( ) 

 and mark of diftinftion by which the 

 Spaniards, and their dependents, hold their 

 miUtary and civil employments ; which 

 is aftick with afilver head. Thefe badges, 

 of which the Indians are very vain, 

 at once ferve to retain the cacique in the 

 ftrongefl attachment to the Spanifli go^ 

 vernment, and give him greater weight 

 with his own dependents : yet, withal, he 

 is the mereft flave, and has not one thing 

 he can call his own. This report of 

 our fliipwreck (as we fuppofcd) having 

 reached the Chonos, by means of the 

 intermediate tribes, which handed it to 

 one another, from thofe Indians who firft 

 vifited us ; this cacique was either fent 

 to learn the truth of the rumour, or hav- 

 ing firft got the intelligence, fet out with 

 a view of making fome advantage of the 

 wreck, and appropriating fuch iron- 

 work as he could gather from it to his 

 own ufe : for that metal is become 

 very valuable to thofe favages, fince their 



commerce 



