894 CHILOE. [CHAP. XIV. 



January 2?>rd. — We rose early in the morning, and reached 

 the pretty quiet town of Castro by two o'clock. The old governor 

 had died since our last visit, and a Chileno was acting in his 

 place. We had a letter of introduction to Don Pedro, whom v^ e 

 found exceedingly hospitable and kind, and more disinterested 

 than is usual on this side of the continent. The next day Don 

 Pedro procured us fresh horses, and offered to accompany us 

 himself. We proceeded to the south — generally following the 

 coast, and passing through several hamlets, each with its large 

 barn-like chapel built of wood. At Vilipilli, Don Pedro asked 

 the commandant to give us a guide to Cucao. The old gentle- 

 man offered to come himself; but for a long time nothing would 

 persuade him, that two Englishmen really wished to go to such 

 an out of the way place as Cucao. We were thus accompanied 

 by the two greatest aristocrats in the country, as was plainly to 

 be seen in the manner of all the poorer Indians towards them. 

 At Chonchi we struck across the island, following intricate 

 winding paths, sometimes passing through magnificent forests, 

 and sometimes through pretty cleared spots, abounding with corn 

 and potato crops. This undulating woody country, partially cul- 

 tivated, reminded me of the wilder parts of England, and there- 

 fore had to my eye a most fascinating aspect. At Vilinco, which 

 is situated on the borders of the lake of Cucao, onlv a few fields 

 were cleared ; and all the inhabitants appeared to be Indians. 

 This lake is twelve miles long:, and runs in an east and west 

 direction. From local circumstances, the sea-breeze blows very 

 regularly during the day, and during the night it falls calm : 

 this has given rise to strange exaggerations, for the phenomenon, 

 as described to us at San Carlos, was quite a prodigy. 



The road to Cucao was so veiy bad that we determined to em- 

 bark in a periagua. The commandant, in the most authoritative 

 manner, ordered six Indians to get ready to pull us over, without 

 deigning to tell them whether they would be paid. The periagua 

 is a strange rough boat, but the crew were still stranger ; I doubt 

 if six uglier little men ever got into a boat together. They 

 pulled, however, very well and cheerfully. The stroke-oarsman 

 gabbled Indian, and uttered strange cries, much after the fashion 

 of a pig-driver driving his pigs. We started with a light breeze 

 a^i^ainst us, but yet reached the Capella de Cucao before it was 



