1835. 



INDIAN ASSISTANCE CAMP. 



455 



Before much had been done in landing stores, a great many 

 Indians and some creole natives had assembled. Nearly 

 all came on horseback, and many assisted in hauling the rafts 

 ashore, or helping the people to land. Even the Indian women 

 rode into the furious surf, and with their lassoes helped very 

 materially : some took the boys up behind their saddles, and 

 carried them ashore ; others fixed their lassoes to the rafts. 

 Thus instead of molesting the sufferers, these ' uncivilized 

 barbarians' exerted themselves much for them. What a lesson 

 to the ' wreckers' of some other coasts, whose inhabitants are 

 called civilized ! 



But notwithstanding these friendly acts. Captain Seymour 

 was too prudent to put confidence in the natives. He remem- 

 bered the saying, ' Nunca, nunca fiarse a los Indios ;' and form- 

 ing a small encampment upon the beach, he barricaded it with 

 spars, boats, casks, and other moveables.* There every thing 

 was carried when landed, and put under care of the guard. 

 All this day was anxiously occupied in landing stores and pro- 

 visions. A small party remained on board ; but the rest were on 

 shore, during the night of the 20th.-|- Throughout the follow- 

 ing days, some of the officers and all the men who were not on 

 guard ashore, were constantly occupied in bringing provisions, 

 ammunition, and stores from the wreck. Heavy and laborious 

 as this duty proved, it was persevered in until every transport- 

 able article of value was removed. Two boat carronades were 

 mounted on shore, which, with small arms and the barricade 

 above mentioned, would have kept off a considerable force of 

 Indians. 



On the 21st, Lieutenant Collins and Mr. Lane (assistant- 

 surgeon) set out to go to Concepcion : whence, directly after 

 they arrived, Mr. Rouse set out, with horses and mules, taking 

 such few useful things as he could carry, among which were 

 two small tents, that had belonged to the Beagle, and were 

 lent to Mr. Rouse, when his own house was shaken down by 

 the destructive earthquake of February. 



* The barricade was finished on the 25th. 



t It was on this day that the Swede saw the unfortunate Challenger. 



