136 
SCENES IN T H E PA CIF I C . 
Being now all united again, the General gives orders to 
continue the voyage, and run into the first harbor discovered. 
They soon see a large bay, which the tender is ordered to ex¬ 
plore. It is well sheltered from the northwest winds; but 
as its shores are lined with great numbers of warlike Indians, 
instead of landing they proceed up the coast. A north¬ 
wester, however, soon obliges them to put back, and come to 
anchor. This being the anniversary of St. Simon and St. 
Jude, they give the name of both saints to the bay. The next 
morning Captain Peguero and Ensign Alarcon are sent ashore 
with some soldiers to look for wood and fresh water. Find¬ 
ing none of the latter, they dig some wells in a moist spot 
overgrown with sedge and flags. While doing this, the 
Indians seem very brisk and bold ; but do not molest the 
Spaniards till some presents are offered them. Construing 
this act into a sign of fear on the part of their visitors, they 
at once become impudent, attempt to steal, and even go so 
far as to try to take one of the boats from the boys who are 
left in charge of it. To deter them from further violence, one 
of the soldiers, as they are going off to the ship, fires his 
piece in the air. But the Indians finding no one hurt, grow 
more insolent than ever ; and the next day when a small paity 
goes on shore to obtain water, they become so very trouble¬ 
some that two soldiers who have their matches lighted, order 
them to stand back. But this only increases their audacity. 
One of them throws his bow over the head of a soldier. The 
pilot draws his sabre, and severs it. They now draw up in 
form, and place their arrows on their bow-strings. The 
soldiers, who have lighted matches, are ordered to fire upon 
them! In a moment six Indians lie bleeding upon the 
sand! Their companions snatch them up and bear them 
away! 
The news of this occurrence spreads like the wind among 
the neighboring rancherias, and in a short time two hundred 
Indians painted fiercely, wearing plumes upon their heads, 
and armed with bows and arrows, rush down to attack the 
