278 BARTER WITH THE NATIVES, [chap. xiii. 



passed the night. He seemed perfectly content, and 

 answered, ** Muy bien, seiior." 



December \st. — We steered for the island of Lemuy. I 

 was anxious to examine a reported coal-mine, which turned 

 out to be lignite of little value, in the sandstone (probably 

 of an ancient tertiary epoch) of which these islands are 

 composed. When we reached Lemuy we had much 

 difficulty in finding any place to pitch our tents, for it was 

 spring-tide, and the land was wooded down to the water's 

 edge. In a short time we were surrounded by a large 

 group of the nearly pure Indian inhabitants. They were 

 much surprised at our arrival, and said one to the other, 

 "This is the reason we have seen so many parrots lately 

 the cheucau (an odd red-breasted little bird, which inhabits 

 the thick forest, and utters very peculiar noises) has not 

 cried 'beware' for nothing." They were soon anxious 

 for barter. Money was scarcely worth anything, but their 

 eagerness for tobacco was something quite extraordinary. 

 After tobacco, indigo came next in value ; then capsicum, 

 old clothes, and gunpowder. The latter article was 

 required for a very innocent purpose : each parish has a 

 public musket, and the gunpowder was wanted for making 

 a noise on their saint or feast days. 



The people here live chiefly on shell-fish and potatoes. 

 At certain seasons they catch also, in "corrales," or hedges 

 under water, many fish which are left on the mud-banks 

 as the tide falls. They occasionally possess fowls, sheep, 

 goats, pigs, horses, and cattle ; the order in which they 

 are here mentioned, expressing their respective numbers. 

 I never saw anything more obliging and humble than the 

 manners of these people. They generally began with 

 stating, that they were poor natives of the place, and not 

 Spaniards, and that they were in sad want of tobacco and 

 other comforts. At Caylen, the most southern island, the 

 sailors bought with a stick of tobacco, of the value ot 

 rfiree-halfpence, two fowls, one of which, the Indian stated, 

 had skin between its toes, and turned out to be a fine 

 duck ; and with some cotton handkerchiefs, worth three 

 shillings, three sheep and a large bunch of onions were 

 procured. The yawl at this place was anchored some way 

 from the shore, and we had fears for her safety from robbers 

 during the night. Our pilot, Mr. Douglas, accordingly told 

 the constable of the district that we always placed sentinels 

 with loaded arms, and not understanding Spanish, if we 



