1835. POTATOES— THEFT MISCONDUCT. 459 



town, though in truth only a very small village : but latterly, 

 the river Leiibu- has scarcely been noticed, except as the last 

 retreat of the pirate Benavides. Nevertheless it is a situation 

 admirably adapted for a commercial as well as agricultural 

 settlement. 



Though bread and other things were deficient, the ship- 

 wrecked party never knew the want of water, and they had 

 always an abundant supply of a very fine kind of potato, 

 which perhaps is hardly to be surpassed in size or quality by 

 any in the world. Not one of the ofiicers of the Challenger 

 had seen its equal, and I never recollect eating any that were 

 so good, and at the same time so large.* Neither beef nor 

 mutton were scarce, in consequence of the 'credit'* obtained 

 by Mr. Rouse. Money was soon exhausted, but the high cha- 

 racter of the consul was known all over the country, and the 

 natives trusted implicitly to his word. 



The report of a ' wreck' had quickly drawn numerous plun- 

 derers, even from Concepcion and Talcahuano : but those pil- 

 ferers satisfied themselves secretly, I believe, without attempt- 

 ing any daring robbery. During the confusion of the first 

 day no doubt much was stolen by Indians, and hidden in the 

 neighbourhood : since many articles were sold to the Tal- 

 cahuano people for spirits or tobacco, and being taken by them 

 to that place, occasioned a report of the officers and crew 

 having been stripped and plundered. 



But it must not be supposed that Captain Seymour and his 

 ofiicers had no internal troubles, and that strangers were their 

 only foes. Shameful acts of robbery were committed by some 

 of the Challenger's own party : a very few of her marines 

 scrupling not to rifle chests and boxes belonging to officers. 

 This conduct, in connexion with . a spirit of insubordination 

 which began to show itself, among some of those who knew 

 Captain Seymour the least, occasioned his calling the crew 

 together on the beach, and causing one man to be corporally 

 punished. 



* The oflScers of the Blonde were of a similar opinion, after trying- a 

 great many that were sent on board from the Leiibu. 



