330 



NEW SETTLEMENT BEGUN. 



March 



rest. He carefully searched every building in the place, with- 

 out seeing even a trace of them. All was desolation ; yet he 

 learned afterwards from the two innocent gauchoes, that An- 

 tonio Rivero and another, suspecting who the party were, had 

 watched them closely : that at one time Lieut. Smith was near 

 treading on them ; which seemed hardly credible, until the 

 arrangements made on landing, the marching in Indian file to 

 hide his men, &c. were mentioned. Mr. Smith left with Chan- 

 non Luna's pardon, who, on the fourth day, brought in two 

 horses — not having been able to obtain more, as the murderers 

 were very watchful and fearful of each other, so much so, that 

 one of them had fallen a sacrifice to suspicion ; and Luna's 

 desertion reduced their number to six. With Luna for their 

 guide, on the sixth day Lieut. Smith, four midshipmen and 

 twelve marines, were despatched into the interior. They 

 were absent four days, and marched more than a hundred 

 miles, enduring much fatigue, which was increased by the 

 boisterous state of the weather, and by continual rain for three 

 out of the four days. Water in ravines, which on going out 

 hardly rose above their ankles, on their return had increased to 

 torrents : in crossing them some nearly lost their lives, and on 

 the bleak moors they sunk at every step knee-deep in bog. 

 Without sleep or shelter, they lived for the last two days on 

 beef just warmed through, by fires that it took hours to kindle. 

 They were not successful in capturing any of the murderers, 

 but at one time were so near, that they had the mortification 

 to see them drive their horses away at a gallop, and having all ^ 

 the tame ones but two, they were quickly out of reach of 

 musket- shot. So hasty however was their retreat, that they left 

 their provisions behind them. Captain Seymour finding that 

 capturing the Indians would be a tedious and uncertain task, 

 made one of the ruined houses habitable, and leaving six 

 marines as an additional protection to Lieut. Smith and his 

 boat's crew, proceeded as ordered. The lieutenant endea- 

 voured to make his abode comfortable, by clearing away rub- 

 bish and bones, and putting a garden into some order. With 

 the two horses he succeeded in catching and taming two cows. 



