Narrative of the surveying voyages of his majesty's ships Adventure and Beagle (vol.2): between the years 1826 and 1836 : describing their examination of the southern shores of South America, and the Beagles's circumnavigation of the globe

314 VILLARINO — CONSTITUCION. May houses were ransacked and burned, and all their animals driven away. Since that time the frequent predatory excursions of minor parties of Indians have prevented the settlers from again attempting to collect animals in large numbers, seeing that they would assuredly tempt the aborigines to repeat their attacks on a greater scale than ever. The old man, who was one of Vil- larino's party,* gave Mr. Darwin some information about that expedition, which entirely corroborates the interesting account of Basilio Villarino himself, who made his way, by excellent management, and extreme perseverance, to the foot of the Cordillera, though surrounded by Indians suspicious of his intentions. He managed so dexterously as to make one tribe become his firm friends and assistants ; and behaved so well himself, in his own enterprises, as well as in his conduct to those under him, as to have obtained their hearty co-operation during eight long months. But he was soon afterwards savagely murdered by the natives during another exploring expedition.-f- The old man said that ViUarino was much guided by the account of an Englishman,^ whose description of the river and Indian country was found to be very accurate. Mr. Darwin heard several anecdotes of the Indians, and their attacks upon the Christians (so they term aU white men) which interested me very much ; but as I suppose they will be found in liis volume, it is unnecessary here to do more than allude to them. On the 12th May Mr.Usborne, in the Constitucion, anchored in the river, and next day put himself under Mr. Stokes's orders; to whom Lieut. Wickham gave up the charge of this branch of the survey, and then went on board the Constitucion to hasten towards Maldonado. On the 17th all three Uttle vessels sailed, Lieut. Wickham steering for the Plata, and Mr. Stokes for San Bias. From this time till the Paz and Liebre were discharged, in * Bo^vman of his boat (lancha). t Sir Woodbine Parish has given an abridged translation of Villarino's Diary in the Journal of the R. Geogr. Society for 1836, vol. vi, part ii, pp.136 — 167. J Falkner evidently.