WRECK OF THE CHALLENGER. 41 



of the year, might be hourly expected to fall ; 

 also stating that, though they might possibly be 

 able to collect horses and mules, to assist our 

 movement, whilst the weather remained dry, yet 

 that, as they must necessarily come from a 

 great distance, and from the neighbourhood of 

 Arauco, the first rains would drive them to their 

 homes again, fearing the impassable state of the 

 country. At night a strong armed watch was 

 on the look-out in the camp, and scouts kept at 

 the distance of a few miles, in the direction of 

 the hostile Indians. 



Light winds from the southward, with occa- 

 sional fog. The evident necessity of strengthen- 

 ing our position, as a precaution against the 

 liability of an attack from the Indians, caused 

 all hands, after attending to the cables attached 

 to the wreck, to be employed in forming such 

 a barricade around our tents as might prove at 

 least a check to the approach of cavalry. The 

 result of this day's labour, to those who wit- 

 nessed it, will long be with proud satisfaction 

 called to mind, as a proof of what the stimulated 

 energies of British seamen can accomplish : they 

 forgot their former fatigue, and, turning-to" 

 with a good will, boats, cordage, casks, and every 



