103 



fcorned to conceal from the reft ; but ge- 

 neroufly diftributed among us. 



A few days after, the my ftery of the nail- 

 ing up of the hut, and what had been doing 

 by the Indians upon the ifland in our ab- 

 fence, was partly explained to us ; for about 

 the 1 5th day after our return, there 

 came a party of Indians to the ifland in 

 two canoes, who were not a little fur- 

 prifed to find us here again. Among 

 thefe, was an Indian of the tribe of the 

 Chonos, who live in the neighbourhood of 

 Chiloe*. He talked the Spanifh lan- 

 guage ; but with that favage accent 

 which renders it almoft unintelligible to 

 any but thofe who are adepts in that 

 language. He was likewife a cacique ? 

 or leading man of his tribe ; which au- 

 thority was confirmed to him by the Spa- 

 niards ; for he carried the ufual badge 



* Chiloe is an ifland on the weftern coaft of America, 

 about the 43d deg. of S. latitude; and the fouthernmoft 

 Settlement under the Spanifn jurifdidtion on that coaft. 



H 4 and 



