PENELEO THE INDIAN. 



terrogated about the woman, in whose fate we 

 began to take great interest, he said, she would 

 probably never reach Conception alive, as he had 

 heard Peneleo threaten, that, unless she left off 

 crying, he would certainly kill her, as he had 

 killed her husband the day before. 



As Conception lay directly in our way to Val- 

 paraiso, I determined to call there, not only to 

 concert some measures respecting the captive sea- 

 men, should they make their appearance, but also, 

 if possible, to rescue this poor woman from the 

 Indians. Accordingly, after waiting another day 

 at Arauco, and seeing no hope of gaining intelli- 

 gence of the prisoners, we sailed for Port St 

 Vincent, a small secure harbour, not far from the 

 bay, and rather nearer than Talcuhuana to the 

 town of Conception. I lost no time in riding to 

 the city, along with one of the officers, but our 

 haste was needless, for we were stopped at the 

 gate of the government-house by a domestic, who, 

 closing his eyes, and reclining his head on one 

 hand, whispered that his Excellency was taking 

 hisj siesta, and ^could not be disturbed. No- 

 thing, as all the world knows, puts a man more 



