58 



A DIARY OF THE 



a pleasing countenance, and to him we com- 

 municated our wish to be guided to Concep9ion, 

 and inquired the distance, which, to our great 

 surprise, we found to be 180 miles. I intro- 

 duced Mr. Sarjeant (who understands the Span- 

 ish language thoroughly) to this Chilino, who, 

 after a few preliminary remarks, agreed to con- 

 duct us to Concep9ion for a stipulated sum, fur- 

 nishing horses and all necessaries on the road : 

 but as this Chilino's horses were at his petraro, 

 eight leagues from the beach, he stood our gua- 

 rantee for eight dollars with the cacique Cheu- 

 quante, for the hire of two horses to take us 

 there ; and about half-past 4 three horses arrived, 

 equipped in perfect Indian style, when, after 

 some slight refreshment of biscuit and rum, we 

 took leave of our fellow-sufferers. We rode 

 along the beach about a league, then turned off 

 for the interior, pursuing our way to the foot of 

 some low hills, until we came to the cacique 

 Cheuquante's dwelling, at about 6 o'clock, at 

 which time it was nearly dark. There we met 

 Don Rafael Lobo, an Indian apparently of Span- 

 ish blood from his countenance. He speaks the 

 Spanish language well, and acts as interpreter, 

 and holds the commission of lieutenant of the 



