lUUE TO CUCAO. o5 



whom we 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 him- 

 self We proceeded to the south, generally follow- 

 ing the coast, and passing through several hamlets, 

 each with its large, bai-n-like chapel built of wood. 

 At Vilipilli, Don Pedro asked the commandant to 

 give us a guide to Cucao. The old gentleman of- 

 fered to come himself; but for a long time nothing 

 would persuade him that two Englishmen really 

 wished to go to svich 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 Indiaiis 

 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 imdulating woody country, 

 partially cultivated, reminded me of the wilder 

 parts of England, and therefore had to my eye a 

 most fascinating aspect. At Vilinco, which is sit- 

 uated on the borders of the lake of Cucao, only 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 exagger- 

 ations, for the phenomenon, as described to us at 

 San Carlos, was quite a prodigy. 



The road to Cucao was so very bad that we de- 

 termined to embai-k in a 'pcriagua. The command- 

 ant, in the most authoritative manner, ordered six 

 Indians to get ready to pull us over, without deign- 

 ing to tell them whether they would be paid. The 



