434 COLCURA — GOBERXADOR — HORSES. June 



which we were obliged to lead our horses, we ascended the 

 heights of Colcura. For our reward, after a muddy scramble 

 up to the top of a steep hill, we looked down upon a fine though 

 but partially wooded country, forming an agreeable succession 

 of valleys and high grounds ; while to seaward there was an 

 extensive view of the coast, with the island of Santa Maria in 

 the distance. 



Perched on a height overlooking the sea, and directly above 

 a very snug little anchorage, is the hamlet called Colcura ; and 

 thither we hastened, inattentive to the complaints of our guide 

 (who was likewise guardian of the horses), and trusting to 

 Vogelborg's recollection of the road. Riding into a sort of field 

 entrenchment at the top of Colcura hill, we were accosted by 

 a sly-looking, sharp-visaged character, whose party-coloured 

 iacket appeared to show that its owner held some office of a 

 military nature, but whether that of ' cabo,"** or a higher, I 

 could not determine vmtil I heard him say he could give 

 us a good meal, and that he had three fine horses near the 

 house ; when at once styling him ' gobernador' I rebuked my- 

 self for liaving thought ill of his physiognomy, and proceeded 

 to unsaddle. Disappointed, however, by a scanty bad meal, we 

 thought to regain our tempers upon the backs of our host's 

 horses ; but not an animal had he sent for ; nor, to our further 

 vexation, could any inducement tempt him to lend one of 

 those fine horses, wliich, he still said, were close by. The In- 

 dians, he declared, were expected daily ; he knew not the 

 moment he might have to fly for his life; on no condition 

 wovild he lend a horse : no, not if a fleet of ships were wrecked, 

 and I were to offer him an ounce of gold for each mile that his 

 horse should carry me. 



Every Chilian residing on the frontier endeavours to keep 

 by him a good horse, on which to escape, in case of a sudden 

 attack of the Indians; for, as they never give quarter, and 

 approach at a gallop, it is highly necessary to be always pre- 

 pared. Those who can afford to do so, keep horses solely for 

 the purpose of escape, which are the finest and the swiftest 

 they can procure. I remember hearing, that when General 



* Corporal. 



