ARRIVAL OF INDIANS. 



59 



dirty floor^ answering the purpose of seats and 

 tables. No cheerful fire to sit by^ or passers by 

 to wear off the gloom : I wandered up and down 

 the cold damp room^ wrapped up in my boat- 

 cloak, shivering with cold, and amused myself 

 reading the names of various travellers, that were 

 legibly marked upon the walls. Here were 

 sweethearts thought of — characters pourtrayed — 

 many fears registered of the Indians being 

 about ; with these, and stuffing up the holes of 

 my friends, the rats, that had annoyed me during 

 the night, and now and then viewing the passing 

 storm, I contrived to pass a most tedious day. 

 Towards evening it cleared up, when we were 

 visited by some friendly Indians, who brought 

 two captives with them, a man and a boy, natives 

 of Chili. While we were in the master of the 

 post's room, with his family, the captives came 

 to the door, and sang a most plaintive air, ac- 

 companied with a guitar that was lent them by our 

 host's daughter, who also favoured us with a 

 specimen of the Pampas music. It was a mere 



