278 CHILOE. LChap. xtii. 



November 30th. — Early on Sunday morning we reached Castro, 

 the ancient capital of Chiloe, but now a most forlorn and de- 

 serted place. The usual quadrangular arrangement of Spanish 

 towns could be traced, but the streets and plaza were coated with 

 fine green turf, on which sheep were browsing. The church, 

 which stands in the middle, is entirely built of plank, and has a 

 picturesque and venerable appearance. The poverty of the 

 place may be conceived from the fact, that although containing 

 some hundreds of inhabitants, one of our party was unable any- 

 where to purchase either a pound of sugar or an ordinary knife. 

 No individual possessed either a watch or a clock ; and an old 

 man, who was supposed to have a good idea of time, was em- 

 ployed to strike the church bell by guess. The arrival of our 

 boats was a rare event in this quiet retired corner of the v*orld ; 

 and nearly all the inhabitants came down to the beach to see us 

 pitch our tents. They were very civil, and offered us a house ; 

 and one man even sent us a cask of cider as a present. In the 

 afternoon we paid our respects to the governor — a quiet old man, 

 who, in his appearance and manner of life, was scarcely superior 

 to an English cottager. At night heavy rain set in, which was 

 hardly sufficient to drive away from our tents the large circle of 

 lockers on. An Indian family, who had come to trade in a 

 canoe from Caylen, bivouacked near us. They had no shelter 

 during the rain. In the morning I asked a young Indian, who 

 was wet to the skin, how he had 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 

 ])y 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 



