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to the shore, and were highly delighted on seeing 

 a boat make towards them, on board of which 

 were fifteen persons handsomely clotlied. With- 

 out the least apprehension they immediately 

 leaped on shore, and saluting the Spaniards with 

 much cordiality, inquired who they were, whither 

 they were going, and if they were in want of any 

 thing. The Spaniards asked them for provi- 

 sions : the chief of this friendly people imme- 

 diately ordered all the provisions that were in the 

 boat to be brought, and in the most hospitable 

 manner distributed them among them, refusing 

 to accept any thing in return, and promised to 

 send them a large supply from the circumjacent 

 islands. 



Indeed, scarcely had these famished adven- 

 turers encamped, when there arrived from all 

 quarters piragues loaded with maize, fruit, and 

 fish, which were in like manner distributed to 

 them gratuitously. The Spaniards, constantly 

 regaled by these islanders, coasted the Archipe- 

 lago to the bay of Reloncavi, and some went 

 over to the neighbouring islands, where they 

 found land well cultivated, and women employed 

 in spinning wool, mixed with the feathers pf sea 

 birds, from which they made their clothes. The 

 celebrated poet Ercilia was one of the party, and 

 solicitous of the reputation of having proceeded 

 further south than any other European, he crossed 

 the gulph, and upoathe opposite shore inscribed 



