ISLAND OF MOCHA. 



351 



the southward, having reason to think the Cha- 

 cabuco had gone in that direction. After two days 

 search, I fell in with her at anchor between the 

 mainland and the island of Mocha. This island 

 is overrun by horses and pigs, both of which are 

 used as fresh stock by the whaling and seahng 

 ships in the Pacific. 



The two American seamen were immediately 

 sent to me, and it appeared from their statement, 

 that when Benavides marched from Arauco a 

 month before, he had left Mr Moison, captain of 

 the brig Ocean, together with several American 

 and English seamen, to fit out the ship Perseve- 

 rance ; but that all the rest of the captives had 

 been forced, at the point of the bayonet, to accom- 

 pany the army. During the march they had been 

 ^o strictly guarded by a body of cavahy, that it 

 was not until after they had crossed the river 

 Biobio, that an opportunity occurred for these two 

 men to effect their escape, and after suffering many 

 hardships to reach Conception. This informa- 

 tion decided me to return immediately to Arauco, 

 for the purpose of making an attempt to rescue 

 Captain Moison and the seamen, should they still 



