +indisposition or by the extraordinary remedy applied; his portion of the +_cárne_ disappeared behind his great white teeth with a haste that +seemed to involve no waste. + +Rheumatic affections, they told me, are very common among them; the +chief showed me the arm of one of his wives, which was scarred from the +wrist to the shoulder by the awl; and the operation was afterwards +performed on other members of the family. + +Again we took up the line of march, travelling, as near as I could +judge, west-north-west, and killing a quantity of game, both guanaco and +ostrich. But the hardship of my life, aggravated by a constant flesh +diet, and that eaten half raw, and at irregular seasons,--often going +two days without food,--had, by this time, brought on a dysentery. This +was no more than I had expected; but I knew of no remedy, and had to +endure it as I could. We encamped, on the second day, near the banks of +the river Gallegos; a fine spring of water issued from the river-bank +into a low marshy ground, skirting the margin of the stream. By this +time my illness had increased, till I felt unfit to travel further, and +began to think that death could not be distant. No change of diet was +practicable, and there was nothing to counteract its effect on my +system. The pain and weariness of travelling did their part to aggravate +the disorder; and mental discouragement--the sickness of hope +deferred--completed my prostration. No human being in that desolate land +cared for my sufferings, more than they would for those of a dog. Worn +out with the constant irritations of a state of existence odious to +every sensibility, tired and disheartened, but for one thought I could +have gladly laid myself down to die, to get at once and forever beyond +the reach of my savage tormentors. The thought of home, of wife and +child, of friends and country, and all the unutterable emotions that +respond to these precious names, at once tortured and strengthened me. +These, and the thought that perhaps, after patient endurance, Divine +Providence would restore me to the objects of my famished affections, +made life still dear. These strengthened me to suffer and to strive. + +As I crawled out of the lodge, to look upon the sun, and breathe the +pure air, and be refreshed by breezes untainted with the breath of cruel +men, it came into my mind that some palatable or even tolerable species +of plant or root would be wholesome for me. On looking about, there +presented itself a specimen of large dock, such as is common in the +United States; a weed of humble pretensions, but why not worthy of a +trial? With what strength remained at command, I began a process of +"extracting roots," with good success. Taking a quantity into the hut, +and roasting them in hot ashes, they were found to be not distasteful; I +filled my pockets with them, and abandoned flesh-diet for a little time, +to the sensible, though gradual, relief of my sufferings. Fortunately we +had a season of bad weather, which prevented any advance movement for +four or five days, and gave me time partially to recover strength. I +could not sooner have kept my seat on a horse; and, if the alternative +had been presented, the Indians, as I very well knew, would sooner have +knocked me on the head than have allowed me to hinder their march for a +day. A powwow was held over another horse, unserviceable alive, and +therefore marked for diet; but this time I did not compete for any part +of his carcass, my pocket-stores being quite sufficient, and more +attractive. But in the fate of the poor beast I read a warning to +myself, to make haste and get well enough to move at the first signal. + +Away again,--this time facing about, and passing down the river. I +needed rest; but, at whatever expense of suffering, needs must when a +certain old gentleman drives. At the next stopping-place my services +were called into requisition in a new department. One forenoon, as I +sauntered towards our wigwam, after a stroll among the smutty huts, to +kill time and divert painful thoughts, I was hailed from within by the +chief, "Arke, Boney!" On entering, he appeared to be conversing, in low, +gurgling sounds, with his lately-married daughter, who was running her +hands through the shaggy hair of her young hope, as she talked. +Something was plainly wrong in the youngster's top-knot, and some +unpleasant task in relation thereto was as plainly about to be imposed +upon me. The chief resolved my doubts, by ordering me to cut off a +portion of the shag; I objected a want of the proper implements, but the +mother silenced me by producing an old pair of scissors, in no condition +to cut anything. Calling for a file, the rusty edges were brought into a +tolerable state, and I approached the task. Such a sight! If the hair +now would have obeyed a mesmeric pass, without the need of manual +contact,--if the job could be performed with closed eyes, and insensible +nostrils, and absent mind! Faugh! I hurried through the penance, hiding +disgust, and assuming the appearance of good will, and made good my +escape into the fresh air. And so I must turn barber, and, in all +likelihood, have the dirty heads of half the tribe put under my nose! +What would come next? + +Our next move took us across the river Gallegos, in shoal water, barely +up to the horses' knees. The current was rapid, and masses of floating +ice were swept along with it. When half way across, my horse took +fright, reared, and, in attempting a sudden turn, precipitated me into +the water, and fell heavily upon me. The ducking and the bruise together +were severe, and, among other disasters, the crystal of my watch was +broken by the shock. This I had kept carefully secreted, as a last +resort, to amuse the savages when other expedients should fail,--when +memory and invention could yield no more tales, when promises should +have become threadbare with repetition, and when pretensions of +greatness at home should have lost their power by the every-day +disclosure of present weakness and humiliation. + +We--that is to say, myself and the old horse--kicked and floundered a +while in the cold water, till at last the creature succeeded in rising, +and I followed his example. We waded ashore, dripping, amidst the +uproarious laughter of the whole troop. Once more mounted on my +Rosinante, we resumed our line of march. The chill from my cold bath so +benumbed me that I had to dismount and lead the horse, to recover, by +brisk walking, some portion of animal warmth. Our course was down the +river towards the Atlantic. Being unsuccessful in the chase, we pitched +our tents at night, supperless, and without prospect of breakfasting the +next morning. A small fire was lighted, which I hugged as closely as +possible, to thaw my stiffened limbs; and then, cold, wet and hungry, +fagged to extremity, cast myself on the ground, to repose as I might. +The next morning was stormy. It cleared up in the afternoon, and the +Indians sallied out to find some food. My only refreshment before their +return was a little grease, which one of the squaws scooped out of an +ostrich-skin with her dirty thumb and finger. It was so black that its +pedigree--whether guanaco, ostrich or skunk, or a compound gathered at +random from beast and bird--was a problem defying solution; but famine +is not fastidious, and I swallowed greedily what, a few months before, I +should hardly have thought fit to grease shoes with. The men came back +with a few ostriches and skunks. The chief received as his portion one +of the quadrupeds. The associations connected with its name, as related +to one sense, were not adapted to prepossess the others in its favor; +but I made shift to do justice rather to the Indian than to my habitual +tastes. + +During the three days we remained here, the long-concealed watch was +brought to light. The filth of the natives, the condition in which their +huts and their persons were always suffered to remain, the swarms of +vermin they housed, had imposed upon me extraordinary care to prevent +the natural results upon my own person; but no amount of precaution was +sufficient to avert them. The reader will excuse me from speaking more +particularly on this head. Enough to say that I found myself intolerably +tormented. The chief ordered an examination of the case, and sent for an +Indian to deal with it according to their art. While divesting myself of +my garments, one by one, for this purpose, the old fellow caught sight +of the hidden treasure. I knew that it was useless to attempt any longer +to retain it, and handed it over. He was vastly pleased with it. I wound +it up, and put it to his ear. He was as delighted at the unexpected +sound as a child with its first rattle. I explained its use in keeping +the hours of the day, but he cared for nothing but the ticking. The +breaking of the crystal was explained, and he was informed that another +should be procured as soon as we reached "Holland,"--another inducement, +I hoped, to speed our passage there. + +The inspection disclosed a state of the cuticle which would be thought +dreadful in a civilized land. The chief, however, looked as calm as +beseemed a surgical examiner, and in a good-natured guttural exchanged a +few words with his assistant, who placed himself by my side, and fixing +his eyes steadily upon me, begun swinging his hands and howling like a +wild beast. The comparison was not far out of the way, for he gave a +sudden spring, fastened his teeth on my neck, and commenced sucking the +blood, growling all the while like a tiger! For a moment I thought my +hour had come. I weaned the rascal as soon as possible, not knowing what +his taste for blood might come to, if too freely indulged. It seemed +like a refinement upon cannibalism, but was, in fact, as I soon +ascertained, the regular treatment made and provided by Patagonian +science for the relief of severe cutaneous affections. + +The chief, all this while, recurred with undiminished pleasure to the +ticking of his new toy. When his curiosity had at length abated, he +returned it to me. I wrapped it carefully in a rag, and enveloped it +afterwards in a young colt's skin provided for its reception, when, by +direction of its present august proprietor, it was suspended among other +valuables from one of the stakes of the hut, near the spot where his +highness customarily reposed. It was not, however, allowed long to +remain quiet. I was ordered to take it down and hold it to the ears of +all the visitors to the lodge. Forty times a day it had to come down for +this purpose, till I got so tired of my showman's duty that I wished +the watch in the bottom of the sea. The Indians, as they listened to its +vibrations, would stand in every attitude of silent amazement, their +eyes dilated, their countenances lighted up in every feature with +delighted wonder, and then break out in a roar of hoarse laughter, the +tone of which strangely contrasted with the infantile simplicity of +their demeanor. The business was dreadfully annoying, and yet it was +plain that a new and almost unbounded power affecting my destiny was +hidden in that little machine. It had captivated the chief, and struck +an awe over the tribe like the rod of an enchanter. Whether it boded +good or evil, was another question. + +Our next move took us in a west-north-west direction, and in our +progress we not only secured abundant game of the ordinary varieties, +but encountered and killed a young lion,--to use the popular term,--the +first living specimen I had seen in the country. I had seen their skins +in possession of the Indians, and heard stories of their chase. This was +a youthful creature, about the size of a well-grown calf of six weeks. I +was riding side by side with the chief across a piece of low bushy land, +when the dogs gave token that they scented something uncommon. We +halted, and the chief cried out to the dogs, "Chew! Chew!" They were off +in a jiffey, rushing hither and thither through the bushes, barking +furiously, and soon drove the beast from his covert. Other Indians, a +little distance off, ascertaining what was in the wind, made after the +game with a reinforcement of dogs. The chase began in good earnest. +Horses, riders and dogs, from all points of the compass, were scampering +to the scene of action, hallooing, barking, howling, enough to frighten +any unsophisticated lion out of his senses. Some were running full tilt, +to cut off his retreat; while the hunters, bareheaded, leaning forward +in their saddles and urging their horses to their utmost speed, whirled +the bolas about their heads and let fly with a vengeance, with no other +effect than to arrest the furious animal, and cause him to turn in +desperation on the dogs, and drive them back yelping with pain. Others +of the pack, watching their opportunity, would spring upon his back and +fasten their teeth in his flesh. He brushed them off with a single +stroke of his paw, as if they had been flies, and was again in motion, +halting occasionally to give fight to his nearest assailant. Now and +then the bolas is hurled at him, but his lithe limbs, though sometimes +entangled, are not fettered by it, and his prowess is hardly diminished. +The Indians press around him; the battle waxes fiercer; his whole +strength is taxed. "Chew! Chew!" roar the savages; the flagging dogs +return fresh to the onslaught, and, after a hard and unequal contest, +the animal is fairly overborne by numbers, and despatched by the blows +of the Indians. I had kept in the vicinity, but yet at a respectful +distance, and now rode up to view the slain, amidst the howlings of the +wounded dogs and the boisterous laughter of the hunters. It was a +beautiful animal, with soft, sleek, silvery fur, tipped with black; the +head having a general resemblance to that of a cat, the eye large and +full, and sparkling with ferocity. + +After the Indians had eyed their game sufficiently, and talked and +laughed and grunted their satisfaction, and congratulated themselves +generally on their victory, and severally on the part each had taken, +the body was driven off on the back of a horse, and the hunters again +spread themselves over the country. Some ostriches were soon started up. +The chief drew out his bolas, put spurs to his horse, and darted away. +His mantle fell from his shoulders: his long, straight black hair, so +coarse that each particular hair stood independently on end, streamed in +the wind; his hideously painted face and body loomed up with grotesque +stateliness, and the deadly missile whirled frantically over his head. +The whizzing weapon is suddenly hurled at his victim, the chief still +sitting erect in his saddle to watch its effect. His horse suddenly +stops,--he dismounts nimbly, seizes the entangled bird by the throat, +and swings it violently around till its neck is broken. As I rode up he +deposited the great bird on my horse, remounted, and rushed in pursuit +of another. That was killed and also placed in my keeping, making me a +kind of store-ship. Others pursue the guanaco with equal success, till +they are satisfied with their booty. We ride up to a convenient thicket, +a fire is lighted, a portion of the prey is cooked and eaten, the +remnants of the feast and the residue of the game are duly packed up, +and the whole troop is under march for the camp. + + + + +CHAPTER VI. + + The chief's oratory--A case of sickness novelly treated--The + captive commissioned as physician to the chief--Dr. Bourne's first + and last patient--Murder--Cannibalism--Another assassination, + showing the perils of medical practice among savages--Sports of the + children--Patagonian farriery--Slender success in the chase--A + second struggle for life. + + +The chief occasionally made a speech to his subjects from the door of +his lodge, wherein he invariably inculcated the duty of hunting +industriously to procure meat, and a due supply of grease, for their +families. He never had an auditor in sight, for his faithful lieges +considered the speech from the throne a decided bore, and, if one +happened to be passing, he was sure to dodge into the nearest hut till +the infliction was over; but the leathern lungs of the orator could not +fail to make him audible in many of the wigwams. In length his +performances more resembled the official addresses of our republican +rulers than those of his royal cousins of Europe, seldom falling short +of a full hour. In style, they came nearer the proclamations of a crier. +He would proceed in a monotonous rumble to the end of a sentence, and +then defy contradiction by repeating several times, "Comole! comole! +comole!" after which he paused, as for a reply. No one having the +audacity to take up his challenge, he would go on croaking the same +things with tedious iteration. After listening very patiently to one of +his harangues, I inwardly applauded the taste of his subjects in getting +as far as possible out of the reach of his voice. + +One forenoon, as I was beginning to feel impatient to move,--for every +movement seemed to fan the flickering hope that we would soon reach a +place affording some avenue of escape, and this restlessness always made +camp-life doubly dismal,--the chief informed me that we should decamp +that day. Preparations had commenced, when one of his daughters came in +with a child crying at a tempestuous rate. The version which she gave of +his complaints arrested the marching orders. A messenger was forthwith +despatched for one skilled in the healing art. The physician soon +arrived, armed with two small packages rolled up in pieces of skin, +about a foot long and three or four inches in diameter, which I took to +be his medicine-chest. He walked gravely in, laid down the packages, and +squatted beside the mother, who held the little patient in her arms. +Whatever his ailment might have been, his lungs could not have been +impaired, for he was roaring like a young buffalo. Not a word was spoken +for some time, the doctor all the while looking him very steadily in the +eye. Then came a sudden calm, importing that the little fellow +experienced some relief, or, more probably, that he was exhausted. The +doctor ordered an application,--not of hot water, according to the +prescription of Sangrado, but of a mortar made of clay. The clay was +brought, the anxious mother worked it over with her two hands, spitting +upon it to give it the requisite moisture, and having reduced it to the +consistency of thick paint, bedaubed the little fellow from head to +foot, giving him a decidedly original appearance. He evidently took +umbrage at this unction, and discoursed in his shrillest tones till he +was fairly out of breath. The medicine-chests were opened, but, instead +of medicinal herbs, disclosed only a bunch of ostrich's sinews and a +rattle eight or ten inches long. The physician commenced fingering the +strings, and muttering almost inaudibly. This lasted four or five +minutes, at the expiration of which he seized his rattle, and clattered +away furiously for a minute or two, and resumed his place by his +patient, eying him intently as before. He then turned with an air of +importance to the chief, who had been crouching cross-legged on his +couch, leaning forward, with his arms tightly folded on his breast, and +watching anxiously the progress of the treatment. The man of skill broke +silence: "I think he is better; don't you?" The chief nodded, and +grunted assent. The same appeal was made to the mother, and received a +like response. Another plastering was ordered, another burst of melody +followed the application, the mysterious strings were again fingered, +duly followed by the rattle. The parent and grandparent once more +assented to the leech that the child was better. The chief took out a +piece of tobacco, and cut off enough for about two pipefuls, which was +tendered and gratefully accepted as a professional fee. The strings were +tied up and replaced in their proper receptacle, and the rattle was +shaken with hearty good will, whether by way of finale to the cure, or +as a note of gratitude for the fee, or of triumph for success, could not +easily be guessed. But the practitioner had scarcely evacuated the +lodge, before his patient broke out more vociferously than ever; which +I thought would somewhat shake the faith of his guardians in the +treatment he had received. But no; their confidence in their medical +adviser was not to be blown away by a breath, or even a tempest. They +evidently regarded him as nearly infallible. His remedies were obviously +aimed more at the imaginations of his spectators than at the body of his +patient, but it was no concern of mine. Patients among us have to endure +more disagreeable applications than wet clay. The noisy brat became +quiet, to our great relief. He shortly appeared to be quite well, and +continued to thrive for some time, as I had opportunity to witness. + +The tribe went ahead with alacrity, to make up for the loss of time this +sickness occasioned. We moved off another day's journey towards nowhere +in particular, and settled there at night. Then ensued another season of +camp life, feasting and fasting, gambling and quarrelling, and venting +superfluous wrath in an abundance of "Cashuran cashaly's." The chief was +slightly indisposed, and I amused him with a description of the manner +in which our physicians count the pulse of their patients. He listened +with considerable interest, and sat thoughtfully ruminating on the +matter. He came to an unexpected and alarming conclusion; putting this +and my story of the _opodeldoc_ together, he made up his mind that I was +a physician myself! I protested against this inference, fearing that no +good would come of the responsibilities he was inclined to impose on me. +But the disclaimer was useless,--he stuck to the opinion; and in no long +time it was understood through all the tribe that I was a distinguished +doctor. + +Now, it came to pass, at this critical turn of affairs, that a certain +widow, of pretty ripe years for a Patagonian, was taken suddenly ill. +Her husband had been murdered many years before by one of the tribe. She +was possessed of several horses, and, in virtue of this wealth, held an +aristocratic position in society. A messenger brought the tidings to the +chief, who ordered me forthwith to set the watch, and go with him to her +residence. I again assured him I knew nothing of sickness or medicine. +He told me he knew better, and bade me come along without delay. There +was no resisting his will, and I armed myself accordingly with the +"ticking machine," and followed my master on my first professional +visit. On approaching the widow's lodge, our ears were greeted with a +hideous clamor, which momentarily increased as we neared the spot. A +great crowd of Indians, of both sexes, surrounded the wigwam, severally +and collectively making the most villanous noise ever heard. The crowd +was dense, both within and without, but gave way for the chief and the +great foreign physician to enter. The first order I gave was to stop +their singing, whereat there was a silence so blank that the fall of a +pin would have been audible,--that is, if there had been a floor for it +to fall upon. With what dignity I could command, I walked up to my +patient. There she lay, crouched on a bit of horse's skin, so withered, +shrivelled and contracted, that it seemed as if a bushel-basket might +have covered her, bed and all. I knelt by her side, drew forth the +watch, grasped her by the wrist, and felt for her pulse. But, to my +surprise, I could not feel it. I fussed and fumbled a long time, and +finally arrived at the mortifying conclusion that I was so ignorant as +not to know the position of the artery! The patient was frightened at +so unprecedented a proceeding; but I succeeded in quieting her fears, +though not, alas! in counting her pulse. However, it occurred to me that +it was all one whether I did or not; so, keeping up an imperturbable +gravity becoming my office, I continued for some time to look wisely at +the watch, holding her wrist in profound silence. When I judged that a +due impression had been produced on the awe-stricken spectators, I +ventured to prescribe, not a clay plaster, for the patient was dirty +enough, in all conscience; nor yet any compound of drugs, for I had none +to administer; and as to roots and herbs, I durst not inflict upon her +stomach substances of unknown properties; but, after a little thought, I +ordered some water heated blood-warm, and the patient to be washed, and +thoroughly scrubbed, from head to foot. This, I thought, met the most +obvious indications of her case, as I doubt not a whole college of +physicians, upon a superficial view, would have unanimously agreed. +There could not have been a doubt as to the novelty of the prescription; +the respectable relict, it is safe to say, had never been washed so +thoroughly from infancy to that hour. Minute directions were given for +the bath, that the scrubbing should be particularly smart and thorough. +She was furthermore put upon a strict diet, excluding _grease_ and all +such luxuries, and we slowly retired from the sick room. + +My solemnity was not affected,--far from it. Promotion from barber and +showman to the dignity of physician to the chief, was too dangerous to +be lightly considered. In fact, anxiety drove sleep from my eyes, and I +fervently prayed for the recovery of the widow; fearing, from what I +knew of the superstitions of the savages, that in case of her death I +should be held responsible. In this particular case, as very soon +appeared, I misjudged; but of the general principle I had startling +confirmation. + +The widow was better,--my prescription worked to a charm,--but her days +were shortened. Late one night, after we had all retired to rest, a +ferocious-looking rascal came into the chief's lodge; he muttered a few +words to the chief, who arose, and went with him to the front of the +wigwam. They conversed in a low tone several minutes, and separated, +apparently with mutual satisfaction. I sounded the chief cautiously in +reference to the matter in hand. Calmly, and without reserve, as if it +were a very ordinary transaction, he said that the savages wished to +kill the widow, in order to possess themselves of her horses, which they +wanted to eat. I asked no further questions, being fully satisfied that +he connived at the dark deed, which was consummated without delay. +Before this tragic result, I had taken pains to disabuse the mind of the +chief as to my supposed medical skill, and was able to relieve myself of +the dangerous and burdensome honor. + +Strange flesh was eaten by the Indians about this time; I was told it +was _lion-meat_, but was not invited to partake of it. The same thing +was observed several times; at times, too, when I was positive they had +killed no wild animals without my knowledge, or which were not disposed +of openly. The nature of my suspicions may be easily conjectured; yet I +made no inquiries, in even the most casual manner, as to their +disposition of their dead. It was painful to think of the atrocities, +that were but too probably shrouded under the mystery they cast over +these transactions. On one occasion, however, a young Indian, who could +speak a few words of Spanish and English, told me that they had killed +and eaten three men. Whether he meant to have me understand this as a +singular case, or as a common action of the tribe, I do not know; I made +no inquiries of him. In fact, the statement was volunteered by him; and +so painful was the subject, that I left him abruptly, in the middle of a +sentence. + +We again moved in a north-westerly direction, taking a goodly quantity +of game on the route, and settled in a wretched, marshy spot. The wind +was high, and made the tents quiver like a ship in a gale; a storm set +in, beating through the roofs, drenching and chilling me through all the +night. On the evening of the second day of our encampment here, an +incident occurred which fearfully confirmed the wisdom of my decision to +renounce all title to medical skill. As I was seated by the dying embers +of a little fire, surrounded by our motley household, and tugging +manfully at a bit of half-raw meat, which constituted my evening meal, +while a large piece was in process of cooking over the fire, we were +suddenly startled by a cry of distress, followed by the distinct alarm +of _murder_. The chief drew back to the rear of his lodge, took down his +cutlass, and ordered me back from the fire, which was at once +extinguished by two of his squaws, while the other two ran to the door, +and set up a loud, lamentable wailing. All the women throughout the camp +were, in like manner, giving their voices to the air, and "making night +hideous;" and not a male Indian ventured to show his head for an hour or +more. It was to me an hour of fearful suspense, the agony of which I +cannot describe. At last a man came and told the chief that a doctor +had been murdered. He had visited a woman professionally, and treated +her case with charms and spells, but his prescriptions effected no +satisfactory result; and her husband went in a rage to his lodge, and +stabbed him with repeated blows, to make the work of death more sure. It +was a singular circumstance, that men capable of deliberate murder, and +who had so recently, with the tacit or open sanction of the chief, +strangled a woman for her horses, should have shown so much alarm at the +cry of murder on this occasion. The victim was an enormously fat man, +weighing, I should judge, nearly four hundred pounds. A horrible sight +presented itself the next morning, on going out of our hut; the snow +around the doctor's lodge was saturated with his blood. I drew back from +the sickening spectacle, unable to look upon it with composure. Beyond +their exhibition of stupid terror in the night, no notice was taken of +the act; and about noon the camp broke up. We travelled till night, +meeting with no success in the chase, and encamped on an extensive +plain, near a good spring of water. + +It was an occasional diversion to watch the children at their sports, of +which a favorite one was throwing ostriches' feet, with the sinews of +the legs attached. The toes are cut off, and a pair of the feet are tied +together, with a piece of sinew about a yard long. The children begin to +practise the sport as soon as they are able to walk, and will continue +the amusement all day; one boy throwing them into the air, and others +throwing and hitting them as they fly, therein serving an apprenticeship +to the grand manly accomplishment of hurling the bolas. Young Cohanaco, +the chief's youngest son, appeared to excel all others; he was looked +upon as a remarkably smart and very active lad; and, though he was six +or eight years old, was not yet weaned! All the tribe fondled and +caressed him; he would practise with the boys, often without any +covering to his back, till excited and almost exhausted; then he would +run into the lodge, take refreshment at his mother's breast, and +speedily return to his sport. + +All this time _Holland_ was not forgotten, but the chief and his lieges +were continually reminded of the urgent reasons for taking me there +without delay; the presents which could only be obtained there, the +fearful consequences of suffering me to come to harm, the great ships +with the big guns, &c. &c., that would assuredly avenge me upon the +whole tribe,--with what effect, beyond allaying present irritations and +discontents that threatened me, it was impossible to determine. + +A novel sample of farriery offered itself to my observation one day, +while hunting with the chief; my old horse, on a sudden, began to +hobble, and very nearly gave out. I watched him some time, and jolted +on, suffering somewhat from his uneven movements, but could not discern +the occasion of the difficulty. On dismounting and examining his feet, +nothing serious was perceptible, except that the hoofs were worse for +wear, and broomed up a little. I remounted, and gave the poor creature a +smart drubbing, to overtake his owner, if possible, and consult him on +the case, which was one wherein I was content to defer to his wiser +judgment. Sufficient steam was raised to bring us abreast of the chief, +who, on hearing what was the matter, put spurs to his horse, and told +me to come on--"Bueno caballo, se campo, campo." I tried to comply, but +it was hard starting the beast, though I used up considerable wood to +that end. The chief having got far in advance, and finding me +desperately in arrears, hove to, and waited for me. I toiled on, and +succeeded in working a passage to his position. He dismounted, inspected +the horse's feet, and, directing me to wait his return, rode off. He +soon reäppeared with a piece of guanaco-skin, which he tied securely +about the hoof of the lame foot. I expressed some surprise at this +method of shoeing horses; but he said, "Buenos zapatos,"--good +shoes,--and the event confirmed his words. The lameness nearly +disappeared, and we jogged on together without any further trouble. + +While at this camping-ground, the chief one morning arose in a towering +passion at some words let fall by one of his wives, and exhibited +another sample of the rigor of matrimonial discipline, very similar to +that which graced the nuptials of his daughter. He gave her a tremendous +beating, which seemed enough to kill her outright; but she took it very +calmly, as a sort of necessary evil incident to the married state. + +Once more on the move, the squaws taking charge of the furniture and +baggage, including the pappooses, and the men riding in advance as +usual, to chase supplies for the larder. Game was scarce; we got a +couple of ostriches and a skunk,--or a couple of skunks and an ostrich, +I forget which, and it makes less difference to the reader than at the +time it did to me. We cooked and lunched on the ground, and turned our +faces homeward with the scanty remainder. The women were busy erecting +the wigwams. The ground was frozen, and a large iron bolt, doubtless +from some wreck, served as a crowbar to dig holes for the stakes. The +encampment was on a hill-side, near a low swamp, which furnished +abundance of water, such as it was. + +We had scarcely settled down, and I was dreading the stagnant monotony +of camp life, when dulness was dispelled in a most unwelcome manner. +Knots of Indians could be seen in murmuring conversation, whose glances +betrayed the bent of their passions. They were again getting impatient +of my life, and caresses and flattery were of no avail to stem the +rising tide. On the evening of the third day, I was summoned out of the +lodge by the chief, and followed him in silence, with a trembling +presentiment of evil. He led me to a spot where twenty or thirty leading +spirits in the tribe sat ranged in a circle,--the fatal ring was once +more set to ensnare me! Once I had escaped. Was it possible to effect a +second escape? Everything said no. The chances seemed a hundred to one +against it. What had I left unsaid, to tempt their cupidity, to excite +alarm, to make them value my safety or dread the effects of harming me? +I could think of nothing, and the dismal prospect benumbed every faculty +of my soul. But, as I entered the ominous circle, an access of fresh +strength, the courage of desperation, enabled me to bear up with energy +against perplexity and fear; to resolve that I would meet them with a +steadfast eye and an inflexible mind,--a force which, though springing +out of weakness, should prove stronger than their utmost malice. + +Having seated myself near the chief, the consultation began and +proceeded much as before, but with increased vehemence. Their +demonstrations were alarming, but, to my joy, the chief took the same +view as in the former council. Would he be able to restrain their savage +tempers? His power was great, but there was a limit to its effect, and I +feared. In my turn I sought to enforce his views, by arraying all the +motives invention could produce, and was able to perceive that they had +some weight. Again the matter was canvassed around the ring. There was a +hesitation, as if they felt suspicious and unsatisfied. Then they began +to cross-examine me; my promises were not explicit enough. What did I +mean to give them? The answer did not content them; they wanted more. +More or less made no difference to me, and I gave them assurance of all +the good things they craved, when we should arrive at _Holland_. Another +talk followed, and brought them to a pretty unanimous conclusion, that +they would get the presents first, and _decide my fate afterwards_;--a +"squeeze-your-orange-and-throw-it-away" policy, in which these rascals +seemed to be remarkable adepts. + +The natives had no idea that I could understand their talk, and I was +not at all eager to display my acquisitions. In fact, though unable to +speak their jargon, my ear had become pretty well trained to interpret +it, while my scraps of half Spanish enabled me, without suspicion, to +hear, mark and digest, much of their conversation. This was, in part, +acquired in teaching some of them, the youth especially, to speak +English and to count,--a pursuit in which I engaged partly for their +benefit, and partly for my own. Besides aiding me in learning their +language, it tended, so far as it diverted their attention, to keep +mischief out of their heads, after the manner in which constant +employment maintains order in a ship's crew. It added to my knowledge +of their character and ways of thinking, so that, in dangerous +emergencies, I was able to detect the first symptoms of evil. More than +once it enabled me to elude or to nip in the bud dangerous conspiracies, +which, if they had gone further, might have proved fatal to me. +Circumspection made self-possession more easy. I will confess--though +the narrative may have made confession needless--that I am naturally +timid, and inclined to the better part of valor. Yet somehow--God +helping me--I early learned to hide my constitutional timidity under a +show of fearlessness, even in circumstances of great peril. More than +once, when a savage drew his knife at me, have I looked him in the eye +and disarmed him by a laugh; perhaps laying hold of the instrument of +death, trying its edge and praising its qualities, till its owner was +shamed into quiet. One piece of English that tickled the chief was the +title of "Old Boy," with which (from a conviction of its +appropriateness) I early honored him, and which he appeared to relish as +much as if I had called him "His Majesty." + +The council, to my great relief, at length broke up, and I returned to +my wretched shelter. The chief pointed to my bed, and bade me lie down. +I complied, not to sleep, but to adore the Providence that had twice +rescued me as from the very jaws of death, to reflect on the past and to +speculate on the future. The excitement of the evening kept me wakeful, +and the night wore away and the morning dawned, without sleep for a +moment visiting my eyes. + + + + +CHAPTER VII. + + A new torture--Bloody gossip--An explosion nearly fatal--Plea of + insanity--Reconciliation--River Santa Cruz--Naval + architecture--Original mode of ferrying--Accident--Ominous + demonstrations thereupon--Perilous superstition--Plans of + escape--The chief fighting his battles over again--Prospects + brighten--A blind hint to naturalists. + + +From this point we moved again in a north-westerly direction, finding +game more plenty, and among other animals captured a species of fox, the +first I had seen in the country. The camping-ground selected was a waste +more desolate than had yet greeted my sight, even in Patagonia,--a low +marsh, surrounded by sand-hills destitute of even the semblance or +vestige of vegetation, past or present. The horses were let loose to +solve the problem of existence as they could, while my landladies, with +their canine assistants, served up a skunk and two ostrich-legs for +supper. I thought myself fortunate at getting so ample a meal, having +been on short allowance the preceding day. + +Here a new torture was inflicted. There had been abundance of voluble +hatred against me, as I had too good reason to know, but it was around +and behind me. Now, presuming, doubtless, on my ignorance of their +language, they came to utter their bloodthirsty thoughts in my presence. +At night, before retiring, the women began to talk against me, as +usual; which never gave me much uneasiness, female opinion not having +much force, I suspected, in affairs of state. Two of them had always +appeared to bear me a mortal grudge, for what cause I could not +conjecture, unless they thought I took up too much of his highness' +time, or exerted too much influence over him. But, on the present +occasion, the conference was enlarged by the entrance of two or three +visitors, whose only errand seemed to be to give the chief gratuitous +advice touching the disposal of my person. Though perfectly +comprehending the drift of their remarks, I looked as stupid as +possible, and bent myself to caress and flatter the old fellow with more +than common servility;--patting his breast, telling him what a big, good +heart it contained, calling him my _compadre_, and myself his child, his +_piconine_, his _muchacho_. So deep was my abasement! To talk of the +goodness of a heart beating with cruelty and black with crime! To call +that black, greasy, depraved monster my father, and myself his dutiful +and affectionate son! It is humiliating to speak of this;--what, let the +reader imagine, must it have been to feel it! The bruised reed was +well-nigh broken. The courage that sustained me in sharp trials was +frittered away piecemeal by incessant irritation. Hope, that kept me +from fainting in the fatal ring, vanished with the occasion that invoked +it, and a bitter, consuming despair hovered over me. Then came dark and +distracting thoughts of home, now more distant than ever, to stab my +heart, already faint and bleeding. Again was sleep driven from me, but +the night passed, and the blessed light of day stole upon me, as with a +benediction from heaven. + +I arose and rushed into the open air to warm myself by exercise, and +when the fire was lighted comforted myself by its kindly heat, and +recovered a measure of buoyancy. But the day was wearily spent, and +night brought the merciless gossips once more into the lodge. The two +squaws led off with words of the most fiendish hate, urging that I +should be summarily despatched, and gloating over anticipated vengeance. +Tempestuous thoughts and sleepless hours had weakened me in body and +mind. The fall of successive drops of water will madden the stoutest +brain, and the drop too much had now lighted on my head. I was frenzied; +strong passions, hitherto held in check, overmastered me. I rose, threw +my cap violently on the ground, stamped, gnashed my teeth, and cursed +without restraint. I shook my fists at them, defied their malice, and +raved for several minutes, reckless of consequences. What was life to +me? They were killing me by inches. Let them do their worst, no matter +how soon. The chief was at first startled at such an explosion, and sat +looking fixedly upon me, with a dark and clouded brow. It was fortunate +that my rage was too impetuous to be contained within the bounds of my +Indian-Spanish vocabulary, but breathed itself in good strong Saxon, so +that speech could not betray me. For no sooner had the internal pressure +been measurably relieved, than a sudden consciousness of error--fatal +error--smote me with a new dread. What had I done? Where were my wits, +that I should thus toss away life to gratify impotent anger? If my +chance of life was worth little to myself, was it worth nothing to +others, that I should so trifle with it? With returning sanity of +feeling came also a hint of the way to repair my wrong. Without waiting +for any questions or wordy explanations, I looked piteously at the +chief, pointed to my head, and assured him it was disordered. I could +not help my actions. I was sorry to make such an exhibition of myself, +but it was all my poor head; and holding on to the poor head with one +hand, I beat it reproachfully with the other, at the same time giving +vent to some unearthly noises by way of corroboration. The old fellow +looked rather dubiously at this change of scene, and asked if it was at +them I shook my fists?--At them? No, no! they did not understand me. My +heart was good, like his, but it was all my head, my poor naughty +_cabeza_. Another thump on my cranium, and a second edition of the howl, +proved sufficient. The plea of insanity was admitted; he expressed +himself satisfied, and explained the incident to the amazed spectators. +I drew a long breath with a returning sense of security, scarcely +crediting the success of the artifice, and almost doubting whether the +whole scene were not a dream. Real or unreal, it was over, and things +were apparently on their former footing. Only my feminine foes would not +be convinced, and added this crowning indiscretion to the list of my +offences. + +We moved the next day in a northerly direction, and struck the river +Santa Cruz, encamping about an eighth of a mile from its marshy banks, +which, at this point, were bent in a broad, horse-shoe curve. We were +surrounded, except on the river side, by high abrupt sand-banks, covered +in part by underbrush of a stunted growth. The river was narrow, but +deep and rapid. The Indians said it was the Santa Cruz, and that it led +directly to "Holland;" but their lies about that same Dutch land had +long since destroyed all faith in their words. That it was the Santa +Cruz was probable, for I knew of no other river in these parts;--we had +passed Corey Inlet and the Gallegos. The rest of the story I could only +_try_ to credit. I tried to urge them on, but they were not to be +hurried. Some of them grumbled that I had no intention of giving them +anything, but meant to slip from them the first opportunity. No wonder +they thought so; they certainly had not laid me under very great +obligations of gratitude. What on earth they wanted of me, unless to fat +and eat me, was past conjecture; and my fare had not been of a nature to +induce corpulence, so that this supposition was not trustworthy. They +_said_ they wanted me to help steal horses. They were bound for the Rio +Negro, where they meant to steal seven hundred horses, of which number I +was to get two. Certainly, I told them, it would be just the thing; and +that was a most excellent reason for going to "Holland." They would find +me a rare thief; but, however it might be with them, _I_ could not steal +without a good stock of rum and tobacco. Was I insincere in all this? +The reader may smile or may frown, but it was my purpose, if I failed to +escape by way of "Holland," to humor them to the top of their bent; to +ride, hunt, and even _steal_ my way into their confidence;--any way to +insure present safety, and keep an eye open for future opportunities. + +Three or four days were passed in suspense, which was at last terminated +by taking our line of march down the river. We halted at noon, at a +point where the banks sloped gently to the water's edge, on either side +of the deep and narrow channel. Active preparations were here commenced +for crossing. Part of the horses were driven across the river, whilst a +portion of the tribe were occupied in building boats to ferry their +families and goods across. Their boats are constructed after a simple +fashion. A quantity of bushes are cut and dragged down to the margin of +the water. They take four tent-stakes, and lay them so as to enclose an +area eight feet square, lashing them firmly together at the four +corners. Four Indians then raise the stakes from the ground, while +others place the skin covering of the tent over the frame, allowing it +to sag down three or four feet. The edges of the skin are brought over +the stakes, and fastened on the inside. The bushes, made ready for the +purpose, are placed within, tops downward, round the entire +circumference, and secured to the stakes, till the boat is completely +timbered up. The bushes keep the skin distended, and give to the vessel +an oval shape, so that, though square at the top, it bears a striking +resemblance to a large iron pot. Its length and its breadth of beam are +of course equal. When completed, it is firmly lashed from stem to +sternpost, and from side to side, with a lariat, or green hide rope, +forty feet long, to keep it from spreading or racking. I had no hand in +modelling this witch of the wave, but, like an apprentice, did as I was +ordered in forwarding the structure, and, when nothing else was +required, "held on to the slack." It was at last completed, like the +temple of Solomon, without the sound of axe or hammer; neither bolts, +trenails nor caulking-iron, were required. We carried the barge down, +and launched her in the stream. Two paddles were made by lashing two +bladebones of the guanaco to sticks. Squaws, pappooses and baggage, were +stowed away, till the boat was laden to the water's edge. I was directed +to take passage with the family and household effects of the chief, and +seated myself in the centre of the closely-packed craft. One end of a +lariat was fastened to the boat, and the other tied to the tail of a +horse. A savage mounted, with one rein attached to the wooden bit on the +up-stream side. Two others took the oars, one on each side, and a squaw +was stationed on the top-gallant forecastle for the purpose of singing, +to insure good luck. All is ready. The old horse wades till the depth of +water compels him to swim, and the boat is pushed off. The rider floats +on the horse's back, kicking the water with his feet, holding the rein +in one hand, and grasping the mane with the other. "Chew! chew!" he +shouts, at the top of his voice. The black swan in the forecastle opens +her capacious mouth and sings, "Yek yah, youri miti! yek yah, youri +miti!" The two oarsmen dig away with might and main, while the younger +fry swell the chorus with a "Yah! yah! yah!" The boat brings some heavy +lurches to the windward, then yaws off to leeward; all owing to those +lubberly oarsmen not meeting her with the helm in season. At length, +after innumerable shiftings, we reached the opposite shore, and waded up +on dry land. + +[Illustration: FERRYING THE SANTA CRUZ.] + +Several boats were constructed after the same unique model, and +succeeded in crossing safely. Some of the horses, being better adapted +to towing, were swam back to repeat the process, and our craft returned +for a second freight. I watched the proceedings from the bank with +intense interest, speculating on the probable consequences of an +accident to any of the fleet. Such was their superstition, that, in the +event of any ill befalling them, they would be quite likely to ascribe +it to me, and serve me worse than Jonah was treated by his shipmates. +The swiftness of the current, and the rudeness of their navigation, +made them so liable to mischief, that it seemed wise to prepare for it; +and I at once began ingratiating myself with two of the worst fellows in +the whole tribe, by professions of special good will and admiration for +them, and confidential hints that they would share more liberally in the +bounties of "Holland" than any of their fellows. Whilst thus engaged, +with cautious glances across the river, to make sure that all was right, +I perceived that there was quite a commotion among the people below; +some were springing upon their horses,--others, ready mounted, were +dashing furiously down the bank. On looking some distance below, a boat +appeared to be in distress; the lariat that bound it together had +snapped asunder, and the pressure within, and the strain of the horse +without, had broken the front stake; the horse, relieved of his freight, +pulled for the shore, and could neither be coaxed nor beaten into a +return to duty. The horsemen on the banks dashed into the stream, and +swam for the wreck, which contained, among other passengers, a young +child. It was already filled with water, and was partially turned on her +side. The surface of the river was dotted with dark forms, struggling +with the mad current; one horseman after another each grasped a floating +object, and made for the shore. The craft had drifted nearly half a +mile, and nothing could be made out very distinctly. The squaws, on +first perceiving the mischance, watched the wreck, and sung in a loud +and plaintive strain, all the while casting unfriendly glances at me, +and gradually approaching the place where I stood. My apprehensions were +so far confirmed by this movement, that I told John (the name I gave one +of my present particular friends), as he loved rum and tobacco, and +expected to get any, not to leave me. John saw at a glance what was in +the wind, and appreciated both the immediate danger and the ultimate +reward of averting it; namely, the privilege of being gloriously drunk +at my expense. He told me to go into his hut, and pointed me to the +furthest corner; where, I being duly ensconced, he took his station, +cutlass in hand, directly in front of me. The singing grew louder, and +the voices more numerous about the door; the song was their regular +powwow strain, which invariably preluded the killing of a horse. The +Indians began to enter the lodge, and looked unutterable things in the +direction where I was crouching; the wigwam was soon filled with them, +and they were beginning to crowd towards me, when old John opened upon +them, and told them they ought to be ashamed of themselves, to come in +there in that manner; they did not even know what had happened,--they +did not know whether any lives were lost. They were threatening on +account of the death of a child, when, for aught they knew, the child +was alive; they had better wait patiently, till they knew more about the +matter, before they made any further uproar about it. In this strain he +parleyed with them for some time, till they concluded to retire, +uttering, as they went, the most horrible sounds. I felt less relief +from their absence than if John had not, by implication, fully assented +that _if_ the brat was drowned, my life should answer for it. News soon +came that the children were all safe, but that the boat was lost. + +An instant change ensued: the fire appeared to be quenched, but I feared +it might break out at any moment afresh. Knowing their treachery, I kept +a pretty suspicious watch on their movements; the chief soon came over +the river, hurried, perhaps, in his movements by the accident, which he +had witnessed from the opposite shore. After conferring with John, and +giving him some instructions, and seeing that all was right, he +reëmbarked for the other shore, as he made it his special business to +see that all were passed across in safety. The ferrying ceased as night +came on; the chief was likely to be on the opposite side all night, as +there was a good day's work yet to be done before the whole would be +transported. I had overheard him giving special orders to keep a good +look-out on me during the night. I felt, however, some uneasiness in his +absence; he had been my most powerful protector, having twice, at least, +saved me from imminent death. + +I now began to revolve in my mind the possibility of escape; the thought +suggested itself that I might steal one of their boats, and drift down +the stream. I was long since heartily tired of captivity; my situation, +especially if I was to be held a hostage of Providence for the safe +ferriage of the tribe, was desperate. But, on second thought, I did not +know that this was certainly the Santa Cruz; if it was, I was +furthermore ignorant of our distance from the sea. I knew of no white +settlement on or near the river; none, I remembered, was laid down in +the chart; if such a settlement existed, I might hope to reach it in a +_boat_, but a voyage in such a craft as one of these would be as +hazardous as that of the wise men of Gotham. If there was no such +settlement, and "Holland" was Patagonian for Utopia, my only chance, +short of drifting in my leathern sack out to sea, would be to land on +some island, in case an island there were; and then what should I live +on, after landing? Berries I had never seen, except once or twice. +Besides, my stolen craft could not be _paddled_,--the Indians had too +good ears for that; I must follow the channel passively, through all its +course, which was terribly crooked, while its rapidity increased the +risk that the ungainly vehicle would be disabled. On the whole, it was +so doubtful whether I could reach any particular place, or escape +starvation after I got there, and so certain that failure would be +death, the project seemed a forlorn hope. But then, again, it was not +more forlorn than my present situation; so my poor mind vibrated between +dangers,--the danger of remaining where I was,--the danger that I should +escape only from the frying-pan into the fire. At last, as I _felt_ the +frying-pan, and only _feared_ the fire, I concluded to try. + +Crawling as noiselessly as possible from my resting-place, I stole +softly out, and made for the river. Alack! in calculating the chances, I +had not once thought of four-footed enemies, and they were upon me +before I was halfway to the shore,--a half-dozen dogs, barking loud +enough to wake the whole encampment. I retreated incontinently to the +lodge, and succeeded in getting quietly into my quarters again, not +without some inward spasms. It was all for the best, no doubt, but it +was not, just then, easy to think so, or _possible_ to _feel_ so; and, +therefore, after a little time, I once more emerged from the lodge, and +stole towards the river by a different track, hoping to elude those +infernal dogs; but they, or some others, were on the alert, and came +pell-mell upon my rear, barking more uproariously than before. I cursed +the dogs, their masters, and my own folly, and gave up the attempt. + +The ferrying recommenced the next morning; and before night the whole +tribe were safely landed, with their effects, on the west side of the +river, and their wigwams were all pitched. We were short of provisions; +but this was a common case, and I was accustomed to it. I got an +occasional morsel of grease, sufficient to keep starvation at bay; but +illness, with bad and insufficient food, had greatly emaciated me, till +I was a spectacle but few degrees above the living skeleton. But hope +was still in the ascendant, and I had no idea of lying down to die till +I was quite sure my time had come. We continued our wanderings the next +day in a westerly direction, slaying every living creature that came +within reach, from a skunk to a guanaco. This was a great +disappointment, as I hoped we should go down the river, the direction in +which they said "Holland" lay, and the only direction in which we were +likely to strike a white settlement, if any existed on the Atlantic +coast. But my remonstrances on this head were vain; they would go where +they pleased, and I must go with them. Time dragged heavily; hours +seemed days, and days weeks. But impatience is no virtue, and submission +was imperative. + +The country hereabout was more broken and mountainous than any we had +before traversed, with a more abundant growth of bushes, and some clumps +of stunted trees here and there. As we proceeded, keeping still to the +north-west, game was more plenty. We came to two ponds, or small lakes, +one of not more than four acres in extent, the other considerably +larger; the latter was shallow, at least near the shore, as some +ostriches pursued by the Indians ran into it, and their pursuers waded +after, and succeeded in capturing them. + +At one time I observed a large scar in the calf of the chief's leg; the +mark of a wound that must have been inflicted a long time before, as it +was completely healed. Its depression was so great as to indicate a very +severe cut, unless the old fellow had grown uncommonly fat since he +received it. On inquiring the cause of it, he said it was from a wound +inflicted by the Alanagros, a tribe inhabiting a country to the +northward. The name he gave them signifies the blacks; and, from the +manner in which he spoke of them, I inferred they were in some respects +superior to the Patagonians. He said they were armed with cutlasses, and +very long knives,--had tobacco, and plenty of horses; and I conjectured +that they might have been a party of Spanish Americans, or one of the +mixed races of Spanish origin. The fight, he said, arose on occasion of +his tribe being on a horse-stealing expedition; they encamped a short +distance off, and at night he made a descent on the Alanagros, killed +some of them, and plundered their camp, carrying off many of their +horses. The plundered tribe rallied, hotly pursued them, and recaptured +a part of the booty; in the struggle wounding him with a cutlass, and, +as I judged by appearances, cutting to the bone. He told the story with +great spirit, slashing right and left, and grunting with extraordinary +emphasis, as if to give an impression that good hard blows were given +and taken: but I afterwards learned that it was a cowardly running +fight, in which more sweat than blood was spilled. + +Nothing of importance occurred at our encampment near the lakes, +except--what was a very noteworthy fact with me--such an abundance of +ostrich that I was surfeited with the delicious fare, and was compelled +by the chief to take a horse-rein emetic,--a more precise description of +which the reader will have no difficulty in excusing. Had I not so +completely disavowed the medical character, the chief might probably +have allowed me to feel my own pulse,--if I could find it,--and to +prescribe for myself; but the renunciation of professional honors +brought me under the sanitary, as well as the political, jurisdiction of +Parosilver. + +Our line of march was now in a northerly direction, soon deflecting to +the eastward,--a movement that revived my sinking hopes. There seemed to +be some prospect of striking the Atlantic coast, and coming within reach +of civilized men. On our way we observed the tracks of some animals +different from any I had met with. The chief said it was the _limerer_, +with which lucid definition I was fain to be content; and, as no +specimens were visible, the inquisitive naturalist must trust to his +imagination for the rest. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII. + + Retrograde march--A look-out ahead--New specimens of birds + observed--To the right again--Large inducements to visit + Holland--Apparent effect--Council--Other tribes of Indians--Story + of a battle--Capture of wild horses--A royal speech worth + hearing--Deputation to Holland--A start and a sudden halt--Journey + commenced in earnest--Order of arrangements--First view of + Holland--A weary day and night--A boat--A short parley--Swimming + for life and liberty--A rescue--Farewell to Patagonia. + + +My hopes were soon cast down, by a decided movement to the westward. +Every step, I was convinced, lengthened the distance between me and the +spot where my most earnest wishes centred; for, though I knew not of any +settlements in this barren region, yet it was pretty certain that if +there was one it must be sought in the line of the Santa Cruz. Of our +latitude and longitude I could form no decisive judgment; but by the aid +of the sun, of which occasional glimpses were caught, it was easy to +take note of our direction, and I never retired to rest without taking +landmarks, and satisfying myself as nearly as possible as to our +whereabouts. At night there was a renewal of the discussions which had +once so nearly turned my brain, and now at times came near verifying the +plea which then saved me from destruction; but I was enabled to keep my +feelings in more equal check. Disappointed and care-worn, I spent the +night in commending myself to the mercy and good providence of God, +praying that he would soften the heart of the savage and open a way of +deliverance. + +Among other matters that excited my curiosity, I was anxious to know +whether the Indians were expert swimmers. The only occasion on which I +had seen them attempt it was at the time of the accident in crossing the +river. Then two of them swam across, while the others floated on their +horses' backs, clinging to the mane. In answer to some questions dropped +on the subject, the chief assured me that they were all expert swimmers, +and could stretch off a long distance without resting, as they would +show me, but that the coldness of the season made the experiment too +unpleasant. Others of the tribe told the same story. The question was +interesting, for obvious reasons. I had thought a time might come when +it would be a very practical one. + +Some new specimens of birds made their appearance from time to time. One +was a large black bird, resembling the turkey-buzzard, and subsisting on +carrion. Another resembled the snow-birds of the north. I had also seen, +near the sea-shore and by the lakes, several species of water-fowl,--one +not unlike the wild goose, but the chief said they were not good for +food. + +Our course, the next day, was northward, and the day following turned +once more decidedly towards the east, whereat my hopes, varying with the +compass, began to revive, though their buoyancy was tempered by +experience of the uncertainty of Indian movements. Observing a spot +covered with small trees, over which a great number of carrion birds +hovered, we approached and found the carcass of a poor old guanaco, +which had most likely paid the debt of nature without compulsion, and +was stripped of its flesh by the birds. The chief broke some of the +bones and eagerly sucked the marrow, and then picked up the remainder to +add to the domestic stock of grease. + +At the close of the next day we brought up at a ravine, and found our +camp by following it a short distance to a low flat. Proceeding to the +eastward all the next day, we ascended a high eminence, from which the +chief pointed in a south-westerly direction, and said that "Holland" lay +_there_. I strained my eyes in the quarter indicated, without, however, +making any discoveries, and with a strong disposition to think the Old +Boy was hoaxing me. At dark we defiled down a steep declivity, and +pitched our tents on the border of an extensive marsh covered with ice. +Here I renewed my arguments for speeding our way to the promised land, +dilating on the qualities of the promised rum in a style that would have +astonished the advocates of the Maine liquor law, and impaired the +confidence of those who had reasonably regarded me as a strict +temperance man. Indeed, the antics and grimace with which I enforced the +description, and illustrated the jovial effects of the creature,--the +boasts of how I would teach them, by its aid, to throw the lasso, and +perform most astonishing feats of horse-stealing and riding,--might have +induced a suspicion that I knew more of it than mere observation or +fancy could teach. But, however it may affect my reader, it produced +unmistakable contentment and satisfaction to my Patagonian auditors; and +that was what I aimed at. They looked and listened with watering mouths +and hoarse laughter, giving token that the balmy description was +appreciated to a most desirable degree. So evident was the impression +that I spent the next day running about and giving line upon line to +the most influential of the tribe, and succeeded, as I thought, in +awakening a degree of enthusiasm to move towards the place where all +these good things were to be got. In confirmation of this, I had the +satisfaction of being called at night to attend a solemn council. + +It was a peaceful gathering,--they left their weapons behind,--but it +contemplated only a sort of preliminary inquiry; the Patagonians know +how to make their forms of procedure as tedious as any of our courts of +law, summary as are many of their dealings. They examined and +cross-examined very strictly, sifting my story with a severity which +showed that they were in earnest, and at the same time a little +suspicious. It was necessary to be on my guard at all points; and if +they had been more docile learners of arithmetic, and able to stick on +questions of number and quantity, it might have been a harder matter to +satisfy them. But, on the whole, the old story was stuck to with a +degree of consistency that produced the desired effect. Their confidence +was perceptibly raised, and, after a good deal of talk, the council +adjourned, every one more than ever disposed to visit "Holland." + +While at this encampment, I observed on the ground about a dozen large +oyster-shells, that appeared to have been recently opened. These were +the first and only shells of the kind I saw in the country. I inquired +if they were plenty in that vicinity. They said they were not; none of +the tribe seemed to know where they came from, or anything about them. +The chief said that he and his people did not relish oysters, but other +Indians ate them. He did not like fish of any kind; no fish had grease +enough for them; none of _his_ Indians ate fish. This, and some similar +incidents and conversations, convinced me that there were other Indian +tribes in the vicinity. On one occasion I had noticed some places where +a tribe, probably as numerous as our own, had encamped. Their fires +appeared to have been very recently extinguished. Our tribe appeared to +be considerably disturbed at these discoveries, and I judged that they +were the traces of some enemies. It is certain that my captors had seen +some desperate fights, of which they bore the marks on their persons. +One of them had a deep scar on his breast, which he said was the mark of +an arrow-shot received from the _"Yamaschoner"_ Indians, a tribe that +use the bow and arrow. His description suggested the probability that +these were the Terra-del-Fuego Indians; but, on mentioning the +conjecture at a later period to a person I met at the Chilian penal +settlement, he informed me that those islanders invariably shoot +_poisoned_ arrows, which would not leave the victim much leisure to +describe their effect. The scar in question was a deep one, in the +region of the heart; and while I was examining it, the chief remarked +that the arrow passed through his body and came out at his back. On +examination, a distinct scar was visible on his back, so far +corresponding in form and direction with the one in front, that it +seemed likely to have been made by the same weapon. But how the arrow +could have transfixed him through the chest, without wounding the vital +organs, was not easily to be conjectured. The only explanation I could +conceive of was, that the fellow's heart was so much harder than any +material used for arrowheads, that the missile, instead of penetrating +that important organ, had glanced aside and passed without mortal hurt. +Enough had been developed to assure me that the tribe generally had +hearts of no ordinary toughness, capable of serving them for all +practical purposes wherein impenetrable stuff was in request; but the +tale of this miraculous escape gave a new impression of obduracy, and +entitled the hero to bear the palm among his fellows. I pretended to +pity him for his former sufferings, and went so far as to volunteer--in +case I should ever be permitted to enter the enemy's territory--to make +mince-meat of some of them, and so to avenge his cruel injuries. This +spontaneous sympathy and forwardness to take up his quarrel was +exceedingly gratifying to the sufferer and to the chief, and drew from +them a more particular narrative of the combat. + +They were out on a horse-stealing expedition,--the usual occasion, it +seems, of Patagonian fights,--and made a swoop upon the camp of another +tribe. The objects of this felonious invasion asserted title to the +horses in their possession by certain tangible arguments, and induced a +mortal combat. And now Old Boy waxed eloquent, and especially displayed +that prime ingredient, "action." His broad-sword exercise was really +animated, and taught us "how fields were won,"--or would have done so, +but that, while his right hand was slashing the air with his good steel, +his left _would_ hold the bridle-rein, and his heels involuntarily drive +the spur;--in short, though it was a part on which he did not linger in +the narration any more than in the act, there was some tall running on +the occasion. So artlessly was the tale told, that while the hero was +cutting and thrusting and grunting, to make due impression of the +desperate bravery displayed in the encounter, his subordinate action +clearly depicted a running and retreating fight, and convinced me that +they got a sound drubbing for their pains. He said he killed one Indian, +with an air that would have done justice to the slaying of a regiment. +Shocking to relate, there were found persons who slanderously reported +to me that Old Boy's legs had the unhappy propensity of Pat +O'Flaherty's, whose heart was as brave as any man's, but his cowardly +legs ran away with his body; and they scrupled not to affirm that in +this same hard-fought battle he crawled into the bushes, and there +secreted himself till the cessation of hostilities enabled him to rejoin +his tribe. + +The reader has doubtless noticed that "the tribe" has been all along +anonymous. The explanation comes rather late, but, in point of fact, I +never could learn that they had any distinctive name; they never used +any. Indeed proper names were very seldom heard. Even in conversation +concerning each other, they managed to avoid "naming names" as strictly +as so many honorable senators, though for no reason that I could +discover. By signs and gestures, and other hints, they indicated the +personal subject of remark, and seemed to suffer no inconvenience from +what would be felt among us as a serious want. + +While out hunting one day with the chief, we ascended a slight eminence, +commanding a view of an extensive plain. The chief suddenly stopped his +horse, and looked steadily forward. I bent my eyes in the same +direction, and saw two or three mounted Indians moving towards a common +point. There was nothing unusual to be seen, but Old Boy seemed to +discover something. I inquired what it was. He answered by pointing; +and, on a second view, I observed a horse loose, which I took to be that +of some Indian temporarily dismounted. But the chief said they were +about to catch a wild horse, and forthwith dashed off at a furious rate, +bidding me follow. We were rapidly nearing the spot, when the two in +advance of us put their horses at top speed towards the lone horse that +was standing beside a clump of bushes. It suddenly ran before its +pursuers, followed by two colts from the thicket. The colts appeared to +be one or two years old, and were doubtless following their dam. One +Indian singled out the mare, and another the larger colt. The little one +did not lag behind. The chief and myself followed at a pace which would +have made a single misstep fatal to our necks; but fortunately our +horses proved sure-footed. On we dashed, helter-skelter, in a direction +to head off the pursuers, and to place ourselves nearest to the +affrighted animals. The mare yet holds the lead, and fairly tears up the +soil with her flashing hoofs. An Indian, in close pursuit, presently +swings his lariat about his head; but she makes a curve in her course, +and springs beyond the reach of his aim. Her pursuer once more gains on +her; again the lariat swings through the air,--he lets go,--the noose +catches her neck,--the hunter's horse turns suddenly off, and the rope, +securely attached to the saddle, brings the poor captive headlong to the +ground. The trained horse keeps a strain on the noose sufficient to +prevent her from rising, while the hunter dismounts and secures his +prize. The colts shared the same fate, and, with the mother, were +subdued and made useful to the tribe. + +The scenes and reminiscences I have described did not prevent the matter +of most absorbing interest to myself--the projected visit to +"Holland"--from engaging due attention. The chief came home from the +council full of it. He was in royal good humor, and talked about it half +the night; but several objections arose, which it was necessary for me +to dispose of. These were met, apparently to his full satisfaction. One +of the most serious was the fear that the white men would revenge upon +him the murder of Captain Eaton. I assured him that so long as I was +with him he had nothing to fear on that score; the people were all mine, +and would do, or refrain from doing, whatever I should bid them. They +would not dare to lift their hands against him contrary to my orders, or +refuse to deliver what articles I chose to demand. Nothing, I found, +would do, but the assertion of absolute supremacy over all white men +whatever, the world around; less than this would not secure the +confidence of these savages, and I regulated my speech by the +necessities of the case. The chief inquired, half a dozen times over, +what I would say to the white men, and I as often rehearsed an address +for the occasion. At last his curiosity seemed abated, and we fell +asleep. + +Early the next morning we were up and stirring, and the chief having +adjusted his toilet with care, a slight breakfast was made ready. This +over, his highness stood forth, and from the door of his lodge made an +official address to the tribe, wherein he set out the advantages of a +visit to "Holland," and suggested the most expedient style of making it. +He advised that a few only of the tribe should be deputed, with himself, +to accompany me, and receive the stores of rum, tobacco, bread, rice, +tea, butter, beads, brass, copper, and so forth, that were to be +forthcoming, as the expression of my gratitude for the distinguished +consideration with which they had treated me. Though royal speeches +seldom excite any jealousy of plagiarism, and it may seem a little +captious on my part to make such a charge, it is due to "the truth of +history" to declare, that herein the great Parosilver did but repeat a +suggestion which he did me the honor to receive with favor over-night. +It was not deemed essential to the case to inform his highness of _all_ +the reasons that led me to wish for as small an escort as the nature of +the business would admit. On the contrary, acting upon the profound +maxim, that one _sufficient_ reason is as good as a dozen, and better +than that number of questionable ones, I merely advised, that, after the +experience which Captain Eaton and others had had of Patagonian prowess, +the sight of too many of his giants would frighten away the whites, and +prevent all beneficial communication with them; while the presence of a +small deputation would be a pledge of their pacific inclinations. The +speech from the throne proved less _moving_ than most of the chief's +effusions: his lieges listened with great interest, and an earnest +debate sprung up, at the conclusion of which it was decided that the +chief, with four other Indians and their squaws, should be my +body-guard, the rest of the tribe to follow after. Another old woman +begged to go with us, which was agreed to. The horse I had been in the +habit of riding was lame, and unfit for service; another was procured +for me. + +Our simple preparations for departure were soon made, and as we were +about to start they all began bringing their dirty children to me, and +requesting that I would bring brass and beads for them all; which was +gravely promised, much to their satisfaction. There remained the last +act in the comedy for which I had been long rehearsing,--if, indeed, it +did not turn out a tragedy. The idea had early occurred to me, that if I +had some object to which I appeared very much attached, it might prove +to be for my advantage; the Indians might hold it, in my absence at any +time, as a sort of surety for my return. A belle from among the beauties +of the tribe would be effectual to that end; but, if no sentiments of +virtue had restrained me from this expedient, the filth and +unsightliness of them all were enough to insure continence. I chose, +therefore, a little white dog for a pet,--a dirty, thievish little +rascal;--but I fondled him in the style proper to a violent attachment. +It is true that when I saw him licking the meat designed for our repast +it was not easy to refrain from kicking his worthless brains out; but +this was a trifle to other things I had to endure, and I made myself +apparently so fond of him that the reality of the case was never +suspected. Now and then I indemnified myself by giving him, when +unobserved, a smart rapping for his misdeeds, though such chastisement +made but a slight impression on the object of it. As we were about +setting out, I was asked if I intended to take my dog. No, I told them, +he would be better off there, and when I returned he should have some +bread and other dainties to eat. The ruse more than answered its +expected end, in lulling all suspicion of my sincerity. + +At last we were under way. The grand crisis to which all my diplomacy +and the utmost license of fiction had tended was near at hand. A strong +hope of deliverance braced my spirits, shaded, it is true, by a natural +apprehension of possible failure, and of the consequences that might +follow. With no great elation of spirits, but with a stern, severe +tension of all my mental energies, and a concentration of them into one +focus of resolve, I waved a farewell, which I hoped might be +everlasting, to the accursed gang of robbers who had tormented me so +many tedious weeks. "Good-by to Patagonia!" I mentally ejaculated, and +struck off with my escort; but had not gone more than an eighth of a +mile, when the party wheeled about and ordered me to follow them back to +the camp! I remonstrated, but it was of no use, and with a heavy heart I +found myself once more in my dirty corner of a wigwam. The horses were +turned adrift without a word of explanation, and the Indians sat down to +a game of cards, with as much indifference to everything else as if the +events of the past forty-eight hours had been a feverish dream. What +could be the meaning of it? I questioned the chief. He merely replied +that he would go by and by,--by and by; which, being interpreted, +probably meant when he pleased, and that convenient season might never +arrive! After I had teased him for a long time he took me to the door of +the lodge, and, pointing to the river, said it was "no good then;" it +would be "good" at night. What the state of the river, which was a +shallow stream, a branch of the Santa Cruz, had to do with the matter, I +could not divine, and was half inclined to vote myself fairly outwitted +by the Old Boy. + +The day, a long one, at last wore off, and at night we once more set +off. We crossed the frozen marsh, and forded the river, and, after going +about two miles, stopped for repose. We took no camp equipage, and had +to shelter ourselves for the night under the lee of a clump of bushes. +We thrust our feet into the thicket, while our heads lodged out of +doors. In this interesting attitude I was made to repeat my wearisome +detail of promises, and to rehearse once more my contemplated speech to +the white men; which done, we dropped asleep. Waking early the next +morning, I found my head and shoulders covered with a fleecy mantle of +snow. Would the fortune of my expedition fall as lightly on me? I shook +it off, turned up my coat-collar, pulled my poor, more than half +worn-out cap over my ears, and so, partially protected from the storm, +rolled over, and again sunk into a slumber. The storm ceased at dawn of +day. I rose and went in search of fuel, while my dark companions still +slept profoundly. In an hour or two they roused themselves, and kindled +a fire. Meat, from a store brought along for our provision on the way, +was cooked, and served for breakfast. The scanty meal being despatched, +our horses were driven in, lassoed, mounted, and we resumed our journey, +in a south-easterly direction. At the end of about three miles another +halt was called, a fire was built to warm by, and the horses were +watered. The order of arrangements was discussed, and a fresh edition of +the promises and the speech critically listened to. Changing our course +a little to the right, we soon struck the Santa Cruz. The Indians +pointed far down the stream, and said, "There is Holland." I strained my +eyes in the direction pointed out, and thought I could discern an island +with several small huts upon it. A mile or two further on the north bank +brought us to the mouth of the river, in prospect of the Atlantic. The +island was directly opposite the mouth, and the lower part only appeared +to be inhabited. We halted. The Indians pointed towards it, exclaiming, +"Esta Holland sarvey! muchas casas, mucho mucho hombres, tene mucho +aquadiente, mucho travac, yeruen, arenar, arose!"--This is Holland, and +has plenty of houses, and abundance of men,--plenty of rum, tobacco, +bread, tea, flour and rice! I surveyed the spot in silence. This island +was of considerable extent, lying two-thirds across the wide mouth of +the river, its surface dotted over with little knolls or hillocks of +earth. Could it be that these were dwellings inhabited by white men? + +Our horses' heads were now turned from the shore, and we rode back about +an eighth of a mile to a large clump of bushes, unsaddled our beasts, +and waited some time for the rest of our company, who had fallen in the +rear. They came at last, our horses were turned adrift, fire was +lighted, and, as the day was far spent, supper was in order. Then ensued +a repetition--a final one, I trusted--of the grand present to be levied +on the Hollanders, and of the speech which was to draw them out. The +Indians arranged that I was to hoist the English flag,--the colors of +the unfortunate brig Avon, which they had brought along at my +request,--and then to walk the shore to attract the attention of the +islanders. On the approach of a boat, I was to be kept back from the +beach, to prevent escape; for I found that they were not, after all, as +well assured of my good faith as might have been desirable. They +thought, moreover, that when the white men saw a prisoner with them, +they would come ashore to parley, and offer presents to effect his +release; in that case, there might be a chance, if the negotiation +proved unsatisfactory, to take bonds of fate in the form of another +captive or two. So, at least there was ground to suspect,--and some +cause to fear that the rascals might prove too shrewd for all of us! + +After talking till a late hour, the Indians threw themselves upon the +ground, stuck their feet into the bushes, and were soon fast asleep. I +consulted the chief as to the propriety of modifying this arrangement, +by placing our heads, rather than our feet, under cover, since both +could not be accommodated. He declined any innovations, and told me to +go to sleep. I stretched myself on the ground, but as to sleep, that was +out of the question. I lay all night, thinking over all possible +expedients for escape. We had no materials for a boat or raft of any +description, and it was impossible to think of any plan that promised +success; so that, after tossing, in body and mind, through the weary +hours of night, I could only resolve to wait the course of events, and +to take advantage of the first opportunity affording a reasonable hope +of deliverance from this horrid captivity. Snow, sleet and rain, fell +during the night; and I rose early, thoroughly chilled, every tooth +chattering. A fire was kindled, and the last morsel of meat that +remained to us was cooked and eaten. The weather continued squally till +the middle of the afternoon. + +After breakfast the chief went with me to the shore, bearing the flag. +On the beach I found a strip of thick board, to which I fastened the +colors, and then planted it in the sand. The bushes around, which have a +kind of oily leaf and readily ignite, were set on fire. I then walked +the beach,--but no boat came. When it cleared up sufficiently to see, I +observed little objects moving about on the island. The day wore away +with fruitless attempts to attract their attention. With an aching heart +I returned, at dark, to the camping-ground. On this island my hopes had +so long centred,--if they were now to be disappointed, how could I +endure it? The Indians began to talk of rejoining the tribe the +following day. I opposed the motion with all the dissuasives at command, +assuring them that, at sight of our flag, the islanders would surely +come over in a boat, and that, if they would only wait a little, they +could go over to the island and enjoy themselves to their hearts' +content; representing the absolute necessity that I should procure the +rum, &c., we had talked of, and how embarrassing it would be to go back +to the tribe empty-handed, after all that had been said, to be ridiculed +and reproached. It would never do. Our conversation was continued till +quite late, when we ranged ourselves, hungry and weary, for another +night. For hours I was unable to sleep. The uncertainties of my +situation oppressed me, and I lay restless, with anxiety inexpressible, +inconceivable by those whom Providence has preserved from similar +straits. It was a season of deep, suppressed, silent misery, in which +the heart found no relief but in mute supplication to Him who was alone +able to deliver. Towards morning, exhausted with the intensity of +emotion acting on an enfeebled body, I slept a little, and woke at early +dawn, to a fresh consciousness of my critical position. + +The weather had been fair during the night, but there were now +indications of another snow-storm. I waited long and impatiently for my +companions to awake, and at last started off in quest of fuel; on +returning with which, they bestirred themselves and started a fire, +which warmed our half-benumbed limbs. There lay the little island, +beautiful to eyes that longed, like mine, for a habitation of +sympathizing men, about a mile and a half distant; it almost seemed to +recede while I gazed, so low had my hopes sunken, under the pressure of +disappointment and bitter uncertainty. A violent snow-storm soon +setting in, it was hidden from view; everything seemed to be against me. +It slackened, and partially cleared up,--then came another gust, filling +the air, and shutting up the prospect. In this way it continued till +past noon; at intervals, as the sky lighted up, I took a fire-brand, and +set fire to the bushes on the beach, and then hoisted the flag again, +walking wearily to and fro, till the storm ceased, and the sky became +clear. The chief concealed himself in a clump of bushes, and sat +watching, with cat-like vigilance, the movements of the islanders. After +some time, he said a boat was coming; I scarcely durst look in the +direction indicated, lest I should experience a fresh disappointment; +but I did look, and saw, to my great joy, a boat launched, with four or +five men on board, and pushing off the shore. On they came; the chief +reported his discovery, and the rest of the Indians came to the beach, +where I was still walking backward and forward. The boat approached, not +directly off where I was, but an eighth of a mile, perhaps, to the +windward, and there lay on her oars. + +[Illustration: The Escape. Page 160.] + +The Indians hereupon ordered me to return to the camping-ground; but, +without heeding them, I set off at a full run towards the boat. They +hotly pursued, I occasionally turning and telling them to come on,--I +only wanted to see the boat. "Stop! Stop!" they bawled. "Now, my legs," +said I, "if ever you want to serve me, this is the time." I had one +advantage over my pursuers; my shoes, though much the worse for wear, +protected my feet from the sharp stones, which cut theirs at every step; +but, under all disadvantages, I found they made about equal speed with +myself. As I gained a point opposite the boat, the Indians slackened +their speed, and looked uneasily at me; the man in the stern of the +boat hailed me, inquiring what Indians these were, what number of them, +and how I came among them. I replied in as few words as possible, and +told him we wished to cross to the island. He shook his head; they were +bad fellows, he said; he could not take me with the Indians. They began +to pull away! I made signs of distress, and waved them to return, +shouting to them through my hands. The boat was again backed within +hailing distance. "Will you look out for me, if I come by myself?" +"Yes!" was the prompt reply. The Indians, all this time, had kept within +ten or fifteen feet of me, with their hands on their knives, and +reiterating their commands to come back, at the same time edging towards +me in a threatening manner. "Yes, yes," I told them, "in a moment," but +I wanted to look at the boat,--taking care, however, to make good my +distance from them. At the instant of hearing the welcome assurance that +I should be cared for, I drew out the watch (which I had brought, +according to promise, to have a new crystal inserted at Holland), and +threw it into the bushes; the salt water would spoil it, and, if I +_should_ be retaken, the spoiling of that would be an aggravation which +might prove fatal. At the same moment I gave a plunge headlong into the +river; my clothes and shoes encumbered me, and the surf, agitated by a +high wind, rolled in heavy seas upon the shore. The boat was forty or +fifty yards off; and, as the wind did not blow square in shore, drifted, +so as to increase the original distance, unless counteracted by the +crew. Whether the boat was backed up towards me, I could not determine; +my head was a great part of the time under water, my eyes blinded with +the surf; and most strenuous exertion was necessary to live in such a +sea. As I approached the boat I could see several guns, pointed, +apparently, at me. Perhaps we had misunderstood each other,--perhaps +they viewed me as an enemy! In fact, they were aimed to keep the Indians +from following me into the water, which they did not attempt. My +strength was fast failing me; the man at the helm, perceiving it, +stretched out a rifle at arm's length. The muzzle dropped into the +water, and arrested my feeble vision. Summoning all my remaining energy, +I grasped it, and was drawn towards the boat; a sense of relief shot +through and revived me, but revived, also, such a dread lest the Indians +should give chase, that I begged them to pull away,--I could hold on. +The man reached down, and seized me by the collar, and ordered his men +to ply their oars. They had made but a few strokes, when a simultaneous +cry broke from their lips, "Pull the dear man in! Pull the dear man in!" +They let fall their oars, laid hold of me, and, in their effort to drag +me over the side of their whale-boat, I received some injury; I +requested that they would let me help myself; and, working my body up +sufficiently to get one knee over the gunwale, I gave a spring, with +what strength was left me, and fell into the bottom of the boat. They +kindly offered to strip me, and put on dry clothes; but I told them, if +they would only work the boat further from the shore, I would take care +of myself. They pulled away, while I crawled forward, divested myself of +my coat, and put on one belonging to one of the crew. Conversation, +which was attempted, was impossible; it was one of the coldest days of a +Patagonian winter,--I was chilled through, and could only articulate, "I +ca-n't ta-lk now; I'll ta-lk by a-nd by." Some liquor, bread and +tobacco, which had been put on board for my ransom, on supposition that +this was what the signal meant, was produced for my refreshment. The sea +was heavy, with a strong head-wind; so that, though the men toiled +vigorously, our progress was slow. I was soon comfortably warmed by the +stimulants provided, and offered to lend a hand at the oar; but the +offer was declined. The shouts and screams of the Indians, which had +followed me into the water, and rung hideously in my ears while +struggling for life in the surf, were kept up till distance made them +inaudible. Whether they found the watch, whose mysterious tick at once +awed and delighted them, and restored it to its place of state in the +chief's lodge, or whether it still lies rusting in the sands by the +sea-shore, is a problem unsolved. + +The boat at last grounded on the northern shore of the island; Mr. Hall, +the gentleman who commanded the party, supported my tottering frame in +landing; and, as we stepped upon the shore, welcomed me to their island. +I grasped his hand, and stammered my thanks for this deliverance, and +lifted a tearful eye to Heaven, in silent gratitude to God. I was then +pointed to a cabin near by, where a comfortable fire was ready for me. +"Now," I heard Mr. Hall say, "let us fire a salute of welcome to the +stranger. Make ready! present! fire!" Off went all their muskets, and a +very cordial salute it appeared to be. He soon followed me, took me to +his own dwelling, supplied me with dry clothing, and, above all, warmed +me in the kindly glow of as generous a heart as ever beat in human +bosom. + +I was captured by the savages on the 1st of May, and landed upon the +island on the 7th of August. + + + + +CHAPTER IX. + + 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 reäppear 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. + + + + +CHAPTER X. + + A Christian ship-master--Cruise for whales, and for a + California-bound vessel--An outlandish craft--An American + vessel--Passage secured for California--Tempestuous passage through + the Straits of Magellan--Warlike demonstrations, with an inglorious + issue--Chilian penal settlement--Pleasing reception--Extensive + coal-mine--Sea-lions--Mutiny of the convicts, and awful fate of the + governor and chaplain. + + +Captain Clift cordially welcomed me to his ship, and immediately +tendered me whatever I might need for personal comfort. I declined +availing myself of his generosity, assuring him that I could be +comfortable with present supplies; but he insisted on replenishing my +wardrobe, silencing all objections by the remark that I plainly needed +the articles, and that it was a part of our duty on earth to give to the +needy. Captain Clift was a Christian in precept and example. He had +daily prayer on board his ship, and made his religion an inseparable +part of himself; something more than a profession, that did not expend +itself in words, but found expression in acts of kindness to all within +his reach. He had on board a poor sick Irish lad, who was taken into the +cabin, and nursed with all the care that circumstances admitted. Had +poor Mike been his own son, he could not have done more for him. Such +acts, incapable of being traced to any sordid or selfish motive, sprung +spontaneously from his capacious heart, full to overflowing with the +milk of human kindness. As the ship had been at the Falkland Islands for +several months, where they lived exclusively upon fresh meat, it seemed +impossible that there should be a case of scurvy on board; but the +captain remarked that the Patagonian coast was the worst he ever visited +in this respect. + +The crew, under direction of the mate, a brother of the captain, were +busy in landing cattle, swine, empty casks and other articles, to make +room on board for trying out whales, in case they captured any more, for +which the schooner was getting ready to cruise up and down the coast. +The mate went in the tender on her first trip out; but she returned, in +three or four days, unsuccessful. A second cruise was undertaken, but in +a week's absence only one whale was discovered, and this they failed to +secure. A third and still longer trip was equally unsuccessful, and they +returned not a little discouraged. During this time I had repeatedly +exchanged visits with Mr. Hall, and felt quite comfortable in my new +quarters; but suffered the misery of idleness, and of impatience at my +detention, even among such generous and considerate friends. Partially +to relieve the tedium of inactivity, in compliance with an urgent +request for some useful employment, I was allowed to repair the ship's +spanker. But I determined that, on the next cruise of the tender, I +would take a berth, in the hope of falling in with some vessel bound +around Cape Horn, or to Montevideo, Rio Janeiro, Pernambuco, or any +other port from which it might be possible to secure a passage to +California,--a land I was resolved at least to see, after having got so +far on my way, though so inauspiciously. + +The vessel was soon ready to sail. The evening before our departure Mr. +Hall visited me, and also came in the morning, before we were off;--the +whole-souled fellow! I shall always pray for his happiness. Captain +Clift added to his other kindnesses by pressing upon me various articles +of comfort for the voyage, with a nice clothes-bag to contain them all. +I parted from them, heartily praying a continuance of God's blessing on +them both; adding, however, that it was very likely they would see me +turning up among them, like a bad penny, on the return of the schooner. +In truth, my natural buoyancy had so far died out, that but faint hopes +of a successful termination of the voyage, begun, so long before, under +auspices apparently cheering, now encouraged me. We hove up the anchor, +hoisted sail, and steered out of the harbor and down the coast, running +off and standing in on the land, in hope to fall in with whales. On the +fourth day out, we discovered a sail coming down the coast towards us. +It proved to be an outlandish-looking craft, from her rig appearing to +be a Portuguese schooner. We sailed towards her with a light breeze, +lowered our boat, and went alongside the foreigner. She had on board a +large crew of cut-throat looking fellows, loitering about. We were not +asked on board, but remained in the boat talking with them through one +of our men, a Portuguese. They said they were from some place, the name +of which I have now quite forgotten, up the Straits of Gibraltar, and +were bound through the Straits of Magellan to California. I suggested to +Mr. Clift the propriety of getting on board, and going to Port Famine or +to California. He said I could do as I pleased; but that, for his own +part, he would feel hardly willing to trust himself among them, in which +opinion I concurred. + +Our Portuguese hand went on board, and talked with the captain of my +adventures among the Indians, and of the occupation, &c., of our +schooner. He was directed to inquire for whales, and brought us answer +that several had been seen along the coast, some distance to the +northward. While this conversation was going on, a tall, hairy fellow +came up from the cabin, encased in a dark-colored cloak having a red +collar, and stripes of the same hue running about the edge; a hood, or +cap, of divers gaudy colors, lay back on his shoulders, and another, +gayly and profusely variegated in hue, was perched upon his head. +Altogether he was a comical-looking piece of human nature. He took a +look at our vessel through the glass. In answer to an inquiry through +our interpreter, we learned that they had passed, the day before, an +American schooner bound that way, which could not be far off. One of the +sailors passed some liquor to us over the side of the vessel; it was sad +stuff, and I could only out of compliment go through with the form of +drinking. While this little courtesy was enacting, our Esau over-head +was scanning the horizon with his glass, and at length exclaimed that he +saw the vessel; we turned, and distinctly perceived a sail making +towards us. + +We soon returned to the tender, and stood in for the shore, in order to +cut off the approaching stranger; anxious to meet her, I went aloft to +the mast-head, where the view was better, and kept the mate advised of +her course. When near enough to be watched from the deck, I came down, +as it was impossible she could escape us. Mr. Clift offered to board +her, and I accordingly picked up my things, ready for contingencies; the +breeze was light, and the strange schooner approached slowly. We stood +in till it was judged we were in her track, and then hove to, with the +stars and stripes flying at the main gaff, as a signal that we wished to +speak her. Presently the same beautiful flag was run up her main peak; +on she came,--our boat was lowered, Mr. Clift jumped in with me, and we +were rowed alongside, the schooner rounding to, and laying by for us to +come on board. Captain Clift announced himself to the master of the +schooner, who came to the side to receive us, and introduced me. He +courteously invited us on board, jocosely remarking that we had a good +many captains for one vessel, took us into the cabin, and treated us +with the greatest civility. + +The schooner proved to be the Hopewell, of New Orleans, Captain Morton, +from Antigua, and bound to San Francisco, through the Straits of +Magellan. There were two passengers aboard, an American gentleman, and a +Portuguese, taken aboard at Bahia. At Captain Morton's request, I gave a +sketch of my expedition and sojourn among the cannibals. "You were bound +to California when you embarked?" he inquired, when I had concluded; "I +am bound there, and, if you wish to finish your voyage, you can go with +me." My mind was relieved; I almost feared to ask a passage, but my wish +had been anticipated,--my request generously granted before it was +uttered. I gratefully accepted his offer; remarking that unless my +vessel had arrived in safety, of which I had no assurance, I should find +myself as destitute on landing as at that moment; but that he could +leave me at Port Famine, if I became troublesome. The "John Allyne" I +supposed to have been lost soon after my capture; I had heard nothing of +her since. He desired me to give myself no trouble in that matter on +_his_ account, and exerted himself to entertain us. As we were opposite +the river Gallegos, and could easily run down to Cape Virgin during the +night, Captain Morton felt in no hurry; and the whaling schooner was +very well posted for observation on the coast, so that our men were well +contented, and we had a very pleasant social interview of two or three +hours. Finally, after partaking of some refreshments, I bade adieu to my +excellent friend Mr. Clift, and the two vessels parted, to pursue their +different courses. + +During the night, we worked our way down to the straits. I sat up quite +late with the captain; and, when at length I retired to my state-room, +fell soundly asleep. The next morning we were nearly opposite Cape +Virgin, the north point of the entrance to the straits. We were rather +wide off the cape; the wind was ahead, and a good strong breeze; we beat +in at last, and anchored under Point Dungeness. The Portuguese schooner +was in the offing; she worked up before night, and anchored a little to +the windward of us. We lay at anchor through the night; the next morning +we both got under way, with a light breeze, which lasted, however, but a +little while, when the wind came round ahead. As we were passing Point +Dungeness,--it was not fairly daylight, and I had not yet risen,--Mr. +F., one of the passengers, cried out that the shore opposite was lined +with Indians. I hurried on deck, to get a peep at them; upon looking, +there appeared a great school of seals on the beach; they seemed to be +standing up, and walking on their hind feet, so as to have, in the dusk, +very much the appearance of Indians. With some difficulty we worked up +to near the point where the John Allyne lay when I made my unlucky visit +on shore, and came to anchor; so that I was brought back again almost to +the starting-point of this "eventful history,"--a revolution suggestive +of many reflections. + +The next day there came a heavy gale; the Portuguese schooner had +anchored on the preceding night, in the bight of Possession Bay, further +down. We lay heavily pitching at our anchors till afternoon, when +Captain Morton determined to get his anchors, if possible, and run down +to where the foreign schooner lay, thinking it might prove a safe +anchorage. After much trouble in raising the anchors, we ran back, +keeping the lead going, and running at a furious rate, under bare poles, +excepting the head of the jib. The whole bay was a sheet of surf and +foam. I began to think we had not much bettered our condition by +removing. We anchored abreast of our Portuguese friend, but still +dragged the anchors. We finally brought up by securing some iron +castings we had on board to the kedge; the chain-cable was reeved +through them,--they were let down ten or fifteen feet from the anchor. +The small kedge thus fixed, with the weight attached to the chain, +ploughed to the bottom, instead of being lifted out by the strain on the +cable, thereby performing the service of one many times its weight. Our +little vessel rode out the gale, which was of short duration; as the sun +went down the wind subsided. We had hoisted a small sail to the +main-mast, in shape resembling a leg of mutton, to make the vessel ride +head to the wind, instead of lying in the trough of the sea. The tide, +running at the time strongly against the wind, caused us to lie nearly +broadside to the force of the gale; but this temporary sail, supplying +the place of after-sail, caused the craft to lie more steadily. Just +before sunset we got our anchors at the bow, and were under close-reefed +sail, beating back to the place we left in the forenoon, near the first +narrows. We arrived there in the evening, and again anchored; the next +morning, with a light breeze from the eastward, we stood into the +narrows, in company with the Portuguese schooner. Soon after we had +passed through the narrows, the wind came ahead; we beat along, and +anchored under Cape Gregory, a fine anchorage. + +Towards evening we discovered something sitting upon a high, abrupt +sand-cliff, on the bordering shore; we could perceive, by an occasional +movement, that it was a living creature. The object was of considerable +interest, and was closely inspected with the glass; at last it was +pronounced to be an Indian. The shore was closely scanned in all +directions, to ascertain whether there were more in the vicinity; none +were in sight, and we concluded to pay the solitary a visit; but, as +hundreds might be concealed in the neighborhood, we armed to the teeth. +Old flint-lock muskets, rusty with long idleness, were dragged from +their hiding-places, and treated to a dose of oil, to limber their aged +joints; new flints were fitted to the locks, and everything put in good +order. The guns were heavily charged with powder and shot; pistols and +cutlasses, dirks and bowie-knives, were all in readiness, and the boat +was alongside, manned by the sailors ready to receive us. Mr. F., the +first and second mates, and myself, pushed off for the shore. We landed +at some distance from the object of our visit, that we might have a +better opportunity to survey the country around. Before the boat fairly +felt the bottom, the second mate jumped into the water, and ran along +the beach, until he could see that the supposed Indian was a large bird. +He raised his gun, and fired; the bird came tumbling down the precipice, +and, on running up, we found it to be a large condor. The Dutchman had +broken his wing. We caught our prize and took it on board the vessel, +and were heartily laughed at for our pains by the captain, who had been +viewing the onslaught through the glass. Mr. F. was teased by him many +days for the intrepidity of his charge on the poor bird, rushing to the +attack with a drawn sword in one hand, and a cocked pistol in the other. +We all felt a little crest-fallen, I must admit, after having made such +formidable preparations for an Indian fight, to return with so +inglorious a prize; but, as none of my former tormentors could +reasonably be supposed to have strayed to this part of the country, and +I had no animosities towards other tribes to be gratified, I felt, on +the whole, very well satisfied with the result. We measured the bird; +but, as I was not "takin' notes" at the time, it is now impossible to +give its dimensions; it was very large. + +The next day we commenced beating under a head-wind through the second +narrows; but, when partially through, it commenced blowing so severely +that we were compelled to return to our anchorage at Cape Gregory. The +following day we double-reefed the sails, beat through the narrows, and +anchored in Oazy Harbor. Here we went on shore, and discovered traces of +Indians; the smoke of their fires was seen to the westward. We roamed +about on shore for some hours, but found nothing to interest us; it was +all exceeding bare and monotonous. The breeze continuing fresh ahead, we +remained one day in the harbor, spending our leisure in shooting +sea-fowls, which were very abundant. Once more we got under way, and +anchored off the mouth of Pecket Harbor until daylight, then stood into +Royal Road, and passed to the westward of Elizabeth Island into Catalina +Bay. + +Before passing Sandy Point, we saw several horses, and a Chilian flag +flying. We hauled in and came to anchor, as we wished to procure wood +and water. A large gathering of Spaniards from the settlement came to +the shore. Among them I noticed a little man, handsomely dressed, with a +beautiful cloak, and a cap having a wide gilt band; he appeared to be +about fifty years old. A young man, of perhaps thirty, of fine +appearance, accompanied him. He was dressed in military costume, blue +trousers with white side-stripe, blue coat with standing collar, and +cloth cap with a gilt band. These important personages were no less than +the governor and his highest officer. They were walking along in +conversation, and came down to meet us as we landed, shaking hands, and +asking us where we were from, whither bound, and if we stood in need of +anything. Capt. Morton could understand the Spanish, when spoken, easier +than he could speak it himself. I therefore acted as spokesman, and +replied that we wanted wood and water. After learning the quantity +needed, his excellency gave his men orders to cut and split the wood, +and draw it to the shore; and said that if we would send our water-casks +ashore, his men should fill them. In due time both orders were +executed, and we received a good supply of these necessary stores. We +were then invited to the governor's house. His table was sumptuously +spread, and we were entertained in the most handsome style. He was a +kind, gentlemanly man, and refused to receive a penny for the supplies +he furnished us, but accepted some presents from the captain. The young +officer also treated us very politely, and hospitably entertained us in +his house. Our vessel remained here about a week. Every day the governor +sent us a large bucket of sweet milk, and sometimes fresh beef. The +place was a Chilian penal settlement. He was about removing the colony +from Port Famine here, on account of the superiority of the soil. The +young soldier and the Catholic _padre_ were his principal officers. A +part of the colony yet remained at Port Famine. + +One day, while walking out with the governor to look at the settlement, +he asked if we were acquainted with coal. I replied, pointing to Mr. F., +that he had been an engineer on several steamboats, and ought to be able +to judge of _carbon_, as they called it. He sent his men along the +little brook to look for some. They soon returned with several small +specimens, which Mr. F. pronounced good coal. The governor said that the +little brook led up to a large coal-mine, six or seven miles back, and +he requested us to go and look at it. The next day he renewed the +proposal, offered us horses and a man to clear the way, and said the +_padre_ would accompany us. I hesitated a little, suggesting that we +might fall in with Indians. But he said, and the priest concurred, that +there was no danger on that score, and we consented to go. We +accordingly went on shore the following morning, and found horses in +readiness for us. Mr. F., the _padre_ and myself, started off, +accompanied by a Spaniard on foot, armed with an axe, to clear away the +obstructions in our path. After leaving the settlement, we plunged into +a thick wood, on low, marshy ground, and followed a blind trail, leading +now over the trunk of a large tree, which our horses leaped with +difficulty, now across a quagmire, which had to be filled with bushes to +furnish a foothold, and again was obstructed by an overhanging tree, or +pendent branch, which arrested our progress till it could be cut away. +In this manner we worked a passage for about a mile, when we emerged +into an upland region free from underbrush. By this time, the thought +recurred that it was rather imprudent travelling unarmed in that +miserable country, infested by savage men and wild beasts; but I was in +for it, and jogged along with dogged resolution. The face of the country +became more uneven as we proceeded, tall trees were numerous, and we +caught an occasional glimpse of snow on the hills. We soon reached a +height at which there was abundance of snow. Our guide strode in +advance, his Spanish axe swung upon his shoulder, calmly whistling a +tune to himself. As we were descending a steep place, my horse suddenly +stopped, and bent his head and legs to the ground,--the saddle slipped +over his head, and his rider instantly found himself about thirty feet +below, his head and hands stuck fast in the snow, and his heels elevated +high in air. A little smart exertion extricated me from my uncomfortable +position. Our guide came to me, uttering maledictions on the stumbling +beast. Clambering with me back to where the horse stood, he beat him +soundly, and again girt the saddle so tightly that I almost feared it +would sever his body. I remonstrated, but he replied that it was a bad +horse, and was playing old tricks. At the bottom of the declivity I +remounted; we travelled through the snow as far as we could ride, then +left our horses and continued our way on foot. The snow was very deep, +in places frozen hard enough to bear our weight. A walk of a mile or +more brought us, with some fatigue, to the coal-mine. But there was such +a depth of snow that we could see only here and there a projection of +coal in the banks of the brook which runs down from the mountains to the +settlement. + +The coal was pronounced by Mr. F. to be of good quality for steamboat +use. Some pieces which we brought down with us burned very freely, and +emitted great heat. Mr. F. thought it a great discovery, and had an +inclination to apply to the Chilian government for permission to work +the mine. The Buenos Ayrean government, also, I was informed, laid claim +to this desolate country. Forest trees, of great size, both of hard and +soft wood, appeared to be abundant; and numerous streams of water are +convenient, which could readily supply water-power sufficient to +manufacture almost any quantity of lumber. A canal might very easily be +dug to the straits, or a railroad might be constructed, so as to take +the coal, with little trouble, from the mine to the colony. The _padre_ +said that an English company, some time ago, started to explore this +mine, but, on account of the great depth of snow, gave up the enterprise +without inspection. + +We returned to the settlement before night, and went to the young +officer's house, where we were bountifully supplied with refreshments, +and had a very pleasant, sociable interview, into which the priest +entered with due spirit, in respect both to the physical and mental +refreshments. Returned to the vessel at dusk. The next morning we +landed some goods, and traded with the people. The principal articles +purchased were cougar-skins, guanaco-skins, and a few ostrich-skins, +sewed together in the form of a cape, the long feathers being extracted, +leaving a soft, downy surface. The governor asked permission, which the +captain readily granted, for some of the women to visit the vessel and +trade on board; and in the afternoon half a dozen or more of them +visited us, viewed the vessel, purchased such articles as they wanted, +and were then set on shore. We spent here a day or two more very +agreeably, trading with the convicts and gunning in the vicinity of the +settlement. We had a little sport in trying to capture some sea-lions +that were gambolling around the vessel, but were unsuccessful. We saw +the skin of one that had been captured by one of the convicts; it was +black, covered with a thick coat of coarse hair, or rather bristles. In +size they were about equal to the common bull-dog. They rise every now +and then to the surface of the water, to blow, like a porpoise. We bade +the governor, the young officer and the _padre_, an affectionate +farewell. Their kindness and courtesy had made our visit so agreeable +that we were almost sorry to leave them. Not long after our departure, +we were shocked to learn that they had met with a sudden and cruel fate. +The convicts mutinied, and rose upon the officers. The governor and the +priest succeeded in reaching the opposite shore, where they remained +three days without food. They decided to return to the settlement, and +abide the consequences, whatever they might be. The convicts bound them +hand and foot, roasted them alive, burned their bones, and danced over +their ashes! We had parted from them expecting never again to see their +faces, but had loved to think of them as still inhabiting that bleak +shore, turning it, by the magic of their cheerful temper, into a +pleasant garden, and warming it in the glow of their kindly hearts. +Their end was in such fearful contrast to their lives, and did such +violence to our remembrance of their virtues, that the tidings affected +us with a sense of personal loss, and made that lonely spot at once +among the happiest and the saddest of my experience. + + + + +CHAPTER XI. + + Port Famine--St. Nicholas' Bay, and its inscriptions--Politeness of + the Indians declined--Difficulty of navigating the straits--A + post-bag in a bottle--An English steamer, and its humane + errand--Exertions of the British government to rescue prisoners in + Patagonia--American schooner--Celebration of our safe passage + through the straits--Juan Fernandez--News from home--A chapter of + accidents--A trip to Lima--Almost an adventure--Arrival at San + Francisco--Journey to the mines--A happy meeting. + + +Our next stopping-place was Port Famine. We were visited, the first +evening after we anchored, by the acting governor of the colony and +their Irish doctor. The captain and myself went on shore the next day, +and made a very agreeable visit to the officers, who treated us with +much politeness. We spent two or three days here. We next cast anchor in +Saint Nicholas' Bay, a beautiful harbor. Going on shore, we observed the +names of a number of vessels that had preceded us through the straits +carved upon trees, with the dates of the several inscriptions; we added +our own to the catalogue. There were some deserted bush-huts, probably +of Terra-del-Fuegans, who frequently cross over the straits in their +canoes, when fishing. A small, shallow stream, of much beauty, flows +into the harbor; we rowed up it for some distance, gunning on the +banks. From this point, several ineffectual attempts were made to +advance; but we were driven back as soon as we cleared Cape Froward, and +obliged to retreat to our anchorage. Our vessel was flat, and could not +hold on before a stiff breeze, but was inclined, like a crab, to move +sideways. The wind having subsided, we made sail late in the afternoon, +succeeded in doubling Cape Froward, and dropped anchor in Snug Bay; but, +not being pleased with our position, weighed anchor, and continued our +course to Fortescue Bay. In passing Cape Holland we saw a large company +of Indians. They paraded on the shore with dingy flags flying, and waved +skins in the air to invite our approach; but we kept on our way without +noticing them; anchored, the next afternoon, in Port Gallant,--a fine +harbor, sheltered from all winds. We observed the wreck of some large +vessel, and conjectured that it might be that of a French bark of which +we were told at Port Famine, which was run ashore and plundered by the +Indians, who murdered the crew. We were advised to keep a sharp look-out +for Indians here, which we failed not to do; but none made their +appearance. As we beat up Crooked Beach, and passed the end of Carlos +III. Islands, we discovered a white flag flying on the Terra-del-Fuegan +shore. Thinking it might be the signal of some white people who had been +shipwrecked, we stood over into the opposite channel, near enough to see +Indians and their canoes on the beach, ready to pay us a visit. We hove +about, having no desire to make their acquaintance, and anchored, +towards night, in the beautiful Borga Bay, opposite. + +The most difficult and dangerous feature of navigation in the straits is +the encountering of sudden and violent squalls, which strike the vessel +without the least warning, and are frequently enough to wreck her in a +few minutes even in the hands of the most experienced seamen. We found +on shore inscriptions of California-bound vessels, as before. On a +branch of a tree overhanging a little stream, we found a bottle +suspended, containing papers. This was taken on board, and its contents +examined. Three or four vessels, passing through the straits, had left +memoranda of their experience,--such as snow-storms, loss of spars, +anchors, chains, &c. Captain Morton wrote a humorous account of our +voyage, to deposit in this repository of curiosities; and I added a +contribution, narrating my capture by the Indians and escape, with a +request that, if it should fall into hands bound for the United States +or England, it might be published. I little thought that it would bear +to my anxious friends the first intelligence of my safety. I left +letters at Sea-Lion Island, to be forwarded by the first opportunity, +which failed to reach their destination; but this, bottled and suspended +from a tree in the wilderness, first fell into the hands of an Indian, +who sold it to some passing trader, by whom the soiled writing was +deciphered, and kindly forwarded to Smith's News-room, in Boston, and +was published in the "Boston Atlas." + +Our progress was slow, both wind and tide being against us; a strong +current set constantly to the eastward. At Swallow Harbor, where we next +anchored, we were completely sheltered from the winds, except that which +came down from the lofty mountains, called by the sailors "willewaws." +The scenery around is exceedingly wild. There was a beautiful waterfall +on the mountain side, the stream probably fed by melting snow. We +stopped at many harbors as we passed along, most of them quite secure +when entered, but difficult of access. Half-port Bay, at which we +touched, is very properly named. It is but a slight indentation in the +land, and has a bottom affording very poor holding-ground, covered with +kelp; besides, it is very imperfectly sheltered from the wind. While +lying here we had a severe gale from the westward, which produced +considerable "chop." Our vessel dragged her anchors, in consequence of +their becoming foul with kelp. However, by dropping our kedge-anchor, +and loading the chains, we succeeded in arresting our motion before +striking the rocks. We had a narrow escape. + +At Cape Monday, having cast anchor, we discovered, towards night, a +steamer on the Patagonian side, bound westward. Our colors were set, as +there were indications of a dark and stormy night, and the steamer +turned about and steered for our harbor. This was a pleasant +circumstance, as the captain meant, if possible, to get towed through +the straits. The vessel anchored near us, and proved to be the Fire Fly, +Captain Smith master, built for an English gentleman residing in +Talchuana, and now bound to Valparaiso. Captain Smith had his daughter +with him, and half a dozen passengers. We visited them, and were very +civilly received, invited into the cabin, and introduced to the young +lady. On hearing my name, she observed that they found at Borga Bay a +paper in a bottle, describing the captivity of a person bearing the same +name in Patagonia, with an account of his escape. Captain Morton +informed her that I was the writer of that document. "Is it possible?" +she exclaimed; "then you are the hero of those adventures!" "I certainly +am the unfortunate person there described," I replied, "though wholly +undeserving the name of hero." She expressed, as did all the passengers, +much sympathy, and asked many questions in regard to the treatment +received and the life led during my captivity. + +Captain Smith suggested that I might be able to give him some +information in regard to two Englishmen who had been captured by the +savages. He had orders from the Board of Admiralty to make search at any +places at which he might touch on the Patagonian coast, and endeavor to +learn something of their fate. I told him that I knew something of +certain English prisoners in that country, and proceeded to relate what +I had learned from the Indians of the murder of Captain Eaton, and the +capture and subsequent murder of Messrs. Sims and Douglass; giving the +names of the vessel and the prisoners from information communicated by +Mr. Hall. Captain Smith produced his letter of instructions, and the +names and circumstances perfectly coincided, except that the +instructions described the Avon as a ship, while she was styled by Mr. +Hall as a brig; an immaterial variation, as all classes of vessels often +pass under the general designation of "ships." My deposition of the +facts was written out by two of the passengers, and, having been read to +me, I signed it, for transmission to England. The English government, +Captain Smith said, had been at great pains and expense to obtain +information of those unfortunate young men, who belonged to highly +respectable families in England, and to facilitate their escape. Boats +had been sent out and buried in the sand, and a great number of +handkerchiefs had been printed, containing particular statements of the +situation of the buried boats; these had been distributed to vessels +bound near the Patagonian coast, to be thrown ashore, in the hope that +they might be picked up by Indians, and thus convey the desired +information to the prisoners, if they were living. In hearing what the +British government had done for its unfortunate subjects, I indulged in +some bitter remarks on the supposed neglect of our government in respect +to my fate, in leaving me (as I presumed to think) to perish among +cannibals, without making any effort to learn my fate, or to rescue me +from destruction; remarks of which I had abundant cause to be ashamed, +when I learned what had been actually attempted in my behalf. + +We could effect no arrangement to be towed by the steamer, as the +captain said his stock of fuel was too small to warrant running the risk +of being retarded; besides, in case of accident, it would affect his +insurance. We spent part of the evening on board the steamer; very soon +after returning to our ship, a boat, containing two or three of the +passengers, drew up alongside, and a package was put into my hands +containing ten dollars, and a letter, signed by the captain and +passengers, requesting my acceptance of the gift, as a slight token of +their regard and sympathy. While returning my hearty thanks for such a +demonstration of kindness to a stranger, I begged to decline the money; +but they urged its acceptance, and I reluctantly gratified their wishes. + +All the next day we beat along, till we found anchorage at Round Island +for the night. On nearing the harbor, a mast was observed on the rocks, +lying partly out of the water. I took the boat, early the next morning, +to ascertain if it was attached to a wreck; but found that it was +loose, and must have drifted there. I knocked off the iron band and +cross-trees from the mast-head, and brought them on board our vessel. At +Tamer Harbor, our next port, we noticed the wreck of a new vessel, lying +well up on the shore, her bottom badly shattered by the rocks on which +she had been driven, and both masts gone; it proved to be the "John A. +Sutter," of Rhode Island. On the opposite shore were parts of +iron-mills, and other machinery, probably designed for use in +California. The shore was strewed with trunks and chests, from the +wreck; she had been stripped of everything valuable. The cabin on deck +had been cut, and partially burned, by those touching at the harbor. We +fished up a bundle of steel rods from the hold, which was partly filled +with sand and water. The vessel had been wrecked, as we afterwards +ascertained, in a thick fog, on one of the little islands off the +western mouth of the straits, and drifted back to the harbor, where we +found her. While we were here, the schooner Julius Pringle, of New +London, bound to California, came in and anchored. The next day a fine +wind bore us to Mercy Harbor, the last anchorage in the Straits of +Magellan. The harbor is a good one; and we determined not to leave it +till we had a good wind, that would take us well out, far enough to +clear the islands lying off the north side. We remained several days +waiting for a south-westerly wind, during which delay a pilot-boat, +bound for the golden country, came up with us. Our time here was spent +very agreeably; our passage through the straits had consumed fifty-one +days, and had been effected without accident, though we had witnessed +repeated tokens of disaster to some of our predecessors. By way of +celebrating our success, we got up a "clam-bake," _minus_ the clams, in +lieu of which we collected and roasted a quantity of muscles, by burying +them in the earth, and applying hot stones; they proved excellent +eating, and we had "a good time." + +Our mate, who was a sensible young man, of good education, had two +foibles; he was a decided grumbler, and, in his conviviality, he was a +little _too_ far from total abstinence. He had a particular dislike of a +dog on board, purchased at Sandy Point,--a thievish rascal, that always +had his nose in anything that was dirty; even the tar and slush-buckets +did not escape his attentions. On the evening of the clam-bake, the mate +was a little exhilarated; and, having pulled off his pea-jacket +preparatory to "turning in" for the night, he seized Bose, mistaking him +for the jacket he had just dropped, and threw him into his berth. The +dog was not at all displeased with such comfortable quarters, and lay +down very nicely with his unexpected bed-fellow. I observed the mate, +the next morning, sitting near his berth, yawning; his eyes presently +rested on the detested Bose; his feet were in quick motion, and an +unceremonious kick turned the dog out as suddenly as he had been turned +in. The incident afforded us a hearty laugh at the mate's expense, who +became, for the rest of the voyage, a decided temperance man. + +Tired of our detention, we put off in unfavorable weather; the Pringle +and the pilot-boat (whose name I have forgotten) getting out with us, +but we found it expedient to retreat to our anchorage. A gale soon +followed, which prolonged our stay; when its fury was past, we got out +and proceeded northward, for Callao. In passing the port of Juan +Fernandez, we saw a whaling-ship just putting out to sea; we had +designed to stop here for some supplies, but concluded that we could +better obtain them at Callao, and held on our course. In our way to +Callao we spoke the bark Sarah, Captain Morse, from New Bedford, bound +to California with a company of sixty members, of which Captain Morse +was president. Our captain told them that he had on board a man from New +Bedford,--Captain Bourne,--escaped from captivity among the Indians. +Captain Morse replied that he recollected the sloop of war Vandalia was +sent down to the straits in search of him. Presently a crowd of persons +surrounded the captain of the Sarah, who appeared to be talking +earnestly; the bark was soon hove to, and several gentlemen from New +Bedford came to us in a boat. They seemed overjoyed to find me alive and +well, and made numerous inquiries about my captivity and rescue. They +informed me that the Vandalia was despatched by our government to my +relief, with orders to punish my captors, if expedient and practicable. +From them, also, I gained the first information concerning my ship and +shipmates; it seemed that the vessel, with the Hebe and the J. B. Gager, +lost their chains and anchors in the straits, and dragged out to sea. +The John Allyne, after steering two or three days for Montevideo, to +repair and obtain supplies, ascertained that they had water enough +aboard to carry them around Cape Horn, the only practicable course, as, +without chains and anchors, it was impossible to enter the straits. With +the concurrence of all on board, it was decided to attempt the passage +round the cape as they were. They encountered a gale off the Horn; and, +while lying to, the vessel was knocked on her beam ends. The second +mate, Mr. F. Crapo, of New Bedford, was washed overboard, and lost; +others were badly bruised, some narrowly escaping the doom of the mate. +The cabin partly filled with water; but the schooner righted, with the +loss of spars, sails, bulwarks, caboose, and stanchions. She finally +weathered the gale, and arrived at Valparaiso, forty-one days after I +was left in Patagonia. Here the vessel was repaired, at great cost, and +proceeded safely to California. After the relation of this chapter of +accidents, I gave them a brief narrative of my adventures among the +Patagonians; they returned towards night to their ship. The wind was +light, and in the morning we were still near each other; several of the +passengers came to us in a boat, bringing with them a quantity of +American newspapers. I found in them notices of the disasters that +befell my vessel, and the particulars of my capture. The papers were +lent to me until we should meet at Callao,--a great favor; their +contents were devoured with a high relish, as they were the first +American papers I had seen since my capture. Both vessels arrived +safely, on the third day afterwards, at Callao. + +In the evening after our arrival, I went with the captain and Mr. F. on +board the Sarah, and spent an hour very agreeably. The passengers had +agreed to take the diligence next morning, and visit the city of Lima, +six miles distant, and they invited us to join them. Mr. F. assented, +but I declined, preferring, on the whole, to remain on shipboard. The +party were on shore betimes the next morning, except Mr. F., who +consumed so much time in urging me to go with them, in which Captain +Morton joined, that he said the company must have got off; and, unless I +would accompany him on horseback, he would have to bear me company in +the ship; so, rather than disappoint him, though caring but little +personally for the jaunt, I yielded. We went ashore immediately, +procured horses, and, having found our friends, rambled over the city, +viewing the numerous public buildings by which it is adorned. We were +continually beset by shrivelled, cadaverous beggars; they posted +themselves at every corner, and besought us, by the Blessed Virgin, to +give them alms. The day passed, on the whole, so pleasantly, and there +remained so many objects of interest unvisited, we rather regretted that +it was not longer. The diligence drove up to the hotel towards evening, +to take our friends to the port; we started for our horses, intending to +overtake and accompany them in their drive, but missed our way. Some +time elapsed before we found ourselves at the gate of the city, opening +on the beautiful public road to Callao. As we passed out, we drew up at +a respectable-looking ranche; two young Spaniards appeared to be the +only occupants. With some little delay, during which one of the two +stepped out at a back door, we procured cigars, lighted them, and were +moving towards the entrance. Whilst I was paying for them, my companion +got the start of me. As I was placing my foot in the stirrup, twenty or +thirty mounted horsemen dashed through the gateway, up to the house. +They were armed to the teeth; their holsters stuck full of pistols, and +I could see shining blades protruding through their garments. They had a +desperate, lawless look, unlike that of soldiers or civil officers, and +it seemed to me they were no better than they should be. I thought of +the delay in giving us our cigars, and it struck me that one of the +troop strongly resembled the fellow who stepped out so quietly on our +entrance. I sprang into the saddle and gave my horse two or three smart +raps, under the stimulus of which he cleared the causeway between the +sidewalk and the road at a single bound, and speedily overtook my +companion. He had caught a glimpse of the armed cavalcade, and we urged +our horses at full speed for about a mile, without looking back. On +turning, nothing was seen but a long streak of dust. We then compared +notes touching the armed men, and agreed that we were best off at a +distance from them. We made the best of our way to Callao, which we +reached a little after dark, and found the captain delighted at our safe +return, as he had feared some accident, having heard since morning of +several robberies lately committed on that road. He had been told that a +perfect understanding existed between the robbers and the people of +Callao, who gave daily intelligence of persons leaving the port for the +city; and that even officers of the government were suspected of +conniving at these outrages, if not actually in league with the +banditti. As yet, all attempts to ferret them out and break up their +combination had failed. Our description of the party we encountered so +far agreed with the statements of American residents at Callao, that we +were congratulated, and felt disposed to congratulate ourselves, on our +safe journey. Neither of us was burdened with _plata_, and we had no +more effective weapons than our jack-knives. + +As a national vessel had been ordered to the coast of Patagonia for my +relief, I thought it my duty to report myself the next day to the +American consul, who was much interested by the recital of my +experience. The brig Ann and Julia, Captain McAlister, of New Orleans, +came into port a day or two after. Captain McAlister said that the +Vandalia came into Rio Janeiro while he was there, shipped more men, and +sailed southward in great haste. + +Having obtained wood and water and other necessary supplies, we put out +to sea once more. I must not omit to record the kindness shown, and the +still greater kindness tendered me, by the captain of the Sarah, and all +the members of the company. They offered me a free passage and any +assistance I might need on arrival in California; but the generosity of +Captain Morton had supplied all present needs, and, with all gratitude +for their proffered aid, I was not willing to tax their bounty in +advance. We stood well to the westward before crossing the line, as only +light winds can be expected before reaching from five to seven degrees +of north or south latitude, when the trade-winds set in. We had a +passage of thirty-seven days from Callao to San Francisco, which was in +very good time, considering the sailing qualities of our vessel. We +anchored in the beautiful harbor, February 19, 1850, one year and seven +days from the date of my leaving New Bedford. + +Any description of San Francisco would be altogether superfluous, as her +streets, even, are familiar in the states as household words. I found, +upon going ashore, letters from those most dear to me, which had long +awaited my arrival; also one from a brother then in California. He +stated that immediately on hearing of my misfortunes he started for San +Francisco to see Commodore Jones, then on that station, and endeavor to +induce him to make an effort for my release. On making his business +known, the gallant commodore informed him that he had already heard of +it, and had despatched the sloop-of-war Levant for my rescue, in the +full confidence that the enterprise would be successful. When I was +telling the Indian council that flourishing story of my consequence at +home, and of the big ships and little ships, the big guns and little +guns, that were at my command, ready to avenge any mischief they might +do me, I little thought how literally the action of our government, and +the spontaneous kindness of Commodore Jones, were verifying my words. +The sympathy manifested in my behalf by the gallant commodore deserves +more than this passing notice. My brother also left a deposit of funds +against my arrival, if it ever occurred, of the probability of which he +was in some doubt; also his address, and that of another brother, who +was then at the mines. I could learn but little as to the fate of my +vessel, or of my effects on board, except that she had duly arrived +there, and, after much disagreement and dispute among the company, had +been sold for a trifle above the costs of repair on the passage. This +operation, I thought, savored little of Yankee shrewdness; since we +arrived at a later date, with a vessel of about the same size, age and +value, at a time when shipping was in less demand, and sold her for +nearly three times the amount. I was happy to meet many acquaintances, +who gave me a hearty welcome, and showed me kindness I can never forget. + +The schooner J. Pringle, from which we parted on issuing from the +Straits of Magellan, arrived in port very soon after us, having touched +at Valparaiso. Her captain said that he found the sloop-of-war Vandalia +at Valparaiso, to obtain chains and an anchor, as she had lost one +anchor and one hundred and thirty fathoms of chain in Possession Bay, +and was obliged to double Cape Horn. She was to sail again for Patagonia +as soon as the damages were repaired, entering the western mouth of the +straits. Captain B. reported my escape, and that I was safe on board the +Hopewell, for California, informing the officers that he parted company +with me at Mercy Harbor--intelligence that was received with +demonstrations of lively pleasure. + +Being unable to obtain any information of my personal effects, left on +the John Allyne, I left this mushroom city on the third day after my +arrival, and took passage in the steamer Senator for Sacramento, at the +moderate fare of _twenty-five dollars_ for a passage of a few hours' +duration. I found this city of rag houses full of the indications of its +recent and rapid settlement. The streets abounded in mud, a foot or more +in depth. Here I recovered my chest, but the trunks containing my +clothing were missing. Our company, it appeared, had broken up, and its +members were dispersed hither and thither in the mines, every man for +himself. My brothers, as near as I could ascertain, were seventy miles +distant, possibly removed to the Middle Fork of the American river, and +I decided to start on foot. Accordingly, having purchased, at enormous +prices, a pair of red flannel blankets, thick boots, a rifle and +revolver, and other necessary equipments, I set out for the mines the +next morning, in company with two or three persons from the States. The +road was exceedingly muddy, but materially improved after passing +Sutter's Fort. We had travelled ten miles, when I found that my feet +were so badly blistered that I could proceed no further, and advised my +companions to go on without me. My feet were in fact almost completely +skinned. After resting at a public-house till the next morning, and +encasing my sore feet in a pair of poor, thin shoes, I pursued my +journey. I made very slow progress. An ox-team overtook me, the owner of +which kept a house, or, more properly speaking, a booth, for boarding +and lodging miners, five or six miles ahead. He kindly offered me a +ride, which I gladly accepted, and lodged with him for the night. + +My journey the next day was less fatiguing; on the day following I +arrived at Georgetown, where I found that my brothers had built them a +house and spent the winter, but had now left the place, and removed to +the Middle Fork. The distance was twenty miles by one route and fifteen +by another. The longest road was considered the best, and I followed it, +lodging at night in a low grog-shop, denominated an inn. A snow-storm +detained me here during the next forenoon. By noon it appeared to have +cleared up, and I resumed my march, but had not gone more than a mile +before it began snowing again, as fast as before; yet I was resolved not +to turn back. The snow, however, fell so fast, and with increasing +violence, and the road was so wretched, that this resolution was +somewhat shaken. The way led through a forest of lofty pines, the land +broken by deep _gulches_ and high hills. As I trudged along through the +deep snow, my attention was suddenly attracted to a clump of bushes by +the wayside, that appeared to wave to and fro, as if agitated by +something more than wind. I felt for my knife and pistol, to make sure +they were where they could be made immediately available, placed my hand +on the lock of my rifle, and awaited in silence the approach of my +unseen visitor. Presently a pair of large, glistening eyes glared at me +through an opening in the bushes. Nothing else was discernible; the +form, and even the head, of the animal to whom these fierce optics +appertained, could not be made out. But their gaze was fixed steadily +upon me, and I returned it with equal steadiness, if not equal +brilliancy and effect, without once changing my position. I had heard of +looking wild animals out of countenance, and determined to try the +experiment, before resorting to any other decisive measures. After +gazing fixedly at the mysterious occupant of the thicket for a few +minutes, he turned and walked leisurely away, giving me only an +imperfect view of his figure. So far as I could distinguish the shape, +it appeared to be a grisly bear, though not of the largest size. I was +glad to get rid of so ugly a customer on such easy terms, and went on my +way rejoicing, though it was a weary and desolate one. + +Being very much fatigued, I halted at the foot of a large oak-tree, as +the shades of evening were closing around me, with the design of +climbing it, and spending the night as comfortably as I could in its +branches,--the lodging that I had anticipated might be the only +available one. But, after a few minutes' rest, I roused my flagging +energies and concluded to feel--for I could not see--my way a little +further, before _roosting_ for the night. The darkness of the night, +deepened by the storm, hid the path so effectually, that the Yankee +faculty of _guessing_ was called into abundant exercise. I trudged +along, however, with dogged determination, which was very soon rewarded. +Half a mile had scarcely been passed, when a bright light greeted me, +issuing from a tent. Walking up to it, I found it occupied by three men, +emigrants from the vicinity of my native place. They cordially welcomed +and hospitably entertained me, on learning who I was, and promised me +every assistance in their power. + +The next morning I set out again, and reached the river. I was at no +loss to designate the spot where my brothers were likely to be found, +but a formidable barrier interposed: a rapid and swollen stream +separated us, just as we were almost within speaking distance. I walked +along the shore to find a log or some wood with which to construct a +float; nothing could be found. It was a grievous disappointment; my evil +star, I thought, had not yet waned. At the opposite shore, fastened to +the branch of a tree, lay a snug little raft, as if in mockery. I must +spend the night, it seemed, on the river banks, without food or shelter, +and within sight of my friends. Just before night I was fortunate enough +to descry a man on the further shore, who appeared to be on the look-out +for some one, and hailed him. He answered, and forthwith took me over. I +was soon in the presence of my two brothers, neither of whom at first +recognized me. It was a happy meeting, and on their part wholly +unexpected, as they had given me up for lost. After many congratulations +and innumerable questions, rapidly interchanged, I mentioned the +difficulty I had in making the last stage of the journey to them,--the +passage of the river. They said that they were on the look-out that +evening for one of their number: otherwise, I might have staid there a +week without attracting the attention of anybody. They congratulated me +on my ill success in searching for a log, or the materials to construct +a float. The attempt to cross would have been extremely hazardous, and +very likely fatal. The river was full of rapids, eccentric currents, and +other perils, making it at all times difficult to cross, with the best +facilities that could be commanded. Of all this I had ample confirmation +in no long time after. Two men started to paddle themselves over in a +canoe at the same place. Before they reached the opposite shore, their +canoe was borne down the stream into the rapids, and dashed to pieces +against the rocks. One of them was drowned; the other caught the top of +a small tree just before reaching the rapids. By collecting all the +ropes and lines we could find, attaching a stone to one end and throwing +it within his reach, the means of rescue, after several trials, were put +into his power. Such was the roar of the waters we could not speak in +tones audible by him, but made signs to him to secure the rope about his +body, and he was drawn to the shore in safety. A similar accident +afterwards happened to one of my brothers, in attempting to cross with +another man upon a raft. The swift current drifted them within the power +of the rapids, and it was only by the greatest exertions that they +escaped the boiling abyss below. + + + + +CHAPTER XII. + + A gigantic speculation, with a dwarfish result--Perils of + waters--Sickness and bereavement--Growth of Sacramento and San + Francisco--Voyage homeward--Imposition on + shipboard--Panama--Havana--Home--Concluding + observations--Practicability of Christian missions in Patagonia + considered. + + +On my arrival at the mines, I found my brothers engaged in a company of +twenty men, organized for the purpose of tunnelling a mountain ridge, +and digging a raceway at its base, with a view to dam the river and turn +it through the tunnel. By this means the bed of the river, for a mile or +more, would be laid bare, and gold in great profusion, it was believed, +would be discovered. Nineteen of the members were on the ground; the +twentieth was unable to come; and, though there were several applicants +for the vacancy, I was chosen to fill it. We commenced operations in +about a week. It may give a clearer idea of the magnitude of the work, +to state that an excavation, twelve feet wide by seven deep, was made, +by blasting through rock (slate and granite) a distance of over a +hundred feet. The race was nearly half a mile in length; the prices paid +for every article of food were enormous. Before turning the river, we +let out the expected field of gold to be worked by seven hundred men, +who were to give us one-half of the produce; there was great +expectation. The work was the greatest of this nature that had yet been +undertaken in California; we had worked hard through a whole season, and +brought it to a successful completion, without any fatal accident, +though several dangerous circumstances had threatened to retard its +progress. Everything being prepared, the dam was closed, the river +rose,--pressed, as if angrily, against the new barrier that opposed its +wonted flow,--and then sullenly explored the novel course that solicited +its waters. The dry channel was eagerly attacked; but, alas for human +hopes! it proved to be anything but rich; in fact, it was less favorable +for working than the average, and the diggers abandoned the spot, +leaving the company chagrined, and greatly disheartened at their +fruitless conclusion. + +I came very near being delivered from this disappointment, and from all +other earthly cares,--those of authorship included,--by a hasty trip +into the rapids. During the intervals of our work, a young man of the +company undertook with me to construct a canoe, and establish a ferry +for passengers across the river. Our skiff, on its completion, was +carried by all hands to the river bank, and committed to the stream, +with all the ceremonies customary on the launching of larger craft. A +successful adventure was made, the next day, with one passenger. On the +following day six miners applied for passage; I took half of them on +board, with their picks, pans and shovels, and started with them. We had +approached within ten feet of the opposite bank, when a counter-current +suddenly struck us, whirled the head of the boat from the direction of +the shore, and, in spite of the utmost exertion, carried us into the +stream, and almost over the rapids. By a successful manoeuvre we +turned her head up stream, and paddled moderately till we had passed the +dangerous spot. At length, after a great struggle with imminent danger, +in the midst of which the passengers were praying and crying for mercy +and help, we reached some trees, standing in the swollen stream. By +taking hold of one of the branches the boat was brought to, but with +such violence as to dash in her side; we sprang safely into the trees as +soon as the boat struck. Our friends on shore cut poles, and extended +them to us, by help of which we were soon on terra firma. Our boat +rolled over, and sunk. An attack of dysentery soon after interrupted my +work, but not for a great length of time. + +After the failure of our river speculation, I spent some time +"prospecting" for a desirable "digging." Before one was discovered that +offered much inducement, I was again prostrated by illness, during which +my brothers joined me, with the mournful intelligence that my little son +was no more! These heavy tidings, at such a time, proved almost too much +for an enfeebled body and anxious mind; it was the thought of my little +family that nerved my spirit against despair, in the darkest hours of +captivity. A blow _there_ turned my strength into weakness, and my +weakness well-nigh into absolute helplessness. + +It would be too far from the purpose of this volume to solicit the +reader's company through all my wanderings for a year and a half in this +wonderful country, to which so many high hopes are carried, and from +which so many sad disappointments are daily borne. It is enough to say +that I had six successive attacks of sickness, the last the most severe +of all; I was brought to death's door, and had little hope of seeing +home again. After a month's illness, my medical attendant advised a +return to the States, as soon as I could bear the exercise of riding. At +the earliest day prudence would allow, I was carried, with all +practicable care, to Sacramento, a city I had not seen since I passed +through it a year and a half before. Its appearance was greatly improved +in every respect. With the increased supply of necessaries and +conveniences, the fabulous prices of eighteen months before had given +place to more sober, authentic, and matter-of-fact demands; steamboat +fare had fallen from twenty-five dollars to one, and the crowding and +shouting of runners compared with the most active scenes of the kind to +be witnessed in New York or Albany. We arrived at San Francisco during +the night; as the day dawned, and the mist that covered the town was +lifted, the spectacle that met the view was like enchantment; a compact +and well-built city had risen, its beautiful harbor lined with extensive +wharves, spacious warehouses, and elegant dwellings, fronting upon broad +streets, and all appliances of business and pleasure offering themselves +in profusion. + +I walked to the nearest hotel, as I was too feeble to go a hundred +yards. The friend who accompanied me, and took upon himself all care of +the voyage in respect to both of us, found that the steamers were +crowded to the utmost, and engaged passage in a bark for San Juan del +Sud, or Panama. We examined the printed bill of fare, and thought it +would be very satisfactory, if its promises were fulfilled. I noticed, +however, that the potatoes on board were of bad quality, and suggested +the propriety of raising a committee of passengers to investigate the +stores; but the motion was overruled as unnecessary. + +We put to sea with about a hundred and thirty passengers, many of whom +suffered severely from sea-sickness. These improved in a few days, and +began to feel like eating; but, to their consternation, instead of +wholesome provisions and fresh water, nothing was to be had but spoiled +meat, and water that was unfit to drink, having been put up in old +beer-casks and become tainted,--and a short allowance of that. We were +stinted to three pints a day each for drinking and culinary purposes. +The only wholesome and eatable articles of food were pork, bread and +dried apples. Tea and coffee were too wretched to be used. Those +wiseacres who had so summarily declined any examination of the +provisions before starting now came to me with very long faces, +confessing their error when it was too late to be remedied. For +forty-eight days they languished on this miserable fare. There were many +quarrels and contentions on board, growing out of these difficulties, +and some cases of sickness. We buried two men at sea and one the day +after our arrival in port; and the whole company, in fact, were little +better than skeletons when they reached San Juan. As to myself, my +appetite craved but little food, and the sea air agreed so well with me +that I had almost recovered on arrival there. + +We mounted mules on the following day, and crossed to Lake Nicaragua, +which we reached just too late for the steamer. Some of the company went +up the lake and procured small sail to take them across, but I decided +to remain till the arrival of another regular steamer from San +Francisco. This detained us two weeks, when we proceeded to Georgetown, +on the Atlantic shore, and took passage on board the steamer Daniel +Webster, for New York, _via_ Havana. As we passed out of the harbor a +salute was fired for the United States steamer Saranac, then visiting +that port to investigate the affair of the British brig Express firing +into one of our steamers a short time before, on account of a refusal to +pay certain port charges. When fairly outside the bar, the tables were +set, and the hungry passengers had begun fortifying their stomachs with +eager emulation, when I perceived a commotion among the officers and men +betokening something wrong. Presently the head pump was working lively, +and the men appeared, running with buckets of water. To the questions +rained upon them they made no reply, but hastened along in silence. The +boat had taken fire, but it was promptly extinguished before many of the +passengers suspected it. + +On arrival at Havana we anchored, after dark, under the walls of the +fort, and our fires were allowed to go out. During the night a breeze +sprung up, producing a swell in the harbor, which rendered our position +a dangerous one, as there was not room for the boat to swing around +clear of the rocks. The passengers all felt extremely anxious for their +safety; but the fires were renewed, sufficient steam was soon generated +to work the ponderous engine, the steamer swung slowly and safely +around, and we were safe. The Spanish guard-boats ordered us back to our +first anchorage, but the captain replied that he was master of the +vessel and should put her in a place of safety. + +The next morning we took in coal and started for New York. I was seized, +on the following day, for the first time in my life, with chills and +fever, but partially recovered, under care of the ship's physician, +before arriving in port. We made New York without accident, and having +spent two days in the city, the steamer State of Maine bore me to my +home, January 13th, 1852,--after an absence of three years, lacking a +month,--with a heart rising gratefully to God for his many +interpositions in my behalf, to deliver me from the perils of the sea +and the perils of the land. + + * * * * * + +It can scarcely be necessary, for the benefit of any reader who has +followed me through the course of this narrative, to add any remarks on +the hazards of visiting Patagonia, or the consequences likely to ensue +in the event of shipwreck on that desolate coast. The land is dreary, +and it were a sufficient trial of fortitude to be cast away upon it,--to +run the imminent risk of perishing by cold, and hunger and thirst. But +the extremest peril arising from the poverty of the country is +exhilarating, compared with the tender mercies of the people. Rather +than trust to their protection, better hide from the light of day and +gnaw the bark of stunted trees for food, drinking, as I did, from the +briny sea. The dread which has deterred voyagers from entering the +country, or even touching the shore, unless armed to the teeth, offering +articles of traffic with one hand and holding a loaded musket in the +other, is no more than reasonable. I do not know that the country has +ever been explored by civilized man. The officers and men of the +Adventure and Beagle, two ships sent out by the British Admiralty to +survey the Straits of Magellan in the years 1826, 1830, 1832 and 1834, +examined and penetrated the country to a greater extent than any other +voyagers. + +If the other tribes inhabiting the country resemble that with which I +was domesticated, it must be a hazardous enterprise for missionaries to +attempt the propagation of the gospel among them. Even apart from this, +the difficulty of gaining a subsistence there must prove an almost +insuperable obstacle. The barrenness of the soil, and the want of water, +render agriculture a desperate resource, and there is no spontaneous +product of the earth to sustain life. To live like the savages would be +simply impossible to men who have been habituated to the comforts of +civilized life; I could not have survived many months of such hardship. +Provisions would have to be imported; this difficulty seems sufficient +to discourage, if not to prevent, efforts in that direction. When, to +this, we add the cruelty, the duplicity, the treachery and +blood-thirstiness of the people, I am unable to conjecture through what +direct agency they can be reached by the influences of Christianity. +Whether access to them could be gained through their Spanish American +neighbors, or by enticing some of them, when young, into a more +civilized society, and so opening an avenue of peaceable and beneficial +intercourse, it is not easy to conclude, without actual experiment. + +Since returning to this country, these views have been confirmed, by the +narrative recently published of the sad fate of the English missionaries +sent to Patagonia. Captain Gardiner, and three or four Cornish +fishermen, who volunteered for this labor of love, were landed by a +passing vessel somewhere, on the inhospitable coast. So inveterate was +the hostility of the natives, they durst not trust themselves among +them; they were driven, in their covered barges, from place to place; +like their Master, having not, on the land, where to lay their heads. +Arrangements had been made, before leaving England, to have provisions +follow them; thirty-six barrels of provisions, destined for them, were +found some time after, by a government vessel, at the Falkland Islands. +The commander took them on board, and sailed for the place of their +destination; upon their first landing, traces of the unfortunate men +were found; and, on thorough search, directions were discovered to look +for them at another place. They were followed from one stopping-place to +another, till the grave of one of them was found, who had died of +starvation. The survivors were traced to a spot where their boats lay on +the shore, unoccupied; at a little distance off lay their bodies, +unburied, their bones bleaching on the sand. The humane discoverers +buried their remains. On lifting a stone from the mouth of a cave, there +was disclosed a narrative of their sufferings, and of successive deaths, +written by Captain Gardiner; at the date of the last entry he had not +tasted food for four days. In all probability, he shared the fate of his +brethren,--starvation,--and with him closed their melancholy history. A +sad tale! Yet there were days and weeks when I would have gladly +exchanged my lot for wanderings like theirs, upon the desert shore. But +from those horrors I was mercifully delivered; they, in the prosecution +of a sacred and benevolent errand, were cut down by the dispensation of +Him who seeth not as man seeth. + +It may occur to some reader that the deceptions I practised upon the +natives, as frankly narrated, had a tendency to impair their confidence +in white men, and thus to increase the difficulty of reaching them by +Christian influences, and to render the lot of any poor man hereafter +falling into their hands more desperate than it would otherwise be. +Perhaps so; yet the danger does not seem so imminent, when we consider +that they are entire strangers to truth. Probably no Patagonian's +experience or observation could furnish an example of consistent +veracity, and they would not be likely to suspect the existence of such +a virtue in any one. It is apparent, from their behavior in the "last +scene of all" with me, that from first to last they vehemently +mistrusted my statements; and their most likely comment on the report of +the chief must have been, "I told you so." The shock was less than if +they had reposed a more generous confidence. + +The notoriety which was given to my capture by the newspaper press +called forth many expressions of sympathy from persons who knew nothing +of me, except that I was a fellow-being in distress. To all such I +tender my thanks. It is a grateful duty, in parting company with the +reader, to renew the expression of thankful remembrance with which I +recall the benefactors who, under God, rescued and befriended me,--Mr. +Hall, and the noble-hearted captains, who fed and clothed me when hungry +and naked, and conveyed me gratuitously to my destination. Nor can I +forget the prompt action of the Honorable Secretary of the Navy, the +efficient exertions of the officers of the Vandalia, or the generosity +of Commodore Jones. I would also acknowledge, with the liveliest +gratitude, my obligations to the Hon. Daniel Webster,[A] the Hon. R. C. +Winthrop, the Hon. George Evans, of Maine, and to the Hon. Joseph +Grinnell, and the Hon. John H. Clifford, of New Bedford;--all of whom, +when informed of my captivity, volunteered their aid, and made those +representations to the Navy department which resulted in the despatch of +the Vandalia on her humane mission. Nor must I omit to add my thanks to +Mr. Denison, who kindly bore their memorials to Washington, and laid +them before the department. If I acquired nothing more by my +unlooked-for experience, I at least gained a warmer patriotism, and a +profounder sense of the benignant wisdom of Providence. + + [A] Since this was written he has passed beyond the reach of my + thanks; but this fact cannot suppress the utterance of gratitude + which I owe to his august memory. + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Captive in Patagonia, by +Benjamin Franklin Bourne + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE CAPTIVE IN PATAGONIA *** + +***** This file should be named 38408-0.txt or 38408-0.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/3/8/4/0/38408/ + +Produced by Adrian Mastronardi, Paul Fernandez and the +Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net +(This file was produced from images generously made +available by The Internet Archive/American Libraries.) + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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