CORDIAL M E E T IN G .
and formed the encampment. Among them, mounted on her
white horse, was Maria, who, duly escorted, paraded on the
beach to challenge our recognition. In the centre of tie
encampment, a large flag suspended from a pole was a signal
to us, and showed the position of her toldo.
The next morning being fine, we landed near the encamp
ment, and were most cordially received. Maria was parti-
culai-ly attentive, and embraced me closely, while her companions
chaunted in chorus a song of delight at our arnva .
When we reached her toldo, a mat was spread out tor
me to sit on. Maria and her family placed themselves in front
of me, while the rest sat round. Almost the first question was
an inquiry for my son riiilip, whom they called Felipe,* and
two or three skin| were given to me for him. They then asked
for our pilot on the former voyage, and were much disappointed
to find he had left the ship. After a short conversation
I returned the two bags (which I had so unwillingly carried
away at our last visit), having filled them with flour and
sugar, and then proceeded to deliver our presents. As each
. article was delivered into her hands, she repeated, in Spanish,
“ n i pav for t h i s b u t upon a bit for her horse being presented,
á general burst of admiration followed, and it was
banded round the tents, wliilst eadi individual, as it passed on,
looked, I thought, anxious to be its possessor.
Maria then began to consider what adequate requital she
could possibly make me. The result was, a present of two
mantles, one new, of guanaco skin, and the other well woni,
of zorillo skin, besides two or three skins of the puma, blie
then produced a piece of paper, carefully wrapped up in canvas,
containing a letter, or memorandum, left by Mr. Low, master
of the Uxbridge sealer, addressed to any shipmaster passing
through the Strait, apprising him “ of the friendly disposition
of the Indians, and impressing him with the necessity of treating
them well, and not deceiving th^n; for they had good
memories, and would seriously resent it.” , . , , - „
The advice, no doubt, was good ; hut I thmk the fear ol
» He was a great favourite witli them.
forfeiting advantages and comforts to be derived from traffic
would induce them to restrain their resentment.
I brought no spirits ; for which, after a short time, Maria
asked, complaining that she was very ill, and had sore eyes,
and for some time past had nothing but water to drink, and
wood to smoke. Her illness was evidently assumed, but her
eyes seemed highly inflamed; and no wonder, for the upper
part of her face was smeared over with an ochrous red pigment,
even to the very edge of her eyelids: indeed, the whole
tribe had ornamented themselves similarly, in compliment, I
suppose, to our visit.
As I prepared to return on board, Maria’s importunity
induced me to allow her to accompany me; upon vliich she
began to muster up all her empty bags, old mantles, and skins,
and, attended by her husband, her brother-in-law, his wife and
daughter, got into the boat. While going on board, the spray
washed the painted countenances of our visitors, much to their
regret.
Upon reaching the ship, I ordered them to be regaled with
meat and biscuit, of which they partook very sparingly, but
took care to put what remained into their bags. Some spirits
and water, too, which I thought would be soon dispatched,
and which had been plentifully diluted to prevent their being
made tipsy, they emptied into bottles to take on shore “ for
the evening,” when, as Maria said, they would be “ very
drunk.”
Among various things shown to amuse them was a musical
suuff-box, which I had procured for the express purpose of
exciting their astonishment; but I was surprised to find, that
a penny-whistle produced a ten-fold greater effect upon their
senses. This indifference to musical sounds I should not have
suspected, because they frequently sing, though certainly in a
monotonous manner.
As soon as their repast was concluded, the party, except
Maria and the girls, commenced bartering their mantles and
skins, and, by the time their stock was expended, they had
amassed a large quantity of biscuit, and a bundle of various
I 2