326 



CHILI. 



armed body of men rushed from the woods, and 

 overpowering them, tied their hands behind their 

 backs, and left them under a guard on the beach. 

 These were no other than the pirates ; who now 

 took the Herselia''s own boats, and going on board, 

 surprised the captain and four of his crew, who 

 had remained to take care of the brig ; and having 

 brought off the prisoners from the beach, threw 

 them all into the hold, closing the hatches over 

 them. They then tripped the vessel's anchor, 

 and sailing over in triumph to Arauco, were re- 

 ceived by Benavides with a salute of musketry, 

 fired under the Spanish flag, which it was their 

 chiefs pleasure to hoist on that day. In the 

 course of the next night, Benavides ordered the 

 captain and his crew to be removed to a house on 

 shore, at some distance from the town ; then tak- 

 ing them out one by one, he stripped and pillaged 

 them of all they possessed, threatening them the 

 whole time with drawn swords and loaded muskets. 

 Next morning, he paid the prisoners a visit, and 

 having ordered them to the capital, called together 

 the principal people of the town, and desired each 

 to select one as a servant. The captain and four 



