^0 



A DIARY OF THE 



and hearing of a wreck, had accompanied an 

 Indian cacique to the spot of our misfortune. 

 This honest man gave the clue to all our future 

 correspondence. 



- After much negotiation, and being piqued on 

 his Castilian blood, and with fair promises of 

 reward, Camilo undertook to become the guide, 

 and procure the horses necessary for a journey 

 to Conception. We were indebted to the zealous 

 exertions of Mr, Sarjeant, the purser, for our 

 success, which is to be attributed, in a great 

 measure, to his perfect knowledge of the Spanish 

 language and character. 



From Camilo we obtained the first outline of 

 our situation. We w^ere informed that the name 

 of the spot on which we were wrecked was Mol- 

 quilla, in the province of Arauco, sixty leagues 

 south of Conception, and about thirty-five miles 

 from the island of Mocha ; and by observations 

 afterwards taken on shore with our artificial ho- 

 rizon, in latitude 37° 48' 48'''' south, and longi- 

 tude 73° 34' 30'^ west. It lies at the extreme 

 southern verge of that portion of the Araucanian 

 Indian territory in which the Indians tacitly 

 acknowledge the authority of the Chilian go- 

 vernment j and under its influence the caciques 



