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

434 COLCURA — GOBERXADOR — HORSES. June which we were obliged to lead our horses, we ascended the heights of Colcura. For our reward, after a muddy scramble up to the top of a steep hill, we looked down upon a fine though but partially wooded country, forming an agreeable succession of valleys and high grounds ; while to seaward there was an extensive view of the coast, with the island of Santa Maria in the distance. Perched on a height overlooking the sea, and directly above a very snug little anchorage, is the hamlet called Colcura ; and thither we hastened, inattentive to the complaints of our guide (who was likewise guardian of the horses), and trusting to Vogelborg's recollection of the road. Riding into a sort of field entrenchment at the top of Colcura hill, we were accosted by a sly-looking, sharp-visaged character, whose party-coloured iacket appeared to show that its owner held some office of a military nature, but whether that of ' cabo,"** or a higher, I could not determine vmtil I heard him say he could give us a good meal, and that he had three fine horses near the house ; when at once styling him ' gobernador' I rebuked my- self for liaving thought ill of his physiognomy, and proceeded to unsaddle. Disappointed, however, by a scanty bad meal, we thought to regain our tempers upon the backs of our host's horses ; but not an animal had he sent for ; nor, to our further vexation, could any inducement tempt him to lend one of those fine horses, wliich, he still said, were close by. The In- dians, he declared, were expected daily ; he knew not the moment he might have to fly for his life; on no condition wovild he lend a horse : no, not if a fleet of ships were wrecked, and I were to offer him an ounce of gold for each mile that his horse should carry me. Every Chilian residing on the frontier endeavours to keep by him a good horse, on which to escape, in case of a sudden attack of the Indians; for, as they never give quarter, and approach at a gallop, it is highly necessary to be always pre- pared. Those who can afford to do so, keep horses solely for the purpose of escape, which are the finest and the swiftest they can procure. I remember hearing, that when General * Corporal.