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CHILI. 



out of humour tlian interrupting his siesta ; and, 

 as we wished to solicit his favour for our country- 

 men, we thought it prudent not to urge the point 

 on the attendants, who shuddered at the very 

 thoughts of it. Meanwhile we strolled along the 

 banks of the magnificent river Biobio, which 

 washes the walls of the town. In our walk we 

 observed many black-eyed dames, sitting rurally 

 enough at their doors, spinning with distaff and 

 spindle, while their children played about them in 

 the street. They wore flowers in their hair in the 

 Chinese fashion, and were dressed with great neat- 

 ness : we found them quite willing to make ac- 

 quaintance, and to chat with the strangers. 



In process of time we saw the Governor, who 

 obligingly allowed us to go to the Indian quar- 

 ters ; but he smiled incredulously, and shook his 

 head at our Quixotical project of rescuing the dis- 

 tressed damsel, saying it was quite useless to at- 

 tempt treating with Peneleo, who had scarcely 

 anything human about him. 



We made our visit to the Indians at a most 

 unpropitious hour, for they had just finished their 

 dinner, and were all more or less tipsy. On our 



II 



