OVALLE's historical relation of chile. 121 



( 

 their own climate to Porto Bello, or Panama ; nay, the Spaniards born in Chile ven- 

 ture their lives that go to thofe countries that are between the tropics. 



From this experience the Indians have of the hot countries, comes the great reluc- 

 tancy they fhew to go out of their own, and the refentment they exprefs againft thofe 

 who carry or fend them abroad : and it is not to be imagined the ftrange and rafli 

 contrivances they have to make their efcapes from Lima ; for though they have above 

 five hundred leagues to go to their own home from Peru, yet they undertake it, and 

 mofl commonly compafs it, through a vaft number of dangers and inconveniences. 

 For firft, they are forced to go all along by the fea-fide, by which one may guefs 

 how much they go about, fmce they fetch the compafs of all the bays and nooks, 

 and double all the capes. 



The next inconvenience which they meet with, is want of food ; for they dare not 

 enter any town, or inhabited place ; fo they are reduced to feed on cockles and other 

 ihell-fifh on the fea-fide, which is no very good nourifhment. The third difficulty is 

 the paffing of fo many and fuch fwift rivers. 



The fourth inconvenience is the want of water to drink ; for it is not poffible, that 

 in fo great a journey they fliould not fometimes mifs of frefh water to quench their 

 thirfl. All thefe difficulties, and many others, which are obvious to travellers, are 

 overcome by thefe Indians by length of time and patience ; and they get at lafl: to 

 their own country, and are out of flavery, not by the means of gold and filver, but 

 by the bravery of their minds. 



The boldnefs of fome other Indians was yet more remarkable : thefe were carried 

 in a fhip to be fold as flaves at Lima; by a Portuguefe gentleman of the Habit of 

 Chrifl, who was going about things belonging to war, at the time that I went the fame 

 voyage : this navigation is made commonly in fight of the coaft, more or lefs, accord- 

 ing as the winds ferve ; but ftill they keep a good way out at fea, for fear of the rocks. 

 Thefe Indians refolved among themfelves to throw themfelves into the fea, to avoid 

 this flavery ; and one day, when they found the Ihip in a proportionable diftance tO 

 the fliore, fo as they durfl venture to trujfl to their fwimming, they got loofe very 

 dexteroufly from their fetters, and Aid, without being perceived, down by the fhip*s 

 fide into the fea ; and when they miffed them they were out of fight, and fo it was 

 in vain to follow them. Among thefe prifoners there was an old man, who either 

 becaufe he was not trufted by the others, or becaufe they had not the opportunity of 

 acquainting him with the defign, he not being fhut up with them, but having the 

 liberty of the fhip as an old man, remained behind after they were gone. This Indian 

 began to think of the thing, and to weigh with himfelf how his companions had under- 

 taken and performed an extraordinary aftion ; he refleded how they had arrived at 

 their own land, and among their friends, who perhaps were inquiring about him, and 

 that every body defpifed him as a coward, and a man of little fpirit, fmce he had not 

 been able to overcome the adverfe fortune which the others had conquered, but had 

 fubmitted to it : he reprefented to himfelf the welcomes and joys which their friends 

 expreffed, and the fealls and entertainments made for their return, and the embraces 

 and careffes which they received from their relations. All this, I fay, made fuch an 

 impreflion on his mind, and raifed fuch an emulation, that he could not bear the 

 reproaches he made himfelf, particularly feeing himfelf without a remedy. At lafl, 

 after much thought and penfivenefs, he came to a refolution, which was, to do fome- 

 thing which fhould be bolder than what his companions had performed,' and that in the 

 manner of doing it ; for he refolved to do it by day, and in the fight of all the 

 Spaniards ; and for a beginning, he defigned to kill his mafter, not in the night, and 



VOL. xiv. R without 



