Dec. 1834. 



CASTRO. 



339 



The arrival of our boats was a rare event in this quiet, 

 retired corner of the world ; and nearly all the inhabitants 

 came down to the beach to see us pitch our tents. They 

 were very civil, and offered us a house ; and one man even 

 sent us a cask of cider as a present. In the afternoon we 

 paid our respects to the governor ; — a quiet old man, who, in 

 his appearance and manner of life, was scarcely superior to 

 an English cottager. At night heavy rain set in, which was 

 hardly sufficient to drive away from the tents the large 

 circle of lookers on. An Indian family, who had come to 

 trade in a canoe from Caylen, bivouacked near us. They 

 had no shelter during the rain. In the morning, I asked 

 a young Indian, who was wet to the skin, how he had passed 

 the night. He seemed perfectly content, and answered, Muy 

 bien, senor.^^ 



December 1st. — We steered for the island of Lemuy. I 

 was anxious to examine a reported coal-mine, which turned 

 out to be lignite of little value, in the sandstone {probably of 

 • an ancient tertiary epoch) of which these islands are com- 

 posed. When we reached Lemuy we had much difficulty in 

 finding any place to pitch our tents, for it was spring tide, 

 and the land was wooded down to the water's edge. In a 

 short time we were surrounded by a large group of the 

 nearly pure Indian inhabitants. They were much surprised 

 at our arrival, and said one to the other, This is the reason 

 we have seen so many parrots lately ; the cheucau (an odd 

 red-breasted little bird, which inhabits the thick forest, and 

 utters very peculiar noises) has not cried '^beware' for 

 nothing.^' They were soon anxious for barter. Money was 

 scarcely worth any thing, but their eagerness for tobacco was 

 something quite extraordinary. After tobacco indigo came 

 next in value ; then capsicum, old clothes, and gunpowder. 

 The latter article was required for a very innocent purpose : 

 each parish has a public musket, and the gunpowder was 

 wanted for making a noise on their saint or feast days. 



The people here live chiefly on shell-fish and potatoes. 

 At certain seasons they catch also, in " corrales'^ or hedges 



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