1835. 



RIDE FROM CONCEPCION. 



431 



that night, and to procure a circular letter to the local au- 

 thorities. Not a minute was lost by either of those zealous 

 officers in attending to and complying with my requests. 

 Alemparte left his dinner to write a circular letter, in his own 

 hand ; and neither he nor Colonel Boza would return to their 

 respective parties, until they had ascertained that I was pro- 

 perly provided with horses and a guide, and that I required no 

 further assistance. 



Although orders were issued and the ferry-boat at her 

 station, no crew were to be found, and only those men who 

 belonged to the boat knew how to cross over safely. Vexa- 

 tious as the delay seemed, I was afterwards glad of it ; for 

 judging by the work in day-light, 1 doubt our having ever 

 reached the opposite bank with our horses, in a dark night. 



While talking to Colonel Boza I remarked a watchful, wild- 

 looking, young Indian, in a Chilian half-uniform, standing in 

 the house. Something unusual in his manner attracted my notice 

 though hurried, and I have since regretted losing that oppor- 

 tunity of acquainting myself with the son of Colipi, a famous 

 cacique, who is the principal, and a very powerful leader of 

 the northern Araucanians, though at present a friend to the 

 Chilians. Colipi is a very tall and unusually strong man ; his 

 onset and his yell are talked of with a shudder, by those who 

 have suffered from Indian hostility. Educating his son at 

 Concepcion is one of the methods used to conciliate the ' Bar- 

 baro.' 



22d. Before the dawn of day we were looking for the water- 

 men ; and, as the sun rose, succeeded in getting their boat, or 

 rather flat-bottomed barge, into motion. We rode into the river, 

 about two hundred yards, until we reached the barge, then 

 lying close to an overflowed bank. By some persuasion of voice, 

 whip, and spur, the horses were made to leap out of the water, 

 over the gunwale and into the boat. They certainly showed 

 more sense than horses usually have, in understanding so 

 readily how to behave ; but whether their owners showed 

 more than asses, in having so clumsy a ferry-boat, .may be 



