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456 ROUSE MOLGUILLA LEÜBU. May
Wherever Mr. House went he carried with him the thorough
good-will and high respect of the inliahitants of the province
of Concepcion—a feeling inestimably valuable at such a time,
and totally different from the mere outward formal civility
shown to him as the British consul ! This feeling forwarded
him on his journey, induced others to assist in earnest, and
afterwards enabled him to procure a large supply of fresh provisions
for the shipwrecked crew.
From Concepcion Lieutenant Collins went to Talcahuano,
to hire a vessel. Only one fit for such a purpose was in the
port, the Carmen, au American schooner, but her owner asked
a price so utterly unreasonable, that the Lieutenant refused to
engage witli him, and returned to the wreck.
After Lieutenant Collins was despatched to Concepcion,
Captain Seymour and the master went to examine the mouth
of the river Leübu, about eighteen miles to the N.N.W. of
Point Molguilla, where the ship struck. They found that
boats might enter and leave the river with most winds ; that
there was no bar at the entrance; and that under Tucapel
Heights* there was a spot very suitable for their encampment,
until some means of embarkation should offer. Travelling overland
so great a distance as to Concepcion, in such a country,
would have been almost impracticable, except as a last resource ;
for it must have involved thè total loss of every thing which
they could not can-y on their backs, and rendered useless the
many days hard labour, in a raging surf, by which so much
had heen landed. It was therefore resolved, that as soon as all
valuable stores which could be removed were landed, measures
should he taken for shifting their camp to the Leübu.f
When the consul ai-rived his advice strengthened the opinion
* Immediately over the entrance of the river.
t IVhile Captain Seymour was away at the Leubu, the officers availed
themselves of the opportunity to get the greater part of his stores and
private property, books, &c. landed; for he would not allow any of his
own things to be moved, or a man to be employed about them, while an
article of the ship’s stores could be saved, though his private property
was very valuable.
June 1835. CACIQUE STORES REMOVE. 457
of Captain Seymour, and their immediate removal was decided
upon. Though the Indians as yet had been inoffensive, Mr.
Rouse had heard as he came of a large body who were approaching
from the interior, and whose intentions he suspected to
be hostile. The tribe then about Molguilla was that of an
Indian cacique, in alliance with the Chilians, and therefore
inclined to be civil, while the plunder was not very tempting,
and while all the party were well armed and on the alert.
A few days after the ship was wrecked, this cacique gave a
fine young heifer to Captain Seymour, who thanked him for
his present, and expressed regret that any thing he could offer
in return must be very trifling ; when he was startled by a
violent exclamation from the chieftain, who indignantly refused
to accept any thing from men in distress. He would not take
the paring of a nail from them, (biting his thumb-nail angrily
as he spoke).
By Mr. Rouse’s exertions and assistance, as interpreter and
adviser, several yoke of oxen were procured, as well as many
horses, mules, and donkeys ; but even with such unhoped-for
help, the removal of the heavy stores which had been saved
was a tedious and difficult undertaking. Once established,
however, at Leübu, they felt comparatively secure ; tents were
made out of sails ; a pabsade was fixed and a ditch dug : but
the guns, spars, anchors, cables, and large boats, were left on
the beach, as they were too heavy for removal overland ; and
to transport them by sea, from such an exposed coast, was out
of the question.
Leaving their good ship a wreck upon the shore, in the
hands of those who would soon destroy her, to get at the
copper and iron, was to all a melancholy sensation. But the
feelings of her captain at that moment—how little those who
obeyed orders had to feel, compared with him who gave them !
On the 8th of J une the wreck was abandoned : and the
whole party were encamped at Leiibu. Time passed away but
no tidings of assistance arrived. Sickness began its insidious
attacks : for cold wet weather had succeeded to a duration of
fine dry days unusual at that time of year. Some of their
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