way being intercepted by still higher hills and lofty
woods: we had therefore no other expedient by
means of which to come at this knowledge, but by fitting
out one of our ship’s boats upon some discovery,
to inform us of our situation. Our long-boat
was still on board the wreck; therefore a number of
hands were now dispatched to cut the gunwale of the
ship in order to get her out. Whilst we were
employed in this business, there appeared three canoes
of Indians paddling towards us: they had come
round the point from the southern lagoons. It
was some time before we could prevail upon them to
lay aside their fears and approach us, which at length
they were induced to do by the signs of friendship
we made them, and by shewing some bale-goods, which
they accepted, and suffered themselves to be conducted
to the captain, who made them likewise some presents.
They were strangely affected with the novelty thereof,
but chiefly when shewn the looking-glass, in which
the beholder could not conceive it to be his own face
that was represented, but that of some other behind
it, which he therefore went round to the back of the
glass to find out.
These people were of a small stature, very swarthy,
having long black coarse hair hanging over their faces.
It was evident, from their great surprise and every
part of their behaviour, as well as their not having
one thing in their possession which could be derived
from white people, that they had never seen such.
Their clothing was nothing but a bit of some beast’s
skin about their waists, and something woven from feathers
over their shoulders; and as they uttered no word
of any language we had ever heard, nor had any method
of making themselves understood, we presumed they
could have had no intercourse with Europeans.
These savages, who upon their departure left us a
few mussels, returned in two days, and surprised us
by bringing three sheep. From whence they could
procure these animals in a part of the world so distant
from any Spanish settlement, cut off from all communication
with the Spaniards by an inaccessible coast and unprofitable
country, is difficult to conceive. Certain it
is, that we saw no such creatures, nor ever heard
of any such, from the Straits of Magellan till we
got into the neighbourhood of Chiloe; it must be by
some strange accident that these creatures came into
their possession, but what that was we never could
learn from them. At this interview we bartered
with them for a dog or two, which we roasted and eat.
In a few days after they made us another visit, and,
bringing their wives with them, took up their abode
with us for some days, then left us again.
Print
Word
PDF
