WRECK OF THE CHALLENGER. 71 



incessant warfare and stratagem, subdued the In- , 

 dians, and advanced thus far into their territory,) 

 is garrisoned by a few Chihno troops, under the 

 command of Lieutenant-Colonel Serior Don Ge- 

 ronimo Jose Valenzuela, who was at this time 

 at Conception. As soon as we entered the town, 

 the knowledge of our arrival having reached the 

 second in command. Major Don Jos6 Sylva, he 

 ran to us, and embraced us as officers in distress, 

 and took us to his quarters, and introduced us 

 to five or six officers, to whom, with himself, we 

 shall ever be indebted for the most Castilian- 

 like kindness and hospitality, which, if I were 

 hot an Englishman, I ought to say could not 

 be surpassed. With these gentlemen we dined : 

 they informed us that they would immediately 

 despatch the brother of our guide, Don Bernar- 

 dino Hermosillo, a captain in their militia ca- 

 valry, with a party of twelve men, to guard the 

 wreck at Molquilla ; at the same time telling us 

 that their reason for sending so small a number 

 was, because the Indians, so far south as the 

 place where the ship had been wrecked, had 

 acknowledged the government of Chili, and 

 were at present assisting them, or rather them- 

 selves, by carrying on an interminable and 



F 4 



