WRECK OF THE CHALLENGER. 



61 



Shortly after this we were again alarmed by the 

 barking of dogs, and trampling of horses ap- 

 proaching, as we supposed, in the road we had 

 lost. 



" We distinctly heard the voices of Indians, 

 and, if we had known their language, might have 

 been in possession of their intentions : we had 

 no doubt but that they were the party we left 

 at the raucho, who endeavoured to prevail on 

 us to stop the night, and that they were in search 

 of us. When they were so near as to hear if 

 we uttered a word, our guide, in a low tone, said 

 ' Hush 1 ' and when the horses made a rustling 

 noise amongst the bushes, he evaded suspicion 

 by grunting like a pig. We asked no questions, 

 but remained in a state of indescribable anxiety 

 till daylight, the 21st, when, wet, cold, hungry, 

 and miserable, we rubbed ourselves to circulate 

 the blood and reanimate our almost frozen 

 limbs. Some time was lost in searching for Mr. 

 Lane's coat, which had been lost when Camilo's 

 horse took fright, as we could make no use of it 

 as a covering or protection from the weather, it 

 having been washed on shore, and consequently 

 thoroughly wet. On finding the coat, we sad- 

 dled our horses, mounted, and discovered the 



