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

1835. IKDIAN ASSISTANCE CAMP. 4>55 Before much had been done in landing stores, a great many Indians and some creole natives had assembled. Nearly- all came on horseback, and many assisted in hauling the rafts ashore, or helping the people to land. Even the Indian women rode into the furious surf, and with their lassoes helped very materially : some took the boys up behind their saddles, and carried them ashore ; others fixed their lassoes to the rafts. Thus instead of molesting the sufferers, these ' uncivihzed barbarians' exerted themselves much for them. What a lesson to the ' wreckers' of some other coasts, whose inhabitants are called civilized ! But notwithstanding these friendly acts, Captain Seymour was too prudent to put confidence in the natives. He remem- bered the saying, ' Nunca, nunca fiarse a los Indios ;' and form- ing a small encampment upon the beach, he barricaded it with spars, boats, casks, and other moveables.* There every thing was carried when landed, and put under care of the guard. All this day was anxiously occupied in landing stores and pro- visions. A small party remained on board ; but the rest were on shore, during the night of the SOth.f Throughout the follow- ing days, some of the ofiicers and all the men who were not on guard ashore, were constantly occupied in bringing provisions, ammunition, and stores from the wreck. Heavy and laborious as this duty proved, it was persevered in until every transport- able article of value was removed. Two boat carronades were mounted on shore, which, with small arms and the barricade above mentioned, would have kept off a considerable force of Indians. On the 21st, Lieutenant Collins and Mr. Lane (assistant- surgeon) set out to go to Concepcion : whence, directly after they arrived, Mr. Rouse set out, with horses and mules, taking such few useful things as he could carry, among which were two small tents, that had belonged to the Beagle, and were lent to Mr. Rouse, when his own house was shaken down by the destructive earthquake of February. * The barricade was finished on the 25th. t It was on this day that the Swede saw the unfortunate Challenger.