VIEW CHIVILTNGO — SANTA MART A. 



June 



The gallant steed unhurt appeared, 

 Strove foremost in the fight, and feared 

 Only to be the last! 



Ercilla. Canto VT. 



We ascended the heights by winding narrow paths, up which 

 our horses were led, in order to spare them as much as possible, 

 and met a small party of Chilians, on their way from the wreck 

 of the Challenger towards Concepcion, from whom we heard 

 that the wreck had been abandoned, and that the officers and 

 crew were entrenched in a secure position, on the height of 

 ' Tucapel Viejo,' close to the mouth of the river Leiibu. We 

 were also told that the Indians increased in number daily, and 

 that great fears of their hostility were entertained. 



From the summit of Villagran we had an extensive view, 

 reaching from Tumbes Heights, at the west side of the Bay of 

 Concepcion, to Cape Rumena. The low island of Santa Maria, 

 with its sandy spit, shaped like an arm, seemed to be within a 

 few miles of us, though distant several leagues. I could trace 

 the long, low, and almost straight beach of Laraquete till ended 

 by the white cliffs of Tubul : I could distinguish the height 

 immortalized by Colocolo's name, and under it smoke arising 

 from the classical Arauco. Southward, a large extent of fertile, 

 level, and rather woody plains reached to distant ranges of 

 hills, which showed only a faint blue outline. Time allowed no 

 delay, but with a hasty glance, as we mounted our horses and 

 cantered along the summit, I saw a schooner* in the distance, off 

 the Paps of Bio Bio, working her way to the southward. 



Descending the hill, we reached ' Chivilingo,' a village near 

 a small river which runs through a ' hacienda' belonging to 

 the ' Santa Maria' family. We called at the door of their large, 

 barn-like dwelling, to ask if horses could be spared. The mis- 

 tress of the house happened to be at home, having lately 

 arrived from Concepcion ; and directly she heard my story she 

 ordered every horse to be put in requisition; but, unfortunately, 

 two only were within reach, one of which was lame. All the 

 others had been sent to grass at a distance. After acknowledg- 



* The Carmen, with Mr. Usborne on board— see page 456. 



